The apostle John wrote how Jesus told His disciples, “you now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man takes from you. And in that day you shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have you asked nothing in my name: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time comes, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father”, and in chapter sixteen and verse twenty-six of his book John shared how Jesus told His disciples, “I will pray the Father for you” where we read:
At that day you shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
The verse reads, “At that day you shall ask in my name:” John began with the words, “At that day” which means “and when the time or season comes” “you shall ask” or “you, disciples of Jesus, will inquire, request and desire” “in my name” which means “in my, Jesus', name and everything the name covers including the thoughts or feelings which are aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing and remembering” and the following would occur. John shared how Jesus told His disciples at the time He was showing them “plainly of the Father”, they would make “requests” in His “name” and the following would happen.
The verse goes on to say , “and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:” John continued with the words, “and I say not unto you” or “and I, Jesus, utter, declare and proclaim to you, disciples of Jesus”, “that I will pray” which means “that I, Jesus, will request, entreat, beg and beseech” “the Father” or “the Heavenly Father God” “for you” which means “on your, disciples of Jesus, behalf”. John shared how Jesus said when His disciples made “requests” in His name, He would “beseech” His Heavenly Father God on their behalf.
When we consider John's words in this verse, we learn how there is a pattern to requests in prayer. Jesus told His disciples they should “pray” or “ask” in His name, and this would cause Jesus to go to His Father and “ask” Him for whatever they needed. We should note that these were “disciples” of Jesus who had “denied themselves, taken up their cross and followed Him”, and whatever they requested and desired in His name was not to be for selfish reasons but rather to glorify God. God's desire is to have a personal, intimate relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and when they make request in His Son Jesus' name, Jesus will pray for them. God loves people, and those who are wise will understand Jesus' statement to His disciples and surrender to Him in the same manner as they.
Next time John shares how Jesus tells His disciples, “the Father himself loves you”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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