Bible Study Blog for Tuesday, August 2, 2011
2 Chronicles 21-22; John 14
“In JESUS’ NAME, amen.”
That’s the sign-off I was taught for prayer.
Our version of “Bye Bye for now, God!”
I asked why I was supposed to say “In JESUS’ NAME, amen.”
Answer: “Because we’re supposed to pray in Jesus’ Name.”
Right. But saying “In JESUS’ NAME” doesn’t mean you’re actually praying In JESUS’ NAME.
Praying in JESUS’ NAME means you know Him well enough to ask for what HE wants. It’s like being able to order for someone else at a restaurant – you know them well enough to order what they want to eat.
Spend enough time with somebody – and you’ll be able to order dinner “in their name.” Spend enough time with JESUS – and you’ll be able to PRAY “in HIS Name.” And when you do – LOOK OUT!
“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
Have a Fantastic Monday!
Tags: 2 Chronicles, Bayside Church Woodland, Bayside Woodland, Bible Study, John
Good point and well said. I recall being on a team that was frequently called on to pray for sick people. Before we did anything we’d ask God to give us insight about the cause for the sickness, namely, sickness because of sin, sickness to glorify God, or sickness to death. It’s not praying in Jesus’ name if we pray for a recovery to full health when it is in God’s timing to take one of His own to full fellowship with Him. Those are hard things to face up to sometimes, but the Bible is clear that God’s sovereignty holds despite our wishes to the contrary sometimes. He’s got a much longer view than we do, and we’re most effective when we ask Him how to pray before we start laying out our wish lists.
If our daily prayers involve asking God to perfect our surrender to Him all day, every day, we find that we have better results as we pray. Of course, none of that happens unless He sends us the Holy Spirit to keep us convicted and connected to Him even as we wrestle with some of the thorny problems that we’re called to deal with as a matter doing life.