The power of prayer: in action

OMG charles, look at the statistics in the dictionary. You are guilty of trashing the English language as well.statistics do not have to be the scientific ones you are talking about, done by one group or another with at least 1000 people involved. A statistic is just that, a statistic. We analize them and get results, based on statistics and evidence.If you pop 5 zits on your face, and 4 of them hit the mirror, then you can say 4 out of 5 zits hit the mirror, its a statistic, what else would you call it?Now does that make it absolute? No. Stats change, all the time, in light of new evidence.

Yes, I completely agree with you. That was such a good story.
I run into people like that all the time. But I ask myself, who are these people fooling. I got so fustrated by people that are like that, I went to extremes to find out if they really convinced themselves, or they were just hiding the truth from others, when really deep down inside they knew the truth.I found that, yes some people really do know what they do, and and how they lie, and 2 some people are so busy listening to themselves when you speak that they totally miss what you are saying. they want things to go their way so much that they just block out what you are saying as you say it, that they never hear it.When you come to Christ, you tend to get rid of those traits and go in the opposite direction, and care about what people have to say, listen to them, become sensitive to their needs, and think before saying something that might hurt them.Have you ever convinced yourself of a lie?

This is what happens when you open up to people, lolMy Sex life is fine d00d!

Care to explain it?

Even if it is all good? If it was bad, I would be afraid. I have never wanted to be a bad person, I think most people are born this way, and life makes into something else. That matches who God says we are, and what we were created for. Getting to know him has just increased it.Who wouldn't be scared of going to hell, if they knew it existed.I am not afarid of going to hell, in as much as the good has been increased in my heart, due to a better understanding of why we are here. To me it takes more courage to be good. I have always felt that you get what you deserve in life, if I am a bad person, ans went to hell, then that is what I deserved, I am not afarid of that, since I have no desire to be bad. It is not what drives me to be good.

Its unfortunate that we have a communication problem, because we see eye to eye on a lto of things. Hopefully as we get to talk to ech other more, you will see this. I pray for it.I agree with you whole heartdly, and thats what I'm saying causes all the problems that other nations have. That is what keeps them from wanting to be a free nation.But it is the fault of man, not God. How could a man do that to someone, after reading the bible and Jesus's intentions. Then expect not to pay for it from God?The explaination of not following God's ways, then suffering the lies of the devil seems to fit perfectly their.My question, is why is it that someone like you who is as smart as you, cannot see that it is not from God?

Yes, I fully understand that, and I realize I am treading on treacherous ground. But the church I come from is a church that operates in a fore-runner spirit.Preaching on the internet is a new thing. Its hard for them to see my actions. Or really get a good sense of my attitude, with all the deception in the world. Probably the same reason why Pauls letters might seem judgemental to the non-believer.But I know what kept me from God, and I am trying my best to explain what that was, and how it changed me. I am with the Lord, or trying to be. Pray that they would understand. I don't expect any miricles, but maybe one day 15 years from now, after they collect some more data, that might be able to apply what I am telling them.This message has been edited by riVeRraT, 10-29-2004 10:22 AM

I think there is way too much influence over a statistic like that, and you would never know the truth from that.I also think it really only matters what happens in your life, and how it applies to you. Then how you can make a change. That would be the individual part of it.

This is where you mis-understand me. I agree with you. I keep telling everyone, I am not here to judge or say you need God to be good. You need God, for yourself, its what you deserve. It would be nice for you if you found him.Of course you can see the fake from the real, and one day the reall will make itself known to you. Each one of our paths are different, but our destination is the same.And I really wish you would stop twisting what I am saying about people in Africa. Its pretty simple. As a nation they have everything they need to be happy. Its by the fault of man that they don't. Not by the fault of God. It's our(man's) responsibility to correct the situation, not God's.

Too many not-likely coincidenses in a row.I see things that can be explained away by the chance theory. But if it keeps happening to us, is it still chance? Did I all of a sudden get lucky and wise?I have seen other church goers get all nuts over something that happened by pure coincidence. I have seen people make claims that were pretty rediculous. i.e. Some one took pictures of a baptism, and there was "orbs of light in the photos". To them it was angels or spirits. To me it was a light diffraction. When I looked at the pictures, I could see that it wasn't a light diffraction, because the orbs were random sizes and colors. Upon further investigation, I found out that the CCD chip in the camera was defective, and would produce those orbs when over exposed. Guess what the pictures were over-exposed. So I am not to quick to accept things as being from God.Besides all that it comes from your heart so you will know when it happens.The trick is keeping it real. Jesus showed us how difficult this really is. Thats why he had to save us.

