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Can We Pray the Lord's Prayer?

"In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as [it is] in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." (Matt.6:9-13)

I've found the Lord's Prayer (so called not because He prayed it but because He taught it) to be the strongest and most readily answered words I could say in times of need. Of course, I agree with other teachers that it is a model ("after this manner") that we need to follow whenever we pray. But, I have no reason to agree when they ask us to cease repeating the very words that He taught us to pray - firstly, because the Lord never said "Don't repeat it as it is"; secondly, because there is no theological inconsistency in repeating the scriptural words; thirdly, because the words help us to focus exactly on how God intends us to pray to Him, and lastly, because I've found it that when I've said this prayer and meant it, God has never failed to answer; and He has answered with a strength and power that excels any human thought and imagination. Perhaps, we may only speak out the parts of the prayer that we need to say in a situation ("Forgive.. as I forgive..." or "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done...", or "Lead me not into temptation...", or "Deliver me from evil" as applied in personal prayer), without forgetting the complete whole that the words are set in; but, He surely answers. I must add here that the prayer is not a magical chant; God only answers prayers that come from a broken and contrite heart that prays sincerely with absolute surrender to God. I believe we should not fail to teach this to the disciples, because it teaches us not only the model but gives us the perfect words that the Lord Himself gave~
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  1. Amrita JamesMarch 27, 2014 at 12:41 PM

    Praise d Lord... Few days ago,Lord told me the same thing about Lord's Prayer.

    ReplyDelete

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