Do you believe that prayer changes things, that everything is Predestined, or th

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   LAURENS WRIGHTposted 11 years ago

   Do you believe that prayer changes things, that everything is Predestined, or that God already knows
   
   Many people pray.  Do you believe that prayer can change the future?  Do you believe that the future already set-in-stone, not to be changed and Predestined?  Do you beleive that God already know everything and the future and already knows what you need, so prayer is not needed?

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   Michael Tullyposted 11 years ago

   Answer: All of the above.
   
   That sounds paradoxical, but I look at it like this. God's will is going to be done. That's a given, since He is all-wise and all-powerful, so there is no real alternative. Since God's will in fact will be done, in that sense we can say that everything is predestined.
   
   However, the actual means by which God's will is to be done can be changed. God, being omnipotent, can achieve his objective by any number of methods. It is in this sense that prayer can change things. While it doesn't change the ultimate outcome, it does influence how the world gets there. This is why I believe that prayer is very important.

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      lone77starposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Beautiful, Michael Tully. And perhaps with sufficient humility (empty cup), God can give us direction (fill our cup). By this our personal future may be changed.

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   Gary Holdawayposted 11 years ago

   I believe that there is a set path for those that don't take time to change it themselves. Christian prayer, buddhist practices, mason & druidic magic, pagan magic could all very well be tools to change ones 'fate.'
   
   Perhaps just the psycho-drama involved is enough to solidify an idea in one's mind and map out a self-fulfilling prophecy of success... but psyhcology, prayer or magic, it still seems to work either way so it doesn't really matter to me how it works.

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   matama ellieposted 11 years ago

   I think that the answer is a bit complicated (from a Christian point of view). There has been instances where Biblical characters have prayed and things have changed for the better. At times, prayer has ended up postponing disasters (Kings Ahab and Hezekiah).
   In my opinion, there are two destinies for everyone.What kind of destiny will affect your life depends on the choices you make.
   
   For example(Christian view point again), God may have meant for you to be... lets say a missionary/businessman/president etc in your lifetime.Unfortunately you make a choice to give up when the going gets tough and you commit suicide.See?The suicide was not part of your successful life but you chose to end it before life changed for the better.You lose your destiny and a replacement will be found.
   
   History ends up being rewritten because you have lost your place in it.Your loved ones end up being affected negatively for the worst, things start going wrong for them.Alternatively someone ends up learning from that suicide and changes their lives for the better.History ends up being rewritten again for the better this time.
   
   EX 2-Alfred Nobel was the creator of dynamite (i think); a chance obituary about his creation ends up causing him to change his life's course and he founded the Nobel prizes.Tell me how many people remember about the dynamite thing in relation to him?
   
   I know i have rambled a bit but i wanted to explain about prayer and how it can change things.Prayer is a spiritual way of implementing things in the physical.
   
   You need to have faith and the subject of your prayer needs to make a good choice.everyone has free will and will choose what they want to do regardless of what you pray for.A situation on the other hand, may probably change for the better if you pray and your heart is in the right place.God is God and He will make the final decision.
   Sorry about the rambling again but i hope you have gotten something out of the whole thing.

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   lone77starposted 11 years ago

   This action-reaction, continuity-based universe has a certain "inertia." Thus, everything is predestined unless acted upon by an outside force. Thus, God knows what will happen if nothing changes. And God knows the hearts of men enough to know who is more likely to change and who won't. But nothing is set in stone. Absolutely nothing. There would be no purpose to it, if it were set in stone.
   
   God created His children in His image and likeness, just as Adam had a son named Seth in his image and likeness. Adam and Seth were Homo sapiens humans. God's children are baby gods. But many of God's children have become lost -- thinking that they are Homo sapiens and mortal egos.
   
   They have been blinded by ego into thinking that perception and action can only take place through physical means (the human body). Without ego, God's children can once again see the "Light" and not need physical perception and action.
   
   Prayer is merely exercising our God-given ability to create. But it's also the method of communicating to God -- asking Him. I have found that prayer works instantaneously and in the affirmative. Prayer is harmonious with the Heavenly Father. It is creation at-one with God. It is utter humility combined with perfect confidence. The result of prayer is the manifestation of a miracle. Most people pray with a feeling of fear or scarcity, so that's what they get -- more fear or scarcity, because that is what they are confident of. That is what they have asked for.
   
   When someone gives up being a human and an ego, and resumes being a spiritual child of God, they go from being at effect (perception) to being at cause (creation). It takes infinite love and full responsibility along with utter humility and perfect confidence.

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      Michael Tullyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Amen, brother! This sounds like a close approach to resolving the age-old soteriological tension between God's sovereignty and human responsibility. The spiritual element has too often been overlooked in the predestination vs. free-will debate.

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   Shyron E Shenkoposted 11 years ago

   Yes.  I believe prayer can change things.

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   Sweet Epistlesposted 11 years ago

   Yes, Prayers do changes not just things but everything. God is all knowing and even before we get into a situation, He is already there. He just wants us to depend on Him and ask for His guidance and provision to work things out for good.

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