Understanding Prayer And The Non Believer - 1837 Words

Application Paper Carolyn Strickland THEO 104 D43 LUO August 17, 2015 I. Introduction As each of us travel through life, decision making is a perpetual fact. Sometimes the choices are simple, straightforward and just happen without any thought. Sometimes the choices are harder, more complex, and often do not have a clear option. It is during these difficult decisions that Christians have an advantage over the non-believer. The non-believer often gets frustrated, overwhelmed and states that it is hopeless; therefore they give up easily. As a believer in Christ, we know that our hope rests in the arms of God. Hope never ends and is always there when you need it. This leads to the question of how to find hope and understand prayer. Our hope comes from developing a relationship with God through daily prayer. It is prayer that strengthens our hope. Prayer is a direct line of communication with God. Without hope, there is no room for prayer. As we pray, our hope reflects God’s love in our life even in the difficult times. Hope II. Part One a. Theological Definition: Hope Hope is defined as â€Å"a reliance on God’s blessing and provision; the expectation of future good.† (Youngblood, 1995) Hope is a confident expectancy. It is an indication of certainty and not being doubtful. It deals with things we cannot see or have not received. Hope is for and about the future; it is what keeps us going. Faith is what creates our hope. Hebrews 11:1 defines hope the best:Show MoreRelatedThe Debate Over School Prayer1096 Words   |  5 PagesThis paper will examine the topic of prayer in school. School prayer has remained a subject of national debate in the United States. This freedom has slowly but surely been taken away from students across the country. By bringing to light the laws pertaining to prayer in schools, understanding the current situation in schools, and rewriting school policy regarding prayer, this travesty can be avoided before it grows further. The dispute over school prayer has stemmed from the government s viewsRead MoreGod Is An All Loving By Michael J. Murray And Kurt Myers1380 Words   |  6 PagesTheists, people who believe in the existence of God, often are required to pray to God in order to obtain certain benefits and provisions. It is believed that these things wouldn’t come to God’s believers unless they take the role as a petitioner and pray. These believers know God to be an all-loving being. However, if this is the case, a major problem arises for both atheists and theists alike; â€Å"Why would God bestow the good only if asked to bestow it† and â€Å"Why does God not grant the good irrespectiveRead MoreGod s Global Purpose1101 Words   |  5 Pagesis a hostile place and even more so for the believer. Many will discuss the concept of a god, but the crowd will dwindle when the conversation changes to Christ. The world rejects and denies a savior. This world is a battle and the believer is caught in it. The Apostle Peter said that the Christian is a strange and encourages abstaining from the lust that battle for the soul in order to glorify God (1 Pet. 2:11-12). The battle is at hand and the believer must be prepared in the face of current eventsRead MoreReligion Is Not As Straight Forward As Many People1169 Words   |  5 Pagesthat it could possible hold the same religious aspects to some individuals. When it comes to my personal beliefs, I define religion as the practice of following and abiding by a specific faith that suites the beliefs and understandings of the world which are determined by the believer to aid them in their search for fulfillment and purpose in life. I have come to this definition through many moments of feeling that it needed to include more. It first started with just simply abiding by a faith thatRead MoreThe Catholic And Catholic Church1561 Words   |  7 Pagesthe only way to fulfill the third Commandment of keeping the Sabbath day holy as well as the only opportunity for them to receive the Holy Eucharist. The Mass incorporates reading the Bible which is considered as the sacred scripture, sacrifices, prayers, hymns, gestures, symbols, consecrated food for the saint’s souls and guidelines for leading a catholic life. It should be noted that all these things appear within a mass ceremony. The first section of the Mass in the church I visited is the LiturgyRead MoreEssay about The Five Doctrinal Tenets of Islam1546 Words   |  7 PagesPhilip K. Hitti addressed the rapid emergence of Islam throughout the world in his writing History of the Arabs. In his book, he stated that every eighth person in our world today is a follower of Muhammad. He continues to say The Moslem call to prayer rings out through most of the twenty-four hours of the day, encircling the large portion of the globe in its warm belt (Hitti 3). Today, some thirty-six years later, Islam has become the place of comfort, peace, and faith for over one billion peopleRead MoreEssential Elements Of The Christian Worldview Are Faith,1589 Words   |  7 PagesChrist’s teachings and also reflect my own worldview. These four elements are an integral part of a Christian believer’s life and defines our relationship with God. The fourth element, Living in Christ, is comprised of many sub-elements like praise, prayer, and bearing witness. These sub-elements could be described as fruits of a Christian’s believer’s daily life. Too much of the Christian worldview’s attention is focused on reconciling the Bible with science and archaeological discoveries when it shouldRead MoreWhy Study World Religions1431 Words   |  6 PagesReligion has an influence on many aspects of life from politics, education, and the arts. It is important that we study all religions so we get a better understanding of how and why it influences these things. I think the greatest reason to study world religions is for appreciation. I think that studying these religions I have gained a better understanding of people in other areas of the world. I also find that I see many similarities, as well as some differences, in religious ideas and rituals. I thinkRead More What is Religion Essay1321 Words   |  6 Pagesand general, allowing for a variety of interpretations by people from all cultures. There is no single path to follow in order to lead an ideal life, only personal beliefs and experiences. Religion is non-finite so there is no way of determining a boundary (Smart, 5). In my quest for a true understanding of what religion is I explored my own traditions and religious beliefs as well as life experiences. Slowly, with the added insight from the text and videos, my own definition of religion has begun toRead MoreLetter Of The Jewish Community Center1638 Words   |  7 Pagespeople as part of the history of their origin, and as a way to preserve their culture of keeping the Sabbath day as holy. When I walked into the synagogue, with a lot of thought of how would members of this Jewish community synagogue will welcome a non-believer to their service and someone who visited for the first worship’s place. A calm and kind man at the front desk by the main entrance of the synagogue nodded and brightly said â€Å"Shabbat Shalom†. I was hesitant and confused on how to answer, but I certainly