A friend posed a question.......

**mikalikat** · February-8th-2010, 01:43 PM

Hey all,

I have a Christian sister on facebook that has posed a question to me, I answered as best I thought I could, but I would so appreciate, and so would she, your thoughts on this. I am posting her question, copied as she wrote it, here:

okay, so i'm reading through the bible

and my issue has come up with prayer

if God listens and is willing to change his mind based on prayer, why not help everyone, however if he knows all, how can we as humans change God's mind, when he's all knowing?

Your thoughts would be much appreciated! Thanks.

**bghtnpd4** · February-8th-2010, 02:09 PM

I believe that since He does know all that He doesn't change His mind, He knew what we were going to pray for before we ever prayed. So, in my mind, He's just answering prayer whether the answer is yes or no. Does that make sense?

**readytogo** · February-8th-2010, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by bghtnpd4

I believe that since He does know all that He doesn't change His mind, He knew what we were going to pray for before we ever prayed. So, in my mind, He's just answering prayer whether the answer is yes or no. Does that make sense?

I agree. Although we can sometimes try to be "fancy" with our prayers, praying is talking to God. He wants to be in a relationship with us. When you're in relationship of any kind, you can tell where your heart is by the level of communication between the 2 people. He has already shared his heart with us, He wants us to share our hearts with Him. That, sometimes, what we want is not the best for most people concerned (and only He knows what's best for all of us all!), He still wants us to talk to Him about it. (And if we listen carefully, we will sometimes hear that still small voice that is His telling us why our prayer wasn't "answered".)

**mikalikat** · February-8th-2010, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by bghtnpd4

I believe that since He does know all that He doesn't change His mind, He knew what we were going to pray for before we ever prayed. So, in my mind, He's just answering prayer whether the answer is yes or no. Does that make sense?

Not really....can you make a bit more clear?

**myinnuendo999** · February-8th-2010, 03:50 PM

My answer would be that God does not repent and cannot. This is called an anthropomorphism and should not be taken literally

God is beyond human comprehension and in order for us to understand God, we have to give Him human characteristics-(anthropomorphism). Giving Him these characteristics by no means diminishes or in any way should ever be grossly misrepresented by actually believing that "GOD" could forget, repent, rest, not be all knowing etc.

Exodus 32:14, "So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people."
2 Sam.24:16, "When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the calamity, and said to the angel who destroyed the people, “It is enough! Now relax your hand!”
Did the Lord really change his mind?? Does God repent or relent?

if we keep that in mind building precept upon precept, then we know prayer is not changing God's mind but actually us being changed in accordance to lining up with HIS will.

May I suggest that we get in on God's will when it comes to prayer. God's will is accomplished "whether or not we pray". However, we miss out on what God is doing.

I think of it like a ball game.. You can be in the game playing or you can sit on the sidelines. It really doesn't change God's Sovereign plan for he knows the end from the beginning....

You can miss prayer and time with God and He does not love you any less, You just missed out on a good time. It's just like going out on a date with your husband or wife and you do not go, they still love you just the same but you missed out on the fun...and the intimacy...

"I the Lord do not Change"-Malachi 3:6.

It's always best to read what God's word actually teaches as final authority and not my analogy.

I hope this helps

**Hebron** · February-8th-2010, 04:25 PM

It seems when we look at scripture that God can change His mind
Genesis 18:20-32 Abraham interceds for Sodom. God said that he would destroy the place if there was iniquity there, and Abraham argues him down to sparing the city if 10 good men could be found.
Whether this is God changing his mind is debatable, as Sodom gets destroyed in the end. But God does converse with Abraham and promises to save the righteous which of course was Lot and his family.
Several times in Exodus. Generally God getting fed up with the Israelites and threatening to destroy them. Moses usually intercedes
Ezekiel to cook his bread over human excrement as part of a prophecy of the Hebrew exile. When Ezekiel protests that he has never been defiled, God allows him to use cow dung instead.

King Hezekiah of Judah who was told by God through Isaiah the prophet that he was about to die (Isaiah 38:1-8; 2 Kings 20:1-11). Hezekiah prayed urgently for a change of plans (2 Kings 20:2-3), and before Isaiah had left the palace God sent an answer saying that Hezekiah would not die for another 15 years (2 Kings 20:4, 6). As far as Hezekiah was concerned, prayer had caused God to change his mind.
I would say to you keep praying to God – he is a God who answers prayer and he will never leave you or forsake you.
Hope this helps

**e-man** · February-8th-2010, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by Hebron

It seems when we look at scripture that God can change His mind
Genesis 18:20-32 Abraham interceds for Sodom. God said that he would destroy the place if there was iniquity there, and Abraham argues him down to sparing the city if 10 good men could be found.
Whether this is God changing his mind is debatable, as Sodom gets destroyed in the end. But God does converse with Abraham and promises to save the righteous which of course was Lot and his family.
Several times in Exodus. Generally God getting fed up with the Israelites and threatening to destroy them. Moses usually intercedes
Ezekiel to cook his bread over human excrement as part of a prophecy of the Hebrew exile. When Ezekiel protests that he has never been defiled, God allows him to use cow dung instead.

King Hezekiah of Judah who was told by God through Isaiah the prophet that he was about to die (Isaiah 38:1-8; 2 Kings 20:1-11). Hezekiah prayed urgently for a change of plans (2 Kings 20:2-3), and before Isaiah had left the palace God sent an answer saying that Hezekiah would not die for another 15 years (2 Kings 20:4, 6). As far as Hezekiah was concerned, prayer had caused God to change his mind.
I would say to you keep praying to God – he is a God who answers prayer and he will never leave you or forsake you.
Hope this helps

And Jonah and the Ninevites, too! Pastor Jack Kelley loves to point this one out in relation to this question. One thing he said about judgement, though. God can't lie. It will happen. In the case of Ninevah, God just waited until the next evil generation.

**Hebron** · February-9th-2010, 06:51 AM

And Jonah and the Ninevites, too! Pastor Jack Kelley loves to point this one out in relation to this question. One thing he said about judgement, though. God can't lie. It will happen. In the case of Ninevah, God just waited until the next evil generation.

Amen! we can't add much to that