Do You Talk To Jesus?

[Steve W]

How do you personally interact with Jesus? - How do you interact with him on a daily basis - Do you talk to him, ask him questions, ask him to intervene in your life? - What kind of things do you ask him or say to him? What does scripture teach us about this in the New Testament?

[Steve W]

Some time after the resurrection of Jesus, Stephen, when being stoned in Jerusalem:

1. spoke to Jesus whilst 'calling upon God' - addressing Jesus direct
2. asked Jesus to receive his spirit at his death
3. prayed that Jesus would forgive the sins of his persecutors

"And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep." (Acts 7:59)

This establishes a pattern for us to follow, showing that Jesus hears prayer, answers prayer, and Jesus receives the spirit of his brethren at death.

[steveyb3]

Depends what you mean by Spirit. Why does he not accept our immortal soul instead?

There is one God and one mediator between man and God, the man Jesus Christ.

Jesus is now the High Priest, making intercession for his erring brethren. The High Priest was never prayed to in Israel.

If you pray to Jesus, are you not neglecting God? How do you decide how much to pray to each one? If God does not answer your prayer, should you pray to Jesus?

[Steve W]

Steveyb - couple of points here - It's not what I mean by spirit here - I'm quoting scripture - similarly, I am not speculating from my own logic here about talking to Jesus - is it not important to submit to scripture on this - I presented above the first example of a Christian disciple in the early church talking direct to the ascended Jesus, and enacting something as significant as his final living words before death, and the committal of his very self into the hands of Jesus as he died. May I ask, is this something you might do Steveyb when you face your death?

[dkiversen]

Originally Posted by Steve W

Steveyb - couple of points here - It's not what I mean by spirit here - I'm quoting scripture - similarly, I am not speculating from my own logic here about talking to Jesus - is it not important to submit to scripture on this - I presented above the first example of a Christian disciple in the early church talking direct to the ascended Jesus, and enacting something as significant as his final living words before death, and the committal of his very self into the hands of Jesus as he died. May I ask, is this something you might do Steveyb when you face your death?

It's always important to look at the context of a verse.

Acts 7:54-60
Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Stephen sees God and Jesus as different with Jesus at the right hand of God.

God has delegated judgement to Jesus (John 5:25-29), so we commit our spirit to him as he now decides who will and won't be resurrected. It's now referred to as the Lamb's Book of Life (Revelation 13:8, 21:27).

I sometimes speak directly to Jesus as my mediator in prayer, asking him to present my words, and feelings too deep to express in words, acceptably to his God and Father.

[Steve W]

dk - you say you speak directly to Jesus in prayer.

So (correct me if I'm wrong here) presumably you think that Jesus is able to actually hear you, and has the ability to respond to your requests ..... and that of the many thousands / millions of other people who are doing so at any one time all over the world? (something that no 'normal' human being could ever do...)

What I'm trying to get at here is... is Jesus mono-located (elsewhere) and unavailable (clearly you dont think so if you pray to him)

or is his location in heaven 'connected' / 'connectable' to each person alive, and therefore he is 'available' for interaction with us all, and consequently 'able' to enact multiple and 'supernatural/spiritual' (over and above normal laws of nature etc.) responses...

(Fear not - I know we cannot know HOW this works!!! but it's good to know whether or not we can talk to Jesus / come to him / interact with him legitimately and actually)

[Peter]

yes. The Scriptures do support the notion of parying to Jesus when it says that we are to call upon him. And there is no doubt he wields the power.
Interestingly I find myelf praying to him about the more human things and problems.

[steveyb3]

I was trying to focus on what the Greek word for spirit means not what preconceived human ideas say a spirit is.

If, by the grace of God, before my death (if Christ has not returned in my lifetime) I have time to utter words, God willing, I will pray to God through the mediatorship of the Lord Jesus Christ.

For those who say you can pray to Christ, please can you provide some verses?

[Peter]

Dear Steveyb3
There is a whole heap of stuff on another thread where people have touched on this issue (eg Should Jesus be worshipped? )
Without going into depth again, here is a quick outline of the case for:
Rom 10, 1 Cor 1 - say saints are to call upon the Lord Jesus - where call upon can mean to ask for assistance
There are a number of brief prayers directed at Jesus in Acts and the Epistles
There are OT prophecies which indicate that in the kingdom prayers will be directed to him (eg Psalm 102)
Finally I will finish with a question "does Jesus have the authority to forgive sins?"

Having said all of that it seems a majority of prayers are directed at the Father.

