I was raised Roman Catholic and taught it's "okay" to pray to or talk to anyone who is deceased (anyone outside the Trinity). There was particular encouragement to pray to Mary. The priests would say, "We pray to her for intercession, because Jesus will never deny His mother." Through careful Scripture study and gaining doctrinal understanding, I am grateful to now understand several Biblical points that debunk that teaching: 1. Only Jesus (Heb 7:25) and the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:26) are identified in Scripture as our intercessors. Nowhere in Scripture is Mary (or any other dead person) identified as such. 2. The notion that "Jesus will never deny His mother" assumes she would take our direct prayer requests to Him. Scripture notes that our prayers are answered if we pray for something within the will of God. What is faulty about the RCC doctrine is that it doesn't account for prayers to Mary that are in conflict with God's will. What would Jesus do in that instance? If He won't deny His mother, then their teaching covertly places Mary above God in authority - Jesus can't deny her even if the request is outside the will of God. This scenario dethrones God - something Lucifer attempted to do. In this way, the practice is idolatrous. God stated in the 10 Commandments that He will not share His glory. 3. In the OT, the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies annually to confess the sins of the people of Israel. Upon Christ's death on the cross, the curtain of the Holy of Holies was torn in two from top to bottom - meaning God did it! This was a sign of His acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus (the perfect Lamb), and notification that all are now welcome to approach the throne of grace (Heb 4:16). The precious blood of Christ Jesus literally provides us access directly to God our Father! Thus, praying to anyone else (outside the 3-in-1 Godhead) is idolatrous in that it literally steps on the blood of the Lamb and the sacrifice He made for us. This morning I give thanks to Jesus for providing me/us access to God our Father in prayer through His spilled blood.

I'm so excited about this group!!! John 14:6 is one of my favorite verses in all of Scripture. Jesus proclaims that He is the only way and that no one can see the Father except through Him. Thanks for inviting me to this group!