"...in Your name we pray, Amen."

That's probably because most people pray directly to Jesus, rather than pray to God through the name of Jesus. I constantly hear prayers that start off with "Dear Jesus..." So I figure maybe most people are talking to Jesus from the start, so they just say "in your name". Or they're just repeating how they've heard others pray, and don't really think any meaning into it at all.

I guess the question is who we should pray to. I personally don't pray to Jesus anymore than I do to the Holy Father. I pray to God in the name of Jesus, thanking him for Jesus, asking for such and such of his Holy Spirit, but it's always to God directly. My reasoning is that it was half the point...Christ's death made God directly accessible to us ...no earthly medium needed as in days of old.

 

I don't usually say the 'magic words' when I finish praying

IMO, when we pray we ought to be praying a prayer that Christ might pray.
That is praying in His name.

Rob

 

I think that it is a reminder to us that it is only through Christ that we even have the privilege of entering God's presence even if by prayer.

 

The "In your name" is something I've heard off and on for quite a while.

I'm a "Heavenly Father" type when I pray outloud with the kiddos or such, when I pray on my own I never thought of using any form of address, and I usually don't close with anything. I think the openings and closings are structured, more formal ways of praying that are perfectly appropriate when praying out loud with others.

I've never heard any say it's to the Father, through the Holy Spirit, in the name of Jesus. I don't see why it wouldn't be though. It would be the Spirit in us that prompts us to pray, and as Christians, that's the Holy Spirit, and we do pray to God, and we are told to ask things in the name of Jesus. So yeah, sounds good to me!

Prayer is important though, so good topic. We're always encouraged to pray, by pastors and family and such, but maybe the method is something that should be briefly addressed. Christ DID give us an example, but I don't hear people use it often. I'm sure churches don't need to spend a ton of time on the topic of how to pray, but it would be nice to discuss it maybe once a year as a church, to make sure every member has the basics.

 

Actually Webdog we are told to pray in Jesus' name.

John 14:14 (New King James Version)
14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

I do believe this is the truth again that the only access to the Father is through the Son and not a magic phrase to be added to the end of prayers to assure God does what we ask.

Blessings,

Bro Tony

 

A good book on this subject is Praying Backwards by Bryan Chapell. In a nutshell, praying in Jesus's name is an acknowledgement that it is through his righteousness only (and not our own) that we can approach God, that he is continuing to intercede for us, and that we are asking for things in accordance with his will and according to his purposes in order to bring honor to his name.

 

How many would agree that "In Jesus' Name, Amen," is like saying "Sign me off as Jesus, Amen." ???

How many would move the comma in John 14:14, so that it reads like this:

14 If you ask anything, in My Name I will do it,

which says, in effect, that it won't be done because of any special righteousness that the praying person has, but as though Jesus had thought of it in the first place (which is precisely what happens when one realizes that it is the Holy Spirit who woo's the praying person to pray and then provides the language to be used.)

I'm just asking, okay? No traps, no hidden agenda, I promise!

 

It is confusion that causes one to address the Father and then claim to be praying "in your name." It stems from trying to pray "in Jesus' name" to Jesus himself, even though it is not his office to hear and answer prayer.

The three persons of the Trinity have their scriptural roles and we have no authority from God to reassign them. But it happens, and I usually hear it defended on the basis of someone's theology and its supposed logical implications (which render the scriptural teachings on prayer moot).

 

Yeah, I get the point here. Ending the prayer with "in Jesus' name-- Amen" comes out sounding like "KMA-367-321."

And people who don't make it a practice of praying, if they finally do voice one, will start out with an 'introduction' like, "Lord I you haven't heard from me in quite a while, but...." That's like one time on All in the Family Archie Bunker, because it was a holiday or one of those 'occasions' where you ought to say grace, began: "Lord-- A.Bunker here....."

Bell and Marconi probably did not intend to reshape the perception of what prayer is or how it works.

 

Joh 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Joh 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

 

Ro 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.


As I understand it,we pray to the father,by the Holy Spirit,in the name of the Son .