[Paulpraze]

MY REPLY TO WECHIE

The apostle Paul’s passionate appeal to the church in Rome to offer themselves as living sacrifices to God was premised on the mercy and loving kindness of God. This devotion and submission go the will and authority of the Father, like you rightly pointed out, is a response to His love for us.
ROMANS 12:1.
Submission, indeed, is a form and expression of love. It is one of the faces that a woman’s love for her husband wears or manifests.
Jesus was very clear when He showed us that loving Him means obedience, which means submitting to His authority. JOHN 14:15.
The apostle Paul, in speaking of the union between a husband and wife, describes it as a picture of the union between Christ and the church, where Christ is the head, and the church is the bride. EPHESIANS 5:23.
He also tells us that the submission of a woman to her husband should be in the way that the church submits to Christ, and we have seen earlier from ROMANS 12:1, that the submission of the church to Christ is not a robotic submission or obedience as you put it, but one that is born of love for Christ, which is a response to His love.
1 JOHN 4:19.
Indeed, all of these shows that the apostle Paul was not placing a no-love restriction on the woman towards her husband by the instruction to submit to him.
Where there is love (agape), there will be loving and trusting submission.

[Paulpraze]

The instruction for the woman to submit to her own husband does not imply or indicate that she should not love her husband for the following reasons.
1. God’s command to the new creature (kainos ktisis) is lo love.
Regardless of the kind of relationship that a believer finds himself in, he is expected of God to love others, especially those of the household of faith, in the same way that Christ loves us.
JOHN 13:33-34.
ROMANS 13:8
I JOHN 3:14.
I JOHN 4:7-8
This command already gives a background to the relationship between herself and her husband, and implies that she ought to love her husband in the same way that Christ loves her, as her status as a believer is not suspended in her marriage relationship with her husband.
Furthermore, not only is her status as a believer not suspended in her marriage relationship with her husband, but also that it is expected that this status be the basis from which every aspect of her life is coordinated from. Being a believer has to be evident in every area of a believer’s life.
God us love, therefore, as children of God, who have received of His nature and fullness, His love ought to be flowing out of us in every relationship that we may find ourselves in, and even more so from a wife to her husband.
JOHN 1:16.
ROMANS 5:5.
2 PETER 1:4.
2. It is noteworthy to mention that in the new Testament, the idea of submission to authority in the Christian context is premised on the presence and activity of love (agape), so that one of the ways that we respond to God’s love is absolute submission and obedience to Him.
3. Paul, in PHILIPPIANS 2, tells us of Jesus’s submission to God, even unto death, without speaking about His love for His Father.
However , what is abundantly clear from the Scriptures is that the Son loves the Father as much as the Father loves the Son, and that His submission, as recorded in PHILIPPIANS 2, is a result of His love for His Father, as well as His love for mankind.
JOHN 14:31.
This truth is further buttressed by Jesus’s definition of loving Him. He makes it clear, that one major expression of loving the Lord is obedience.
JOHN 14:15.
According to the English dictionary, obedience can be defined as follows;
Compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another’s authority.
In other words, by God’s design, submission to another’s authority, which is what Paul admonishes the woman to do in a marriage relationship, ought to be an offshoot of love.
Therefore, the admonition for a woman to submit to her clearly underscores the presence and activity of love. I would even go further as to say that the more a woman loves and trusts her husband, the easier it is to submit to him.
In conclusion, the instruction for a woman to submit to her husband does not in any way imply that she is not supposed to love her husband.

