Should we pray to Jesus?

[D4Christ]

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." (Col 3:17)
Jesus said that all power in Heaven and Earth was given unto him, so why would we not pray to him. When Peter and John healed the lame man at the gate called beautiful, they did not say in the name of the Father; they said, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth arise and walk (see Acts 3:6).

I agree…there is power in the name of Yahushua as scriptures confirm. Even though it was the power of the name of Christ that made the man walk, you will notice that the apostles tell the people in the crowd that this power comes from God (the Father) so they don’t think the Son gets all the honor.

Acts 3

Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!†5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. [color=0000ff]In the name of Jesus Christ[/color] the Nazarene, get up and walk!â€
12 Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,†he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? 13 For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. 14 You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!
16 “Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.
17 “Friends, I realize that what you and your leaders did to Jesus was done in ignorance. 18 But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had foretold about the Messiah—that he must suffer these things. 19 Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. 20 Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. 21 For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you.’ 23 Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from God’s people.’
24 “Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today. 25 You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, ‘Through your descendants all the families on earth will be blessed.’ 26 When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of srael, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways.â€

 

[dentonz]

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." (Col 3:17)
Jesus said that all power in Heaven and Earth was given unto him, so why would we not pray to him. When Peter and John healed the lame man at the gate called beautiful, they did not say in the name of the Father; they said, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth arise and walk (see Acts 3:6).

I agree…there is power in the name of Yahushua as scriptures confirm. Even though it was the power of the name of Christ that made the man walk, you will notice that the apostles tell the people in the crowd that this power comes from God (the Father) so they don’t think the Son gets all the honor.

Acts 3

Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!†5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. [color=0000ff]In the name of Jesus Christ[/color] the Nazarene, get up and walk!â€
12 Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,†he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? 13 For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. 14 You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!
16 “Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.
17 “Friends, I realize that what you and your leaders did to Jesus was done in ignorance. 18 But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had foretold about the Messiah—that he must suffer these things. 19 Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. 20 Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. 21 For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you.’ 23 Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from God’s people.’
24 “Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today. 25 You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, ‘Through your descendants all the families on earth will be blessed.’ 26 When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways.â€

I agree, the power in the name of Jesus is from God, because He is the Father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ,and Creator of all. There is only one God and Savior, and he has revealed himself to us in Jesus Christ.

 

[JudaicChristian]

John 5:41
"I do not accept praise from men,
Matthew 4:10
Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord/Yahwah your God, and serve him only.' "
Matthew 6:9
"This, then, is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,...(Yahwah)
Yahshua came to reconcile mankind to Yahwah. The words "worship, pay tribute, and honor" are confused in translation.

 

[D4Christ]

I agree, the power in the name of Jesus is from God, because He is the Father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ,and Creator of all. There is only one God and Savior, and he has revealed himself to us in Jesus Christ.

Just curious….when you say that God has revealed himself to us in Jesus Christ are you speaking of separate entities (as a non trinitarian would) or do you believe that God transformed Himself into Christ (or sent part of Himself to earth as Christ)? I am trying to wrap my head around the lingo people use when describing the Father – Son relationship.

Blessings,
Dee

 

[mutzrein]

I remember my Dad telling me once that he had asked Jesus to keep him alive until He returned. So I asked him why he thought Jesus could grant such a request when He (Jesus) didn't even know when he would return.

Strange how my father, a man who had known the Lord for about 70 years, could overlook such a truth.

 

[JudaicChristian]

I remember my Dad telling me once that he had asked Jesus to keep him alive until He returned. So I asked him why he thought Jesus could grant such a request when He (Jesus) didn't even know when he would return.

Strange how my father, a man who had known the Lord for about 70 years, could overlook such a truth.

Only Yahwah knows when he will have Yahshua return.

 

[TheUnworthyServant]

I pray to the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ.

Ditto!

In Jesus name I pray. :amen

 

[dentonz]

I agree, the power in the name of Jesus is from God, because He is the Father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ,and Creator of all. There is only one God and Savior, and he has revealed himself to us in Jesus Christ.

Just curious….when you say that God has revealed himself to us in Jesus Christ are you speaking of separate entities (as a non trinitarian would) or do you believe that God transformed Himself into Christ (or sent part of Himself to earth as Christ)? I am trying to wrap my head around the lingo people use when describing the Father – Son relationship.

