Prayer Requests Anyone?

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   Peter M. Lopezposted 16 years ago

   In response to the popularity of the thread "Does Prayer Really Work?", I would ask if anyone has any requests for prayer.  In the last year, our church has seen amazing breakthrough in physical healing, freedom from addictions (HubPages addiction notwithstanding), and restored relationships.
   
   A few of the more dramatic examples: lengthening of one leg to match the other, decaying teeth filled with gold fillings, a complete straightening of a spinal/pelvic problem, and then recovery from various diseases/illness (cancer, etc.).
   
   Specifically, I believe there is a move of grace/anointing for hearing problems and fertility problems, if anyone has any of those.  I want to throw in arthritis in the hands and/or carpel tunnel syndrome (hubbers may need this).  We have also witnessed healing occur through prayer over cell phones, why not the internet.  Our intercessory prayer team is amazing, and I will get your requests to them.

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   Mishaposted 16 years ago

   You got very cute kitten on your avatar, Peter

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      Peter M. Lopezposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      His name is Alfie.  He's great.

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   gamergirlposted 16 years ago

   I believe that prayer is an extension of the will.  We are given extraordinary amounts of willpower and resolve, just look at anyone who has ever been through tough times that got worse, and then came through it.  There is true power in that, I think.
   
   Peter, I'm going to send you a message regarding this, I'm a little uncomfortable putting out there the situation for which I'd like to receive prayers.  Lord knows thousands of people read these forums.

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      Peter M. Lopezposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      No worries.  I understand.  Please, feel free.

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   Originplusposted 16 years ago

   Its call it the Power of Prayer for a reason. Prayer also shows the acknowledgment of God, and knowing that the Lord provides us with blessings through prayer is power. Remember in Matthews Chapter 6 Christ expounded on giving of alms, prayer and fasting. People with "The Secret" being so non-secretive anymore have come to terms with praying- but somewhat subtracting God out of the equation. I say God is the reason for prayer- our comfort in struggle and for praises in all things.

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   Peter M. Lopezposted 16 years ago

   I couldn't agree more, originplus.  Knowing that God blesses through or answers prayers is, if fact, "faith", is it not?  I completely realize that the only reason for the breakthrough we have witnessed is because we have trusted God and taken him at his word.

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   SparklingJewelposted 16 years ago

   Since prayer is a power that only "God" completely understands the workings of !?! We could send out prayers that are not individually personal;
   
   like: pray for the end of:  wars, famines, plagues, ignorant governmental institutions (ones that are too big and burn taxpayer money faster than a fire! as well as not helping people)...
   you've got the idea.

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      sandra rinckposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      Well I read in the BIble that if two people pray for the same thing than that prayer will be answered.  So I also pray for peace, the end of war, famine, and all the bad stuff, as well as peace and happiness inside each person and acceptance of indaviduality and love for all mankind and that all people here and before and then to come will put on there hearts before thier clothes and remember to love first, then eat. 
      
      I pray that all man will be forgiven and desired by you God whether or not they believe in you, that you have good judgment on them and see people the same way I see them.  I love them God, all of them, even the ones that aren''t so nice because I know there is a reason behind it.  Above all else I pray that you love us back the way I love you.

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   vrecccposted 16 years ago

   So, why don't we choose something someone to pray for as a group,
   
   Maybe we could pray for Gamegirl, first. Gamegirl, you needn't reveal your issue, but God knows what it is. We can all pray that your issue is resolved over the next couple days.
   
   How does that sound, Peter. In a couple days we can move on to something else.
   
   i like this idea.
   
   Jonathan

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   Peter M. Lopezposted 16 years ago

   The more people praying the better.  However, it's not so simple as two people praying or issues being resolved over a couple of days.  We shouldn't just pray for something for a couple of days and move on to something else.  I am thoroughly commited to praying for breakthrough for gamegirl.  I have seen this very miracle in my own life, and that is why I am so certain of the success.  But, in my own life, it took approximately one year of prayer and walking in faith.
   
   This is something I have only learned over the last year or so.  Here is an example:  let's say a family genuinely needs and prays for financial breakthough.  A winning lottery ticket is unlikely to be the answer.  However, there may well be encounters with other families who know how to budget, church members who are money managers, random encounters with financial planners, perhaps even prospective employers, etc.  All as part of a long term solution, not a quick fix. 
   
   God is thorough when he answers prayer.  He's no fool.  But, we rarely recognize these things as answers, and we rarely have the patience to learn the lessons we need to learn before we can extract all the benefits from the answer.  You wouldn't give your 3 year old access to your bank account, and neither will God.
   
   If we try to define the answer in our own terms we are likely to miss the answer altogether.  Very often, God has to prepare you for the answer so that the blessing can be (1) fully appreciated and (2) fully experienced.
   
   All of that said, yes, when believers come together in spirit and truly pray for something, those prayers are almost irresistable to God.  So absolutely, the more the better.

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   SirDentposted 16 years ago

   One can form a habit of study until the will seems to be at rest and only the intellect is engaged, the will having retired altogether from exercise. This is not true of real praying. If the affections are laggard, cold, indifferent, if the intellect is furnishing no material to clothe the petition with imagery and fervor, the prayer is a mere vaporing of intellectual exercise, nothing being accomplished worth while.-Rev. Homer W. Hodge
   
   Prayer must be done in the right spirit. If we pray to God only to receive something most likely we will receive nothing. Prayer is fellowship with your closest friend. Prayer is a conversation, not just a request board where you talk then leave. Prayer must be made in faith without doubt.

