Yes, and absolutely yes. It is right for Christians to pray to Jesus as God!

Those who say otherwise do not recognize the deity of Jesus Christ. They only think of Jesus the son of man and fail to look deep into the Jesus the Son of God. The Jews of Jesus’ days understanding what he being the Son of God meant, took up stones to stone him, concluding that he was making himself God.(John 10:30-31)

But was he making himself God? No, he is God. Scripture teaches the God-status of Christ in a mystery and mysteries are received rather than fully understood. He was both God and man in one person.

Praying to Jesus amounts to praying to God.

In Christ dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Col 2:9). Where Christ is in operation there God is in operation. As our mediator, we pray in his name to the father, and as God, we worship him and ask directly from him ( that is praying to him). Jesus said  whatever we ask the father in his name the father will do (John 16-23), and without contradictions, he also said whatsoever we ask him in his name, he will do it (John 14:13-14). Thus he expects us to ask either way — ask him directly, or the father in his name. Either way is okay, no dinstinction. This points out his indivisible oneness with the father. He does not expect us to do any mathematics in our head but to just ask as we deem fit at a given time.

Stephen Prays to Jesus

Acts 7:55-60
[55]But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
[56]And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
[57]Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
[58]And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.
[59]And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
[60]And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Interestingly, Stephen was empowered by the Holy Spirit to see Jesus and pray to him. This is because Jesus is inseparably God with the Father.

The Son of God is worthy of all of God’s glory including worship and prayer.

In John 17:5 Jesus said, “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”

What is before the world was? Obviously before creation; before time and space. The Glory I have with thee not from thee which would mean there was a time he never had it and was afterwards given. No, with thee, meaning he has always had it.

The glory Christ has always had is God himself. Questioning why he is been prayed to amounts to stripping him of that glory. God is not angry when Christ is being prayed to. Not worshiping the Son is not worshiping the Father, for the Father is glorified in the Son (John 13:31-32)

The Bible tells us in Hebrews that when God sent Jesus into this world, he commanded that all angels should worship him.

And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. Hebrews 1:6

Interestingly, in the prophecy concerning Jesus in Isaiah 9:6, Jesus is called the Everlasting Father. That is Jesus bearing the very name of God. This is God who does not share his glory with man, but shares it with Jesus. Let no one therefore mistake Jesus for a mere man.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Note also that a worship to God is a worship to Jesus. In Revelation 4:2-10; 5:6-14, we see the 24 elders fall down in worship before the throne of He who was, Who is, and is to come — God Almighty. And interesting is the fact that according to Revelation 22:1 that same throne is the throne of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.

The Apostles believed in the deity of Jesus Christ.

Apostle John called Jesus God:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Apostle Paul called Jesus God:

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. 1 Timothy 3:16

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Acts 20:28

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Titus 2:13

Apostle Peter called Jesus God:

Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:1

Apostle Thomas called Jesus God

And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God. 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen and, yet have believed. Apostle Thomas: John 20:28

Observe that Jesus did not correct him. In a previous conversation Jesus had said: “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.” (John 13:13)

God the Father called Jesus God:

But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Hebrews 1:8.

Jesus never rejected worship

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. John 9:35-38

The Son of Man that would be Worshipped

Daniel saw in a vision the Son of man that all would worship

Dan.7.13-14 (AMP)- I saw in the night visions, and behold, on the clouds of the heavens came One like a Son of man, and He came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And there was given Him [the Messiah] dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve and worship Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and His kingdom is one which shall not be destroyed.

And Jesus made it clear that he is that Son of man who would come in the clouds of heaven with power, whom all nations and languages will serve and worship.

But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Mark 14:61-62

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