Thread: Should a Christian covet another's prayers? Or is it a violation of the seventh commandment Exodus 2017
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Should a Christian covet another's prayers? Or is it a violation of the seventh commandment Exodus 2017
Posted : 27 Dec, 2020 01:55 PM
covet prayer v. phr. To greatly desire the prayers of fellow Christians.
This expression might seem strange because the Bible warns people not to covet. But in the KJV we read that Christians are to “covet earnestly the best gifts” (1 Corinthians 12:31) and “covet to prophesy” (1 Corinthians 14:39). So the expression simply uses an obsolete meaning of the verb covet which is “to strongly desire.”
The expression is sometimes intensified with the adverb earnestly (see citations for 1781, 1866, 2011).
Instead of “coveting” prayers, one can always “ask” for them; simply say that “prayers at this time would be appreciated.”
• 1781 MacGowan Discourses on the Book of Ruth and Other Important Subjects xxii : I feel a total incapacity of standing one moment of myself, much more so if being of any the least use to my hearers, without a divine blessing. Therefore I earnestly request, yea, I even covet your prayers for me. 1866 The Eng. Presbyterian Messenger 176 : We have never heard a single murmur from our missionaries in regard to salaries, but how earnestly do they covet the prayers and sympathies of our people! 1965 Ward Fraser of Trinity and Achimota 319 : We covet the prayers of our friends and we give much time to prayer for them. 1975 Bryant The Morningside Man: A Biography of James Pickett Wesberry 150 : “I am looking forward to this as one of the most thrilling and interesting experiences of my life,” Jim told his congregation, “and I covet your prayers daily.” 1980 Coleman “The Language of ‘Born-Again’ Christianity” in Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society vol. 6 139 : Unique evangelical terms: … “covet” (in “I/We covet your prayers”) counts as a request for prayer. 2011 Crosmun Legacy of Faith 161 : We earnestly covet your prayers, both for the place to which we are going, and for the work we are leaving behind.
Should a Christian covet another's prayers? Or is it a violation of the seventh commandment Exodus 2017
Posted : 27 Dec, 2020 02:20 PM
I’m not telling you anything you don’t know already because we know the word “covet” definitely has some bad connotations but the context in which it’s used provides the key to its current meaning.
Personally, when I hear someone “coveting” prayer, I kinda recoil at the word in the same way people react to a blackboard screech.
Certainty in some contexts coveting is sinful, like coveting someone else’s things.
But we all are commanded to pray for one another. So when a person says they “covet” prayer it’s kinda like asking for what all ready belongs to them—so there’s really nothing wrong with that word in that context, it’s just not my word preference, at least not in that context
Words have a range of definition but the context usually brings out the correct understanding to help us avoid equivocation
Should a Christian covet another's prayers? Or is it a violation of the seventh commandment Exodus 2017
Posted : 29 Dec, 2020 02:55 AM
Focus on coveting the prayers, or see the MORE EXCELLENT WAY AND UNDERSTAND IT ?
1 Corinthians 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
Charity is superior to all you can covet (good or bad) above all knowledge and the gifts including prophecy.
It goes beyond all faith, so that you cold even remove mountains.
If anyone wants to notice specifically, it is not for your self, without envy, without being lifted up in pride, it does nothing wrong, charity thinks no evil and is patient...
1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Again onto your next thought, desiring the prayers, the spiritual gifts coveted, and to now know what charity is (loving not hating your brother in any evil to excuse ourselves) and to prophecy..
1 Corinthians 14:1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
This is where Gods deep wisdom is available for anyone who can see it, and get the sense, how praying in an unknown way benefits nobody else.
The unlearned receives no prayers, the prayer for the unlearned is to be learned, would you not think ? This is the purpose of the more excellent way described, as it is the way, for all things, and the coveting we must do is to follow after charity, and to pray for that for others is to give a better prayer for them, and now we can understand as men, and not reason as children any more..
1 Corinthians 14:14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
1 Corinthians 14:20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
This is the prayer then and the more excellent way, as prayers offered without that are not gong to help, but the praying always for being counted worthy of this calling..
2 Thessalonians 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: Luke 21:36
Should a Christian covet another's prayers? Or is it a violation of the seventh commandment Exodus 2017
Posted : 31 Dec, 2020 02:03 AM
Two answers, 1. this time is the most corrupt, the older version even though always an evil time in the whole world, God had to let His words be given to the average man instead of only in the hands of priests
Understanding is not worldly, no matter how clever somebody is, their wisdom of this world is foolish..
Hebrews 8:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
