A Coffee with Jesus

83 percent of Americans say that God answers prayers, the most powerful country which is one of the technologically and scientifically advanced believes in the provision of prayers? What about the other Christian nations?

These remaining 17% may be composed of atheists (which makes up only 1-2% of the world's entire population), people who are lax on religiosity because of different excuses, and a group of individuals who have not experienced personal communion with God in prayers.  

Basically, these people who don’t believe in prayers are these people who are confined within their comfort zones than stepping out of it to hear different stories of lives.  Can we blame them? No, because there’s always three faces of truth, the one that is halfhearted because of the tendency to be disloyal against God when  caught in a problem resulting him/her to backslide,  the one that is blinded by both  the insignificant others’ viewpoint and biased media disclosures (which basically happens out of  personal and temporal gain both by the receiver and the sender of the disclosure) than deepening to unlock the enigma and humility to listen  to different sides of stories, considering that a conversation with God is a personal approach through mind, heart and conscience than the usual conversation of human to human where both physical bodies are visible.

In prayers, atheists especially would naturally make a harsh comment by saying, “These Christians have history of lies!” because of talking to “SOMEONE” who can’t be seen.  Remember, not all existent in this earth are tangible and visible.  For example, regardless of religious affiliation whether atheists or theists both believe in the magic of love which itself cannot be seen by the naked eye but with results that are visible and tangible.  It’s by loving (intangible/invisible) that we can be embraced by people as a token of their appreciation on generosity either by small or big provision, and be repaid in different forms of gratitude like personal assistance/gift. Brought by this gesture, we become joyful (intangible/invisible) because of the appreciation.    It’s by loving through mutual respect at home and the neighborhood that we are at peace with ourselves and with one another. Although loving is ghostly in nature, we keep on loving because of its positive effect not only on our personal lives as doer of the virtue but the receiver.  Similarly, although prayer is conversing to Ghostly Being, everyone turns to Him because of its positive endpoint.

It’s nice to think that an Anthropologist like Tanya Marie Luhrmann has the humility to say, "The way I think about it as an anthropologist, I don't have the authority to pronounce on whether God is real or whether God is not real. I don't feel like I have a horse in that race. I don't feel I have the authority to say whether God showed up to somebody or did not. I do think that if God speaks to someone, God speaks to the human mind. And I can say something about the social, cultural and psychological features of what that person is experiencing," than people who have been educated by the significance of prayer since 1 day up to primary and college years where we had been reciting in an innumerable prayers inside the classrooms up to the prayers through engagement in our respective churches, but shifted to other belief because of scientists point of view (although not all of them) and  indoctrination from those whose concentration is already fixed with limits.

Can we blame these brethren who swerve or remained their unbelief on the provision of prayers since the beginning up to this time?  Again, no, because development of heart, mind and conscience that is objective than subjective with consistency and firmness is a daily battle.  Swinging over to the other side naturally occurs when its overwhelming and pleasurable benefit as offered by these non-praying entities entices the mind than foreseeing its long-term effect.  Continuous wars in Israel speak about it.  Instead of soaking in prayers to give them a humble heart to resolve the strife in peaceful terms, they turn to violence, since the world began until this age.

Belief in prayer is not something that we can demand from God to provide us with a proof that He is really approachable in prayers, but as something that we humans should be regarded as holy, by showing reverence even if we're not given the privilege to feel Him or see Him in person.   Remember that because of high-esteem to any corporate/government leadership or parental authority, no one could demand them to take their place on their behalf or exchange with their position/role, what more with God who is the Most Supreme and All-Knowing God.  Can you tell your boss, “Sir, would you mind vacating your seat because I’m more competent than you are!” Can you say to your parents, “Mom/Dad, from now on I’ll be playing your role because I could not see best results of your parenting?”

How many doctors did we encounter in the hospitals who have diagnosed a hopeless case of patient and prescribe prayers as the ultimate saviour? If one finds them as coincidental then I’d rather take this coincidence which performs miracle than ignoring the Doctor’s prescription to pray which does nothing at all.

For example, Dr. S. I. McMillan, a prominent medical doctor and the author of 'None of These Diseases' says, "It is lamentable that peace does not come in capsules, nothing but a prescription for a bottle of pills that would only relieve the symptoms of their illness but not attack the diseases.”