Blessings,
Dee

I am a trinitarian by creed. However, Jesus is the image of the invisible God, In Him dwelt all of the fullness of the Godhead bodily. I believe that God the Father sent his Word, from within himself, into this world and took upon humanity, a body of flesh; which is the man Jesus Christ. I believe that the Spirit of Christ is the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus told his disciples that he had to leave so that he could send the Holy Spirit. As long as Jesus was walking around physically on this earth he could not send the Holy Spirit to all men; because, in him, was the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

In Christ

 

[dan p]

More often than not I hear people pray, "Dear Jesus, ....." and end their prayer "In Jesus Name, Amen." I was even told many years ago in my former church that this is the dispensation of the Holy Spirit, so when we pray it should be to the Holy Spirit.

Is it me or does it bother anybody else that Yahushua (Christ), not only told us how to pray but demonstrated it in what is commonly referred to as the 'Our Father.' For me it's not about personal preferance....it's about being obedient. If Christ commanded us to pray a specific way, how then can we rationalize our disobedience as a Church? Can the Church have any power over the invisble powers we fight if we can't even agree on the proper way to pray?

So, let's get honest...how do you pray... according to your own understanding or according to the instructions left us by our brother, Christ?

Hi D4Christ , and I have a couple of things to bring out .

#1 , This is NOT the Dispensation of the Holy Spirit ( which if it is , show a verse ) but Eph 3:2 , by Paul reads , " If you have heard of the Dispensation of the Grace of God , provides the verse that explains , That it is the Dispensation of the Grace of God , period !!!! There is not , A so-called Dispensation of the Holy Spirit , unless you have a verse ?????

#2 , Jesus taught His disciples to pray a prayer that will be used in the Tribulation period .

#3 , What is in Ephesians 5:20 was NEVER taught to Israel , because they never did believe that Jesus Christ is the MESSIAH .

#4 , In Rom 8:26 , we do not know not what to pray for , but thre Spirit Himself maketh INTERCESSION for us with groaning which can not be EXPRESSED in words .

#5 , Eph 5:20 Giving thanks always for ALL THINGS unto God and the Father in the NAME of our Lord Jesus Christ , so it looks like to me that you will end your prayers like that >

 

[D4Christ]

Hi D4Christ , and I have a couple of things to bring out .

#1 , This is NOT the Dispensation of the Holy Spirit ( which if it is , show a verse ) but Eph 3:2 , by Paul reads , " If you have heard of the Dispensation of the Grace of God , provides the verse that explains , That it is the Dispensation of the Grace of God , period !!!! There is not , A so-called Dispensation of the Holy Spirit , unless you have a verse ?????

I never said it was and I am glad you agree.

#2 , Jesus taught His disciples to pray a prayer that will be used in the Tribulation period .

The prayer I was referring to was the "Our Father..." I have never seen a verse that states this was to be used only for the Great Tribulation...unless you are referring to another prayer, in which case I would be interested in seeing that verse.

#3 , What is in Ephesians 5:20 was NEVER taught to Israel , because they never did believe that Jesus Christ is the MESSIAH .

Agreed

#4 , In Rom 8:26 , we do not know not what to pray for , but thre Spirit Himself maketh INTERCESSION for us with groaning which can not be EXPRESSED in words .

Agreed

#5 , Eph 5:20 Giving thanks always for ALL THINGS unto God and the Father in the NAME of our Lord Jesus Christ , so it looks like to me that you will end your prayers like that >

Agreed. Although the point of my original post was that I hear many people address their prayers to Yahushua (Christ) instead of to the Father, which is how Christ instructed us to pray.

 

[nadab]

More often than not I hear people pray, "Dear Jesus, ....." and end their prayer "In Jesus Name, Amen." I was even told many years ago in my former church that this is the dispensation of the Holy Spirit, so when we pray it should be to the Holy Spirit.

Is it me or does it bother anybody else that Yahushua (Christ), not only told us how to pray but demonstrated it in what is commonly referred to as the 'Our Father.' For me it's not about personal preferance....it's about being obedient. If Christ commanded us to pray a specific way, how then can we rationalize our disobedience as a Church? Can the Church have any power over the invisble powers we fight if we can't even agree on the proper way to pray?

So, let's get honest...how do you pray... according to your own understanding or according to the instructions left us by our brother, Christ?

Jesus, on the night before his death, told his eleven faithful apostles, that "I am the way and the truth and the light. No one comes to the Father except through me."(John 14:6) In giving the model prayer, Jesus said: "Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified."(Matt 6:9) Thus, Jesus reaffirmed that it is only to the Father, God, that we address our prayers, not to Jesus but through Jesus, for he said that "no one comes to the Father except through me."