[Paulpraze]

MY REPLY TO BEN

Fear is indeed a terrible thing, and to think that there are people who constantly live their lives in fear reveals a really terrible situation that people are in.
The apostle John wrote about the torment of fear in 1 JOHN 4:18, intimating us that the unbeliever really has no hope of overcoming fear, and that the believer, who is learning and experientially knowing God’s love can live in victory over fear.
Also, in 2 TIMOTHY 1:7 which you mentioned, Paul admonishes Timothy to know that the spirit of fear does not have its source or root in God, and contrasts it power, love, and a sound mind. In other words, living in fear means that the believer does not get to experience power, love and a sound mind. This is tragic indeed.
Both texts gives the believer a great and much needed hope that living above fear is a possibility for him as he navigates life’s challenges every day.
Indeed, nothing is more paralyzing and weakening like fear. Nothing causes a person to want to run and hide and retreat like fear. Adam is a good example of this. After he sinned against, he hid himself from God because he was afraid.
The story of Adam shows how terrible the effects of fear can be. It also shows us that fear can make a person to hide even from God Himself, and ultimately, whatever has the capacity to cause a believer to run and hide from God in fear, has the capacity to cause him to run and hide from God’s purpose for his lives and abort his destiny.
It is absolutely impossible to live a life that is purposeful, meaningful, fulfilling and God glorifying with fear in the heart, for without faith, pleasing the Lord is impossible. HEBREWS 11:6.

[Paulpraze]

According to the English dictionary, the word “fear” can be defined in the following ways.
I. an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm.
II. A distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined.
While it is commonly believed that the phrase “fear not” and similar or related phrases occur 365 times in the Bible, implying one phrase for every day of the year, this idea may not be an accurate one.
However, what is true is that there numerous (over a hundred times) occasions in Scriptures where God encourages His children against fear.
In 2 TIMOTHY 1:7, the apostle Paul makes it clear that fear is alien to the identity of the believer.
One important reason why the believer must learn to overcome fear is because it poses a threat to his discovery and fulfillment of God’s purpose for his life, and it does so in the following ways using Moses as a case study;
EXODUS 3:1-22
1. It blinds the believer.
One of the effects of fear in a believer’s life is that it blinds him from seeing the picture that God is attempting to paint to him when He speaks to him generally and specifically when He reveals His plans and purposes for his lives to him.
Fear attempts to keep the believer’s mind and attention on the present situation, disadvantages, weaknesses, and disabilities, thereby blinding him from the possibilities that God is revealing to him.
God was revealing His purpose to Moses, amidst showing him the possibility of a free Israel, but all that Moses could see was his inability to speak, the possibility of being rejected by the Israelites, and possibly death at the hands of Pharaoh for the murder of an Egyptian before he fled Egypt. Another good example of this will be the story of Elisha and his servant in 2 KINGS 6:8-17.
2. It creates doubt.
As a result of the blinding effect of fear, doubt becomes the experience of the believer under the influence of fear. Doubt and fear are inseparable. They always work together.
Moses was unable to trust the Lord and exercise faith to fulfil God’s purpose for his life as long as he kept seeing all of these issues. There was no room in His heart for faith, only doubt. Moses doubted God as long as he was in fear, but thank God for His patience and kindness, who continued to speak to Moses until he overcame doubt.
3. It causes Inaction.
Sometimes, a believer could be very well aware of God’s purpose for his life and do absolutely nothing about it until they transit in glory.
More often than not, this inaction, a refusal to take steps in the direction of God’s purpose for his life is a result of fear, fear of the unknown, fear of rejection, fear of failure, etc.
The reality is that until a believer acts on God’s word and purpose for his life, it will only remain a vision or dream. Fear, as result of inaction, keeps a believer in his comfort zone and away from God’s purpose for his life.
4. It limits God.
Ultimately, the effects of fear head up here. All that God wills, desires, and purposes for the believer will continue to be nothing more than these.
In PSALM 78:40-41, we see that God could not do as much as He wanted ro do because the people doubted Him. Their unbelief was a provocation to God, who had demonstrated His power and goodness to them over and over again. Their fear of the unknown meant that they failed to experience God’s plan to bring them into the land of Canaan. A journey that could well have taken less than 40 days became a journey of 40 years.