[Steve W]

1. "Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me:... I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." (John 14:14-19)

2. "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" (2 Corinthians 13:5)

3. "Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you." (1Thess 3:11)

4. "Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work." (2 Thess 2:16)

5. "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;" (1 Tim 1:12)

6. "The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit." (2 Tim 4:22)

7. "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:3)

8. "These things saith the Son of God"... "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Rev 3:19)

9. "All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (matthew 11:27)

10. "I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." (John 16:7)

11. "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord" ( 1 Cor 1:2)

12. "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." (1 John 5:12-15)

13. "But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." (Heb 7:24)

14. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?...And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me" (Matthew 7:21)

15. "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." (John 5:39)

16. "And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately" (Acts 9:34)

17. "And if Christ be in you..." (Romans 8:10)

18. "Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us..." (Romans 15:7)

19. "I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me." (Phil 4:13)

[Peter]

To SteveW and Steveyb3
I made a list this morning of quotes which indicate prayer to Jesus is OK.



I contend that in the NT that the title Lord refers to Jesus and God to the Father . Look at the following – just a small sample.
Jam 5:8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
2Pe 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout,
1Th 3:11 Now may our God and Father Himself
Phl 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2Cr 2:14 Now thanks [be] to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ,
2Cr 3:4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God.
Gal 3:18 For if the inheritance [is] of the law, [it is] no longer of promise; but God gave [it] to Abraham by promise.
Gal 4:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
Eph 6:23 Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Phl 2:11 and [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
1Ti 5:21 I charge [you] before God and the Lord Jesus Christ
Act 13:17 The God of this people Israel chose our fathers
Act 13:33 God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus.
Here is what appears to be prayers to the Lord Jesus or quotes supporting the notion
Act 1:24 And they prayed and said, "You, O Lord (ie Jesus see verse 21), who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen
Act 7:59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on [God] and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
Act 7:60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin."
Act 8:24 Then Simon answered and said, "Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me."
Act 4:29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,
1Th 3:11 Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. 1Th 3:12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we [do] to you, 1Th 3:13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
2Th 2:16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given [us] everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, 2Th 2:17 comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
2Th 3:5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.
Th 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord [be] with you all.
1Ti 1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting [me] into the ministry,
2Ti 1:16 The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain;
2Ti 1:18 The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day
2Ti 4:22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
Jam 5:15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
Col 1:3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
Eph 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gal 6:18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with your spirit. Amen.
1Cr 16:23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with you.
Rom 10:12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him (cp 1Cor 1)

[steveyb3]

Steve W, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 say nothing about praying to Jesus. Even 5 and 11 are debatable. Thanks for your input though.

Peter, thanks for your post. I don't have time to go through them thoroughly at the moment but from a first glance, a lot of the verses given aren't explicitly prayers to Jesus.

[Steve W]

Steveyb3 - let me just take the first of your claims - that my point 1. is not about praying.... What is praying if not asking the ascended Jesus something in his name, and him granting it in response? To be honest I think you perhaps missed the wider point of what I was proving here friend. Let me reiterate what I said.... "scriptures re. brethren interacting DIRECT with Jesus in the 'here and now'"

From the scriptures I provided we see - Jesus Christ:

1. hears us when we ask him for things in his name
2. grants our requests himself
3. is within us - actually inside us if we are believers
4. actually actively Jesus directs our walk
5. Jesus himself comforts us in the here and now
6. establishes our words and our works
7. enables us
8. Jesus initiates our personal ministry under God
9. Has real fellowship with us
10. Is with our spirit
11. speaks to us so we 'hear his voice'
12. responds to our response to his voice / call on our lives
13. that we are to 'come unto Jesus' and HE is the only way to know God
14. if we ask Jesus anything according to his will he hears us and answers
15. he saves us if we come to God through him - actually go to Jesus for salvation
16. at the judgement, the deciding factor was whether we had a real relationship with Jesus - whether he knew us in this way, whatever we may have done in his name
17. that all things I do because Jesus is actually strengthening me in life.

And you ask whether we can even pray to him? What is prayer then? The above list seems to pretty well sum up prayer I think. Steveyb3 - do you know Jesus in your life? - He has been given all power in heaven and on earth - ALL power!

[Peter]

There is a real need for us Christadelphians to bring our focus back onto the Lord.
We tend to think we a re saved by reading the Bible and believing. However a closer look at Romans 10 shows that hearing and believing are aimed at getting us to call upon the Lord. It is the Lord who saves us (That's what his name Jesus is all about)
Christadelphians have been labelled at times Bibliophiles and worshippers of a book rather than a person.
Note some of these passages:
Rom 3:22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe

knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ,

Gal 2:20 I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Gal 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Col 1:4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus

Col 2:5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your [good] order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

They tend to show that Our faith should be centred on the Son of God.

[steveyb3]

Indeed. And how does one acquire faith. Faith comes from hearing the Word of God. (Romans 10:17). I agree sometimes we're too centred on the Words on the page.

