Jeff Jacoby, a Boston Globe columnist writing in Jewish World Review Feb. 1, 2001, said this:

"In America, a non-Christian need not answer "Amen" to an explicitly Christian prayer. We are free to remain silent -- a freedom that countless Jews, living in far less tolerant times and places, could only dream of. This is a society where members of minority faiths live and worship without fear, secure in the hospitality and liberty that America extends to all religions. If a rabbi, invited to deliver a public prayer, invoked "the G-d of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" -- or if an imam opened "in the name of Allah, the merciful and compassionate" -- no reasonable Christian would object. Why then should anyone take it amiss when a Christian prays in the name of Jesus?"

I consider that praying in Jesus name means that the I accept the authority of the Holy Spirit to edit my prayer to what I really OUGHT to be praying rather than what my flesh might say. Consider prayer of the psalmist in Psalm 137:7-9.

What are your thoughts? By the way, I am not trying to start another rubarb but an intelectual discussion.

Blessings, Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2001

Answers

Dear Rev. Paris,

" I consider that praying in Jesus name means that I accept the authority of the Holy Spirit to edit my prayer to what I really OUGHT to be praying rather than what my flesh might say." Your statement contains so much profound truth that very little else can be said. Nevertheless, I would love so much to hear a sermon about what it truly means to ask for things in Jesus name.

JazzMan

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2001

As Christians we should pray in the name of Jesus as he is our intercessor with the Father.

-- Anonymous, July 07, 2001

I have always veiwed it this way;

The Bible tells us to if we ask anything according to the Father's will, He hears us, and if He hears us, then we know we HAVE the things we desired.

Also, we know that Jesus was honored by His Father because, as He said, "I do always those things that please Him."

Now, if we do not know how to pray, then we should ask God for wisdom, not doubting at all that He will give us that wisdom that we ask for. If we second guess or waver in our assurance that we have recieved that wisdom, then we do not recieve the wisdom! "Let not that man think that he shall recieve anything." Faith is taking God at His word. If He said He will give us wisdom, then He will.

Now, when we were given the freedom by Jesus to pray in His name, we were given a great freedom, along with a great responsibility. It is the same as the authority delegated to a company secretary, to use the letterhead of the boss. In other words, Jesus gave us a blank check of His own, and said we are authorised to use His authority in withdrawing funds from the family account.

However, if we stray outside of doing the Father's will, as Jesus himself did, then we have no right to use His name in our prayers. Because our position of authority under Him is dependant on our remaining obedient as He was.

-- Anonymous, July 07, 2001