[Paulpraze]

MY REPLY TO BEN
My first observation concerns your interpretation or understanding of GENESIS 6:3.
I disagree with the idea that God, in this text, was fixing the minimum age for which man ought to live. I do not believe that this text has anything at all to do with man’s lifespan on the earth.
I am with the school of thought that the one hundred and twenty years mentioned in this text is a reference to the amount of time that man had before God’s flood judgment would coke upon the earth. God striving with man would be not wanting to put up with his wickedness, and yet giving him the chance and opportunity to find salvation in Noah’s Ark. It was God being patient and kind, or longsuffering as the Apostle Peter described it on 1 PETER 3:20.
However, I agree with you, that the believer ought to live a long and satisfying life, for Scriptures are replete with such promises from God to His people.
The believer should not be bothered or concerned with any ideas or beliefs that contradict what God has clearly revealed in His word about his or her length of days on the earth.
A long and satisfying life is God’s promise, and therefore the portion of the believer who chooses to believe, hold on to and insist on God’s word.

[Paulpraze]

When it comes to the issue of lifespan in the Bible, there are a number of texts in the Scriptures that have divided opinions, and generated differing ideas on the subject.
The first of these texts that comes to mind is GENESIS 6:3.
There are those who believe that the
There are those who believe that the one hundred and twenty (120) years referred to in this text speaks to the lifespan of man set by God Himself. Proponents of this school of thought believe that the radical and drastic reduction in the lifespan of mankind after the flood of Noah is as a result of this decree from God.
While it is true that there was radical reduction in the lifespan of mankind, there were still people who lived above and beyond 120 years after the flood. GENESIS 11 shows that Noah’s sons and grandsons lived above 120 years after the flood. If GENESIS 6:3 was God setting man’s lifespan, this could not have been the case.
There are others, however, who believe that this time frame in the above text was not God fixing or determining the lifespan of man. They believe that it was a reference to the time gap between when God spoke to Noah about the flood and when the flood actually happened.
According to HEBREWS 11:7, God’s conversation with Noah was a warning about “things not yet seen”. The apostle Peter even described this time period as the period of the “longsuffering of God”. (1 PETER 3:20).
Another interesting text that comes up in the lifespan conversation is PSALM 90:10.
While it is true that the general experience of mankind seems to validate the notion that this is the biblical fixed lifespan for mankind, it is also very important for us to note for the preceding verses and the verse itself, that this text says nothing about God fixing 70 – 80 years as man’s lifespan. What we see rather is a description of the experiences of people who were under sin’s grip and rule.
In the New Testament, we do not find any text that speaks to specific numbers concerning the believer’s minimum time on the earth.
However, like we saw in our previous class, the idea of abundant life has to do with not just quality but quantity as well.
Some people might argue that Jesus lived only thirty three years and 6 months on the earth, suggesting that He did not long. What they fail to recognize is that His death was substitutionary. He was died in our place and for our sins for the very reason that sin and it effects should no longer have dominion over us, including but not limited to dying prematurely. ROMANS 5:11-21.
Finally, we see the apostle Paul showing us in very clear terms that the man in Christ has a say in his or her time of transitioning from the earth. Between PHILIPPIANS 1:20-24 and 2 TIMOTHY 4:6-8, we can see that an untimely or premature death of a believer is an error, in spite of what people’s experiences may suggest.
If men under the rule of death live 70 – 80 years on earth, Caleb gunning for a new adventure in God at 80 years of age (JOSHUA 14:12), and the apostle having a say about his time of death and living until such a time when he could confidently say that he has been “poured out as a drink offering”, then it is my conclusion that the man in Christ should live the abundant life indeed, both in quality as well as in quantity.

[Paulpraze]

My reply to Precious Chris.

