Before Jesus taught us how to pray, He taught us how not to pray. Reciting prayers as a formula was one of the ways He taught us not to pray. Prayer has to be from our own heart, spoken in our own words, with our own beliefs, expressions, and emotions. But more than anything prayer has to be approaching God based on our relationship. The only cure for formula-based, ritualistic prayers is an intimate relationship. It has to be based on a relationship where a child is approaching his or her loving, generous father. Join me this week to move past formula-based prayers.