If, as the Bible says, God has a plan for your life and that every minute of your life (as well as every hair on your head) was predetermined, then why would praying work? The basis of praying is to ask God to change the course of something in your's or another person's life, then wouldn't that be changing the predetermined and preplotted course?
203884
Show me the verse where it says that your life down to the minute is predetermined. The Bible says that the hairs on your head are numbered, and this is in reference to how much God pays attention to you, not to how he planned how much hair you would have. There are several verses and passages in the Bible that hint at something - God is not omniscient (all knowing) in the way humans have made Him out to be. For example - He will forget our sins, He told Abraham that NOW He knew that Abraham truly feared God, He will tell some on judgement day "I never knew you." Is he all-powerful - yes, in that He can do anything that is good (he cannot, for example, lie). If He is all powerful, then can He not, as the examples I listed suggest, choose to know or NOT know whatever He pleases? He certainly does know quite a lot, but for His reasons, there are things He chooses not to know. In the interest of preserving our free will, I think He chooses not to know all the choices we will make. Were we created with a plan for our lives, a purpose, a mission? Yes, but we still have the option to refuse to accept it.
241458
studies show that people who pray live shorter. and the ill people that they pray for have less chance on getting well.\n\nso, prayer will shorten my life. but like jesus i'm willing to shorten my life for the good of humankind. so, my prayer to you will be this:\n" pls, Oh GruHairy, You Infernal Wisdom, will You answer my prayer? I wish that all prayer would end, that praying would be named a sin, and be forbidden by law, bible, and whatever more it has to be forbidden in. Oh Earthly Father, Father of Fathers, heal these sinners and make their brains become more fruitfull, Awomen"
51026
Spells DO work...however, spells are intended to be a personal thing, for you and you only.  For example, you can't cast spells on someone or to make someone do something that is against their will.  The Universe just doesn't work that way.  If it did, and if it were possible to control other people through spells, then what would be the point of life?  We would all simply lose our own control to the desires of others...and then the deeper question would be, who is controlling (or "spelling") the people who would be casting spells on us?  It's just unintelligent to think that this is reality or even possible.\n\nSpells DO work, if you are casting them on yourself and for your own life.  However, its not because of any supernatural force that makes them happen and become a reality.  In fact the force is natural (as opposed to SUPERnatural).  When you put a thought (positive or negative) into your universe, or your world, you can make it happen.\n\nThe spells (chants, rituals, etc.) associated with this desire or thought, are simply ways to reinforce the intention in your mind and to make it real to you and more powerful to you.\n\nMany religions and spiritualities cast spells, even though it is called something different in each path.  For example, a Chrisitan may not say that he is casting a spell when he prays for his wife and family, but the philosophy is the same: to put a thought "out there in the universe, to God, to Allah, to whatever or whomever, to create a change in our lives".
361267
Imagine if God filmed your whole life, brought it back in time to "now" and let you watch it. Is your life suddenly predestined because of time travel?\n\nYou are not a puppet in a play following the master’s script. If a baby never gets up and walks, then eventually runs and leaps over obstacles, then they will never get a chance to have fun in sports. Yes, working hard to overcome obstacles give us the chance to develop agility & strength and provides us with a sense of accomplishment and self worth. God wants you to feel good about yourself and to be happy. You wouldn’t keep a child away from a jungle-gym. So pray hard, work well, love and bring joy into the world. It cannot be seen in your future if you don't make it happen in the first place.
71166
God knows future means he know in what all ways thing can happen. He has also provided limited free will to choose among the various paths he has allowed. Prayer to God help in God allowing more favorable ways to happen for us. Also prayer is not limited to worldly matters alone, we also pray for forgiving of our sins, acceptance of good deeds and for  salvation in hereafter.
576099
Matthew 19:26 says "With God, all things are possible."  If God commands something to happen, it will happen.  He has a plan for everything, and nothing can stand in the way of that plan.  God will give you what you need to do His will, and sometimes the things that you want.  Christian love and prayer is one of the strongest forces on this earth, seeing as how God is controlling it.  God bless you!
121640
Both.\n\nWe are predestined for God's glory, meaning God has a plan for every life he created.  This plan is to further his Glory and to perform great things through us.\n\nWe have free will.  We chose if we are to walk this path or choose not too.\n\nSince God exists outside of time, he already knows what is going to happen.  But it is still OUR choice to walk in obedience or walk in the world.
388214
God knows what is in store for us before we are even born.  Everything happens for a reason, only God knows that reason.  We just have to trust and obey.
