ANSWERS: 31
  • I don't really see how these are linked. Surely just because God has a plan doesn't mean you can't talk to him? I'm atheist and I can understand that. EDIT FOR NEW QUESTION: Have you thought whether you praying for him is part of the plan?
  • Some believe "God" is always evolving through us; our choices. ...that the universe is ALWAYS beginning and that linear time is a man-made construct which, like psychological bad posture, has obscured the full truth of human nature from time-bound human perception. More on to your question, perhaps "God's" plan is just that; a plan. An inflexible plan isn't a good plan.
  • praying is to acknowledge HIM as the ALMIGHTY, our FATHER and to GIVE THANKS for all the BLESSINGS in life, UNDESERVED at that.It is more asking for strenghth, courage and wisdom to do HIS will and walk the way HE wants us to, not to ask for "things". HE knows what each and every one of NEED..It is ONLY through "HIS GRACE" that we have what we have in the first place..He likes us to TALK to HIM as often as we want, in private..HE is always there...We are supposed to always be looking forward to HIS kingdom coming , to take us HOME forever in a paradise like EDEN>>
  • The purpous of prayer for our lives is bringing these things to pass. For example, if someone tells me, you are great at weightlifting! you could be a major body builder when you grow up. I can get very happy and sccept it, but that dosen't mean its just going to happen. There are certain things I will have to say and do to get there. Its the same way with God. The distractions of the world are many. We just have to pray that above all else we follow God's plan.
  • Christians believe in asking, then ending the prayer with "but your will be done, not mine". Which is totally a waste a time to me.
  • Read the story of Jonah - the guy who was swallowed by a whale. God planned to destroy Nineveh and He sent Jonah to warn everyone. The people prayed and God changed His mind. Prayer can change God's plan and therefore your destiny.
  • Unselfish prayer is like meditation. It has been documented that both can have an impact.
  •   We don't know God's "Plan", if any, but it might just be that it allows for God's creation to evolve on its own. That could include the possibility for man to handle his own affairs and continue to evolve according to the circumstances that develop. Accordingly, prayer may not actually be a connection to God but rather a connection between one's conscious mind and subconscious mind which allows one to better tune one's conscious mind with the realities that it is facing.  
  • The purpose of prayer is not to ask for things you want or to change God's Will to satisfy your heart's desir. It's to draw near to God and commune with Him, and it begins by pouring out your heart to Him ... and then ... before you know it ... your heart changes so that your heart's desire is conformed to His.
  • Prayer focuses your attention, so you can function better, and be more effective in your own actions. "God helps those who help themselves", so it's all about YOU taking action to make things happen. They have to be the right actions, at the right time, in the right way, so prayer helps you to be more deliberate and conscious about it.
  • I think prayer is us opening the door to let God work. He stands at the door and knocks, waiting.
  • I'm not a real religious person, but I do know this- Sometimes plans change.
  • There are at least two parts to your question, from a Christian perspective. First, yes, God knows everything that will happen, and He has His own Master Plan. However, He has given us each the choice of whether to live for Him, or on our own. If you live on your own, without Him, then you make your choices. If you choose His path, then you will want to be in His Will, which leads to the second part of this: Prayer is conversation with God, NOT simply about requests. In fact, your own requests are the least part of prayer. Prayer, as someone already answered, is about praising Him, thanking Him, thinking about Him, and learning about Him. If you are a Christian, then you have entered into a real relationship with God, and prayer is one of the ways that relationship grows. As far as your requests, there are times you can still stray from God's perfect will for you, and prayer helps to prevent that -- there is always choice, until the very end, the Judgment Day. At that point there is no choice, every one will kneel and acknowledge that Jesus is Lord of all.
  • Prayer is just a way people feel like they're getting something out of religion.... there's really no point
  • Prayer does not change God. Rather, prayer changes *us.*
  • Because God was made up, to scare poor and stupid people. The scare tactic was used by the church (or cult leaders) to acquire money from poor stupid people with the offering of protection, from "hell". Religion is a joke.
  • I know. It's absurd. Here is some other stuff for people to think about (so that maybe they can realize that The Bible is nothing more than a fable, so that they can, within themselves, be free spiritually to find the truth): http://www.evilbible.com/
  • Yes, He knows but we know not. So that gives us an opportunity to ask. In Islam the asking is regarded as an act of worship, because it is an act of affirmation that you are turning to your Lord, you still accept that He is in control, not you or any other being. Perhaps a bit like a mother and baby. The mother knows the baby and has got the feeding plan worked out, especially those bottle feeding as more pre planning is involved. The baby hasn't a clue that it's all pre planned, it'll cry out anyway, and the mother wil respond to the cry. The cry/respond cycle strengthens the mother/baby bond. Mothers do get a little worried of babies who cry not for attention and of course at the other extreme they get a bit weary of those who are continually crying out for too much attention. Better stop here before the stretched analogy breaks.
