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Prayer:
Interview One
by Darcy West
reprinted by permission
Darcy West: What is the difference
between God answering your prayer and God doing what he had planned to
do all along?
Disciple: God does all according to
His will. In answering prayer, He can say either 1) yes, 2) no, or 3)
wait. Still all is according to His will.
Darcy West: Disciple, if his will
will be done no matter what, then it will be done whether you pray for
it or not, right?
Disciple: No, because Jesus said that
you don't receive because you don't ask. Prayer is vital.
Darcy West: God will fail to carry
out his perfect will if a person fails to pray?
Disciple: Good question. His will
is that none of us be lost, but if we don't accept Jesus as Saviour we
will indeed be lost. God will not force His will upon us.
Darcy West: So if it is God's will
to heal Mary Smith of cancer, and yet no one prays for Mary Smith's healing,
then God will fail to heal her?
Disciple: Another good question. Jesus
healed without anyone praying so it would appear, but that also seemed
to have to do with faith in receiving the healing.
Darcy West: Disciple, so you believe
that the actions (prayer or faith) of people can affect the actions/decisions
of God?
Disciple: Could be. You have very
good questions. Well thought out.
Darcy West: Disciple. thank you. Since
you believe that the actions of people (faith, prayer, etc.) can affect
the decisions/actions of God, I am wondering if you believe that God is
omniscient?
Disciple: God is definitely omniscient.
The Bible says so.
Darcy West: And that would mean that
he knows all things...including everything that he is going to do, yes?
Disciple: Yes, the Bible says that.
The Bible says that He knew us before we were ever formed in the womb.
Darcy West: If God knows all things,
would it be possible for him to experience any degree of uncertainty,
whatsoever?
Disciple: I don't believe so.
Darcy West: In order to change one's
mind....would you agree that one must first experience uncertainty or
have incomplete information?
Disciple: I don't believe so.
Darcy West: What leads one to change
one's mind?
Disciple: I think the information
can change & lead 'us' to change our minds.
Darcy West: Disciple, what information?
New information?
Disciple: New information, or correction
of misinformation.
Darcy West: Would an omniscient God
ever receive information he didn't know previously?
Disciple: I think people can change
their minds for a number of reasons. As for God, He would not sin.
Darcy West: Disciple, what would cause
God to change his mind?
Disciple: He would not since He knows
all since before the beginning.
Darcy West: Disciple, if God cannot
change his mind.....how can his actions/decisions in any way be affected
by the prayers of humans?
Disciple: I only know what the Bible
says. How about you?
Darcy West: Does the bible say that
God changes his mind?
Disciple: I can't recall it saying
that He changes His mind, only that He regretted certain things.
Darcy West: If God is omniscient and
perfect, why would he do something that he knew he would later regret?
If God changes his mind and does things he regrets, how do you know that
he won't or doesn't regret having sent Jesus to die?
Disciple: I don't have the answer
to that one. That would mean I know the mind of God and therefore am at
His level, and we all know what happened to Lucifer when he tried that.
Darcy West: But would you agree that
if God does things he regrets, it is quite possible that he regrets ever
having sent Jesus and that he will change his mind about offering you
salvation?
Disciple: I think you're getting into
very dangerous territory questioning the perfect Almighty God.
Darcy West: Disciple, dangerous? In
what way are such questions dangerous?
Disciple: Read the Bible, Darcy. Only
there & in prayer to God will you find the perfect answers to your great
questions.
Darcy West: Disciple, I did that.
The book doesn't explain how an omniscient God can change his mind or
why an omniscient and perfect God would make mistakes (do things he later
regrets).
Disciple: Go back and read it again.
This time with the right motive. That's a wrap.
Darcy West: Thank you, Disciple.
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