Who did Jesus say to pray to? Does it matter?

1still_waters · Dec 10, 2012

Jesus, when giving instruction on how to pray, specifically said to pray to the Father.

Question.

Does it matter who we pray to?
Can we pray to Jesus?
Can we pray to the Holy Spirit?

Or are we only to pray to the Father, seeing that Jesus specifically said to pray to the Father?

If you don't pray only to the Father are you going against what Jesus taught?

Does any of it matter?

Disclaimer: Of course I know we're not to pray to saints, other gods, the dead, and the like.

1still_waters · Dec 10, 2012

I ask because I hear many praying to Jesus or the Holy Spirit in prayer.

Abiding · Dec 10, 2012

Jesus prayed to the Father, He told us to pray to the Father
So I took His word for it. And pray to the Father.

pickles · Dec 10, 2012

Scripture says to set your requests before God in Jesus's name with praise and thanksgiving.
So when praying one should do so in Jesus's name pray to God Our Father.
The thing is though, Jesus said, when you speak to the Father you speak to me, and when you speak to me you speak to the Father.
So, is this true in prayer, or simply in requests?
Scripture also says God gave Jesus dominion over the heavens and the earth and all there in.
So Ive puzzled on it sometimes.
So in the interest of being in scripture, I go with setting requests before God in Jesus's name, simply because scripturally this is correct.

God bless
pickles

Indubitably · Dec 10, 2012

Well Pickles, you covered it. I concur. That settles it.

Stephen63 · Dec 10, 2012

1still_waters said:

I agree. It does matter.
Hold on, did I just agree with Stilly?
*suddenly wondering if that place really can freeze over*

tek · Dec 10, 2012

It’s up to Jesus whether I’ll go to hell or heaven so you just better pray to Jesus.

GreenNnice · Dec 10, 2012

God knows our heart, but this is a good thread for recognitiin and understanding...

My Father in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.

Important to keep in mind, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit are One.

But, yes, Jesus, who was God-manifest, while on earth, did show His disciples how to pray, 'The Lord's Prayer.'

We are to pray 'in Jesus name, Scripture says, too, which clues us in on the oneness of Father and Son, both all power within , one has (God), one given (Jesus).

tek · Dec 10, 2012

Let’s go through the prayer model that you all refer to (in red)

Mathew 6:9Our Father which art in heaven

But it is Jesus who called the “Father”

Isaiah 9:6 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

Also Jesus is in heaven on the right hand of God and “Right hand” is a symbol of God’s power.

Hallowed be thy name.

But it is Jesus name that is above all other names

Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Philippians 2:9 “Wherefore God also has HIGHLY EXALTED him, (Jesus) and GIVEN him a name which is ABOVE EVERY name

Thy kingdom come .

But that kingdom belongs to Jesus

John 18:36 Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

it is all about Jesus "will" now

Mathew 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me

Give us this day our daily bread.

But Jesus is the bread!

John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

But it is Jesus who cancelled all our debts

Col 2:14 by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

And lead us not into temptation,

But it is Jesus who delivers from temptation

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:" 2 Peter 2:9

but deliver us from evil:

but it is Jesus who delivers us from evil

Gal1:4 who himself died for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.

Jesus' kingdom is forever!

Luke 1:33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

Amen

If you pray to Father and Jesus doesn't know you you are in trouble

Amen

Bookends · Dec 10, 2012

I feel most comfortable starting of with Father God, in my prayers, following that up with the recognition of who He is which is HOLY, and governor of the universe, ruler, king, majestic etc etc.

3 Min. answer from CRI--->How should Christians start their prayers? Can we pray to Jesus and the Holy Spirit? | CRI

GreenNice, I like what you said, but don't forget the Holy Spirit too, The Holy Spirit intercedes for us and helps pray for what we know not what to pray for, He groans with word that can't be expressed.. Rom. 8:26

WolfInOxHide · Dec 10, 2012

To the Father, in Jesus's name, and if you can't find a way to put your feelings into words, don't worry, the Holy Spirit takes care of it.

I believe people who innocently don't understand are not held accountable for "praying to Jesus" or "the Holy Spirit"

God understands what we don't understand, and why we don't understand it.

tek · Dec 10, 2012

WolfInOxHide said:

It's up to Jesus whether ypou get saved
Why would you pray to the Father?
Why would you pray to the Holy Spirit?

