fusionatl

In one of Pastor Dennis' sermons, he mentioned that we shouldn't talk to God in a religious way (i.e. "O Wonderful Father", "O Heavenly Lord", etc), but that we should talk to Him the same way we would talk to a friend. I guess I'm a bit confused because everytime I've been to a small group or at the dinner table, the prayers being said aloud adhere to this format. Is there supposed to be a difference between our public and private prayers, or am I missing something?

I believe Pastor Dennis is talking more about the way you pray, like speaking in King James Bible words "thouest", "Oh Holiest Divine Being of the Sky", etc, praying loud for no reason or saying the same thing over & over & over again. This is what Jesus hit the Pharisees for. He said that they prayed loud on the street corner for people to hear them & they prayed in a way that made them look holy instead of exposing their own dark souls to God.

I believe you can still talk to God as a friend (conversationally), but still maintain the respect & reverence due Him as Creator of all. There's nothing wrong with saying "O Wonderful Father" or "O Heavenly Lord" in prayer as long as that is in your heart. The scriptures are full of prayers that go like this.

I think really what Pastor D is differentiating between is a prayer that goes like this "O holiest God up in the most righteous heaven, only thouest knows my iniquities and transgressions. Mine sins stand always before thee. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, I fall at thine pierced feet. I ask for your penal substitutionary atonement over my life. I now go into the world of sins, to stand against the sinners and their devil schemes." and a prayer that goes like this "Amazing Father, I messed up again. I've sinned against you and you alone. Please forgive me by the blood of Jesus. Wash me clean. Remove the guilt. Take away the shame. And set my feet back down on solid ground so I can live a life for you. My life is for you!"

Both are addressing a Holy God, but one is like a prayer you would read out of a book and the other is in normal speech spoken out of a place of humility to an amazingly righteous God.