When we pray to God, we should tell him what we want him to know, and listen to what he says to us.
We should tell God what WE want HIM to know?!?! A God who knows what we have need of before we ask him? A God who declared the end from the beginning and knows all things?
Interesting.
In any sense, I read the entire thread and have some thoughts:
1. Prayer is good. I do it often. But it does not mean you are in a relationship with God. It's part of a relationship, but not the whole thing. In fact, sometimes prayer is in vain; if so, you have no relationship with God.
For it to be a relationship, when you talk to God, he has to reply. By the way, God will be the dominate figure in the relationship; not you. If you and he are equal partners, then it isn't God. In fact, if you are praying to God and he answers, there is oy ONE way to know if it's really God. Well, actually two... But most would hate the second way more than the first. (The answer is to consult the Bible and/or a real Preacher).
2. God's Word is God talking to you. When you read or hear God's word, take it personally, and I mean take ALL of it as a personal message to you. So with that in mind, what is God's word and where can we find it? Furthermore, how do we validate it? That's the next point!
3. If the Bible is not the Word of God, then what is the Bible, and where do we go to get the Word? Do we look at trees? Do we talk to squirrels? Yes, we can see God through them but aren't God's word and frankly... they don't talk. Yes, Balaam's ass talked. But that's about it, and he only talked to Balaam. He wasn't your ass, he was Balaam's ass. And his message was that he should've listened to God!
What about dreams, visions and thoughts? Ok... how do you know they are God? Is it simply because it's "right"? Oh, ok. Sure.
4. I believe the Bible (meaning, the writings of the Holy men who wrote epistles, gospels, psalms, proverbs and books) is the Word of God and was meant for us in this generation. If you don't just say so; no hard feelings! We will agree to disagree. But if God has a word and message to us, where is it if it isn't the Bible?
No, really. If the Bible isn't the Wird of God, then what is and how do I validate it?
5. On that note, how do we validate the Bible? Well, the first 4 or 5 books were written by Moses. Most of Psalms, by David. Eccesiates, Songs and Proverbs by Solomon. I may be wrong, but I think Isaiah wrote the book of Isaiah.
Shall I go on, or do you get my point? Were these not Holy men of old, along with Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, James, Jude and Peter? Or were they scalleywags who aren't worthy to be heard? I'd so, whom did God talk to to give his Word?
You?
What makes you worthy and these others scalleywags and liars?
6. Let's talk versions and corruptions! I do believe some Bibles are not the wholesome Word. The more you try to make the Bible fit to us and our current trends, the more it becomes corrupted. The Word of God isn't supposed to conform to us, we are supposed to conform to it.
Or do you disagree?
I am a follower of the KJV. It's what I read and all I quote. But let me dispell some myths: we aren't boogeyman! I personally don't pay ant attention if someone follows another translation. I will work with that person in a Biblical conversation. I will not condemn him or look down on him or her. I pray they grant me the same.
Do they? Do you?
What I dislike is Bible hoppers. They go from version to version to find a verse that fits their belief. They claim it gives them a broader understanding of the Bible and claim its a good thing (have a look at Matthew 7:13, if you are of this belief. Do you really want a broad way and belief?) Inreitt, they are only looking for a way to align the Bible with their belief instead of lining up their belief with the Bible.
Bottom line: pick a version and submit to it.
7. A book. We worship a book. How stupid.
I got a feeling that some of us are in our 50's. If so, you remember the art of letter writing. It's lost today. We took a pen or pencil in out hand and wrote on stuff that we called paper. We wrote to our moms and dads, to our friends, business associates, brothers and sisters sometimes even to our enemies!
And we wrote to our girlfiends or boyfiends I. High school or even in Jr high... sometimes in the form of notes passed between class.
Married folks used to do it too, especially if they were in the military. I never had that honor, but I imagine they were thrilled to get a letter beyond belief! And they, like us goofs in high school getting a note from our love interest, probably read it several times! Especially if it was steamy. And we held onto that letter or note so we could read it again and again. We collected them, and read them all as time progressed!
Can I get a witness to that, or am I just a weirdo here?
But here's the point. Did we ever fall in love with the note, or did we fall in love with the person writing it? Did we love our letters from or mom and dads or love them? Personally, I loved the letters, but I loved what they promised even more and would be disappointed I'd they were lies!
My point t is that the Bible is a love letter, a promise, a contract, a state of affairs and for some, a curse. It's backed by actual events. I love it on its own, but I love knowing it's going to happen. Such letters are supposed to be a declaration of intention. If that intention is true, it's simply information. Thus, the words of the writer are not a separation of the person.
So no. No one is worshipping the love letter instead of the lover. We love the love letter, but it's because our love wrote it.
That's enough for now, except for one thing... God not only repented from evil he sought to do. Sometimes he did it. A lot! Actually, he's the one that created evil. If you have a problem with that, pick you version of the Bible, let's throw down rods and see which one sprouts almonds.
