The Lord’s Prayer: Understanding it More Fully Helps Us Pray it More Powerfully

Mark Corbett

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I think of this as my Christmas present to my "internet family in Christ". It is a "Little Drummer Boy" type of present. I could never afford to give you all a present that cost money, but I can use what God made me good at to hopefully encourage you in your prayer lives.

This past summer I preached a series of messages on The Lord’s Prayer. I had been looking forward to working on this series for a long time. It is amazing how much truth and power Jesus was able to express in so few words. He teaches us to pray The Lord’s Prayer. He later commands us to teach others to obey all He taught. So we should be praying and teaching others to pray The Lord’s Prayer.

We can pray The Lord’s Prayer either by reciting it word for word, or by thinking about the meaning of each phrase and praying based on the meaning. Both methods are excellent and powerful. Both methods will be even more meaningful if we more fully understand this prayer.

I’m still learning more and more what this simple prayer means. It applies to everything in life. It applies to huge history shaping events, and it applies to our everyday routines, struggles, and service. By God’s grace, I will never stop learning all that it means.

The primary way we learn the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer more and more is actually praying it in the midst of life's struggles. Learning to pray is more like learning to play a sport than it is like learning history or physics. You can’t learn to play a sport just by reading a book about it. You’ve got to get out on the field and practice and play day after day. Nevertheless, if you are out on the field practicing, you can benefit by learning from coaches and other players.

So my prayer for this blog post, and for the five videos below on the Lord’s Prayer, is that first and foremost God will use them to motivate you to actually spend more time praying and specifically that the Lord’s Prayer will often shape your prayers. In order to achieve this end, I believe that thinking about the meaning of each of the requests in The Lord’s Prayer, and thinking about some of the ways these requests apply in our lives, may help you.

The five videos below are each between 32 and 40 minutes in length. Each one is shorter than a typical TV program, and, I trust, far better for your soul. I pray that as you watch, God’s Spirit will open your mind to understand The Lord’s Prayer more deeply and that He will strengthen your heart to pray according to it more faithfully.

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This was originally a post on my blog. Feel free to share the post and/or the YouTube videos with others. Perhaps they, too, will be encouraged and strengthened in their prayer lives.
 
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OldWiseGuy

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Jesus gave us an outline of important subjects to pray about. We don't repeat the outline as that would be 'vain repetition'. The true "Lord's prayer" occurred in the garden before his capture and crucifixion.
 
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Heart2Soul

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I remember learning about the depth of the meaning behind The Lord's Prayer....I can't remember who taught it. Maybe it was you. But after the teaching of this I began to start all my prayers with The Lord's Prayer. I would elaborate on each section and applying that part to every person, place, or position of leadership until I couldn't think of anything else then move on. It took a good hour to hour and a half to fully get through the whole prayer. Thank you for this thread. I haven't watched the videos yet but I will come back to them. God Bless you!
 
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Mark Corbett

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Jesus gave us an outline of important subjects to pray about. We don't repeat the outline as that would be 'vain repetition'.

It would indeed be vain repetition if one were to repeat it without meaning, thinking that the simple act of producing those sound waves had effect. But it is also possible to repeat it with meaning.
 
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OldWiseGuy

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It would indeed be vain repetition if one were to repeat it without meaning, thinking that the simple act of producing those sound waves had effect. But it is also possible to repeat it with meaning.

True, but there are many who mindlessly repeat the prayer, and in harmony with large groups, almost like a chant.
 
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Heart2Soul

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True, but there are many who mindlessly repeat the prayer, and in harmony with large groups, almost like a chant.
Yes and I hate that because it lacks meaning, sincerity, intent and purpose.
 
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Dave-W

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Jesus gave us an outline of important subjects to pray about. We don't repeat the outline as that would be 'vain repetition'.
Do you claim our Lord did "vain repetition" when He recited the Kaddish, Amidah and Alenu with the other worshippers in Synagogue every sabbath?
The true "Lord's prayer" occurred in the garden before his capture and crucifixion.
Which is why we call the prayer we discuss here "Avinu Shabashamayim". Our Father in Heaven.
 
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