In Whose Name?

Remember learning about the Speakeasies from the 1920s where, if you wanted to get an alcoholic drink, you would have to mention a powerful name to get in?  Then think about this Bible verse where Jesus says,

• "23 At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. The truth is you can go directly to the Father and ask him, and he will grant your request because you use my name.
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• 24 You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.
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• 25 I have spoken of these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you plainly all about the Father. 26 Then you will ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf,
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• 27 for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God.[b]"
• John 16: 23-27

Get it?  Powerful stuff, isn't it?

Since I learn more by doing and seeing,  when I was praying last night, I wrote, "Jesus sent me", on a piece of paper; so, as I was talking to the God--the Father, I pushed the paper forward--like they would as they tried to get into the Speakeasie.  Yes, I know it may seem childish, but our Father understands.  See, this was my was of telling God that Jesus' name gives me the ability to come to Him, to speak boldy to Him, to ask Him  for help.

Yes, Jesus did indeed send me!  Jesus' name opens doors!  While we are here, don't forget that, "...we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. ¹⁵ And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for."  I John 5: 14 -15

And James 1:5,6 reminds us, "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer."

I want to caution you that the "name it and cliam it stuff doesn't work MOST of the time becuase we forget the other Bible verse that wanrs us that, "...when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure." (James 4:3)

So, this is not a formula for prayer folks, but God's way of parenting.  Those of us who are parents readily recognize God's ways of giving us what we ask for because we make the same conditions to our children.

As I finish here, whatever you do today, remember the POWER of the name of Jesus.

Happy New Year!

 

 

 

 

The Prayer that Riled the Kansas Legislature

'Heavenly Father,

We come before You today to ask Your Forgiveness and seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, ''Woe to those who call evil good,'' but that's exactly what we have done. We have lost our Spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values.

We confess that; we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it pluralism;
We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism;
We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle;
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery;
We have neglected the needy and called it self preservation;
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare;
We have killed our unborn and called it choice;
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable;
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem;
We have abused power and called it political savvy;
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition;
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression;
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of this state and who have been ordained by You, to govern this great state of Kansas. Grant them your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of Your Will.

I ask in in the name of your Son, The Living Savior, Jesus Christ."
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The prayer you have just read was prayed on January 23, 1996, Pastor Joe Wright, of the Central Christian Church in Wichita, was guest chaplain to pray in the Kansas Legislature (House) that day. He prayed a prayer of repentance that was written by Bob Russell, pastor of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. According to an article in the Kansas City Star from January 24, 1996, his prayer did stir controversy and one member of the legislative body walked out. Others criticized the prayer. The controversy didn't end there. Later that year in the Colorado House, Republican representative Mark Paschall angered lawmakers by using Joe Wright's prayer as the invocation. Some members there also walked out in protest.


(truthorfiction.com)