Posts Tagged ‘prayers’
Praying a Sinner’s Prayer
by Jarrod Jacobs via “Common Questions — Bible Answers” (Southside church of Christ, Owensboro, Kentucky) A while back, I received a sample packet of tracts from “The Tract League” (a.k.a. “Faith, Prayer, & Tract League”) out of Grand Rapids, MI. According to their form letter addressed to the “Pastor,” they have over 300 tracts in…
Read MoreThe Sinner’s Prayer
by Bob Myhan The so-called sinner’s prayer is the prayer of an alien sinner for the forgiveness of sins. An alien sinner is one who has never been saved and is not yet a citizen in the kingdom of God. The sinner’s prayer has had many incarnations over the years but it usually goes something…
Read MoreShould I keep waiting for God to find me a husband?
Question: I have questions regarding marriage: My mom wants me to get married so badly, she even got me a fiance. Nevertheless, I am a Christian and I want to wait on the Lord for the right person He has for me. I am 25 years old. My mom just wants to have grandkids. She…
Read MoreDoes God hear the prayers of those who are not yet saved?
Question: I am writing, after reading your article, wondering your understanding of the Scriptures that point to God willing not to hear because of sins or God not hearing a sinner’s prayer, or even yet, God hears open to the prayers of the righteous? From those Scriptures I arrive at the following conclusion: God is aware…
Read MoreWhy are prayers ended with “In Jesus’ name, Amen”?
Question: Why, when we pray, should we close the prayer with, “In Jesus name, amen”? Answer: The word “amen” is a transliterated word from the Hebrew language. Wilson’s Old Testament Word Studies defines it as meaning, “Let it be granted, let it be done, and unalterably confirmed.” It can be seen in Numbers 5:22 where…
Read MoreI’m about to have sex with my boyfriend. Will God still hear my prayers?
Question: I am about to start having sex with my boyfriend of nine months. Will God still hear my prayers if I do that? I really am confused. I feel that I’m ready, but I’m afraid of destroying my relationship with God. Please help. Answer: Here is the true test that you and your boyfriend…
Read MoreWhat do you think about people praying in front of schools?
Question: Some of my friends, during the holidays, are going to colleges and praying in front of the colleges. Is there any use in doing this? Answer: “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that…
Read MoreBeginning the Day with God
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2010Spring1BeginningTheDayWithGod.mp3 by Frank Walton Christ, the Only Way
Read MoreRelying on God
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/RelyingOnGod.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. The afternoon news and talk show featured a short debate over a recent story. The parents of eleven children had two of their children die. One died from untreated diabetes. The other died from complications of an untreated ear infection. The parents believed firmly in the power of prayer and…
Read MoreHow are faith and prayer related?
Question: How are faith and prayer related? Answer: Prayer is a form of worship to God where we bring our requests to Him along with our praise and our thanksgivings. But what use would it be to ask God for a favor while at the same time having no confidence that He will give you…
Read MoreHow do I keep my thoughts from wandering during my prayers?
Question: When I try to pray, I cannot always pay full attention. My mind wanders many times. I am cautious about my prayers, but I still drift away in my thoughts. Answer: When you read through the prayers recorded for us in the Bible, what becomes noticeable is that most of them are short and…
Read MoreHow do you explain praying God’s will and not your own?
Question: How can I best explain to someone about praying God’s will? Her sister is deathly ill and she just keeps praying for the sister to be cured of cancer. I told her she should be praying God’s will, not her own. She doesn’t understand and I am not sure how to explain it. She…
Read MoreWhen God Told David, “No”
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/WhenGodToldDavidNo.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Samuel 7:1-17 I. David had gained a measure of peace in his reign. The battles had settled down. Now was a time to think about other things. A. David was embarrassed that he lived in a fine, solidly built house while God’s “house” remained a tent. B. It was David’s…
Read MoreHannah’s Prayer
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/HannahsPrayer.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Samuel 1:9-18 I. I Thessalonians 5:17 A. It is a short passage, but it isn’t short on meaning. What is meant “without ceasing?” B. Paul isn’t talking about a 24-hour a day, non-stop prayer. There are other things which must be accomplished in life. C. He is talking about prayer where…
Read MoreExceedingly Abundantly
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ExceedingAbundantly2.mp3 by Simon Harris God, please use Kelsey to bring glory to your Name. We know the odds are against us, but we trust in You. Please use our daughter as a living example of Your power to heal, that all may glorify You as the Great God of Heaven. That was my prayer when…
Read MoreDo you allow women to teach or lead prayer in the assembly as long as they wear a covering?
