Prayers don't work so why do religious keep jabbing at it?

[Haipule]

"Prayer" is a difficult study into English because there are many different words translated as "prayer" in both Hebrew and Greek. euchomai merely means a communication with a divine being. The only wrong way to pray is not to pray. Yet, we are given a list of do's and don't as if God is anal. Yet, NO is a legitimate answer no one wants to hear. Well, GET USED TO IT!

My favorite is enteuxis:

Side by Side: for it(food) is(-being) sanctified(purified, separating a class from a class) by(through) means of [the]word(intellect) of God and(-also) prayer(enteuxis). 1 Tim 4:5 NASB

 

enteuxis is a noun which means: a falling in with, meeting with, an interview, a coming together; to visit, converse or for any other cause. It only occurs twice in the NT and only by Paul and only in 1st Timothy.

 

In its verb form, it is the prefixed preposition en(in) + tugchanO(hit the mark). tugchanO is the opposite of hamartia(miss the mark, usually translated “sin”). Now, how we came from entugchanO(verb) to enteuxis(noun) to the English word “prayer” is beyond me!

In context, Paul is referring to the gathering together of people (enteuxis) for a special meal(separating a class from a class) of good food, I hope drinks, and poignant conversation concerning the character and nature of God’s word. Sounds like a heavenly party!