Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Only the Father. Is that true? Am I doing it wrong?
2007-02-07 10:07:08 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
We have access to God the Father through Jesus Christ. Personally, I don't think it really matters. Scripture tells us in 1 Samuel 16:7 that "God does not see as humans see. Humans look at outward appearances, but the LORD looks into the heart."
He's worried about your heart. Whether you say, "Hey God, thank you for this day..." or "Jesus, I pray that you will show me how to love this person..." or whatever--He's looking at your heart.
Like the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector--the tax collector was totally out of line with what the custom was. Most people stood around and looked good, but he was over in the corner beating his chest crying out to God for mercy. God looked at his heart and he went home forgiven.
God's looking at our heart.
*edit*
Also, as far as the "in Jesus' name" part, the reason lots of people put that on the end of their prayers is because it is basically claiming that prayer is under the authority of Jesus, or we are allowed to pray directly to God because Jesus himself told us we could (He taught us this in the Lord's prayer).
So we are claiming access to God through Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1-2 says "...we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access into this grace in which we now stand."
In other words, we can stand boldly before the throne of God now and pray without fear. Jesus' death on the cross washed our sins away (assuming you've accepted Him as your savior) and we now have a full-access pass to God.
So we pray "in Jesus' name" not out of religious duty or because that's the only way to pray--but to as a reminder that we are praying to God the Father by the authority of Jesus Christ, who gave us full access.
2007-02-07 10:14:11 · answer #1 · answered by Josh 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, I've heard Preachers pray to Jesus. The Doctrine of the Trinity states that the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit are 3 in one, so in a sense your praying to the same person, but yes when you do pray to God your supposed to pray to him through Jesus.
2007-02-07 18:11:35 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your not doing anything wrong!!!
Hope this helps.
Prayer is a privilege and an obligation of the Christian where we communicate with God. It is how we convey our confession (1 John 1:9), requests (1 Tim. 2:1-3), intercessions (James 5:15), thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6), etc., to our holy God. We are commanded to pray (1 Thess. 5:17).
Some personal requirements of prayer are a pure heart (Psalm 66:18), belief in Christ (John 14:13), and that the prayer be according to God's will (1 John 5:13). We can pray standing (Neh. 9:5), kneeling (Ezra 9:5), sitting (1 Chron. 17:16-27), bowing (Exodus 34:8), and with lifted hands (1 Tim. 2:8).
2007-02-07 18:12:33 · answer #3 · answered by Jo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Father are all the same people haven't the people who told you this ever her of "......in the name of the Father, the Son(Jesus), and the Holy Spirit....."?
2007-02-07 18:12:03 · answer #4 · answered by lose_it 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, you pray in the name of Jesus.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one.
2007-02-07 18:12:49 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I pray to the Father, in the name of Jesus.
The Bible says that Jesus is the advocate, which means he interceeds to the Father for us, and so we ask all in the name of Jesus. Dear Heavenly Father,
and end with, and in Jesus name I pray..
2007-02-07 18:14:34 · answer #6 · answered by Lorene 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You pray to God and only God. The bible never says anything about praying to the "holy spirit", which is a gift from God, not a separate entity. That's dogma which is totally unbiblical. Jesus told us specifically to pray to God, and these people who think otherwise should do a little research, because it did not come from the bible.
2007-02-07 18:11:28 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You pray to the Father through Jesus Christ. So you say "in the name of Jesus Christ" at the end, but you do not pray to him.
2007-02-07 18:10:57 · answer #8 · answered by Laurel W 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In Christianity you are supposed to pray to the Father in Jesus' name.
Example: "Thank you God for this food. In Jesus name, Amen."
2007-02-07 18:09:33 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no wrong way to pray. God can hear your prayer however you do it. Don't get caught up in the tiny details. Think about the big picture.
2007-02-07 18:11:36 · answer #10 · answered by mommasquarepants 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