Steve W, asking GOD for something in JESUS'S NAME is not praying to Jesus. It is praying through/by/in Jesus e.g. through the Mediatorship of the Great High Priest.

1. God hears us when we ask for things in Jesus' name.
2. God grants our requests
3. Jesus is metaphorically inside of us if we have been baptized
4. Jesus directs our walk as we follow his words which are recorded in the Bible
5. Jesus comforts us by helping us in our temptations and by the Words which he spoke which are recorded in the Bible.
6. He establishes us if he follow his teachings which he said which are recorded in the Bible.
7- end. Etcetera

Prayer is from man to God through intercession of a High Priest. I know who Jesus is as he is recorded in the Bible. I "know" him if I follow his teaching.

When Jesus said, wherever two or three gather in my name, there am I with them, do you think it means that his "spirit" fellowships the group when they meet together?

[Steve W]

Yes.

The presence of Jesus is no way 'metaphoric'?

"[God] has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence." (Col 1:13-22)

And where is this majestic pre-eminent Christ.....?....

"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col 1:27)

Your very hope of glory (salvation) DEPENDS on Christ being in you - best not be a metaphor!

[Steve W]

"That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full." (1 John 1)

"Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." (Rom 8:9)

"The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit" (2 Tim 4:22)

This is vital to salvation - not the language of metaphor. Our faith in Christ involves a relationship with Christ.
Jesus is the door - no man comes to the Father but by him. This is not theory but practical reality. He is not a 'password', or a 'reference' - He IS the door - we must go through him - which involves doing business with Jesus direct - each of us - we must "come unto [Jesus] to find rest for our souls".

"I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." (John 10:9)

If all power in heaven and earth is given to him, and if by him all things consist, and if he promises to hear you, and comfort you, and respond to you, and save you, how can you not even talk to him? I am genuinely confused by your position.

"As many as I [Jesus] love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I [Jesus] stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice [Jesus's voice], and open the door, I [Jesus] will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Rev 3:19-20)

[steveyb3]

If any man does not have the Spirit of Christ= if any man does not have a Christ-like spirit. Christ is "in us" if we do what he commands.

Of course the presence of Jesus is metaphoric. We fellowship him by eating his flesh and blood (symbolic) and accepting Jesus as the Atonement-Cover (Mercy-Seat).

Jesus rebuking and disciplining those he loves doesn't mean we pray to him.

[Steve W]

Dear friend - this is not talking about us doing works - we are not saved that way.... you seem to be advocating a form of religion based on works / obedience to 'commands' (I'm not for one minute suggesting we dont need to be obedient - this is very important!!! but not what essentially 'saves us')

This is where Israel stumbled....

"but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone." (i.e they would not go to Jesus for salvation, but relied on their own works / obedience) (Romans 9:31)

It's not about us obeying Christ in our own strength, even by praying to God (as do many people who also stumble at the stumbling stone - Jesus) - It's about the REALITY of the Spirit of God being inside us, making us holy from the inside out, and this only comes from and through Jesus, not by our own strength / wisdom ...

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;" (Titus 3:5)

You tell me we cannot talk to our saviour!! - This is quite inexplicable. Why not - can he not hear you? is his arm too short that it cannot save?

Again - I am describing genuine, real 'here and now', interaction with the risen glorified Jesus, who has ALL POWER in heaven and earth (not a metaphor)

- Rev 3:21 and the other verses shared above prove this reality - the 17 scriptures show real-time non-metaphoric interaction between Jesus Christ and his brethren - Sons of God - those saved by the "washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost - shed abundantly on us through Jesus Christ" - (these events / phenomena do not describe anything we do - it's all of him) - He sheds the Spirit upon us abundantly - He washes us, He regenerates us - all through Jesus who saves us - Jesus our saviour - Jesus saves! And all for the asking - what grace! what free salvation! what blessing and mercy God has towards us in Christ!

[steveyb3]

Do you not see the danger of praying to Christ instead of/as well as God? Which do we pray to more? Do we pray to one for one set of problems and one to another? Do we think, "I had less success with praying to God last time, I'll try Jesus this time..."

We can pray to our Saviour. I am the Saviour and there is none else is what God said in the Old Testament. Jesus is God's salvation. We thank God for Jesus. John 3:16, "For God so loved the world..." Christ's life is given by God. Christ dying on the cross demonstrates the love and righteousness of God. I thank God for Christ. However, likewise as I don't pray to Moses even though he did great things for me (it was God working through Moses), I don't pray to Christ (who was nothing without God). "I can do nothing of myself." "Why callest thou me good?" "The Father is greater than I." I love Christ. I love what he did for God and for everyone. I don't pray to him though. I pray through him.