Daily Devotional for Tuesday January 6, 2009
Why Pray in Jesus Name
(John 16:23,24, John 14:13,14)
"In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. " John 16:23,24
"And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." John 14:13,14
Why pray in Jesus name? Praying in the name of Jesus has been horribly misunderstood by Believers and non-Believers alike. Today, I want to help clear up what praying in the name of Jesus is and is not, and also why it now plays into the invocation Purpose Driven Life author Rick Warren will be giving at the inauguration of President-elect Obama.
A few weeks ago, I dealt in great detail with why Warren should NOT be giving the invocation at the inauguration. If you missed that Devotional, you can access it at, http://www.liveprayer.com/ddarchive3.cfm?id=3551 Now there is a real question whether Warren will further compromise himself and not even pray in the name of Jesus.
Praying in Jesus's name has become a hot issue at high school sporting events, graduations ceremonies, and in local, state, and federal government settings. The reason is simple. Those who want to eliminate God from the public square feel that by praying in the name of Jesus, is tantamount to an endorsement of the Christian faith.
Just as confused are many Christians who use the anchor verses today from the Gospel of John as some sort of magic formula or "magic prayer" to get what they want. They have turned praying in the name of Jesus into some sort of "abracadabra" word a magician might use to see their prayers answered.
READ CAREFULLY SEVERAL TIMES!!! We pray in the name of Jesus because our Lord told us to. We pray in the name of Jesus out of respect for Jesus. We pray in the name of Jesus to show Him the honor He deserves. We pray in the name of Jesus as an act of dependence upon the Lord. We pray in the name of Jesus because in John 15:5 Jesus says, "apart from me you can do nothing."
THAT IS WHY WE PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS!!!
No true follower of Jesus Christ should ever pray unless it is in the name of Jesus for the reasons I just outlined. Let me just say this about Rick Warren. As compromised as he already is by accepting this invitation to ask God's blessings on a man who is a true enemy of God, if he further compromises himself and fails to pray in the name of Jesus, he should be ashamed of himself.
If Warren won't even pray in the name of Jesus, he should also be ashamed to call himself a Christian, let alone this great leader he thinks he is because he wrote a basic discipleship book and was able to market it to thousands of churches with pastors who were too lazy to get their own vision from God, so they bought into Warren's purpose driven marketing strategy that doesn't fill churches with converts to the faith, but warm bodies based on watering down the Truth of the Bible and the Gospel.
THERE IS NEVER AN EXCUSE NOT TO PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS!!!
I love you and care about you so much. Today, I want to encourage all Christians to ALWAYS pray in the name of Jesus. I submit to you that even though God knows your heart, your prayer is not complete unless it is in the name of Jesus. IF FOR NO OTHER REASON IT IS BECAUSE JESUS IS THE ONE YOU ARE BRINGING YOUR PETITIONS TO! Again, it is a simple act of honor to pray in the name of Jesus, and it is an act of dependence that Jesus is our only hope!
Don't ever let the world intimidate you into not praying in the name of Jesus. Regardless the setting, regardless the circumstances, there is NEVER A REASON not to pray in the name of Jesus! In what other name would we pray??? I pray today that the Lord quickens this word to your heart.
"In the name that is above all names, in the name that one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess Lord, in the only name by which men are saved, in the name of the Savior of the world, JESUS CHRIST....AMEN!!!"
In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ, Bill Keller