Question: I just came across your article on the covering by Hiram Hutto. We are studying I Corinthians 11 currently. I will study further, but in the meantime, my question is: Do you allow women to teach or lead a prayer (or singing) in the assembly (when men are present) as long as they wear…
Read MoreHow much do we do before we let God take over?
Question: I have been wondering about how God works in the world today. I am confused about how much we are to do before we let God take over. I believe that God wants us to do what we can and then He will do his part. Is this correct? I keep thinking about Abraham…
Read MoreIs it realistic to pray that the man I want to be the father of my child had actually gotten me pregnant?
Question: My boyfriend and I have been on and off. We both were having sex with other people, but we decided to stop and be together. We asked God to forgive us and we moved on. A few days before we got back together I had sex with someone else and I got pregnant. I…
Read MoreWhy is it wrong to pray to saints?
Question: Why is it wrong for Catholics to pray to saints? Answer: Well, first of all, prayers to someone dead is an exercise in futility. The dead cannot hear your prayers. They are no longer involved in life. “For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more…
Read MoreTo Him Who is Able
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/ToHimWhoIsAble.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ephesians 3:13-21 I. Life happens. Things don’t always go smoothly. Problems arise, if for no other reason than that we live in a problem filled world. A. People get laid off. Homes are foreclosed. Bankruptcy might loom on the horizon. B. Families can be dysfunctional. Marriages strained. Children wayward. C. Congregations struggle…
Read MoreIs it wrong to ask God for the forgiveness of sins, but also have other things in mind to ask from Him?
Question: I have a question: I asked God for something and I hoped that He will help me out in it because I know I depend on Him. For some reason, every time I think I have sinned I seem to be really concerned about sinning because I think that God is going to punish…
Read MoreIs it wrong to refer to God as Jehovah in a prayer?
Question: Is it wrong or scripturally incorrect to refer to God as Jehovah? For instance, when you pray to Him, to address Him as Jehovah. In Matthew 6:9, Jesus is showing the disciples how to pray. He starts with “Our Father in Heaven.” Since Jesus never refers to God as Jehovah and when instructing His disciples how to pray…
Read MoreHow can I pray without doubt when I know that sometimes I won’t get what I prayed for?
Question: I have a question about prayer. I understand that the Bible states that when we pray, we are to let our requests to God be given in faith, believing that we will receive. So if I pray that God will help me through a difficult time or give me the strength to overcome some…
Read MoreA Simple Prayer
by L.A. Stauffer via The Jackson Drive Reporter, March 15, 2009. Bible students may be struck with amazement that a body of Jewish followers would ask Jesus to teach them to pray. These were men of a nation that grew up with prayer. It was a staple of their home life, it was taught in…
Read MoreHow many times does the Bible mention prayer, salvation, healing, and money?
Question: I was searching for some information when I saw your site. The questions are, how many times in the Bible does it mention the four following items: prayer salvation healing money [tithes]? I wanted to witness on these items and the importance of them but did not know where to look on the information…
Read MoreWhen I pray to God, am I praying to the Father or the Son?
