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| | One way that is a great way to pray when you are praying privately (i.e. talking to God as though he is a close friend)is to just thank Him, thank Him for creating you, the world you live on, the stars, the sun, the galaxy, and everything else. We rarely thank him, but more so we usually ask for help, but it is good to thank him whenever you can. | | One way that is a great way to pray when you are praying privately (i.e. talking to God as though he is a close friend)is to just thank Him, thank Him for creating you, the world you live on, the stars, the sun, the galaxy, and everything else. We rarely thank him, but more so we usually ask for help, but it is good to thank him whenever you can. |
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| − | ==Private and Public Prayer== | + | ==Private and Public Prayer== |
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| | There are many instances in the Bible of praying in private and also of praying within a group, and sometimes even of praying in public. | | There are many instances in the Bible of praying in private and also of praying within a group, and sometimes even of praying in public. |
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| | ===prayer as petition=== | | ===prayer as petition=== |
| | In addition to differences in variant Christian understandings and misunderstandings of intercession and mediation, there is also a difference in variant Christian understandings of the meaning of the word "prayer", which anciently meant simply "petition". | | In addition to differences in variant Christian understandings and misunderstandings of intercession and mediation, there is also a difference in variant Christian understandings of the meaning of the word "prayer", which anciently meant simply "petition". |
| − | :Most basically and fundamentally, to "[http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pray "'''pray'''"]" (verb) is "to [http://www.thefreedictionary.com/petition "'''petition'''"]" (''TheFreeDictionary.com'')<br>Compare Conservapedia article '''[[Prayer]]'''. | + | :Most basically and fundamentally, to "[http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pray "'''pray'''"]" (verb) is "to [http://www.thefreedictionary.com/petition "'''petition'''"]" (''TheFreeDictionary.com'')<br>Compare Conservapedia article '''Prayer'''. |
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| | Petitions to the governing authorities of a nation or people were usually introduced with the phrase, "''we pray you to'' [do this or that]". [[Attorney]]s for the prosecution and the defense even today frequently address the court (the bar), in words spoken or written, with the word "pray": for example, "''Your Honor, the defense prays the court to ...''". Formal petitions by governors to the king or queen anciently addressed that sovereign lord or lady first with a preamble acknowledgement of their authority, followed by the words: "''The people pray Your Majesty'' [to do this or that, ''or'' to cause to cease this or that] ''for the benefit of the realm''". | | Petitions to the governing authorities of a nation or people were usually introduced with the phrase, "''we pray you to'' [do this or that]". [[Attorney]]s for the prosecution and the defense even today frequently address the court (the bar), in words spoken or written, with the word "pray": for example, "''Your Honor, the defense prays the court to ...''". Formal petitions by governors to the king or queen anciently addressed that sovereign lord or lady first with a preamble acknowledgement of their authority, followed by the words: "''The people pray Your Majesty'' [to do this or that, ''or'' to cause to cease this or that] ''for the benefit of the realm''". |