Christians Pray in Public? How Dare We?
@mythociate (21432)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
March 8, 2013 11:51pm CST
I asked this at a recent Bible-study, and the reply (along with a couple Scripture-references like Jesus telling His disciples 'Wherever two-or-more are gathered in my name, there I am also,' and the instruction to 'pray without ceasing') was, "Are you saying it's bad to pray over our food?"
Well--if you think G*d is hearing 'the words you say' over the din of your penitent (sp?) mind--yes!
I think I might mention that during 'Praise & Prayer' at our worship-service this Sabbath---standing up & giving glory to G*d who's hearing the prayers we say out loud just as clearly as He's hearing the ones we can't even THINK of!
Because the ones He hears clearest are the ones NO ONE BUT HE hears, yeah?
1 person likes this
5 responses
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
10 Mar 13
The only place a Christian Shouldn't praise Jesus is in another house of worship. Other than that Christians should be able to pray Anywhere. our Muslim cousins take time to pray 5 times a day. And in public in necessary!
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
31 Mar 13
It is disrespectful. Hindu temples are for Hindu G-ds and G-ddesses. How would like it if someone came to your church and worshiped Allah?
@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
31 Mar 13
Why SHOULDN'T Christians praise Jesus in a (for example) Hindu house of worship?
It's all Buddhism ('following one who knows') anyway, right?
1 person likes this
@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
31 Mar 13
Yes, but too often young followers are misled to believe that it's only "real" prayer if you do it out loud in church.
@yanzalong (18987)
• Indonesia
9 Mar 13
God knows what you say in your heart. He creats you. So He knows what ever you have in your heart.
@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
31 Mar 13
True, but you know what James (Jesus's brother) says about the power of the tongue!
Thinking of that, Brother Kenneth Copeland reviewed Cain's words-with-G*d after he was exiled. G*d just said he'd be a fugitive & vagabond on the Earth (that it wouldn't grow crops for him like before); CAIN said that people would want to kill him, and G*d just went along with it.
Maybe that's what I'VE been doing: speaking that women are lazy money-grubbers who will not marry me because I don't control enough money, forcing G*d to 'go right along with it.'
That shows me the purpose of prayer---to ask G*d to make small changes in His will. I.e. it may not be His will that 'I get married,' but that's just because 'whether I get married' makes NO DIFFERENCE TO HIM!
Maybe I need to SAY more-often what wonderful things I have in-store for the wife who chooses me (i.e. who sincerely hopes I choose her---showing that hope by refusing all other requests for marriage, or other displays of devotion to me all the way up to flat-out ASKING me to marry her 
)
)
@mangtony7451 (479)
•
9 Mar 13
Why not? As long as the prayer comes from the heart and with all sincerity instead of pretense and hypocrisy.
@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
31 Mar 13
Because young followers are led to believe they have to be masterful orators, that they have to submit their applications/supplications in the exemplary formats; when in truth they don't ... they don't even have to KNOW what they're praying-for!
@Hopefull90 (921)
• United States
10 Mar 13
WE should thank God for our food every time but I have to confess I don't always.
God know what we need before we even pray for it so I might ask why should we pray?
@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
31 Mar 13
Because G*d IS NOT a deliverer of what you want. `E only gives you the power to get what you want (or the power to get the power to get what you want, or the power to get the power to get the power ...).
And prayer helps you get that---gives you the peace to wait until you have the power, and/or helps you to see how/where your goals are achieved.
