Prayer Challenge Update

Joseph Crea errancy@infidels.org
Mon, 3 May 1999 01:37:16 +0000 (00925713436, 19990503013716.EDWN7855@LOCALNAME) 

At 08:29 PM 5/2/99 EDT, you wrote:

>

>REV. BAKKE

>

> . . .The problem here is that it is the original claim that God answers the

> prayers of those who believe in him that is getting them into hot water

> when faced with my prayer challenge.  

>======================

>Joe Alward:

>

>

>You noted in an earlier post that the Bible says "that God answers the 

>prayers of those who believe in him".  If the verse you have in mind said 

>that "God ALWAYS answers the prayers of those who believe in him", then your 

>opponent would have a hard time explaining why his every prayer is not 

>answered.  However, I don't think the Bible's statement implies that ALL 

>prayers from believers are answered.  I've never corresponded with an 

>inerrantist who believed all of his prayers would be answered; I think they 

>know that God will answer a prayer only if it is his will to do so.  If you 

>can provide a verse in which it is said that all believer's prayers are 

>answered, I will concede the argument.



CREA
    Gee, Joe, just how many verses do you want? [All citations from NASB]:


  [Matt. 18:19]   "Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth 
                   about anything that they may ask, it sahll be done for 
                   them by my Father who is in heaven."


  [Matt. 21:22]   "And all things that you ask in prayer, believing, you 
                   shall receive."


  [John 14:13-14]  "And whatsoever you ask in My name, that I will do, 
                    that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

  [John 15:7]      "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask 
                    whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you."

  

>JALWARD

>On another mattter:  you have said that the Bible  "claims that God will be 

>revealed to all who seek him".  On the surface, this might seem to you to 

>indicate that it definiitely WOULD be God's will to answer your opponent's 

>prayer because it would help you find the God you are seeking.  However, even 

>assuming that God would not know that you are not seeking him in good faith 

>(you aren't, right?), why do you suppose that he would have to make himself 

>known to you by answering your opponent's prayers?  There are other ways he 

>could choose to make himself known to you, aren't there?  It's not up to you 

>to choose the manner in which he's revealed to you, isn't that so?  

>

>In conclusion, I feel that your arguments have no merit unless and until you 

>show me where the Bible unequivocally states that all prayers from believers 

>are answered, every time.  Can you find such a verse?



CREA
    When (if ever) are you going to get off your fat ass and do ANY of your
own research?  A copy of Strong's Concordance can be had for less than
$15.00 (and a cheap copy of the KJV for under  $5.00) and a simple search
under the word "ask" turned up all of the above citations and more.  There
are also web sites available for FREE which would allow you to do the same
thing, but I guess you're just TOO busy to avail yourself of their services.


With Mettaa,

Joseph Crea
<Joseph.Crea@worldnet.att.net>