The story of John is an interesting one. His ministry was quite unique as a Prophet in that he was the prophet whose ministry was about identifying or pointing out the Messiah, whom other prophets in the Holy Scriptures had spoken of to the nation of Israel. John 1:29-34.
You posted out how that John had a calling that was similar to that of Jesus, and like Jesus, very little information was given about his childhood.
However, one of the things that I find interesting from what you have pointed out about John concerning his separation. Luke 1:80.
Living in the way that John did in the deserts was not something that was common place at the time or even in these times. The kinds if food that he ate (Matthew 3:4), the kinds of clothes that he wore (Matthew 3:4), and even the message of repentance that he preached was not a common message during his time.
What all of these things show to me is that a man’s separation is really a function of God’s grace. A person who has received God’s call and has become aware of God’s plans and purposes for his or her life really has to learn to lean into and depend upon God’s grace for their separation and eventually fulfilling their ministry. Little wonder the Apostle Paul spoke about the grace of God in the way that he did. 1 Corinthians 15:10.
Ultimately, being called is a matter of grace because no man takes this honour upon himself (Hebrews 5:4), and being separated required the called to lean into and depend upon the grace of God.
By the grace of God, he was called, separated, and when the time finally came for him to step aside for the One he was sent to identify and introduce to Israel, he was able to step aside.
There is always grace available for all that God has sent us to do.

[Paulpraze]

DEFINITIONS
1. Called: invited, appointed; coming from a root word that means to call aloud, to summon, to call toward.
2. Separated: to set off by boundary, exclude, divide, separate, sever. It has the dual meaning of separating someone from something while separating them to something.
The meaning of the word “called”, suggests that by God’s sovereign act of a call, the one being called comes into a consciousness or an awareness of the truth of his or her calling from God. In other words, he or she comes to knowledge of God’s call upon their lives.
We can also see from the definition of the word “separated”, the idea that a person, after He or she has been comes to a point where they are separated from whatever they may be doing as at the time of their separation, and separated unto what God’s call upon their live requires them to now be doing.
CASE STUDY: MOSES
THE CALL
When we look at the story of Moses, one may argue that Moses became aware of his calling in Exodus 2:11-14. While he may have gone about it in the flesh, which suggests that the appointed time by God had not yet come, his response to the plight of his countrymen could be interpreted as a sign that he had to come to know about his calling to do something about the situation of the Jews in Egypt at the time.
However, when we arrive in chapter 3 of Exodus, we see a distinctive call of God to Moses during his burning bush experience in Horeb, where God gives him some details about his calling and ministry.
THE SEPARATION
While we may not see know how much time passed between the burning bush and Exodus 4:19-23, and while this time may seem short, this can be seen as the separation of Moses because God was now separating Moses from the work of shepherding of animals that he had done for the last forty years of his life, and separating him unto the work and ministry of shepherding His people of Egypt into the promised land of Canaan.
In Hebrews 11:24-27, the writer of this book highlights for us this principle of separation that Moses experienced and we can see this text, that not only was Moses separates from shepherding animals, he also had to be separated from Egypt and all that she represented.
It is interesting to note that during the conversation between God and Moses at his call, Moses comes up with a number of reasons and excuses for which he did not think that he could do what God was calling him to do. God’s response to Moses’s excuses shows us very clearly and encourages us very strongly that God is more than willing to helps us deal with whatever challenges or difficulties that we may perceive to being able to do the work of the ministry that God’s call on our lives requires us to do.

[Paulpraze]

My Response to Ben.
I believe that there is no experience in human existence that comes close to the ones that have been described in this essay, absolutely none.
The reality of having a body that as you have put it “matches with our spirit” would be a most glorious experience. The thought of having no more limitations and struggles of the flesh, the possibility of pure worship to God, the absence of mortality, corruption and death, all because our bodies have been changed are very much to be longed for.
Apart from the actual finished work of Christ and God’s love for mankind, nothing inspires and motivates us to share our faith like the knowledge of Christ’s coming. 2 Corinthians 5:11. So, yes there is an urgency, a call to all who believe in Jesus Christ to share their faith and turn many to the way, the truth and the life.
What joy it will be indeed to hear the master to say to us, “well done, thou good and faithful servant”. This is what we live and long for as believers. This is what our lives on this earth are about. Hence, it will be a most joyous experience to know that we have done the will and pleasure of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ.

