↓
 

SOB: Son of a Bos'n

There are three states of being... Alive, Dead or at Sea.

SOB: Son of a Bos'n
  • About
  • The Boatswain
  • eQuoria
  • Salute the Flag
Home→Published 2003

Yearly Archives: 2003

Word of Faith?

SOB: Son of a Bos'n Posted on November 23, 2003 by BobMay 30, 2017  

Sail Boat at SunsetIn Christian circles, there is a concept of prayer that blames the lack of a positive answer to prayer on the lack of ‘faith’ on the part of the person praying.

This damaging concept leads to many people blaming themselves and others for their continued illness or misfortune.

It is based on a misunderstanding of some key scriptures. Here is a look at two of them.

Mark 11:
23 “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

Normally this is interpreted as requiring an act of faith on the part of the believer for prayer to be answered. They tie it to Hebrews 11:1.

Hebrews 11:
1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

The claim is that you must ‘believe’ before you ‘see’ in order to ‘receive’ and that failure to ‘believe’ will lead to a failure to ‘receive’.

Instead, read it as a description of the discernment process.

When you pray, ask for discernment, and when the Spirit places His faith and peace in your heart you will know that the prayer will be answered.

Matthew 18:
19 “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

Again, instead of reading this as a call to ‘forced agreement’, see it as a description of the discernment process.

When two or more believers spend time together in prayer and come to peace in their hearts about the issue, they can rest assured that their prayer has been answered in heaven.

Save

Posted in Spirituality | Leave a reply

Recent Posts

  • SmaRT service to MCC
  • Sociopathic Investors Need Their Pints of Blood
  • AB-2895 Mobilehome Park Rent Increases – OPPOSE
  • Pro-Life should not be just Anti-Abortion
  • Google Privacy Checkup

Community

  • Ashworth-Remillard House
  • Five Wounds Urban Village
  • Silicon Valley VTA Sprinter

eQuoria

  • eQuoria
  • The Boatswain

Categories

  • age-friendly
  • Alive
  • At Sea
  • Commentary
  • Dead
  • Family
  • Life as a Brat
  • MH Living
  • Politics
  • Spirituality
  • Technology
  • The Poetic Side
  • US Navy

Login

  • Register
  • Log in

Archives

  • November 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • August 2017
  • April 2017
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • June 2016
  • March 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • December 2014
  • October 2014
  • March 2014
  • January 2013
  • September 2012
  • June 2012
  • April 2012
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • April 2010
  • January 2010
  • February 2008
  • March 2007
  • September 2006
  • July 2006
  • May 2004
  • November 2003
© 2017 eQuoria
↑