I am an avid reader and have been reading since the age of seven on many subjects, but never the bible. Occasionally, I would hear quotes from the bible, but I had not personally bothered to search into it for myself at that point.
Then, when I started studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses and attending their meetings, I was introduced to how to pray to Jehovah God in the name of Jesus. I had never talked to God on such a personal level but when reading the Holy Scriptures, I was convinced.
NWT - Matthew 6:7
“When praying, do not say the same things over and over again as the people of the nations do, for they imagine they will get a hearing for their use of many words.”
As time passed, I started noticing many things in the JW organization that were contrary to what I believed the Holy Scriptures were teaching me. I therefore became acquainted with biblehub.com and started comparing what was quoted in the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT) with other bibles. The more I searched, the more I started questioning. I believe the Holy Scriptures should be translated but not interpreted. God speaks in many ways to each individual, according to what he/she can bear.
My world really opened up when someone close to me told me about Beroean Pickets and as I started attending its meetings, my eyes were opened to what it means to be a Christian. I learned that contrary to what I thought, there are many others who have doubts about how JW’s dogma is not what the Holy Scriptures teach.
I am comfortable with what I am learning except for the fact as to how to pray. I know I can pray to Jehovah in the name of Jesus. I am, however, left wondering how to fit Jesus into my life and prayers that is different from what I am doing
I don’t know if anyone else had or faces this struggle and if you solved it.
Eldipa
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Comment by London on 2020-11-24 10:16:02
Thank you for sharing! I feel the same. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. In this scripture you picture in your mind each person individually experiencing the power of Gods word. I had a similar embarrassing experience at a Sunday watchtower- it hurt being publicly humiliated! The conductor stated that I had to take 30 seconds or less and that’s why I needed to just repeat what is in the paragraph. Since Jesus prayed to his Father and our Father I still address the Father but feel that they both hear me. So I do talk about Jesus and express appreciation directly to him in my prayers. Still reading and researching that too! Prayers and hugs for you and your family???
Reply by Elpida on 2020-11-24 13:42:23
Thank you London for sharing your thoughts. I was just thinking that how that conductor would have felt if the Father told him to say his prayers within 30 seconds or less.
Comment by Zacheus on 2020-11-24 19:19:23
30 seconds eh? That should have applied to the long winded elders at conventions who would sum up the entire program to God in their 'final prayer'. and they ALL do it.
In my earlist days the cong would quote exactly the paragraph as before us. I would include my own experiences or questions. Later this became the norm then later still as the wts has become ever more controlling the answers went back to the 'party-line'.
Please consider that when ever the wt quotes a scripture read the the chapter either side of it and you will often as i did get a different meaning from what they are claiming.
best wishes.Reply by Elpida on 2020-11-25 06:19:39
Thank you, Zacheus. When I thought about it, like any other written material, you can't just take a sentence here and there and get the full story.
Comment by truthrooster on 2020-11-25 08:25:41
That was my biggest struggling when waking up. How to and to whom do I pray. My first year or so my prayers started with just apologies and then addressing every title and name for our Father and then His Son, and even a version of the Trinity just in case. It was the hardest thing to be patient for and to have understanding of. I am now so much more confident in that respect now that I realize that Jesus model prayer actually WAS an example. God IS our Father and we can be more than just acquaintances. We are His Children and Jesus is not only our active King, but our brother. Religion is what makes it all complicated.
Reply by Elpida on 2020-11-25 10:39:09
Truthrooster. You're right. Depending on the religion, each one slants the Holy Scriptures to fit into its dogma.
Comment by Domine Ivimus on 2020-11-27 02:59:34
Hello Elpida
This was absolutely a huge issue for me. As a witness I dared not address a single word directly to Jesus, I was taught we should only pray to Jehovah.
But then after being out for a while I read John 14:14 in the NWT Interlinear and noticed that the translators had deliberately left out the word “me” so that “if ever anything you should ask ME in the name of me this I shall do” in the Interlinear becomes “If you ask anything in my name, I will do it”. So as a witness if I wanted Jesus to do something for me, I would have to ask Jehovah to ask Jesus (in his name) to do it. Making Jehovah the mediator between us and Christ!
Once my synapses had settled down again (that verse had blown a few fuses) it made sense that to have a life-saving relationship with Jesus (John 17:3) I was going to have to TALK to him. And that was difficult for me to initiate at first, to the point where I ended up for a while praying to him.