  • Sorry, somehow it posted twice.
  • I don't think that God (who I don't think of an an invisible but nice male super-computer in some other dimension) has a thought-out plan for what will physically happen in our lives. Why would he plan for so many people to live and die in misery? . The purpose of prayer and meditation (off the top of my head; I'm sure I'm leaving stuff out) (and doing run-on sentences) is to align your consciousness with the true nature of the Universe / Allness / Oneness, or call it God. You let your personality / ego / worldly desires and fears fall away. I believe that the nature of God and the Universe is creative and supportive, and that as you align yourself with it you will receive guidance, love, and support. . Somebody mentioned "but not my will but yours be done" above, but I think that's just a different way of saying "this that I'm praying for, or something better".
  • how can a relationship develop without communication? If for instance, i work at a power-plant and every day i do the same thing - "i press a red button, then i write down some figures, then i have lunch etc etc" - when i get home and my wife greets me - should she not bother to ask me what i did today? She's knows EXACTLY what i've done! So are you suggesting that it would be better if I got home and we didn't speak to each other?! Of course not! Regardless of wether she knows exactly what I've - she asks me what i did for MY benefit - and so that we can COMMUNICATE - hence deepening our relationship. How can you get to know someone better if you never talk to them? Prayer is simply 'talking' to God. God ENJOYS communicating with us and so that is ample reason to keep doing it. Of course communication is a 2 way street, so when we pray - we also LISTEN to what God may want to tell us.
  • It is true, God dose have a plan for each of us. He also has given each of us free choice. As far as the purpose of prayer goes. It shows that you have put your faith in HIM. We all have been given gifts by HIM. We just have to open our eyes & hearts to see them. Example: Say I went to a barber to get a haircut. And the barber was asking all kinds of questions, about God. Like why God did not put his business over into a new mall that just came into town. Or why did he have a flat tire that morning coming to work? And lets say he the barber just keep coming up with all kinds of these "WHY NOT" questions. And after my haircut was done & I began to leave. The barber says see you can't even prove God is real can you? Now say I open the door & see a poor dirty old man with dirty long hair & needs a shave. And I point him out to the barber, & ask him the barber. Why don't you give that poor man a free haircut & shave & help him out? For he was standing out there like that when I came in. And the barber answers by saying, because he never ask me. And I reply thats the answer to your question. You first must ask to receive. And God wants all of His children to come to HIM. But he gives us a choice & we can come to Him by faith in prayer. Or we can stand to the side & do nothing. Or we can walk away & act like there is no GOD. I came to Him through His Son Jesus Christ. And He has answered my prayers in His own time & ways...M.C.S.
  • If god has a master plan, then we have no free will. So we are incapable of sin. So no hell as we can not be responsible for our actions. Yes, no point in praying either. Obviously then god has no master plan. Wait, that means we have no reason for being here, no purpose for living. Oh, cheers!
  • good question -
  • God is SO powerful that the plan can be changed instantaneously by your free-will decision and still come out the same. Some might argue that God already knows what you're going to do before you do it. I am more hopeful and prefer the first explanation.
  • gods masterplan is to eventually get rid of satan and all bad ppl and make a perfect world this life is just to see if were good enough to get in lol im a jehovah's witness and believe theres no hell its just a word tha means dark grave or summit like da just heaven god has chosen 144000 ppl to go to heaven and the rest will be brought bk from death to live on a then perfect world aka judgement day ppl who never heard of jehovah and ppl who died b4 they were born etc will also be brought bk
  • I think our plan that god has for us is decided base on the choices we make because that is the only thing that makes sense, so if people do pray it's to keep in touch with god so they don't lose there faith.
  • Maybe our praying is part of his plan...
  • I just like to stay in touch
  • Where in the Bible does God say that He has a master plan. The Bible says that God has a will for everone's life. That means what He wants you to do for Him. Praying is more then God I want. Praying talking as a friend would speak to a friend praying is "God, this is how my day went, this happened, and that happened. This was funny and that was sad to hear about. What about your day? Has anyone cursed you out today? Has anyone made fun of you today? Has America forgotten about you? Does America not want you? I want you. I need you. You are such a wounderful God." That is a prayer.
  • I believe God desires a personal relationship with His people. He doesnt want you to be some far away being. When God predestinated Christians He did so by foreknowledge, not respect of any person. So, if you ask God for something by faith, He knew before you asked, but He waits for your prayer of faith and vindicates His word and presence by answering that prayer.

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