The apostle Paul wrote: "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus."(1 Tim 2:5) At Psalms 65:2, David wrote down this psalm, or sacred song of praise to God: "O Hearer of prayer, even to you people of all flesh will come." Hence, we approach God in prayer through Jesus Christ, calling himself a "door" for those who want life to go through.(John 10:9)

Paul, in speaking of the "greatly diversified wisdom of God....that he formed in connection with the Christ, Jesus our Lord, by means of whom", said that "we have this freeness of speech and an approach with confidence through our faith in him" to God.(Eph 3:10-12) Thus, our prayers are to God, having "freeness of speech and an approach with confidence through" Jesus Christ.

Paul further wrote that Jesus "came and declared the good news of peace....because through him we, both peoples, have the approach to the Father by one spirit."(Eph 2:17, 18) The apostle Peter wrote of Jesus, that "through him (you) are believers in God."(1 Pet 1:19, 21)

Jesus himself petitioned, prayed and supplicated his Father on a number of occasions, as at Matthew 11:25, 26, praising him for having hidden truths of the kingdom "from the wise and intellectual ones and have revealed them to babes", at Matthew 26:39, in which he prays for his Father's will, not his own, to take place, and at Luke 23:34, whereby he requests his Father to forgive the Roman soldiers because these "do not know what they are doing" even though having placed him on a torture stake to die a criminal's death.

 

[Packrat]

More often than not I hear people pray, "Dear Jesus, ....." and end their prayer "In Jesus Name, Amen." I was even told many years ago in my former church that this is the dispensation of the Holy Spirit, so when we pray it should be to the Holy Spirit.

Is it me or does it bother anybody else that Yahushua (Christ), not only told us how to pray but demonstrated it in what is commonly referred to as the 'Our Father.' For me it's not about personal preferance....it's about being obedient. If Christ commanded us to pray a specific way, how then can we rationalize our disobedience as a Church? Can the Church have any power over the invisble powers we fight if we can't even agree on the proper way to pray?

So, let's get honest...how do you pray... according to your own understanding or according to the instructions left us by our brother, Christ?

The Son is God, the Father is God and the Holy Spirit is God. So we will always be praying to God. What matters in this case is the distinction among the different purposes the Son, Father and Holy Spirit serve. The Scriptures say that the Father is the head of the Son. The Father makes all of the decisions and this is why we are to pray to the Father because the Father determines whether or not our prayers are answered. We pray through the Son because the Son is our High Priest, interceding on our behalf. As for the Holy Spirit I'm not entirely sure. The Holy Spirit, I believe, interprets our prayers into the desires of our hearts conformed to God's will (Romans 8:26-29). When we pray we know something is wrong, but we may not know exactly what is wrong. So we end up praying for something that may not be in God's will, but the Holy Spirit understands what we need and moves it in line with God's will so that our prayers will be answered. That's the closest I can come to defining the Holy Spirit's role in prayer. Sorry if it's inaccurate. But as for the Son and the Father you can make a safe bet that this is at least part of the reason we are to pray to the Father - he is the decision-making head.

 

[glorydaz]

More often than not I hear people pray, "Dear Jesus, ....." and end their prayer "In Jesus Name, Amen." I was even told many years ago in my former church that this is the dispensation of the Holy Spirit, so when we pray it should be to the Holy Spirit.

Is it me or does it bother anybody else that Yahushua (Christ), not only told us how to pray but demonstrated it in what is commonly referred to as the 'Our Father.' For me it's not about personal preferance....it's about being obedient. If Christ commanded us to pray a specific way, how then can we rationalize our disobedience as a Church? Can the Church have any power over the invisble powers we fight if we can't even agree on the proper way to pray?

So, let's get honest...how do you pray... according to your own understanding or according to the instructions left us by our brother, Christ?

The Son is God, the Father is God and the Holy Spirit is God. So we will always be praying to God. What matters in this case is the distinction among the different purposes the Son, Father and Holy Spirit serve. The Scriptures say that the Father is the head of the Son. The Father makes all of the decisions and this is why we are to pray to the Father because the Father determines whether or not our prayers are answered. We pray through the Son because the Son is our High Priest, interceding on our behalf. As for the Holy Spirit I'm not entirely sure. The Holy Spirit, I believe, interprets our prayers into the desires of our hearts conformed to God's will (Romans 8:26-29). When we pray we know something is wrong, but we may not know exactly what is wrong. So we end up praying for something that may not be in God's will, but the Holy Spirit understands what we need and moves it in line with God's will so that our prayers will be answered. That's the closest I can come to defining the Holy Spirit's role in prayer. Sorry if it's inaccurate. But as for the Son and the Father you can make a safe bet that this is at least part of the reason we are to pray to the Father - he is the decision-making head.

I call that an excellent job of explaining it.

 

[D4Christ]

The Son is God, the Father is God and the Holy Spirit is God. So we will always be praying to God.

It's not that I completely disagree with your assesment. But I am interested to find out where in sciptures does it ever say the Holy Spirit is God.

