Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/12/84; site aero.ARPA Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!ittatc!dcdwest!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!trwrb!aero!homeier From: homeier@aero.ARPA (Peter Homeier) Newsgroups: net.religion.christian Subject: Re: how should I pray? Message-ID: <527@aero.ARPA> Date: Mon, 4-Nov-85 19:45:51 EST Article-I.D.: aero.527 Posted: Mon Nov 4 19:45:51 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 8-Nov-85 04:46:59 EST References: <1229@sphinx.UChicago.UUCP> Reply-To: homeier@aero.UUCP (Peter Homeier) Organization: The Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, CA Lines: 45 [... munch, munch, munch ...] In article <1229@sphinx.UChicago.UUCP> k111@sphinx.UChicago.UUCP (Peter Kim) writes: >How should I pray? If there is something I >really want, should I pray that God grants me >what I want or should I pray that God grants me >what I want if it is His will or should I not >ask God for what I want or .... > > Peter Kim ihnp4!gargoyle!sphinx!k111 Dear Peter, By all means, if you want something, you can just pray for that. However, you are wise to think about checking with God about that prayer, since when you pray for things, you will generally get them. If you are not sure that something is really the best thing (i.e., God's perfect, loving will for you) then do ask Him. The best place to find out His will is in the Bible. If you ask God if you can do something that is shown in the Bible to be wrong, and you know it but are just asking Him because you hope He might let you anyway, sorry. God does not go against His word. But in many questions of life there is no clear-cut, always sure answer. See Ecclesiasted chapter 3 for some. In these cases, you can ask Him and He will answer you. "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." (James 1:5-8) However, this searching of God can take time, and there is another way to pray according to the perfect will of God which bypassed the intellect. This is praying in the Spirit, with a spiritual language given supernaturally by the endowment of the Holy Spirit. If you have had this infilling, then this is one of the things it is used for. If not, write me and I'll explain it. -- Peter Homeier ______ Arpanet: homeier@aerospace / o \_/ UUCP: ..!ihnp4!trwrb!aero!homeier \___)__/ \ The Aerospace Corporation, M1-108 El Segundo, CA 90245