25944
Maybe everyone's form of prayer is different. I was brought up catholic and was taught a specific way to pray but I've long abandoned that and simply have a one on one with the man upstairs when I'm in a position to fully appreciate the beauty of the creation before me, like when I'm walking in the park and the sun is setting or when the waters of a lake are so still it seems like someone laid a giant mirror on the ground. I also write on my computer and confide to God all the things I would a very close friend. Prayer doesn't have to be on your knees with your hands folded. It can be as simple as a thought. Possibly even an action. I think many people have forgotten to seek God within ourselves rather than extrovertly.
502339
God has a plan for you and me and He alone decides when to accomplish His plans. He is a faithful God not willing to let any of us to perish.His plans for us are known only by Him.
592534
God is soveriegn, and everything that happens is according to His will. Sometimes God even has to allow bad things to happen to make people turn to him or to help people trust in Him.
373290
yes...praying is talking to God...while building ur relationship with him and doing ur daily walk, u will want to pray and talk to him as much as possible...when i pray, i make sure to thank him...in everything, give thanks, then i tell him i love him and then lift prayer requests to him...u can pray anywhere...anywhere at all!  at school, before you eat (to bless the food), going down the road, while reading ur bible, in ur bed before you go to sleep, when you wake up, in the shower...absolutli anywhere, absolutli anytime!  my favorite place to pray is the alter...it's supposed to be meeting with God and u can feel his pressence the strongest there...prayer is amazing and you should definatli do it!  good luck and i'll be sure to pray for you!  :]]
178165
Well its kinda of like if you need a job. You can pray to God all you want for a job but if you never put in a application or apply for a job how can he bless you w/ one. I think of my relationship with God as a give and take. I give Him control of my life and He takes me where he wants me to be.
373455
I feel that prayer is a personal experience of talking to God and just like talking to anyone who you want to have a relationship with you have to relate to them. So if you talk to God he talks to you. He sometimes talks whether you speak to him or not and just like anyone else who is speaking to you if you don't listen or take notice you wont know what's said. Just keep doing it and keep on knowing that God hears and be ready for his answers 'cause they come - in most surprising ways sometimes
436106
First it depends on your world view.  \n\nIf your world view is that all is cause and effect, that only the natural world exists, then not only does prayer not make sense, but you have no free will, so it does not matter, the outcome is already defined.  Of course, you then have to accept that the universe is uncaused, or nothing creates something, which means you begin without cause and effect, and then you accept cause and effect.  There is an inherent contradiction.  However, it is a world view.  To solve it there are theories, but, the theories are designed to align with the world view.  The true answer is unknown.\n\nIf your world view is that a creator exists, then a creator creates for a reason, and your life, your independent spirit can exist under this world view.  Thus, it makes sense to pray and become aligned in some way with God the creator.  I think one of the strongest reasons to have this world view is our day to day experience that we have free will, that we can shape our future.  If free will is an illusion and I am deluded, then so be it.  It is my choice, based on my experience that I do have free will.  In this case, especially if it is true, prayer makes great sense to align your spirit with God, and get guidance.  \n\nHow does God do it?  No one knows for sure.  All you can find is experiential evidence, or read spiritual books and learn.  People can tell you what they have experienced and you have to accept or not.  It is like being open to love.  You can have great joy, and you may have great pain, more than if you not not love at all.  Jesus prayed so hard the night he was betrayed that it is said He cried tears of blood.  Was his prayer heard?...yes  Was it answered?...yes.  The answer was no.  But, He prayed correctly, not my will but yours.  He was spiritually led to his fate.  Kind of scary where prayer can take you.   \n\nMy experience is that when I pray, if I am led to do a hard thing that I do not want to do, I mean I just want to refuse to do it, then I know I am not listening to God.  That is one aspect.  Other aspects you will learn about from others and experience yourself.
22593
I prayed for my future wife for several years. When I met her, she was not saved. I did not know it at the time, but when I was praying for her, God was protecting her from things that could have killed her, like drugs. When she accepted Christ into her heart, her life took a 180. She lost ALL of her friends because she was now a Christian. But she gained a whole new set of sisters that replaced what she lost.
145913
There are a few ingredients to the "prayer formula".  There is agreement:  Matthew 18:19 "Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven."  There is asking, and asking with the correct motives in mind:  James 4:2-3 "2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."  Faith is the final key.  If you truly expect to receive what you ask, chances are you will.  God is not so callous as to reject your pleas entirely.  A.)  God never piles on more than we can handle, and B.)  God's will is a mystery we may hope to someday unravel, but right now have to deal with what we DO know.  Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."