May be you meant to say"...I believe people who innocently don't understand are not held accountable for "praying to Father" or "the Holy Spirit"..."

Bookends · Dec 10, 2012

tek said:

Oh, so according to you, when Jesus was on earth so was the Father, but yet Jesus said "Our Father which art in heaven". I think Isaiah is just making a trinitian case for the 3 in 1 God we serve.

tek said:

yes, on Earth. But not necessarily in heaven or in the restored eternal state.
Isaiah 54:5
5 For your Maker is your husband,
The Lord of hosts is His name;
And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel;
He is called the God of the whole earth.

tek said:

know1 · Dec 10, 2012

tek said:

SCRIPTURE PLEASE!!!

tek · Dec 10, 2012

know1 said:

plenty of verses, here is one for example
Matthew 3:12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable

tek · Dec 10, 2012

why would you pray to Father or Holy Spirit when Jesus is the one who gives you eternal life or not

John 10:28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

if you pray to Father and Jesus doesn't know you you are in BIG troubles no matter how often you prayed to the Father or Holy Spirit or both of them simultaneously

Matthew 7:23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

loveme1 · Dec 10, 2012

tek said:

Really my friend stop using Scripture this way.

Matthew 7

Now look at it.

John 10

tek · Dec 10, 2012

loveme1 said:

Unfortunately loveme1 I believe you misunderstand the scriptures about “born again”, “saved by faith”, “Holy Spirit”, “Grace”, “eternal salvation”, “Jesus divinity”

In the passage above for example you are convinced that the expression “will of the Father” refers to the Law keeping and Sabbath but it’s far from it.

Here is the passage giving explicit explanation what the will of the Father really is

John 6:40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day

HeavenlyWarrior · Dec 10, 2012

1still_waters said:

Jesus, when giving instruction on how to pray, specifically said to pray to the Father.
Yes, He did say that and He was often heard praying to His Father. But we are also told that in praying properly after first praying to the Father we then conclude the prayer by saying "In the Name of Jesus". Therefore, one first contacts the Father, as Jesus did, and then include Jesus in the prayer as all is done In HIS name.

"And now, LORD, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal: and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus." -- ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 4:29-30 (KJV)

So in this Scripture we have a clear example of how the LORD (God the Father) is first contacted but the wonders are done by the name of Jesus.

And remember also that Jesus has said "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." -- JOHN 15:5 (KJV)

Question.

Does it matter who we pray to?
Certainly it does as just shown in the above Scriptures.

Can we pray to Jesus?
He should certainly be an INTEGRAL part of any prayer! Pray "in His name".

Can we pray to the Holy Spirit?
The most wonderful Holy Spirit is part of The Holy Trinity but we are taught to first contact the Father and then pray in the Name of Jesus (the Son), therefore, the Holy Spirit being part of the Father and the Son is automatically included in prayers.

Or are we only to pray to the Father, seeing that Jesus specifically said to pray to the Father?
He prayed to His Father, since He is His Son. Therefore, He did not pray to Himself personally but knowing full well that He is One in the Holy Trinity He did not have to therefore name Himself in His prayers.

If you don't pray only to the Father are you going against what Jesus taught?
It could be considered incomplete prayer to not pray to the Son as well as is guided in the Acts of the Apostles as just given.

Does any of it matter?
Of course it matters! And now hopefully you know how to pray and will do it the right way. Thank you for these questions and may God bless you.

Disclaimer: Of course I know we're not to pray to saints, other gods, the dead, and the like.

That is correct! We should never pray to saints or anyone else but only to God through His Divine Son Jesus Christ who is the One who answers and acts on prayers.

loveme1 · Dec 10, 2012

tek said:

Unfortunately loveme1 I believe you misunderstand the scriptures about “born again”, “saved by faith”, “Holy Spirit”, “Grace”, “eternal salvation”, “Jesus divinity”

In the passage above for example you are convinced that the expression “will of the Father” refers to the Law keeping and Sabbath but it’s far from it.

Here is the passage giving explicit explanation what the will of the Father really is

John 6:40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day

i can not speak against what the Holy Spirit teaches me to share.

Who did Jesus say to pray to? Does it matter?

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