Communication

Amen, amen I tell you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you
Jesus Christ, John 16:23 TLV

This is a solid promise that Jesus gives us. He doesn’t leave any room for failed prayers, but specifically says “anything you ask for will be given” – Yet, we see so many prayers going without action while there are times indeed God does answer prayer. So we are forced to wonder why sometimes God does not answer our prayers .. and why should we be afraid to ask?

A good name is to be chosen rather than great wealth, and grace rather than silver or gold
Proverbs 22:1 TLV

This proverbial wisdom says that we sometimes have to make a choice where our choice may lead us to give up a good name for the sake of wealth. It is a warning too, that even though we have wealth, if the world does not think well of us when our name is spoken, it would be more troublesome to us than if we had not been lured into disrepute by that wealth.

A name is a label that is used in language, to identify a person. Whenever that name is heard, the character of that person comes to mind in the hearer, and the hearer’s mind begins to think according to their opinions of that person. Sometimes a person’s mood can be lifted when they are reminded of someone, and other times they can become upset and not want to hear that name spoken.

The name of Jesus has a tendency to produce that behaviour in a very powerful way.

So a name is more than just the sound of the syllables spoken or the shape of the letters on paper. A name is the whole reputation and belief of the expected behaviour of a person we have come to know.

So it leads us to consider that sometimes a person has not got the right idea in mind of who Jesus is when they pray, and James 4:3 confirms this: although they ask as people with a Christian faith, their motives are so unable to glorify Jesus that he goes right on to name them adulteresses! Even though they would speak the words “in the name of Jesus”, because they believe that is God’s prerequisite, they have yielded themselves as adulteresses to an inferior spirit, so they are praying in the name of a counterfeit.

That shouldn’t really surprise anyone, because just as there are many who have named their child “Jesus”, so also there are many who have taught lies in His name. They have never truly known Him (Matthew 7:21-23, John 14:21, John 15:18-21).

Words are the same as names, because in fact names are words. The functional difference is that names identify a person while words identify a concept. So what is a concept?

The Merriam-Webster dictionary has defined the word “concept” as “something conceived in the mind”. A concept is literally the picture that comes to mind when the word is spoken. So when I say the word “boat”, your mind remembers a concept that was once formed when you saw a thing that is made to float on water.

Things are the basic building blocks of language, because whenever we communicate, we are cooperating in an exchange of conceptualisations – that is to say that we speak primarily for the purpose of living together. The words we use to describe things in the world, are called “nouns”: “people”, “places” and “things”. But we can conceive of non-physical things too, such as joy, patience, endurance, or love. Those things are said to be spiritual concepts, because they pertain to the spiritual rather than the physical.

Surely spiritual things can become manifest into the physical, but they are of themselves spiritual until they are manifest into the physical. A rock or a chair does not have a spiritual quality, because they are simply nouns, and yet there is a spiritual element in the difference between the words “chair” and “throne”.

So this word “spirit” is a very important word in our vocabulary, because it is the essential force that manifests through living things, thereby being a part of our reality that is incredibly important to understand – for it is in the spirit that the war between good and evil vies for power over the minds that ultimately bring forth the actions into the world, creating conditions that can be described as “heaven” or “hell”.

Jesus said “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth”. He also said that the devil is the father of lies (John 8:42-44), and as He was saying that, He was telling them that they were unable to hear His speech because they were of their father, the devil.

Now there is spiritual language in action!

Although they were born of a human father, Jesus is not saying that their earthly father is the devil. Instead He is speaking about their way of thinking by saying that they had taken on the form/likeness of the one who begat their way of thinking, and that their way of thinking was preventing them from hearing His speech. It is not that they were physically unable to hear the words He was saying (because they did return dialogue), but that their mind was stuck in a mode of thinking that was prejudiced to oppose Him and thus resolved to not receive the concept He was attempting to convey by His speech (eg John 10:24-27 (opens in a new tab)">John 10:24-27).

That happens a lot to us in our discipline, doesn’t it?

So that is where love and sin are made distinct, and that marks the sinners apart from the godly. Love will cause us to listen with a genuine interest – to offer our mind to the one who is speaking so that they may lead it to conceive of the knowledge that they wish to impart. Those who are sinful, perhaps being motivated by pride, wrath or fear.. fundamentally they have decided to despise the one who is speaking to them, and so their mind becomes focused only on calculating the words to say that will deliver the outcome they seek – that is, to refuse the speaker the opportunity to make his point, and regardless of whether it is honest or fair to do.