[Paulpraze]

When I think of the coming of Christ, there is a joy, an elation that words fail me to describe that engulfs my heart and animates my emotions to an overflowing. There is a transition from and beyond all that mundane unto the eternal, pure, holy, and praiseworthy. The very notion of being in the presence of Christ forever is simply most glorious.
When I think of the coming of Christ, a number of things immediately come to mind.
Firstly, there is a confidence that I become aware of. I often like to say that not everyone is afraid of death or of dying. This is because of the assurance of our eternal salvation that we have received in Christ Jesus by faith alone in Him. The knowledge that my salvation did not come as a result of my own works or goodness but by the finished works of Christ furnishes my heart with such a confidence that eradicates any fear of the day of judgment. Through His death, I have been delivered from the fear of death. I have peace with God by faith in Christ Jesus. Romans 5:1, John 3:16, Titus 3:3-7, Hebrews 2:14-15, 1 John 4:17.
Secondly, in Revelation 14:13, we see here that the dead in Christ should be envied. There is a longing and a desire that this just generates in my heart to experience that rest and a looking forward to the rewards that Christ will give. However, like the apostle Paul, I know that there is still plenty of work to do in the name of Christ on this side of eternity, therefore I choose to stay and be content with my present state of being a co-laborer with Christ in His vineyard. Philippians 1:21-26.
Furthermore, the undiluted joy, absolute absence of sorrow, and all that reeks of death, whether physical or spiritual, the absolute absence of any kind of corruption in the soul and body and being in the presence of Jesus for all eternity. There is no experience on this planet that even comes close to this experience. To know my Lord as I am known, to see His face, not darkly as in a glass but face to face. 1 Corinthians 13:12, Revelation 21:14.
Anyone who has truly engaged in worshipping God knows the limitations that the flesh causes in our fellowshipping with God. The idea of the possibility of worshipping God with absolutely no hindrances or limitations is an experience that I look forward to. What John describes of the worship of God that goes on in heaven according to his vision just lifts my heart and gives me a hope that is simply divine. One important thing about worship is that it is based on the revelation of God that I have. This means that, as long as there will be worship, there will have to be revelations of God. John 4:24, Revelation 4:8-13. I long for such discoveries and revelations of God that will produce such pure and unadulterated worship of Him.

[Paulpraze]

I would like to begin by saying that, while this discourse is an interesting and important one, like Pastor would say, it does not affect the cost of garri in the market. In other words, our salvation as believers has nothing to do with whatever position we take.
Having said that, I believe that the first question we need to answer is: are old Testament believers or saints part of the Bride of Christ?
Firstly, it needs to be said that this is one of those subjects where not much is said directly about them. However, we can examine this subject from what is clear and known and draw our conclusions. Hence, a dogmatic position should not be taken on such subjects.
Secondly, whether it be in the old Testament or in the new Testament, one thing is clear about the way of salvation. A man can only be saved by faith, a man can only be righteous in God’s eyes by faith, not by anything we do or do not do. Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:16-17, Romans 3:20-26. This means that un both Testaments, man was only saved by faith and not by works.
Thirdly, according to the apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:1-1-15, the mystery of Christ which was hidden but now has been revealed is the union of Jew and Gentile believers in the church. He tells us that this was the eternal purpose of God and refers to this body of believers as “whole family in heaven and earth”.
Furthermore, Hebrews 11:39-40 seems to suggest that while these old Testament saints may not have received the promise, they have now been perfected with us. Because Christ had not come in their time, they were saved by faith looking forward to the coming of Christ. However, upon the coming of Christ and His finished work, there is a perfection that they have now experienced which they did not have.
All of these aforementioned points suggest that there really is no distinction between old and new Testament saints. If this is true, it implies that whatever descriptions or metaphors are used for the church of Jesus Christ is true for both old and new Testament saints who have become one in the church of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, describing the church in feminine terms, in light of her being the bride of Christ that will attend the Marriage Supper of the Lamb is appropriate and since the old Testament saints are also likely part of the church, then it offers no problem to describe the church in such terms.
In conclusion, while this position may raise questions about John’s meaning in John 3:29 for example, it seems to me to be the most consistent with what is clear and known from scriptures. In this particular situation, it seems that John the Baptist was speaking about his ministry of introducing the Groom. He also seems to suggest that his roles as the Bridegroom’s friend had come to an end in the appearance and recognition of the Groom. John 3:30.

