DannyM wrote:Gman,
Sorry if I'm a bit late on this one, but I've just seen it. For what it's worth, I have never had a conversation with God; never heard from him and never had “an experience” of God. My experience of God is that he is there within, and whenever I pray he is just THERE. I don't expect an audible answer from God. Just to qualify that I DO talk to God and I know he's listening, but it is not a “conversation” in the orthodox sense as we know it.
It's a bit tricky, but for me I believe He can talk to me through imagery and music as well. I remember once when I was pulling out of a church parking lot that I was attending, when an image of a bright cross with a bunch of lights appeared in front of me. I guess this was a way God was putting His stamp on it...
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
Anyways, about a year later, this pastor turned into the president of the "Walking through the Bible" .org.
I'm also a firm believer in music as God's catalyst. I believe that God can talk to me via songs as strange as that may sound. But mostly I believe He can talk to us through others Matthew 25:35-37, or a small still voice I Kings 19:11-13.
DannyM wrote:As regards prayer, for me this is a personal thing between God and me — as it should be for EVERYONE. That's not to decry the group prayer in a church among the community. But, by and large, prayer is a personal thing for the Christian, which is between himself and God. I was with an ex-girlfriend once at a family (her family) dinner, all very nice and all very sweet. But my girlfriend's dad insisted on joining hands and praying thanks to God…Well, I had never felt so uncomfortable in my life: I thought it was absolutely absurd.
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
Matthew 6: 5-8
God bless.
P.S. Thanks for the message, Gman.
I'm with you here.. I rarely pray in front of people, except in church.. I believe that it is a personal thing. Some like doing it in front of others, but I kind of shy away from this.