How much does praying help you trade successfully? The more you pray the better your trading? If Jesus lives within you guiding you, then you would be filthy rich, no? The more you make, the more you can help the poor and needy, yes? Or doesn't it work that way? God not interested to help with trading?
That's not the way God works. When I was a kid I prayed and prayed for a bike at Christmas. Christmas came and I didn't get a bike. I then realized that wasn't the way prayer worked. So I stole a bike and prayed for forgiveness.
I've wondered this myself. I'm still not sure what I think about it. Here are my thoughts on it: 1. Is it right to ask God to help me do something foolish? The answer is no. 2. Is it right to ask God to use His power to make my poor trading decisions work out to make me money? The answer is no. James 4:2,3 encourages believers to ask and receive from God, yet not to ask with a wrong motive. You do not have, because you do not ask. And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures. James 4:2 3. Does God take notice of the small things in my life, such as each trade I take? The answer is yes. God knows every subatomic particle and holds all the universe together with His power. He knows the larger picture and the tiny details of everything. God knows the number of hairs on a persons head, and that number changes often (except for those with little to no hair .) If God knows the words I will say before I say them or think them, then He knows each trade I will make. Even before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, O LORD. Psalm 139:4 4. Does God CARE about the little things that happen such as a tiny scalp trade? Also, does God care about the more significant things that happen to someone? To answer these two questions I have to first differentiate between those who belong to God (by being born again through Jesus) and those who do not. God gives His promises to those who are His own. It would be difficult to give a complete answer for #4's questions, but here are a few thoughts. My current understanding of Scripture is that if we are asking for something good and right and wanting God's will above our own, then it is entirely acceptable to ask for any kind of (good) request. Whether or not we get what we ask is more dependent on praying in alignment with God's desires for us. Asking for something in Jesus name, would mean aligning one's self and request with what Jesus desires for us. That is my current understanding of some of the verses on prayer in John 14 and 15. If you ask Me for anything in My name, I will do it. John 14:14 So, nothing is too small or too big to pray about. Does God care about these things? I once heard a sermon on 1 Peter 5:7 that's helped my understanding of the verse. The point was made that if we have a difficult situation, such as a car that keeps breaking down, and it is a care to us, the car situation is not a problem for God. He can fix it or He can make the difficulty into a blessing. The car situation IS a problem for us. We need to ask God for help about it because He wants us to come to Him with our problems because we matter to God. We care about the car. God cares about us. Since God is concerned with us, therefore, the car situation is one that He will stoop to be our helper in. God may not remove the trial, but He will walk with us through the trial. Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 5. Do I pray about my trading? Sometimes, but I think it's not right to ask God to bless loss of self-control or poor trading decisions. I think it is right to ask for God to help with learning to trade responsibly and also to ask for His guidance on whether or not one should pursue trading. Thanks for starting this thread! It's a good topic!
I think I know how it may work. There'll be pastors and elders who are closer to God than you, they can lead you down the path. A subscription fee required as a 10% tithe to the Lord.