[Paulpraze]

MY REPLY TO BEN
Your essay shows who a witness is, and also mentions some of the things that a witness does that are or can be described as good works. You have shown, that a relationship with Jesus will reflect in our verbally sharing the gospel, walking after the Spirit, walking in the light, and walking in love, all of which produces good works.
However, what may not be very clear from this essay is the relationship between a person’s good works and receiving salvation. In other words, how do you answer the questions, “can a person be saved by good works?, can a person come into a relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord by their good works?”
The point I am making is that, “good works” may not always be the result of a relationship with Jesus Christ and more so in the context of witnessing, and it is therefore important to point out that such “good works” can not obtain or earn salvation from God.
In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus talks about people who claimed to have good works and therefore believed that they had a relationship with Him. Jesus’s response clearly showed that that was not the case.
It is therefore very important to point out clearly that no man, no matter how much “good works” they do, can be saved by their good works, and I think that this was why we were instructed to write our essay bearing in mind that no man can be saved by their good works.

[Paulpraze]

When we think about good works as witnesses for Christ Jesus our Lord, one of the text of scripture that immediately comes to mind is Matthew 5:16. In this text, Jesus makes it clear that there is a relationship between our works and how people, especially unbelievers perceive God. Our good works give them an idea of God that is demonstrated in their glorifying Him.
It is important to state however that salvation is never dependent on our works whatsoever. In Romans 5:6, Paul made it clear that we were hopeless and helpless, unable to provide for our own salvation. In addition to this, Paul further tells us that we are saved by grace through faith, and all of these are of God (Ephesians 2:8-10). He also adds that we could not be saved by our own works of righteousness (Titus 3:5). Over and over again, the Apostle Paul makes this point (Romans 3:20, Romans 4:1-16, Galatians 2:16, Galatians 3:11-14).
Jesus Christ our Lord Himself, when He declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), ruled out any other means or possibility of having a relationship with God and receiving salvation of Him. The only way to receive the salvation of God is by faith alone in Christ alone. (Romans 1:16-17).
Therefore, any and every work that the unbeliever does is considered to be dead works. They arise from a dead human spirit and selfish motives, and are therefore unacceptable to God, in spite of how good these works may appear in the eyes of men. Dead works are things that must be repented of (Hebrews 6:1).
The word witness is the Greek word martureō. It means to be a witness, that is, testify (literally or figuratively): – charge, give [evidence], bear record, have (obtain, of) good (honest) report, be well reported of, testify, give (have) testimony, (be, bear, give, obtain) witness.
In the new Testament, there are a number of texts that speak about the believer and good works, and the need for good works as an important means of witnessing for Christ. (Matthew 5:16, Philippians 2:15, 1 Peter 2:12, 2 Peter 2:2).
The idea really is that, while it is true that an unbeliever can not be saved by good works, the presence, indwelling and work of Christ in the believer will as a matter of fact, produce certain results or good works that will be evidence or testimony to His presence. James 2:18-24. The point that apostle James makes here is that the presence of faith can only be justified by the works that it produces. In other words, faith is the foundation for good works.
In conclusion, the reality is that people around us can not see our regenerated spirit, but they surely can see our good works. Sharing our faith verbally, coupled with our good works is the most effective tool for witnessing for Christ.

