Do "prayer box's" really work?

[aflower4God]

Hi all,
A friend of mine (who is a Christian) was telling me about a prayer box. What I was told that it is, is a box that you put in all the stuff that you are praying for and when you pray to Jesus you hold this box and ask Jesus about the prayers in the box that you want. She says this is in the bible. That is all I know about the Prayer Box. Please tell me if this is correct. If it is incorrect please tell me more information about it. Does this really work? Does this show Jesus how bad you want a prayer answered or something and that is the purpose of it? I have never heard of one until my Christian friend recently told me about this, this is why I wanted to seek advice on this matter. I want to make sure that IF I started one that it was something GODLY!
Thanks all in advance for your kind advice on this matter.
God bless you all

 

[Caonus]

Hi all,
A friend of mine (who is a Christian) was telling me about a prayer box. What I was told that it is, is a box that you put in all the stuff that you are praying for and when you pray to Jesus you hold this box and ask Jesus about the prayers in the box that you want. She says this is in the bible. That is all I know about the Prayer Box. Please tell me if this is correct. If it is incorrect please tell me more information about it. Does this really work? Does this show Jesus how bad you want a prayer answered or something and that is the purpose of it? I have never heard of one until my Christian friend recently told me about this, this is why I wanted to seek advice on this matter. I want to make sure that IF I started one that it was something GODLY!
Thanks all in advance for your kind advice on this matter.
God bless you all

Forget about this nonsense.

Pray for whatever you ask for and you will receive it directly from the Father.

Ask for the Holy Spirit into your life and know this manner of faith from God.

 

[bluegreysky]

I think its just superstition like wishing on shooting stars and rubbing Buddah's belly...
If you want to pray, just pray. I don't think Jesus cares what method you use as long as you're sincere.

 

[bliz]

The Bbible says nothing about a "prayer box".

We humans keep inventing new rules and proceedures to commuicate with God when God has given us the very simple process of talkng to Him, silently or aloud.

 

[Caonus]

The Bbible says nothing about a "prayer box".

We humans keep inventing new rules and proceedures to commuicate with God when God has given us the very simple process of talkng to Him, silently or aloud.

Exactly. It KILLS faith. It hampers faith. Such things are wicked.

 

[Sackcloth]

yes, cast that from thee, continue your Christian life and be filled with the Holy spirit.

Tell your friend what we have said.

 

[aldar]

Lots of people need little things like this to make their lives more objective. What it is doing is giving your friend an amount of structure where which she can focus her energies. Is it evil? Certainly not. Its like going down to the front at church and praying at the altar... is the altar something spiritually significant..no... just as the box isn't but it gives some focus or objectivness.
It does no harm but it also adds no real significance either.

It just helps your friend and thats ok. No I do not believe it is biblical but it isn't evil either. I use to have a alter sort of thing in my room where I prayed, was it a real alter that had some spiritual power?..certainly not, but it did help me, it made my activities more objective and not as vague.

No danger hear, what works for you. but in the end your faith is in the father, not the box. Jesus doesn't do lucky rabbits feet. like some people think certain spiritual phrases hold spiritual power and this isn't true, in the end its about faith in the father. No lucky rabbits feet. Just remember that and you'll be fine and you friend certainly hasnt done anything stupid or wrong.

 

[Elijah2]

Hi all,
A friend of mine (who is a Christian) was telling me about a prayer box. What I was told that it is, is a box that you put in all the stuff that you are praying for and when you pray to Jesus you hold this box and ask Jesus about the prayers in the box that you want. She says this is in the bible. That is all I know about the Prayer Box. Please tell me if this is correct. If it is incorrect please tell me more information about it. Does this really work? Does this show Jesus how bad you want a prayer answered or something and that is the purpose of it? I have never heard of one until my Christian friend recently told me about this, this is why I wanted to seek advice on this matter. I want to make sure that IF I started one that it was something GODLY!
Thanks all in advance for your kind advice on this matter.
God bless you all

My dear sister, it's not Biblical, it's a doctrine of the traditions of men, and is possibly borering on paganism.

There is no prayer box in the New Testament.

You pray from your heart, and you pray unselfishly. And if you believe in your heart that you will receive what you pray for ,then it will be answered, but not when you want it answered.

Blessings.

 

[heron]

It sounds to me like their lazy way out of praying for each request. Similar to how televangelists print out all the phoned requests, then hold their hand over the pile for ten seconds and say, "We have prayed for you all." Ah, thank you.

Having the tangible object might help remind you to pray, like Aldar said. But it wouldn't carry any extra weight for God's ears.

 

[heron]

Ah. I see -- they're like jewelry. It looks like people get them to express reverence... in several religions.

Prayer Boxes: A Very Special Kind of Religious Jewelry

 

[Nobody1]

Ah. I see -- they're like jewelry. It looks like people get them to express reverence... in several religions.