In time though I changed my approach. I took the lead from the Lord’s prayer where Jesus taught us to address Jehovah as our Father. Something I couldn’t find any of the faithful in the Old Testament doing. Jesus opened the way to this wonderful new relationship with God. And I also noted particularly in Acts that on a number of occasions Christians spoke directly to Jesus.
And that is where I am now. When I pray I address Jehovah as Father, and everything I ask him or thank him for I do in Jesus’ name. And then also at other times I speak directly to Jesus and address him as LordReply by Elpida on 2020-11-27 07:36:54
Oh thank you, Domine. This is so helpful to me to know that you had problems too addressing Jesus. It is getting easier for me but not yet stress-free or natural. I can now put God and Jesus in proper perspective. Thank you so much.
Reply by Domine Ivimus on 2020-11-28 05:03:03
Hi Elpida
It is a big change. We almost need to “re-program” ourselves. I had a similar battle over the Divine Name and what I should use. These are big things I think for exJWs who still believe in God and ChristReply by Elpida on 2020-12-01 07:02:13
Hi Domine: Yes, I call it unlearning. All we want is The Truth.
Reply by Frankie on 2020-11-29 19:19:24
Hi Elpida. Almost everyone I know, whom God awakened and drew to His Son (including me), had your prayer problems. Your worries, and perhaps the stress, while praying to Jehovah or talking to Jesus, your loved ones, are the result of manipulation with Bible texts and the mind programming. Why create human rules and sections of the law for approaching God and his Son when we have the Bible?
Who can stop you from talking to your beloved Lord and brother? Nobody. Your sentence: "I can now put God and Jesus in proper perspective" is important. Yes, Jehovah is your heavenly Father and God, and you worship Him, and Jesus is His only begotten Son and you can talk to him.
After all, Jehovah understands you. He knows you best and He knows very well that you worship Him and consider Him your God in your heart. He also knows very well your relation to His beloved Son. So whether you pray to Jehovah, your God, and you call him "my heavenly Father", or talk to His Son and you call him "my Lord", Jehovah always knows what you mean. He knows that He is the almighty God for you, and that you worship Him, and He knows your order of importance best.
There are examples in the Bible for talking to Jesus (1 Cor 1: 2). When I speak to Jesus, I address Him: "Lord Jesus, my Redeemer and Savior, please come to this world a second time (Revelation 22:17). Thank you for standing by me, for if you are with me, I will not be afraid of anything (2 Tim 4:18). Shine me on Your path so that I may see Your footsteps well (1 Pet 2:21), for You are the light of the world (John 8:12). You are the way, the truth and the life, and I want to live in the truth on that path (John 14: 6). You are a good shepherd, wherever You go, I want to go like the sheep follows its shepherd (John 10:11; Luke 9:57). If I weaken, please strengthen me (2 Tim 4:17), if I fall, lift me up, and if I want to wander away, take my hand and bring me back (John 17:12). And I ask You for my health, may it be easier (2 Cor 12:8)." And maybe many more personal thoughts.
Simply express what is in your heart, for you speak with your beloved ones, with your God, and with his Son, your brother. Will anyone other understand you better? Don't be afraid to talk to our Lord. Your love will drive away fear because:
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear ......” (1 John 4:18)
God bless you, Elpida
FrankieReply by Elpida on 2020-12-01 06:58:55
Hi Frankie: I love the way you have explained that God our Father and Jesus, our Redeemer, knows us well. You're right, I am stressing and worrying when God already knows what I feel in my heart. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I needed to let go of the guilt I feel and worry about leaving one or the other out. I am grateful for your views and the others who expressed them. I am gaining more confidence in my devotion to God our Father and the Lord. Thank you.
Reply by Frankie on 2020-12-01 14:19:12
Hi DI, thank you for your experience. You are right, such change (from GB to Jesus) is often big change. It is caused by God’s touch, because Jehovah Himself draws a man to Jesus Christ (John 6:44).
I would like to point out John 14:14, where the word "me" is discussed by various biblical commentators. Not only NWT, but also many other translations omit this word. On the other hand, word “me” is in most interlinears, but it is not in all manuscripts that form sources for translations. Interestingly, many biblical commentators in Biblehub work with texts without this “me”.
