The sheer proliferation of tents was staggering on the landscape near City Hall at L.A. Tent City. Small groups engaged in political conversation like a scene at Brown or Yale. A young man and woman snuggled, stretched out on the ground. Through an open tent flap I noticed someone sitting quietly alone. Was this person meditating or praying?
In the heyday of the civil rights movement, prayer became a necessity for me in order to survive. I remember vividly the summer of 1965 when I lived and worked with three young black men of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in rural Mississippi and Alabama. A major objective of our effort was to support black voter registration at a time when black citizens were virtually barred from the right to vote in certain locales.
Poor black families living in outlying areas invited us to stay with them. They housed and fed us, exemplifying considerable courage. Actually they shared their lives with us. One scary night a snake crept into the shack through a hole in the floor. Danger was markedly everywhere. How could we be alert enough?
The worst incident occurred one afternoon when we were driving on a nearby highway and unexpectedly had a flat tire. We didn't possess a spare in the trunk. A filling station was nearby so we went there to ask for help. It was denied. But soon two trucks occupied by white supremacists armed with guns arrived on the scene. Now the sun was setting. Our safety was seriously threatened.
Without warning a crop duster plane appeared in the sky. It was similar to the type used by Hollywood director Alfred Hitchcock in his classic film "North by Northwest." It circled menacingly in the sky. A car driven by friendly people appeared on the highway, we were given a tire and escaped. I prayed through that harrowing ordeal. There was no substitute for offering all of life, including this astonishing and scary moment, to God.
In 1961 I'd begun what developed into a decade of civil rights activism. It began as a "Prayer Pilgrimage" Freedom Ride. I received a letter saying that around 20 Episcopal clergy, black and white, would participate in a public protest. We'd seek service at a segregated lunch counter and would be arrested following refusal. It was a bloody, agonized time. I felt considerable fear. Our group gathered in New Orleans at the YMCA where John Howard Griffin had stayed during the writing of his classic "Black Like Me." We were instructed in nonviolence by Martin Luther King Jr's staff. Yes, I prayed a lot. I knew clearly that my life was not in my own hands, but God's.
What is prayer? It isn't basically asking God for something. It's being with God. We don't need silence surrounding us. There is not an "ideal" place to pray.
Do I feel there are any "rules" for praying? Feel at home. There is not any kind of "role" on our part to play with God. God knows when we are thirsty, including when our thirst is for truth and justice.
In my view, faith is our bond with God. Do we appreciate it? Work with it? Treat it creatively? Thank God for the motivation and energy of a long distance runner, letting us share kinship with Jesus. Martin Luther King Jr. extended his activism from civil rights to opposing the war in Vietnam. As a follower of his, I took part in a Peace Mass inside a corridor of the Pentagon. We were arrested for "disturbing the peace." Later, almost thirty years after the Freedom Ride, I was one of six persons arrested after appearing before the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors asking for help for persons with HIV/AIDS. What did I learn? Nothing necessarily new. Prayer is for others as well as oneself. Prayer can become an act of love for peace and justice that draws us outside self.
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God is Good.
But we may lack knowledge, so we fall into the "I don't know" category.
That is why the Word says, "search the scriptures that you may find life."
Searching will lead to life and joy peace and love.
See Christ came to take us out of one kingdom(lost) and put us back into our rightful kingdom.
See no one under a certain age should be dying.
Now if you do not know Gods Word, you will accept anything handed downed to you by another human. All humans do not know Gods word. So they just pass down to you and you accept what ever is told you.....by another human.
See Gods wants you to know EVERYTHING. Please don't speak concerning "Gods ways are higher than our ways." Look into the context in which God is talking. Then you will find out....God wants us... His kids to know everything. So we may fellowship properly.
See God loves us dearly but He can only communicate according the knowledge we have already.
God is not trying to hide anything. If you were God would you need to hide anything.... you are God. Who needs to hide.
"Gods word is "f o r e v e r" settled in heaven."
Just like the moon.....it is not going any where.
It is a law. That already exist. You..... agree with it. You get you prayer request.............answered.
God is specific. This God guy...... love this dude.
-Love ya.
