In Jesus’ name…

So often at the end of our prayer, we say those three little words..."In Jesus' name...Amen." But do you ever really think about what that means? To pray in the holy name of Jesus?

Have you ever thought about how much power is in His name?

While Jesus walked on this earth, blind men were given sight. Lame men walked. Storms were calmed. A dead man was raised back to life. Thousands were fed from a few loaves and fishes. Lepers were healed. Even at the sound of His name, lost are saved. The enemy has to leave. The weak find strength. Every fear is wiped away. The sick are healed. Lives are transformed. Why would I hope and pray in anyone else’s name but Jesus?

Jesus even says this, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Fater. You may ask me for anything in my name and I will do it.” He teaches us to pray and ask for things in His name….

It isn’t a magic formula by any means. It is not as though Jesus is saying, whatever you pray for, it will be given to you. Absolutely not. Maybe when we pray for a new car…or to find a parking spot…or to win the lottery…I don’t know if we can really expect God to give us those things. But what I think it is saying is that when we do pray for the things that bring glory to His Father, He will provide them. When we pray for things that seek to bring His name the praise and honor it deserves, I know prayer has the power to do amazing things. So tonight, I ask that you join us in praying in the authority and holiness of Jesus’ name for two specific things:

1. In a little over one month from today, Ace Hoops is headed to Guatemala! We are excited to begin another partnership with an amazing ministry outside of our borders at Casa Para Ninos Aleluya…and after having our first meeting this weekend, we are excited about our team beginning this journey with us from Concordia Nebraska! I know it is going to be an incredible week! But we need to pray. Pray that God would equip us and prepare our hearts for what He is going to do in and through us while in Guatemala. Pray that God would lead us and that He would remain the focus of everything we do. Pray that it would be a week where God is glorified and lives are changed…
2. This Saturday we have another week of programming at Powderhorn Park in South Minneapolis. We are going to be playing basketball of course, but also learning about what this holy week is all about. Pray that God would open the hearts of these boys to understand that Christ paid the ultimate price for each of us on the cross, and that they would feel the weight of that. Pray that they would realize it is more than a story and that it would change them at the core of who they are. Pray that the boys would know that Christ found them worth dying for, and that He has conquered death…and they have nothing to fear when they know and trust Him. Pray that God would soften their hearts to the incredible Gospel this weekend…

In His name there is power and there is hope that great things will happen. And we will pray for nothing less.
So expect great things with us and join us in praying that God is glorified through it all!