And one more question, when you say the Son is God I don't disagree for The Father calls His Son God in Hebrews 1. For me, this makes sense since you cannot begot anything outside of your nature for the word begot/begat in essence means to father or sire. As the Father's only begotten Son, Christ could not have any nature other than that of God.

But back to my question. When you say, "we will always be praying to God," are you suggesting that whether we pray to Father, Son, or Holy Spirit is a moot point because in essence they are all God? To which I would question Christ's own command that we pray directly to the Father. Christ also states that we should pray using His name...although I am not sure why people translate that statement into pray thru Christ.

It nags at me that although Christ shares the nature and power of God, sciptures are clear that he is not at the same level of authority and is more often referred to as Savior, Mediator or Lord, rather than as Father, the One God.

1 Corinthians 8:6
But we know that there is only one God, the Father, who created everything, and we live for him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom God made everything and through whom we have been given life.

I wonder if the distinction that is obvious in the above verse gets blurred when we make Father and Son One being with distinct characteristics/personalities/functions, instead of two beings with separte duties, but who are related and in harmony with one another as one is The Father and the other is the Son.

 

[glorydaz]

But I am interested to find out where in sciptures does it ever say the Holy Spirit is God.

The Holy Spirit is God...

But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

It nags at me that although Christ shares the nature and power of God, sciptures are clear that he is not at the same level of authority and is more often referred to as Savior, Mediator or Lord, rather than as Father, the One God.

I wonder if the distinction that is obvious in the above verse gets blurred when we make Father and Son One being with distinct characteristics/personalities/functions, instead of two beings with separte duties, but who are related and in harmony with one another as one is The Father and the other is the Son.

This verse says it best...

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Jesus is God manifest in the flesh.

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

 

[Packrat]

But I am interested to find out where in sciptures does it ever say the Holy Spirit is God.

The Holy Spirit is God...

But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

It nags at me that although Christ shares the nature and power of God, sciptures are clear that he is not at the same level of authority and is more often referred to as Savior, Mediator or Lord, rather than as Father, the One God.

I wonder if the distinction that is obvious in the above verse gets blurred when we make Father and Son One being with distinct characteristics/personalities/functions, instead of two beings with separte duties, but who are related and in harmony with one another as one is The Father and the other is the Son.

This verse says it best...
[quote="Isaiah 9:6":2hi0jff9]For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Jesus is God manifest in the flesh.

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

[/quote:2hi0jff9]

D4Christ, I think everyone here has sympathized with you at one point in their walk with God, but I believe glorydaz did a prime job of addressing your concerns. God is indeed hard to understand. And we may never be able to fully in our fleshy forms, but that doesn't mean we can't strive to better understand him.

 

[nadab]

The Son is God, the Father is God and the Holy Spirit is God. So we will always be praying to God.

It's not that I completely disagree with your assesment. But I am interested to find out where in sciptures does it ever say the Holy Spirit is God.

The holy spirit is not God, but is God's applied power, his active force. When the angel Gabriel came to Mary to inform her of her role in God's saving arrangement, he told her that "holy spirit will come upon you, and power of the Most High will overshadow you. For that reason also what is born will be called holy, God’s Son."(Luke 1:35)

It is not part of a triune "Godhead", but is "power of the Most High." This "power" of God protected God's Son while in Mary's womb, overshadowing her to ensure that there were no genetic flaws but that Jesus was born perfect, in order to be equal to the perfect man Adam before his defection in the Garden of Eden.(1 Cor 15:45)

Over 34 years later, after Jesus resurrection from the dead, he told his disciples that "you will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon you" and as a result of being empowered by holy spirit, "you will be witnesses of me both in Jerusalem and in all Ju·de´a and Sa·mar´i·a and to the most distant part of the earth."(Acts 1:8)

Thus, the holy spirit is God's applied power that God uses to accomplish his will, to empower his servants to be his witnesses and to create all things, for Psalms 33:6 says that "by the word of Jehovah the heavens themselves were made, And by the spirit of his mouth all their army."

 

[Andrew]

I pray to the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ.

Yup, same here. Father, I come before your throne through the Blood of Jesus Christ (because the Holy Spirit is in me) to do so.
Jesus tore the veil and opened the Most Holy of Holy's (the throne room of God) to us so that through Him we can have access to the Father.
I'm a beloved adoptive son who gets to share in the inheritance, and there is nothing more awesome than knowing that in my heart.
I praise Jesus because it is the Father's will that I do so, I glorify the Father by honoring the Son, and glorify the Son by honoring the Father. Only by the Holy Spirit am I permitted to do so.
WHAT A PRIVILEGE!