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"In my view, faith is our bond with God. Do we appreciate it? Work with it? Treat it creatively? Thank God for the motivation and energy of a long distance runner, letting us share kinship with Jesus. Martin Luther King Jr. extended his activism from civil rights to opposing the war in Vietnam. As a follower of his, I took part in a Peace Mass inside a corridor of the Pentagon. We were arrested for "disturbing the peace." Later, almost thirty years after the Freedom Ride, I was one of six persons arrested after appearing before the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors asking for help for persons with HIV/AIDS. What did I learn? Nothing necessarily new. Prayer is for others as well as oneself. Prayer can become an act of love for peace and justice that draws us outside self."
"Faith" in God........... COMES by "HEARING" about God......From the WORD.
It is a LAW. Faith comes from .........HEARING.
If your pastor, priest or clergy is not preaching or teaching you the WORD.
You will have NO faith in God ...... from His Word...... that God is who and what He say He is.
You will have only songs and cliches to deal with.
See once again....FAITH IN GOD....comes by HEARING and hearing and hearing the word of God.
You do not have to believe me. Look at your own track record. If you have no faith in God.....
It is because of the STUFF you have been hearing. THE nothing.... from the Sun. speaker.
Love
Why?
It is basically fellowship with GOD. Now of course if you do not know this. You might call prayer some extremely great task. It is not.
Problem; God does have to become a personal buddy. That is not to be funny.
God is a real person. I do not care what part of the USA you come from.
There was this little town on the east coast..... they had 17 guys in Vietnam. They prayed daily that all sons would come home safely.
They ALL came home sound of body, mind and spirit.
Not like other awful stories we hear. See! God is real. I beg no one to agree.
Inside, out of sight, like the Bible directed.
If a person chooses for their spiritual life to be everyone's business, wonderful for them, but I think the danger of institutional control of faith (making one person's spiritual opinions universal) , is best tempered by not only religious freedom, but religious privacy.
(a) intimate relationship with and leadership by God is God’s original design for the human individual, and that
(b) humanity has rejected such intimate relationship and leadership beginning with Adam and Eve.
Since then, communication with God appears to be referred to as prayer. Perhaps, interestingly, the word “prayer†appears to first be mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 20 when God suggested that Abraham would pray for Abimelech. This appears to be reasonably interpreted to suggest that Abraham would communicate with God regarding Abimelech’s well-being. Abraham appears to have had a somewhat close relationship with God.
Moses’ appears to also exemplify a very intimate relationship with God, to the point at which Moses appears to be suggested to entreat God on Israel’s behalf and even request that God show Moses God’s “gloryâ€. The Bible appears to suggest that God granted those and other requests.
Perhaps God’s intention for humanity’s focus might be relationship with God, with prayer or communication with God being just a normal facet of that relationship, as it apparently should be with all appropriate relationships.
I welcome your thoughts.
I think Abraham had a very close relationship with God. The angel of the Lord physically visited Abraham.
Abraham is called God's "friend" in Scripture. Imagine that!
God says, "If TWO shall agree as touching anything on earth He will give us out petition.'
Humans that are too smart..... always get lost here.
Why? They believe in the clubs of the community......dudes and people.
Problem? What do you do when the Dr. says there is no hope.
Do you say it is their time?
If you are 20 yrs. it is not your time.
But if you live with Mr. and Mrs. "lack of knowledge" of God and His bible.... then your # is up.
Why? No knowledge of God ...... is pure DUMMY-ISM. Sorry but true.
Play all the games of said community..... is only humanism. Your love ones will die before their time..............and God was watching.
Why? You ........ called the shots.
Love and peace.
"What is prayer? It isn't basically asking God for something. It's being with God."
Reading is fundamental.
thegodlessgeneration: "Why do you need to ask...?"
Savojah: "He already knows what you need..."
Seriously... put aside your own preconceptions of what YOU think prayer is,
and actually READ what Rev Boyd has posted above. He's defining prayer
as something OTHER than making a request. Boyd is very clear that prayer
focuses on communion and celebration, and is NOT a petition or a Wish List.
Boyd: "It ISN'T asking God for something. It's BEING WITH God."
C'mon guys.... reading comprehension can be your friend.