Question: I am reading your lesson on Who is God? Let me see if I am understanding this. God is three beings: The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is God’s Son, but when we refer to God in prayer or in time of need, so am I praying to God? Or Jesus?…
Read MoreDoes God Answer Every Prayer?
by Clem Thurman via Gospel Minutes; Vol. 56, No. 3; Jan. 19, 2007. Question: “I believe that when we pray for something, in faith, God will give it to us. If we are sick, we can pray and God will heal us. He is able to do all things. So, the question is: ‘Does God…
Read MoreUnanswered Prayers
by Lewis Willis via Guardian of Truth; April 4, 1991; Vol. XXXV, No. 7; pp. 193, 215 Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash When I think of prayer, I think of it as the very essence of the Christian’s relationship with God. It is our link of communication with him, as the New Testament is his…
Read MoreThe Bible Does Not Teach Praying to Dead Animals
by Bob Lovelace Various kinds of religions offer congregants and those at large opportunities to participate in “a blessing of animals” ceremony. This often comes in October in celebration of the so-called “saint” of Catholicism – St. Francis of Assisi. Myth has it that he preached to the birds rather than to man as Christ…
Read MoreWhy doesn’t God restore my hearing?
Question: I have about a 30-40% hearing impairment. I don’t know for sure what has caused my hearing impairment. I have behind-the-ear hearing aids. I often get ashamed of wearing them in front of people that I have not known for a long time. It is so embarrassing when people say, “What is that in your ear?” It really…
Read MoreDoes God respond to the prayers of the alien sinner?
Question: In my study of God’s Word, I’ve come to the conclusion that God does not respond to the prayers of an “alien sinner” when asking for God’s blessings on himself. However, what are your thoughts on whether God responds to an “alien sinners” prayers when praying for someone else? For example, praying for someone…
Read MoreHave you heard of the Theophostic Prayer Ministry?
Question: I am very concerned about something and would like to ask you about this. The small church of Christ where we attend recently hired a minister. We have no elders, just a group of several men who chose this preacher. He and his wife are very nice and people oriented. His sermons so far…
Read MoreWhat does it mean for a husband to not honor his wife?
Question: “Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered” (I Peter 3:7). I have some questions about this verse: If a husband is not honoring his wife, does that…
Read MoreThe Prayer in My Hand
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/PrayerInMyHand.mp3 Text: Luke 11:1-13 I. I ran across small article aimed at teaching young children for who they should remember to pray. A. I thought you might find it interesting as well B. Not just for teaching children, but it offers a lesson for us as well II. The prayer in my hand A. If I hold up no…
Read MoreIs it okay to pray for my dad or does he hear my prayers?
Question: My dad just passed away and I’m worried about his soul. My question is: Is it okay to pray for him and does he hear my prayers? It’s a calming thought that your parents are in heaven watching us like angels. Is this possible, or do they really have no more knowledge of earthly…
Read MoreWhy did God extend Hezekiah’s life?
Question: Why did God extend Hezekiah’s life? Answer: “In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.'” Then he turned his face toward the…
Read MorePractical Advice on Prayer
by Andree Seu I picked up a little pamphlet from the rack in the foyer of a church I was visiting titled “Squeezing Prayer into a Busy Life.” I could imagine various possible directions for the six pages that would follow. The writer could tell us that if we really loved God we would find…
Read MoreWhy don’t Protestants say the Rosary?
Question: I’m a Catholic, and if you don’t mind, I’d like to ask you a question about the Blessed Virgin Mary. Why is it that Protestants don’t honor Mary as Catholics do? The rosary, for example, is very biblical, yet most Protestants don’t pray it. Why is this? Answer: The answer is not difficult, but…
Read MoreTo whom should we pray?
Question: To whom should we pray? To the Father, or to the Son, or to the Holy Spirit, or to any of the three? Can we say “you died for us” during prayer? Answer: The majority of the prayers are directed to God in general or to God, the Father, specifically. “In this manner, therefore,…
Read MoreShould prayers only be made for things that bring God glory?
Question: I’ve been struggling (perhaps not the best word) lately regarding my prayer life. I wonder if you could share some insights into my thoughts. I don’t know that I have an answer, just questions. It occurs to me that I see a pattern in several locations in Scripture from which my questions stem. For…
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