This verse was issue for me, as well. Thank you for your impulse to think about this verse again. Maybe my thoughts will be useful.
My first question is - Who to ask for?
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The wording “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it” does not occur elsewhere in John, but there are phrases without “me” there - right in previous verse: “And I will do whatever you ask in my name”, or in John 15:16; 16:23,26 - “ whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you“; “ ... my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name”, “In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf”.
In John, Jesus tells the disciples to ask the Father in his (Jesus’) name, except John 14:14. Why the “me” is only there? At first glance, this information seems to be redundant. Maybe it would be enough to say: "If you ask me anything, I will do it". The repetition pointing Jesus - ask me, in my name - perhaps emphasizes that Jesus himself gives and acts, but not only that.
Is direct asking or prayer to Jesus an act of worship that belongs only to Jehovah? I do not think so. What about Stephen (Acts 7:59), Paul (2 Cor 12:8) or John (Rev 22:20)? In these 1st century cases, Jesus was already enthroned as King, with all power and authority in heaven and on earth (Matt 28:18). But this power was given to him by his Father, Jehovah, who was and is and will be the almighty God forever.
My second question is - Who gives?
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You wrote interested thought about “making Jehovah the mediator between us and Christ” on the basis of John 14:14.
There are verses about Jesus’ action - John 14:13-14, yet there are verses about Jehovah’s action - John 15:16; 16:23,26.
So who acts?
Perfect unity
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I think that answering the questions "Who to ask for?" and "Who gives?" lies in the verse John 14:10 -
“Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.”
So, for example, if I directly ask Jesus for health (such as Paul), I turn to my King, who has all the power that comes from Jehovah. And it is Jehovah who acts in Jesus, because they both are in perfect unity (John 17:21).
It is Jehovah who always acts:
- Either directly (John 15:16; 16:23,26)
- Or in Jesus (John 14:13-14)
I think, the phrase “ ... it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” is crucial. When Jesus tells us to ask the Father in his name, he emphasized the irreplaceable role of Jehovah, whether something is done by Jehovah Himself or through Jesus. Moreover, only because of faith in Jesus we have the right to be the children of God. Therefore, it is appropriate to use the phrase "in the name of Jesus Christ" as Jesus teaches us and hence we don’t use Jehovah as a mediator between Jesus and us.
But the phrase "in the name of Jesus Christ" is not a clause of law. If I would be in a critical situation and would have a few seconds to ask for help and I turn directly to Jesus, would Jesus refuse the help? Or refuse Jehovah to help me if I did not use “in the name of Jesus Christ“? Definitely not. Therefore, it is ridiculous if a religious organization sets rules for access to the Son and to the Father, or even prevents Christians from talking to their King.
According to Jehovah's will, all things have to be retrieved through the Son, who is the only Savior. And the Son will do “so that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).
As to final paragraph of your comment - it is the same with me.
Peace and love to you.
FrankieReply by Domine Ivimus on 2020-12-04 02:16:20
Hello Frankie
I love the way you reason on this, thank you.
As I read through your comment, other scriptures leapt to my mind which I think add weight to what we are discussing
Luke 4:7,8. Jesus, when being tempted by Satan, left us in no doubt who we should worship. “it is Jehovah God you should worship, and to HIM ALONE you must render sacred service” (NWT).
We are reminded of this in Rev 22:8,9 when John falls down at the feet of the angel to worship him, and the angel says “Do not do that.... WORSHIP GOD”
So we are clear about a type of worship that is exclusive to God. But not being able to talk to Jesus no sense. You cite some great examples of the early Christians doing just that. I’d like to add Acts 9, where Jesus speaks to Saul (Paul) and then has a conversation with Ananias. And if we have any doubt as to which Lord the account refers to, in verse 5 Jesus identifies himself to Saul, and then Ananias identifies him in verse 17 as Lord Jesus.
Thank you again Frankie, and Elpida, you have started something here ?Reply by Frankie on 2020-12-06 13:57:11
Thank you DI, very good scriptures.
Comment by Chet on 2020-12-08 14:09:01
I will offer this from my own experience. A friend of mine, who left the JWs told me that I should pray to Jesus. I asked guidance on the matter in my prayers and came to the conclusion that I would ask of the Father, in Jesus’ name. This seems in harmony with what Jesus taught.