Planey Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 No, for me it's a social thing and a pragmatic thing. Pragmatic - most of the "rules" seem to work well for day-to-day living. Social - I have many friends and relatives in the church so it's easier to stay involved. As for any interaction between me and any "God" - that's a strict non-event. Graeme Quote Graeme____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
fccool Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 Looking at some Biblical Views of prayer: And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely." After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. 6"I have revealed you[a] to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. 12While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13"I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. 20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." Quote
Neil D Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 No, for me it's a social thing and a pragmatic thing.[snip] As for any interaction between me and any "God" - that's a strict non-event. Graeme Pragmatic thing? interaction between you and the churchmembers...why? As for a "strict Non-event", I suspect that God has other options when it comes to communication than what a mere human would be able to easily fall into without even realizing it, Graeme....And I have met you....I know... Quote Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve. George Bernard Shaw
Planey Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 God has other options when it comes to communication than what a mere human would be able to easily fall into without even realizing it, Graeme....And I have met you....I know... Maybe I keep passing out when He is trying to communicate with me, as well! Graeme Quote Graeme____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Neil D Posted February 13, 2008 Posted February 13, 2008 Maybe I keep passing out when He is trying to communicate with me, as well! Graeme I am sure there was some "reprograming" [aka "communication"] in there at that time, Graeme... :smilewink: Quote Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve. George Bernard Shaw
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