[Paulpraze]

LESSONS FROM JESUS’S PRAYER IN GETHSEMANE
MATTHEW 26:36-46
Jesus, while He walked this earth, not only taught on the subject of prayer as seen in Matthew 6, but was a man given to prayer. According to Luke’s account on Jesus teaching His disciples to pray, their request to be taught came right after Jesus returned from one of His prayer sessions. Luke 11:1.
Prayer was indeed His lifestyle, it was a way for life for Him, it was a habit. It was not an occasional event but a practice.
Luke 22:39 (NKJV).
MATTHEW 26:36-46
A number of lessons can be learnt from Jesus’s prayer in Gethsemane.
1. According to Luke’s account in Luke 22:39 (NKJV), this activity of Jesus praying was a custom for Him. This was not a one off even that Jesus was attempting to carry, and required the help of His disciples in doing so. Prayer was a lifestyle for Him.
2. There are times or moments in a believer’s life, wen we need the strength and support fellow believers or brothers and sisters in Christ in the place of prayer. Needing help sometimes in prayer is clearly not something to be ashamed of. If Jesus needed their support system, so can would we and so can we. Proverbs 27:17.
It is however important to note, that not every believer is fit or qualified for this role in our lives. Jesus had more than twelve disciples, but only took three of them on this journey. Matthew 26:37-38.
3. Prayer requires us to be open and honest with our Heavenly Father. Jesus clearly demonstrates this truth as we see in Gethsemane. Matthew 26:39. He did not come before the Father in pretense. He was open and honest about His feelings about the task at hand.
One way for the believer to be able to demonstrate such openness with the Father is by being conscious of his or her righteousness in Christ, so that unlike Adam, if we fall as believers, we can still come boldly before our Father. Hebrews 4:16.
4. Jesus did not try to use his prayer as a means of overturning God’s will or changing God’s mind about the task at hand, rather, this time of prayer was used to submit His will to the will of the Father, and receive the required strength of the Father to do what the Father wills. Matthew 26:39.
It is important for the believer to know, that God never intended for prayer to be used as a tool or weapon against Him. It was never meant to be means of getting God to approve our will, plans and pursuits.
5. Jesus expected His disciples, and by extension the believer today, to pray, in spite of the satiations that may surround us, our even our emotional state or feelings. In verse 37 of Matthew 26, we are told, that the disciples were sorrowful and very heavy. Luke 22:45 tells us that the did not pray because they were sorrowful. In spite of how they felt, Jesus still instructed and expected them to pray nonetheless.
However, Jesus’s example showed that, in spite of we may feel, we must pray, for he exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, yet He prayed.

[Paulpraze]

MY REPLY TO PRECIOUS
It is indeed expedient for every believer to have an understanding of these truths, without which, our walk of faith may not be very productive.
It is great news indeed for a believer to know, he or she has been reconciled with God, brought into harmony with his Maker and Creator, and brought in God’s favor. To understand tat, the war and enmity between himself and God was decisively taken care of by the finished work of Christ on the cross.
Also, redemption is an incredible news for the believer. The knowledge that we are n longer slaves to sin, Satan, and death is liberating and comforting indeed.
All of these amazing realities and truths, made possible, because Christ took our place as our sin offering to God. John described Him as the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). He died the sinners death, taking upon Himself, all of the wrath of God, and completely exhausted it. This way, He is the propitiation for our sins.
It is important that you pointed out the fact that, God is not to be compared to pagan gods, who require sacrifices from their subjects, in order for them to have peace and prosperity. God is not vindictive, neither is He vengeful. What is more is that, not only is God just and must deal with sin, He is love and made a way for the sin to be condemned by providing the sacrifice required for this to happen. This is unlike these pagan gods, who make unreasonable demands of their subjects and not care how they go about meeting those demands.

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