mary58

Q4. How can prayer change God's mind without conflicting with the doctrine of the Immutability of God? Can God answer a prayer for something outside of the scope of his will? Changing in accordance with a prayer request can be part of the constant that is God. He is one who listens to and responds to prayer -- that is his unchanging nature. I'm going with "no" on the second part -- God will not do something against his nature. The tricky bit is that, in theory, perhaps we don't totally know his nature, so he could do something that is contrary to what we thought his nature is. However I can't recall that happening -- I think we actually do have a pretty good grasp on his nature. He reveals it to us over and over and over in His Word.

Q3. How can a wrong understanding of determinism and predestination keep us from the kind of gutsy prayer that Moses prayed? What do you call a belief that our prayers make no difference to God's response? If we think all is decided and that "it can do no good" to pray then we don't pray with confidence and power -- and we are told to do so. And so a belief that prayers make no difference to God's response is disobedience.

Q2. What aspects of Moses' prayer of intercession should we emulate in our own prayers? Upon what logical grounds does Moses offer this bold appeal to God? What do you think it means to "pray the promises of God"? How does knowing the Bible help you get your prayers answered? How does this help our prayers be within God's will? The study guide spells this out really well -- I like this analysis of the structure of the prayer and will see how my prayers of intercession can grow, instructed by this example by knowing in scripture where his promises indicate his care over the situation I'm facing. If I can't find that in scripture then may be I don't pray in accordance with his will. When I can find it then I can rejoice and pray with confidence and expectation.

Q1. Read Exodus 32:1-14. What had the people done that was so bad? How can a loving God be angry? Is God's sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nation through Moses justified? I don't think they so much rebelled, as forgot. (If they had rebelled that would have had to be against something real and they no longer thought of God as real.) Even though they had seen the power of their one God in the plagues in Egypt, deliverance from Egypt they stopped trusting and believing in him (who they could not see) just because the human leader was now (and for 40 days) out of sight. They don't know if Moses will ever return and they confused Moses with God and felt abandoned. Their prayer could have been "bring us a new leader" but instead they turned from God Himself. God loves his nation and anger at their rejection is entirely justified. If he didn't love them, he wouldn't have been angry. The sentence isn't "justified" as, since there is no covenant yet by which to measure justice, there can't be justice. But his sentence is fair, and common sense. His promise was to the nation, not to this particular generation.

Q4. A. Why should we continually ask forgiveness? B. How can unforgiveness on our part block God's blessing? C. How can unforgiveness block God's forgiveness? A. because we continually sin, and -- lest we feel just right about ourselves -- continually measure ourselves against his standard in ways of action and of thought B. without our forgivingness we don't receive God's forgiveness © and without forgiveness we cannot be blessed -- are separated from God C. Jesus says it does -- "But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins"

Q3a. Why do we seek to be independent of asking anyone for help? Q3b. Why do we seek to be independent of God? Q3c. Why should we ask God to "give" us daily bread so long as we can earn a living for ourselves? a. pride b. pride c. because He gives us the ability to earn that living -- our skills, education, personality, co-workers, customers/clients -- just because the bread comes through a mechanism in which we participate doesn't mean it's not his provision

Q2. In what sense are we asking that the Father's kingdom should come? Why are we asking for the Father's will to be done here on earth? How should this prayer affect our living? "your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" We ask in both senses -- that the final kingdom come; and that His kingdom grow on the earth right now. We yearn for the final kingdom and the time when His will is no longer clouded by sin of this world. And we promote His kingdom here and now and praise him for every way that His will is manifest within the visible world today. This affects our living in that we continue to look beyond this world, and yet work within it for the growth of the kingdom.

Not so much an answer to the question as thoughts brought up by it: Regarding God's name, literally the word "God", when we treat that word as holy -- to be uttered always and only with reverence for who He is -- we act much differently from contemporary society. It is interesting watch myself and my use of His name. I've let the world reduce its meaning for me -- do I say "oh my god, this is an awesome cake, what is the recipe?" ? Maybe. I will be watchful for how and when I use his name. I should never use His name without reflecting on Him and His holiness.