The Medical Science reports that 60 to 100% of all diseases are caused by nervous tension, emotional stress and strain. Emotions such as fear, sorrow, envy, resentment and hatred are pointed as the culprit of the majority of sicknesses and diseases.  These can cause high blood pressure, toxic goiter, arthritis, migraine headaches, apoplexy, heart trouble, gastro-intestinal ulcers and other serious illnesses and diseases.

These negative emotions are the type of character that Jesus reminds not to emulate when He says, "Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:19-21).

If by breaking of this discipline because of being blinded by the pleasure that the temptation offers, we experience to be outcast in the Kingdom of God, which manifests in the different sickness that we are enduring, could it not be possible to return to Him to ask for mercy to be healed from any sort of cancer?  If our parents no matter how prodigal their sibling may be could not withhold mercy when  their children are in dire need, even up to the point of bringing out their last resources just to treat their dying child, how much more the Creator Himself whose love is perfect than our parents. 

Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins, Upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed.

Dr. A. Wagenaar, Medical Superintendent at Orchidee Hospital, Hilversum, Holland, a family doctor for 23 years, testifies several miracle while practicing his profession. He says that healing as a miracle is not the result of medical treatment. It cannot be described psychologically as no one can describe the miracles of the New Testament. Medical science has acknowledged that miracles do occur after the prayer of faith, he added. 

In his experience, he tells about his patient who needed surgery.  Before the operation, he asked to join him in a fellowship where he concentrated on God while on the meeting. When he went later on for the operation, lo and behold, he did not undergo surgery anymore because he was totally healed.

The surgeon says that sickness ordinarily comes from within, from the heart of man. This is commonly the result of hatred, envy, grudges and bitterness, which the medical science likewise admits that several diseases are a consequence of inner tensions.

Man could hardly find a cure especially for a cancer which miracle has performed. And should a medical cure be found, another incurable illnesses come next.

On the other hand, the National for Healthcare Research which is a private non-profit agency which refused to even review a study with the word prayer in the previous years has now funded one prayer study through its Frontier Medicine Initiative, believing the potential measurable health benefit connected with spiritual interventions.

In the first place, the Bible itself has accounts relative to healing through prayer. These writers who made these Scriptural reports can never be taken as a lie or exaggeration because these things have been prevalent for more than 1000 years now. Regardless of educational attainment, no one who is within his right disposition and consciousness who will turn in here if this is only a stage show. 

Let’s try to revisit the Scripture:

Exodus 15:26 If you really listen to the voice of the LORD, your God," He told them, "and do what is right in his eyes: if you heed His commandments and keep all His precepts, I will not afflict you with any of the diseases with which I afflicted the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer."

Matthew 18:19 Again, (amen,) I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Hebrew 12:12-13 So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees. Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed.

Proverbs 4:20-22 My son, to my words be attentive, to my sayings incline your ear; Let them not slip out of your sight, keep them within your heart; For they are life to those who find them, to man's whole being they are health. With closest custody, guard your heart, for in it are the sources of life.

1 John 5:14-15 And we have this confidence in him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in regard to whatever we ask, we know that what we have asked Him for is ours.

James 4:3 You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Mark 1;40-4 A leper came to him (and kneeling down) begged him and said, "If you wish, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, "I do will it. Be made clean."

Mark 5:36 While He was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said, "Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?" Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, "Do not be afraid; just have faith."

Mark 7:29 Then he said to her, "For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter."

Luke 23:39-43 Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us." The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."He replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Mark 5:25;28 There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured."

Matthew 9;27-29 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed (him), crying out, "Son of David, have pity on us!" When He entered the house, the blind men approached Him and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I can do this?" "Yes, Lord," they said to Him. Then He touched their eyes and said, "Let it be done for you according to your faith."

Mark 10:51-52 Jesus said to Him in reply, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man replied to him, "Master, I want to see."Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you." Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way. 

To cut it short, the acceptance of truth and significance of prayer lounge in the hearts of our brethren.  This is not new in this society that an individual or group contradict and thrash it which mirrors disbelief of the past. Blessed are the ones who are resolved with the confidence in prayers until retiring of this age.  To our brethren who are still doubtful in the miraculous provision of prayers, may God bless you when you find yourself in His bosom before retiring in this age.