Prayer Boxes: A Very Special Kind of Religious Jewelry

Prayer boxes kill faith, period.

All of that nonsense kills faith.

Trust in none but God alone.

...

 

[aldar]

well, as some have already stated the trust is not in the box at all, but in God, the box just gives a little more structure to your activity, it is as harmless as an altar at church or religious oil or statues of Jesus in temples. Those things are harmless as long as you can look past the object and know God is the source, but they do give a sense of structure to some peoples activities which may seem pointless to some but not all.

 

[aldar]

How would that "Kill" faith?

It is along the same significance of Daniel praying on his roof everyday, baptism (water has no spiritual power). Some people follow a strict regime of prayer structure, they say certain words, certain phrases, in a certain order... that has no power in it at all, but is it harmful? No... it just gives structure.
The only thing that matters is the state of your heart and where you faith is placed, and that is never determined by an object, that is up to you.

 

[alfrodull]

Maybe you misunderstood what your friend meant about "in the Bible"? Maybe she was talking about a concept or verse that related to prayer and you got mixed up?

In any case, I know of people that keep lists that remind them who to pray for. I don't see how that's wrong...And isn't this basically a list of things in a box? If physically holding the box up to God symbolically reminds her to do so with all her problems, then I would call that helpful. Specific rituals aren't a requirement by any means (Well, okay, some denominations will tell you communion and/or baptism are, but that's another thread...) However, if it helps you grow closer to God, doesn't harm anyone, and doesn't perpetuate any false ideas, then it's a good thing.

 

[Catherineanne]

Hi all,
A friend of mine (who is a Christian) was telling me about a prayer box. What I was told that it is, is a box that you put in all the stuff that you are praying for and when you pray to Jesus you hold this box and ask Jesus about the prayers in the box that you want. She says this is in the bible. That is all I know about the Prayer Box. Please tell me if this is correct. If it is incorrect please tell me more information about it. Does this really work? Does this show Jesus how bad you want a prayer answered or something and that is the purpose of it? I have never heard of one until my Christian friend recently told me about this, this is why I wanted to seek advice on this matter. I want to make sure that IF I started one that it was something GODLY!
Thanks all in advance for your kind advice on this matter.
God bless you all

There is nothing wrong with writing down your prayers, to help you remember them. This can be in a book, or a diary, or on loose sheets of paper.

There is nothing wrong with keeping such prayers in a box, if you choose to do so.

There is also nothing wrong with holding the box and asking the Lord to remember those dear to you, who are mentioned in your prayers. He already knows who you have prayed for, and everything that you would ask for them.

Where there is a problem is if this method is used as a short cut, as an alternative to praying yourself, and spending time with the Lord. As long as you are spending time with him, there is nothing wrong with holding this box, or praying for those contained within it.

 

[Catherineanne]

Prayer boxes kill faith, period.

Where is your evidence for this? There is no reason whatever why keeping prayers in a box should kill anyone's faith.

 

[heron]

It might have stemmed from the doorpost mezuzahs, which contain exerpts from Deut. 6, 11. When attaching them, people pray:

Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to affix the mezuzah.

There are also phylacteries/tefillin that are worn, containing Torah scriptures:

And you shall teach them to your sons, and shall speak of them as you sit in your house, and as you walk in the way, and as you are lying down, and as you are rising up. 8 And you shall bind them as a sign upon your arm, and they shall be as totafot between your eyes. 9 And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house, and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:8, 9

And you shall lay these Words up in your hearts, and in your souls, and shall bind them for a sign on your hand. And they shall be for frontlets between your eyes. And you shall teach them to your sons by speaking of them as you sit in your house, and as you walk in the way, and as you lie down, and as you rise up. And you shall write them on the side posts of your house, and on your gates, that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied in the land which Jehovah has sworn to your fathers.

Deuteronomy 11:18

And it shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and a memorial between your eyes, so that a Law of Jehovah may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand Jehovah brought you out from Egypt. And it shall be for a sign on your hand, and frontlets between your eyes. For Jehovah brought us out from Egypt by the might of His hand.

Exodus 13:9, 16

(tefillah = prayer)

But these both contain scriptures, which prompt us to pray. As Aldar said, it's a structure and a reminder.

There is nothing wrong with keeping such prayers in a box, if you choose to do so.

Absolutely.

 

[One day at a time]

I know for me I keep a journal with prayer request and different things in them. There are times when words or time does not permit me to pray for them all that I open it up and lay my hands and open up my heart to God and bring them before God--He knows our hearts. Does not the Spirit intercede on our behalf even when we don't know what to say...our groanings?
Now I have heard of a box...I think it was called a treasure box, where the request was written and the date that it was answered to give praise to God!