“No benefit comes from a just man's prayer if he who asks for it finds more pleasure in sin than in virtue. For Samuel mourned over Saul when he sinned, but he was not able to obtain God's mercy, for his grief was not supported by the necessary change of life on the part of the sinner. Hence God put an end to the pointless grief of His servant, saying to him, 'How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel?' (I Sam. 16:1).” IfsMenLongEndsAbleChristianAsksPrayerSinPleasureGriefVirtueSeeingBenefitsMercyIsraelServantLife ChangingSinnerOrthodoxRejectedMournPointlessNecessary Change Author:Maximus the Confessor
“A worshipper perceives that he is near to God because he is awake all night worshipping God. But after worship, your prayers are for health, long life, wealth, and for the damsels and slaves of the Paradise. Ponder! Did you ever pray to God, 'O' God, I desire from Thee nothing but Thee'?” LongDesireNightWealthPrayerPrayingWorshipSlaveTheePerceiveAwakeParadiseAll NightLong LifeOur PrayersPonderingPraying To GodWorship GodWorshippers Author:Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi
“Who wouldn't want to vote for a guy who was a peaceful, radical, non-violent revolutionary; who hung around with lepers, hookers, and crooks; who never spoke English; was not an American citizen; anti-capitalism; totally anti-death penalty; anti-public prayer (Matthew 6:5); but never once anti-gay; didn't mention abortion; and was a long-haired, brown-skinned, homeless, middle-eastern, Jew?” WantLongGuyPrayerMiddleCitizensGayCapitalismVoteJewViolentPeacefulRadicalRevolutionaryAbortionBrownSpokesHungPenaltiesHomelessEasternDeath PenaltyAmerican CitizensMatthewCrooksNon ViolentLeperAnti Gay Author:John Fugelsang
“We are deeply saddened by the tremendous loss of life and devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, .. Starbucks has a long tradition of striving to bring together people and communities where we do business. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and many others impacted by this natural disaster; our prayers and thoughts are with all the families who have lost loved ones.” PeopleLongTogetherLostCommunityNaturalPrayerLossTraditionStriveDisasterLoved OnesLost LoveBereavementOur PrayersHurricanesHeartfeltStarbucksKatrinaDevastationCondolencesNatural DisasterSaddenedHurricane KatrinaLost Loved Ones Author:Howard Schultz
“Thanks to the scientific method, most people in "developed" countries have an outlook of mild deism. We assume things like weather and disease operate according to fixed natural laws. Every so often, though, problems impinge on us so directly that we stretch beyond that mildly deistic stance and ask God to intervene. When a drought drags on too long, we pray for rain. When a young mother gets a diagnosis of cervical cancer, we solicit prayers for her healing. We beseech God as if trying to talk God into something God otherwise might not want to do.” PeopleIfsWantTryingLongCountryProblemMightLawYoungMotherAsksNaturalPrayerHealingPrayingDiseaseRainMethodAssumingCancerWeatherThanksFixedDragOutlookDiagnosisNatural LawStanceScientific MethodDroughtDeismDeveloped CountryYoung MotherCervical Cancer Author:Philip Yancey