I think I'll change my alias to test dummy.
Yes I thought about that. When I have meet with these people, I feel as though I was my normal self, without any extra happiness that I wouldn't have already had. I was pretty happy before I got saved. I do not worry about the bad things as much, thats for sure, but that is separate, from things that actually happen bad to me. I see the difference. It happened on my second visit to the church, and I was in the process of being saved, and still drinking and smoking. So thats not the cause.God clearly called me to that church (another story) and when I got there, I later found out that they had been praying for a keyboard player. So they just laughed when I told them I was a keyboard player. I was confused because they had such confidence that I was the one they were praying for, when they hadn't even heard me play. How could they know?
They even asked me to perform before hearing me play.You would probably say that adds to the chance, but I say it adds to the coincidence. I do not think it is unique to me. I still get insirations, that are not from God, but from my mind. Then I use them to glorify God. that is separate than an inspirtion from God himself. You can have it too. Thats just it. I didn't have to turn my life around, I was fine. I was a good person, making a living, treating my family well, Loving others. So I smoked pot less than once a month, thats about the only thing I changed really.The things that I have recieved from getting closer to God, are not from me. I have even healed people with prayer. Which of course I realize extremely subjective, thats why I didn't mention it until now. But it was another coincidence, mmmmm.You know what, its by faith that I found God. Now I know he exists, and its by faith that I believe he will do the things he promises.

I meant this in respect to teaching others that God is not necessary at all. That is just as bad as me teaching you God is necessary.
Good is good, and God sees that, thats what I told you. Its what comes from your heart that counts. God knows why you aren't close to him. Thick...
As individuals he/she is screwd, by.....man! And a nation.
As a race we are lacking too, but there is some help out there. But its not God's responsobility to save them. Its ours. I can't help it if God blessed me by letting me be born here. What I could do is ackowledge that, and then reach to help others.
How do I do that, by asking God where to pray, and have him tell me what to do, what his purpose for me is. We all have different callings. I should not try to do something that I haven't been called for. How would I know this unless I go and pray.Just like people in poor nations who pray to God and ask him why they are the way they are. I'd be willing to bet that the answer from God is, you are the way you are because man put you there. Now go and fight in my name to bring about righteousness. Do they fight, or do the coward away? Or do they join with the evil forces.I can't possibly know whats going on over there, unless I go there and see it first hand. Sitting here on an internet forum and crying about it, porbably doesn't help them either, but you do it.I think our points have been made. You just don't see the relevance, and want to blame God for everything.You look at like priorities, how could you possibly know his priorities?If you were able to do a million things at the same time, wouldn't the quicker tasks get done before the longer tasks? Maybe the quicker tasks are needed to complete the longer tasks.It's up to us.

Simply amazing that you don't get it.
Does and doesn't is present tense thinking.
You fail to look at what he has done, doing, and going to do. Maybe they are for him.Go ahead, solve E=MC^2 and 2+2 in the same amount of time.

Not really. I saw my daughter born 14 years ago, and I decided it was too amazing for all this to be chance. There is some truth to evolution, but I don't think we have the whole picture yet.How do you describe a lifeform going from non-inteeligence to intelligence. Just when does a tree start thinking for itself?I do not want to get into a EVO debate here, I have heard it all already, and I continue to study it in my free time. But these are the things that cause me to seek God.I read the bible on and off during those 13 years, even a few bible studies. Went to about 4 different churches. Usually after 2 or 3 visits, I would realize that it just wasn't for me. I did not feel God.Then God called me to a certain church, and it was there that I experienced the Holy Spirit. Even though I had accepted Christ in public several years before, I really wasn't folowing his ways. I prfessed to be a Christian, but I wasn't fooling anybody or myself. I would admit that openly though.Once I felt the Holy Spirit was felt, it all made sense, and God spoke to me in my heart and thoughts. The air was fresher, the trees were greener, the whole world looked like a different place, and I to the world too I guess judging by peoples reactions to my newfound look.
It was like God came up behind me, put his hand on my shoulder and said, yes I'm here, now its up to you. I mean I am still the same person inside, but now I know God. I get treated differently because I am a Christian though. It seems all you have to do is mention it, and wham, you get different treatment. Just like the bible says. Even though I did not know the whole bible, I could read it, and totally identify with everything that was being said, I already had it in my heart.So if I'm nuts, they were nuts too, and everyone for the last 2000 years have fallen pray to an evil trick started by Jesus.You know what, and this is for you, even if it was fake, which I do not feel it is, it is such an awesome feeling, and so peaceful, so full of Love, so perfect, that I do not want to feel any other way.
This is a wierd way of putting it, but I'm trying to relate it to those who do not know what it feels like. Being close to God does not mean your life gets worse, it should get better. Unless you choose to sacrifice yourself for the Lord and put yourself through certain things.I find the thought of there being no God now, so lonely and cold. The thought that we are all here by chance, and we have no real meaning or purpose for being here, it doesn't matter if we die or live, it wouldn't make a shread of difference to the Universe, is a dry way to base your life. Where does the insiration come from. What are we trying to prove, and to who? If we have no spirit, then why do we feel sad, why do we get inspired, why do we love (not just our spouses), why do we cry, why would Carl Sagan be afarid of dying and want to live, why want to live if you have no spirit? Does a tree care if it lives or not? Why why why?

So thats it, there's no God because of all that?
Is that your reasoning?