That is where quarrels and conflicts arise. It is through the desires of the flesh to wage war for selfish interests that they close up their heart against the one who needs them to listen. To justify their callousness in the face of love, they have no other means than repentance. That is why they lie and that is how the devil wins them over.

So lay aside lying and “each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.
St. Paul, Ephesians 4:25 (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4%3A25&version=TLV" target="_blank">Ephesians 4:25 TLV

Being truthful with each other is more than simply being respectful – it is the only way Christ can remain in us!

If we say we have fellowship with Him and keep walking in the darkness, we are lying and do not practice the truth.
St. John, 1 John 1:6 (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John+1:6&version=TLV" target="_blank">1 John 1:6 TLV

What makes a person unable to do the truth? Is it fear? Is it distrust? Is it pride? Is it spite? …

So remember that any time there is disunity there is suffering. When we love others enough, we will notice their suffering and we will care. It is through love that He is able to heal a broken spirit, and as we keep giving ourselves to love for Him to work through us, our confidence increases.

We know He is for us, and we have no doubt that what we ask for He is pleased to give.

For He who spared not the own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, with Him, grant us all things?
Jesus Christ, Romans 8:32 DARBY

Proverbs 22:1 (LEB)

A reputation“name” is to be chosen rather than“from” great riches; favor is better than silver and gold.“from silver and from gold, favor is better”A reputation“name” is to be chosen rather than“from” great riches; favor is better than silver and gold.“from silver and from gold, favor is better”

1 John 1:6 (LEB)

If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.Or “we are lying and are not practicing the truth”6If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.Or “we are lying and are not practicing the truth”

Matthew 7:21-23 (LEB)

The Sermon on the Mount: False Followers“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.21The Sermon on the Mount: False Followers“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.22On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many miracles in your name?’22On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many miracles in your name?’23And then I will say to them plainly,“I will declare to them” ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!’23And then I will say to them plainly,“I will declare to them” ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!’

John 15:18-21 (LEB)

The World’s Hatred for the DisciplesIf the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hatedHere the verb “hated” is an understood repetition of the verb earlier in this verse you.18The World’s Hatred for the DisciplesIf the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hatedHere the verb “hated” is an understood repetition of the verb earlier in this verse you.19If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you.19If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you.20Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also.20Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also.21But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.21But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.

John 10:24-27 (LEB)

So the Jews surrounded him and began to sayImperfect tense as ingressive (“began to say”) to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense?“until when will you take away our life” If you are the Christ, tell us plainly!”24So the Jews surrounded him and began to sayImperfect tense as ingressive (“began to say”) to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense?“until when will you take away our life” If you are the Christ, tell us plainly!”25Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe! The deeds that I do in the name of my Father, these testify about me.25Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe! The deeds that I do in the name of my Father, these testify about me.26But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep!26But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep!27My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.27My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

John 8:42-44 (LEB)

Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I have come forth from God and have come. For I have not come from myself, but that one sent me.42Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I have come forth from God and have come. For I have not come from myself, but that one sent me.43Why“because of what” do you not understand my way of speaking? Because you are not able to listen to my message.43Why“because of what” do you not understand my way of speaking? Because you are not able to listen to my message.44You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father! That one was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand firm in the truth, because truth is not in him. Whenever he speaks the lie, he speaks from his own nature,*The word “nature” is not in the Greek text but is implied because he is a liar and the father of lies.“of it”44You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father! That one was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand firm in the truth, because truth is not in him. Whenever he speaks the lie, he speaks from his own nature,*The word “nature” is not in the Greek text but is implied because he is a liar and the father of lies.“of it”

John 16:23 (LEB)

And on that day you will ask me nothing. Truly, truly I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.23And on that day you will ask me nothing. Truly, truly I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.

John 14:21 (LEB)

The one who has my commandments and keeps them — that one is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will reveal myself to him.”21The one who has my commandments and keeps them — that one is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will reveal myself to him.”

Romans 8:32 (LEB)

Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, together with him, freely give us all things?32Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, together with him, freely give us all things?

Ephesians 4:25 (LEB)

Old Behavior, New Behavior, and MotivationTherefore, putting aside the lie, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor,An allusion to Zech 8:16 because we are members of one another.25Old Behavior, New Behavior, and MotivationTherefore, putting aside the lie, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor,An allusion to Zech 8:16 because we are members of one another.

James 4:3 (LEB)

You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, in order that you may spend it on your pleasures.3You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, in order that you may spend it on your pleasures.