Re: Radio whom?? (stuff about prayer)

["The Mattrix" <soberman_69 at hotmail_com>]

>From: "J. Marie Hall" <fionaeval at yahoo_com>
>Reply-To: "J. Marie Hall" <fionaeval at yahoo_com>
J. Marie said:

>just a few  more cents,
>j. marie

Now, I wouldn't be so quick to undervalue your thoughts.  (Or you, for that 
matter.)  Much of what you'e said here is relatively priceless.

You know, this whole thread started because of a comment I made about the 
sog "Freewill" by Rush.  Ryan's notion that only the Christian can embrace 
true freedom flies in the face of worldly wisdom, and I agree with it, but 
sometimes I wonder.  Some curches seem so...cultish, like a progpaganda 
machine in overdrive, and the followers even declare themselves to be sheep! 
  It makes me wonder...  (Like all true believers....)

Of course, I fast, abstain, etc. because I want to please Him, not because I 
am being forced to or anything like that.  I want to kill the baser, more 
primal instincts that threaten to govern my life if unchecked.  I know this 
does bring about a freedom of sorts, from the shackles of sin, but I am 
painfully aware that true freedom comes only in death.  Still, I persist, 
knowing that that freedom awaits as long as I am able to do so.

The world at large doesn't get it.  That Rush song is the greatest 
illustration of this dilemma for me.  Religion is far more than a set of 
self-imposed restrictions.  Faith in one's own self is liberating to an 
extent, but leaves the future (after death) as a big uncertaintity.  The 
faithful can have assurance in both themselves AND salvation- what could be 
more freeing?  Not feeling guilt as you indiscrimately mate?  Smoking?  
Eating whatever you want?  All these things have negative consequences 
attached to them, but the only consequene attached to obeying God's word is 
eternal glory.

Well, I just thought I'd say something, as I unwittingly sparked this 
discussion.  I guesss my point is that the world doesn't grasp what I've 
written above, yet all of it is so elementary to a believer, you guys 
probably knew what I was going to say before I'd even finished.

About prayer- the notion that praying for our own gain is selfish and wrong 
is very outdated.  "The Prayer of Jabez" phenonem has demonstarted clearly 
that God rewards those who pray, in a broad sense, for His will to be done 
in their lives.  The prayer itself is nothing more than a series of general 
statements that are loaded with potential applications, allowing God to 
retain the option of how to best answer, and thereby benefit, the person who 
prays it.  Just 2 more cents...

gotta study,

Matt


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