Calling all Baptists;

[BrittanyKelton]

God is omniscient, correct?
So, isn't prayer ultimately futile?
Surely God knows what you are going to pray for beforehand - and has already decided on His course of action.
Is it not absurd to think that we can persuade God to change his mind?

I'm stuck in this loop of thinking.

Any and all comments welcome, please keep them educated and constructive.
Thank you!

[Ezekiel Bathfire]

Re: Calling all Baptists;

I'm stuck in this loop of thinking.

Yes, you’re female and therefore not too good at thinking. You should be asking these questions of your father, but as I’m probably old enough to be his father, I will respond with a parable:

A man went one day to Wal-Mart to get his wife a new head for her floor-mop, as he returned he met a friend who said, “What’s that Bathfire?” and Bathfire replied, “It’s a new head for Mrs. Bathfire’s floor-mop.”

The man replied, “You should have asked me, I have one in my garage.”

And so we see this echoed in the Bible, M't:7:7: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

You see, there are 1.2 Billion Christians on this earth, that’s at least that many prayers a day, that’s 138,889 prayers a second that God hears and answers.

On top of this, He makes sure the sun rises and set, that the seasons occur, that sinners are damned, etc, etc.

All He asks is a little “heads up.”

So continue with your prayers.

[James Hutchins]

Re: Calling all Baptists;

Marvelous words Pastor, always a delight to here your sermons. I only wish they could be longer.

[Cranky Old Man]

Re: Calling all Baptists;

God is omniscient, correct?

Yes.

So, isn't prayer ultimately futile?

Not at all.

Surely God knows what you are going to pray for beforehand - and has already decided on His course of action. Is it not absurd to think that we can persuade God to change his mind?

Yes and no. God is all knowing so he knows the future already. But that does not mean there is nothing for us to learn.

I'm stuck in this loop of thinking. Any and all comments welcome, please keep them educated and constructive. Thank you!

I spend a lot of time thinking about this. For example why did God leave Adam and Eve alone if he would know in advance what would happen?

I think the point of all this is not about God, but about us. God is almighty and all knowing, but we are just simple beings. God does know in advance what will happen but we do not. So for us the choices we make matter, even if God knows in advance what we will choose. We do not know this in advance so for us it is a real choice.

I think it is comparable to raising a child. In many cases the parent knows in advance what will happen, but still the parent allows the child to figure it out on his own so the child will learn from the experience. I think it works the same with God and us.

[BrittanyKelton]

Re: Calling all Baptists;

Yes.

Not at all.

Yes and no. God is all knowing so he knows the future already. But that does not mean there is nothing for us to learn.

I spend a lot of time thinking about this. For example why did God leave Adam and Eve alone if he would know in advance what would happen?

I think the point of all this is not about God, but about us. God is almighty and all knowing, but we are just simple beings. God does know in advance what will happen but we do not. So for us the choices we make matter, even if God knows in advance what we will choose. We do not know this in advance so for us it is a real choice.

I think it is comparable to raising a child. In many cases the parent knows in advance what will happen, but still the parent allows the child to figure it out on his own so the child will learn from the experience. I think it works the same with God and us.

Thank you, that was a very satisfying answer!
I totally understand.
Finally, something that actually comes through to me! aha.

[Pastor Ezekiel]

Re: Calling all Baptists;

Thank you, that was a very satisfying answer!
I totally understand.
Finally, something that actually comes through to me! aha.

Why are you being so argumentative? This is a Christian forum, not your high school debate club.

Shouldn't you be baking pies for your father or mending his socks or something?

[BrittanyKelton]

Re: Calling all Baptists;

Why are you being so argumentative? This is a Christian forum, not your high school debate club.

Shouldn't you be baking pies for your father or mending his socks or something?

I wasn't being sarcastic, he really answered my question in a way I totally understood.
I get it now.
He's one of the few on here that always give me answers that I can relate to or that make sense to me.

You sir, are the argumentative one.

Aha, shouldn't you be beating your wife for cooking the pie you didn't like?
You should get to it.
She deserves it for marrying a holy roller like you in the first place.

[Professor Bessemer]

Re: Calling all Baptists;

I wasn't being sarcastic, he really answered my question in a way I totally understood.
I get it now.
He's one of the few on here that always give me answers that I can relate to or that make sense to me.

You sir, are the argumentative one.

Aha, shouldn't you be beating your wife for cooking the pie you didn't like?
You should get to it.
She deserves it for marrying a holy roller like you in the first place.

The Pastor is not married. And his fiance Daisy Mae is a wonderful dessert chef. Why just yesterday I was at her house picking up a witch hammer she had borrowed, and she showed my her pie that she had just finished topping with whipped cream.

It looked wonderful! You will have to ask Pastor Zeke how it tasted, as I am not a fan of pie. I prefer a nice pound cake.

[Cranky Old Man]

Re: Calling all Baptists;

Thank you, that was a very satisfying answer!

You're welcome.

I totally understand. Finally, something that actually comes through to me!

Now you have to take it to the next level. Really start reading your Holy Bible, every single page of it. You still have a chance to save your soul from eternal damnation! As you have learned now God allows us to learn from our mistakes, but the choice is always ours. And it is very important you make the right one.