By Bob Vaughn -
uca@uncommonanswers.com
"Contending for the faith once delivered to the saints"
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The Lord's Prayer - Expanded
During my years of
developing a relationship with the Lord. I have often found it very
difficult to pray. I've always had time to pray. But often I've failed
to know what to pray. Much of the church world teaches us to pray for
things that please the flesh - the carnal nature. The scriptures teach
us to shun those things. Some have taught that "hours" of daily prayer
is what we need. Sometimes that may be true. But most often for me it's
not hours in formal prayer, but after my prayer time is done, a
continued awareness of His presence, and concern, and work in my life
that's of great benefit. Live in His presence. Expect His help. Be used
by Him.
Be encouraged to let the Lord's Prayer be a guiding structure for your
times of prayer. I have been blessed by taking one thought at a time
from His model prayer; and expressing it in my own words - expanding on
the thought in my own words. What started out as a 3 or 4 min. prayer,
as I allowed the Spirit to lead, sometimes became a more lengthy time
of prayer, praise, and worship. I have also found that when words begin
to fail, if I silently continue in His presence my heart opens wide to
Him. Try expressing The Lord's Prayer in your own words as I have and
then tarry in His presence!
Our Father in heaven,
My heavenly Father; my God; my creator, He
who loves me and adopted me into His family; yes, even my Daddy.
Hallowed be Your name.
Sacred; revered; holy; and to be esteemed, honored and
worshipped; for Your name - that which points to You and describes
You is above all names in
heaven or on earth.
Your kingdom come, Your will be
done on earth as it is in heaven.
Come to be King of my life; rule me. I submit
to Your will, here and now. I desire Your will for my family; my
church; my community; and
yes, I desire your will be done on earth. Without question from me,
rule.
Give us this day our daily
bread.
With confidence I again look to You, the
source from which my daily needs - physical, spiritual, and emotional -
are met.
And forgive us our debts, as we
forgive our debtors.
My sins against you Father have been many and
grievous. But because of Your great love and mercy, It's with
confidence, I can and
do ask for forgiveness. And because a son is like his father I choose
to be like you, by forgiving those who have
sinned against me.
And do not lead us into
temptation,
Even though my spirit is willing, I know my
flesh is weak. Therefore, I ask you Father to go before me and remove
from my path those
enticements which stir the lust of my flesh, of my eyes, and of my
pride.
But deliver us from the evil
one.
I know I have an adversary - the evil one.
But I know You, loving Father, will not leave me or forsake me. Grant
me - for
Your glory and for my good - deliverance
from all the deceit and craftiness of Satan.
For Your is the Kingdom
Yes, Father, You are the rightful King, for
You are the only creator. All heaven and all earth - all of this
creation and even all that
might ever be - is subject to you. For there is no other like you.
And the power
All power belongs to You. You, and You only,
have the power to sustain this great creation and to fulfill Your
glorious
purpose.
And the glory
All creation is humbled in Your presence. You
are an awsome God and creator and sustainer, and because of Your great
goodness Your deserve all glory.
Forever.
You are the beginning and the end, Father.
"Forever" is so much more than I can comprehend. But I know that
"forever" is safe in Your
hands.
Amen.
So be it for today!
Bob Vaughn