12 PRAYER

PRAYER

PRAYER

G. W. Cypert—The point is, how does God answer prayer? When I pray for the widow and orphan, I pray they may be surrounded by God-fearing men. I do not believe in special or specific providence. I will not say that special providence is impossible, but that it can not be shown that it is possible.

Lee P. Mansfield—Will God answer the prayer of an alien? The first right an alien has is the right of petition, or prayer. An orphan boy may ask a wealthy man to make him his son. Saul and Cornelius—both aliens—prayed. God heard them. But we should not expect pardon in answer to prayer alone. I believe God hears and answers prayer. He has answered my prayers. 

A. B. Lawrence—God will answer prayer, but I do not know bow. All praying has the greatest influence on him who prays, and then on those who hear it. It develops the one who prays. I do not believe in special providence.

U. G. Wilkinson—I believe in special providence. God helped David in his fight with Goliath. The brethren confuse miracle and providence. Fraying for rain is asking amiss to consume it on your lusts.

G. H. F. Showalter—We should not dictate to God as to how he shall answer our prayers. In our prayers for God to bless us we should always leave it to his wisdom as to how this is done. The model prayer: “Give us day by day our daily bread” —the “how” left to the divine Father, the Giver. Praying’ for rain is too much like dictating’ to God just how he shall bestow the blessing.

J. C. White—I believe in special providence, and I am willing to let God decide how he will answer prayer. I pray because I believe God will hear and answer. God says, “Let your requests be made known unto God.” Why do you pray publicly or privately, if you do not believe God hears and answers? miraculous power not connected with prayer. When the apostles had miraculous power they did not pray to the Holy Spirit within themselves. We answer our children’s requests,

L.S. Ivy—“Ask and ye shall receive.” “Ye receive not because ye ask amiss.” If reflexive influence is all there is in prayer, the heathen gets as much benefit out of prayer as the Christian.

N. M. Wright—I believe God will hear and answer prayer.

Matheuy—I do not believe in special providence. God does not send sugar and coffee. No person is benefited by prayer, unless he hears the prayer.

C. R. Nichol—“Finally, brethren, pray for us” (2 Thessalonians 3:1).

R. L. Whiteside—Jabez prayed. “And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh, that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it be not to my sorrow. And God granted him that which he requested” (1 Chronicles 4:10). The brethren who believe prayer is only reflexive in its benefits have not one passage of scripture that intimates such a thing. The unsaved, the helpless, the needy, prays in the very nature of the case. Fray to get exercise? I’d quit. If prayer will not do a man any good unless the man hears it, why did Paul charge Timothy to pray for all men? Could he go to every man and pray before him? He was also to pray for Kings, that we may be able to live a quiet and peaceful life. I suppose Timothy.was to go into the presence of the kipgs and pray before them; the king would see by this that they were pretty good folks, and decide not to disturb them in their religion !

G. W. Harvey—I am sorry you are divided. Discussions are for the purpose of closing up the breaches. We are students to know God’s will.

J. M. Rice—A father gives his children his law, but he continues to hear them. So does God.

W. E. Morgan—We are not divided—don’t express that thought.

C. R. Nichol—Don’t speak lightly of Christian experience.