Asking Jesus By NAME (11.26.13)

John 16,24: "Until now you have not asked anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and so your joy will be complete."

Acts 2,21: "All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved." This is what we do in an adult baptism.

There is perhaps no more loving respect we can show to a person than remembering his or her name, and then using it.

Jesus expects no less!

And yet pride sometimes keeps us from using other people's names, let alone asking for help.

Jesus, and all scripture, teaches that the NAME of the Lord God, uttered in faith brings to bear his presence and power and attention and answers. 

The book of Acts is all about the unstoppable initial spread of our faith in Jerusalem to the ends of the world, because of the power of the NAME of Jesus! (Acts 3,16; Acts 9,14; 22,16).

Today we need Jesus NAME just as much as the Apostle Peter did announcing the gospel to his whole nation on the Solomon's Portch of the temple. It was the power and conviction of Jesus' NAME that kept him going right back to the Temple of his people and nation (Acts 3,2).

But when we often stand in front of a church nowadays, how many names come before Jesus' NAME?

1. First, there is the name of the religious denomination;

2. then the name of the individual church (which is also often somebody's else's name, or perhaps a name that sounds like a country club);

3. then the name and title of the Pastor, and those who work for the church. (How often do we hear "I go to fill in the blank's church!")

I'm not against churches having corporate structures, or names, or pastors (who all have names), but there's a way these can come before Jesus and His powerful NAME.

So, 1Corinthians 1,2 defines us as "those everywhere who call on the NAME of our the Lord Jesus Christ." That would be a good name for a church! (see also 2Timothy2,22)

Acts 2,21 says that calling on his NAME-in baptism and throughout our lives of faith- is required  for salvation. (see also Acts 4,12 and Romans 10,9)

Before Jesus died and rose in glory he clearly tells his closest disciples in John 16, as part of his long farewell address to them, that his glorious name will have great power and efficacy.

But no name has any power or love in it until it is used!

Recently Br. Tobin and Zion Pentecost Mission, with and by faith, have joyfully been praying for folks using the mighty NAME of Jesus, particularly in Connecticut and Vermont, and all around New Haven County.

There are all kinds of prayers using the mighty NAME of Jesus:

1. for physical and spiritual healing;

2. in supplication for the necessities of life;

3. for intercession in a crisis such as a marital break-up or job loss;

4. in thanksgiving upon receiving blessings;

5. for repentance and salvation;

6. for deliverance;

7. for a stage of life blessing or journey such as going off to college.

The list of ways to pray and the subjects to address are only limited by our faith and humility in asking Jesus for help and using his wonderful NAME.

There is no human or scriptural knowledge, no experience, no amount of worldly wisdom, and no educational, monetary, or job or other societal attainment, that can replace the wisdom of praying in faith, using Jesus' NAME.

Do you need someone to pray with?

Call Brother Tobin at 203.200.9177.

Lord Jesus I ask you to give all your people in all the world the confidence to reach out to you in prayer- to cast all their cares on you for you care for all of them.

In Jesus' Mighty NAME I pray.