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Put simply, prayer is communicating with God as you would with a friend. God doesn\'t require us to come to Him with large words or fancy language. He longs to hear what our heart desires, our worries and what we\'re thankful for. Prayer satisfies our deepest spiritual desires and longings.

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Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

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Many people misunderstand the Lord\\u2019s Prayer to be a prayer we are supposed to recite word for word. Some people treat the Lord\\u2019s Prayer as a magic formula, as if the words themselves have some specific power or influence with God.

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The Bible teaches the opposite. God is far more interested in our hearts when we pray than He is in our words. \\u201cBut when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words\\u201d (Matthew 6:6-7). In prayer, we are to pour out our hearts to God (Philippians 4:6-7), not simply recite memorized words to God.

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The Lord\\u2019s Prayer should be understood as an example, a pattern, of how to pray. It gives us the \\u201cingredients\\u201d that should go into prayer. Here is how it breaks down. \\u201cOur Father in heaven\\u201d is teaching us whom to address our prayers to\\u2014the Father. \\u201cHallowed be your name\\u201d is telling us to worship God, and to praise Him for who He is. The phrase \\u201cyour kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven\\u201d is a reminder to us that we are to pray for God\\u2019s plan in our lives and the world, not our own plan. We are to pray for God\\u2019s will to be done, not for our desires. We are encouraged to ask God for the things we need in \\u201cgive us today our daily bread.\\u201d \\u201cForgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors\\u201d reminds us to confess our sins to God and to turn from them, and also to forgive others as God has forgiven us. The conclusion of the Lord\\u2019s Prayer, \\u201cAnd lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one\\u201d is a plea for help in achieving victory over sin and a request for protection from the attacks of the devil.

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So, again, the Lord\\u2019s Prayer is not a prayer we are to mindlessly recite back to God. It is only an example of how we should be praying. Is there anything wrong with memorizing the Lord\\u2019s Prayer? Of course not! Is there anything wrong with praying the Lord\\u2019s Prayer back to God? Not if your heart is in it and you truly mean the words you say. Remember, in prayer, God is far more interested in our communicating with Him and speaking from our hearts than He is in the specific words we use. Philippians 4:6-7 declares, \\u201cDo not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.\\u201d

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Giving Links

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Thank you for listening, downloading and supporting the Speak Life Church and this podcast. \\xa0

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\\xa0https://giv.li/p2nj61

Zelle\\xa0 - pastor@SpeakLifeChurch.net

https://www.patreon.com/speaklifechurchpodcast

You can support the ministry by check or money order by sending it to Speak Life Church, 14713 Kent Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772

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Rev. Kenn Blanchard\\xa0

Kenn.blanchard@gmail.com

pastor@speaklifechurch.net\\xa0

240-200-0713

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