OK..Seriously..Has GOD ever answered your prayers????

by DATA-DOG 127 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Vanderhoven7

  Yes, God has answered prayer many times.

  The year after I got the new shed, my 82 Toyota van (272 K ) began giving me serious problems. I spent $1500 in the summer (remember no pay in summer) trying to get to the bottom of them. No luck. As I was driving and conking out on the way to work in September I saw a beautiful grey van passing me by. I pointed to it and asked the Father for one just like that one. Since I did not have a cent left in the bank I told God that He knew I used my vehicles for His glory and asked Him supply me the van without depleting my bank account 1 cent.

  The next day as I drove my eldest son to school I told him what I had asked God for and how much it was going to cost me (i.e. nothing). After he snickered a little I told him that God didn't have a choice in the matter. Call it presumption if you will; but I knew in my spirit what moves the hand of God. That was Wednesday.

  On Saturday morning my wife said to me, "Vander, you need a reliable car to get to work; what are we going to do?" Watch God's timing here. As the words, "I don't know" crossed my lips the phone rang. It was Eleanor, a fellow teacher of the disabled from another associated school; an agnostic btw. "Vander", she said, "I hear you need a new car". :"Yes", I replied, not knowing how she knew. "Well", she said, "I have $10,000 for you and it is not a loan."

  Eleanor gave me a check for that amount. Coincidentally, the accountant at work did not like her (grey) 89 Toyota van that looked like it just got off the showroom floor and sold it to me for under $10,000 even after taxes insurance and registration.

  And yes, I knew in my spirit God would answer my back-to-the-wall-faith request.

  Years later I encouraged Eleanor to apply for a contested and scarce severance package from the board as she was about to retire. She got the full $25,000 package. That's two and one half time what she gave me....proving among other things that you cannot outgive God.
• 

  rocketman

  I've never experienced an answered prayer. But I've never truly prayed in faith either. Even as a jw elder, I was never really sure that God answered prayers.

  Part of the problem is that either way, God has an out, as it were, because we are told (and not just by the Watchtower) that God doesn't necessrily answer all prayers, even those directed to him in faith. He may wait, or deem it better for us that the prayer isn't answered.

  Well, if the answer is no, why aren't we told that? Instead, we are asked to somehow presume that when nothing happens, that means God has either said No or that he wants us to wait. But we have no way of knowing.

  A parent doesn't do that to his children. In Matthew, Jesus compared God's response to our requests to that of a parent "who knows how to give good gifts to his children". But if, as a parent, the answer is no, the parent will say No. The child is at least getting an answer.

  Imagine asking a parent for something and not getting any answer back. Silence. Not even a "we'll wait and see".

  That's part of my problem with the whole thing. We don't know where we really stand.
• 

  defender of truth

  Vanderhoven, if your prayers have so often been answered, can you ask God to provide millions of pounds to.. Someone name a charity. Two weeks notice should be fine judging from your example.
• 

  Vanderhoven7

  To add to the Eleanor story

  Years later I received a phone call from the Royal Victoria hospital telling me Eleanor was failing. As I drove to the hospital...in the van she had in effect purchased for me, I prayed, "Father, I have tried to talk to Eleanor about Jesus, but she has never been receptive. She has been a blessing to me and to our family, taking our home-schooled children on fieldtrips, inviting the deaf and blind to her home....so what can I say to her on her deathbed?" God spoke clearly to my spirit, "Tell her exactly what you just told me" When I arrived, Eleanor's face lit up. I told her how she had blessed others and that now God wanted to bless her back and make her a part of His family. I asked her if she wanted to pray with me...and for the first time, she agreed and we prayed together.

  She passed away within 48 hours.
• 

  defender of truth

  Vanderhoven, can you please ask God to provide you with £1,000,000 in order for you to donate it to help end homelessness in the UK? Thousands are in need, not just you.
  If He would provide for you to fix your shed and pay your mortgage, how much more of a worthy cause would this be? I'm being serious, not flippant. Please at least have the respect to reply with a yes or no, and a reason would be even more appreciated.
  
  http://www.crisis.org.uk/pages/homeless-def-numbers.html
• 

  cofty

  I used to believe exactly the same things as Vander. For 9 years I was a born-again christian who talked with god constantly.

  I was totally convinced that god answered my prayers and "made all things work for the good of those....."

  I stopped praying 9 years ago. Since then good and bad experiences continue to happen in the same way as before.

  It's all about confirmation bias.
• 

  NewYork44M

  I really wish there was a god that answered prayers. I think that would be the coolest thing ever. I sometimes envy those with absolute faith.

  But, no, I have not prayed in a long time. And when I did I don't think I ever got any answers. However, even as a witness I never quite got the who thing about prayer and pouring your heart out. I have basically decided that I am not the spiritual type. I would much rather look at an Excel spread sheet than a bible.

  However, if you pray and talk to god, let him know that I am doing just fine. I hope he is interested.
• 

  defender of truth

  http://www.examiner.com/article/prayer-the-power-of-coincidence
• 

  cofty

  Good link on the power of coincidence defender of truth.

  It is very egocentric to imagine an almighty deity deals with the trivia of a christians life while ignoring real suffering.

  ---

  Say, for example, someone locks themselves out of their apartment. They utter a prayer for help and a few minutes later the super shows up. Normally, this would be viewed as a coincidence. Not to the praying Christian, though. According to them, it was the hand of god that made the super show up just at that moment to unlock their door. However, consider that everywhere around the world there are people praying to god not to starve to death or die of diseases in third world countries that can be cured with aspirin, not to lose their jobs, etc., etc.

  God ignores all of these sincere prayers to reach down and send an apartment manager to unlock the door of an inconvenienced resident? Does that really make sense to people, that god would have such an intimate relationship with someone that he would solve some trivial problem, yet ignore the millions of others who are genuinely suffering?
• 

  mynameislame

  I'm starting to think there is something to the stuff that Vanderhoven is talking about.

  I don't think it has anything to do with being good or pleasing god but instead it is about faith.

  Faith is knowing something is going to happen. Like when you walk down the street you don't ever give a second thought that your foot will land on the ground in front of you.

  When I order something online I don't go back the next day and order it again. Instead I might excitedly go to my mailbox to see if it is there yet.

  Instead of praying for the the things I don’t have I give thanks for what I do have and expect that any desire I have will be fulfilled.

  One of the oddest things that happened to me was one day a woman told me to say something nice about her. I made a nice but semi wisecrack comment. She said hmm well thats a little nice so I wish you a little good luck. Over the next 2 days I found $100 and got half price on an expensive cab ride. ( I really wish I had said something really nice)