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      SparklingJewelposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, you have said in different words how I would say the soul is engaged with the mind through our heart where the mind of God/Christ resides. To me, that is the Holy Spirit in the action of prayer or daily life!
      
      Actually, you have hit on the difference between prayer and desire for something. If the desire is not connected to God's desire for us as the individual, we may get what we want because of the power of our soul as a creation of God/Universe...but may end up realizing it was not what we want...so hopefully we would learn the lesson about free will and desire and pray for the Will of the Universal Plan, (that is Gods Plan).

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    vrecccposted 16 years ago

    Gamegirl,
    
    FYI, when my wife and I were praying last night, I thought of you and asked God to assist in the issue you are dealing with, whatever it may be.
    
    Cheers.

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    gamergirlposted 16 years ago

    vreccc,
    
    That is an incredibly sweet and moving gesture on your part.  Frankly, I love that idea, and not just because I'm the one up for prayer-love.  I think that there should be nothing stopping anyone from praying for anyone else.  For me it's meditation and humble presentation of current issues, but I like to think of that as a form of prayer (though without the Christian connotations. )

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    vrecccposted 16 years ago

    We are an interfaith group here, it appears. I'm actually a Baha'i. In fact, Baha'is fast once a year for 19 days from March 2 to March 21. It's just a couple days away and I''m trying to get ready for it. We don't eat or drink anything from sunrise to sunset for the 19 days.

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       Peter M. Lopezposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       I saw the Bahai temple in Haifa this summer when I was in Israel.  I was only able to get as close as the street, but it is amazing.

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    SparklingJewelposted 16 years ago

    Yes, I agree, we can't know exactly what is intended or thoroughly needed in a particular situation, so I pray for God's Will to be done in God's time, and for the soul(s) that are prayed for  to know what they need to do or the steps that need to be taken. Meaning that I put the request out there and focus my energy in union with God's energy to help solve the situation.
    
    I believe that it is very important not to qualify our prayer with our own will, because that could put a  "bad spin" on the energy. We must use our free will in accordance with God/the Universal Will which is the correct order of the Universe, even though we do not completely understand all of what that is. I think all that is amiss in this world is because of misuse of our free will and not working together in seeking the Universal Will that is God.

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    vrecccposted 16 years ago

    The scary thing is to pray for tests so that you become stronger spiritually. I have found that God loves to answer those prayers. Needless to say, I haven't prayed for tests for spiritual growth in a while. When God wants you to grow, He can really do some serious #ss-kicking on you.

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       SparklingJewelposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Yes, you made me chuckle...those tests really put the soul on the spot ! I have come to view it as a sign of maturity of the soul when I can get the psychology right, make the right choices or responses, actions, etc. But when I don't get it right, the humbleness is not a sense of put-down humility but a correct sense of working with the Divine plan for life, be it my own or someone or some situation. I remember I use to think that this test seemed so huge that it had to be the last one for me to finally "get it". Some I got many I didn't !! Keeps me humble!

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       WeddingConsultantposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       vreccc, I hear you on that.  Have you ever seen the movie "Evan Almighty"?  Morgan Freeman (who plays God in the movie) says something to the effect that if we pray for patience, He won't give us patience.  Rather, he'll give us situations where our patience will have the chance to grow.  I loved that line...kinda wish i had written it down!
       

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    vrecccposted 16 years ago

    There are tests I still get that I seem to not be able to conquer and some where I'm even backsliding. It's interesting. Not devalue any of this, but I made great headway when I began to look at as sort of a game. When I took spirituality too seriously, mean I thought I had to be like a saint, I got really depressed and would engage in pointless self-flagellation. I don't think God wants us to fell that way. I'm glad I passed through that phase. Oh.. the culture of guilt we come from.
    
    Jonathan

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       SparklingJewelposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       No kidding, my upbringing created a Gordian Knot of psychology about relationships because of the way my parents treated each other. I am single to this day, but getting closer to understanding and changing.
       I remember serious sainthood mania!!! but a phase as you said.
       
       I got to go, back later, hope to chat more:)

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       Peter M. Lopezposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       The surest sign that you are on the right track with God is that you find rest in him.  Guilt/condemnation is essentially the exact opposite of that.  I know the feeling, congrats on passing through.

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    vrecccposted 16 years ago

    Always a pleasure

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       SparklingJewelposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       I have just returned from a "church" service that I attend and help with occasionally. And guess what the main focus of this service was...prayers to Archangel Michael and all the Archangels and Saints.
       They focused on the importance of asking God and His hierarchy of heavenly hosts for intercession in our prayers, to multiply the power of the prayer in Christs name. They explained that through the Mind of Christ, that we all have and are accessed to, we can relate to the heavenly hosts who may seem to be closer to us in our varying degrees of humanity and the separateness we may feel, hence to put a more powerful "lift" of light and love to the prayer.
       
       They believe that we are very important in this life, to ask for this type of intercession, that we are meant to complete this flow of Universal/God power that is only accomplished when we ask a heavenly host for intercession for another or a situation. I find that uplifting, like saying God needs us to do our part of the work to straighten things out in this world, but we don't have to decide all the specifics, we just get it started and the Universe takes over...to get it "just" and right for all people involved.

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    sandra rinckposted 16 years ago

    I pray for better music

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       Peter M. Lopezposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       After trying to find something worth listening to on the radio, so do I.

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