PRAY

P. 

Petition

Prayer is one of those funny things that I confess I don’t fully understand. 

Here’s what I know. 

Jesus told us to ask and we would receive. 

God isn’t a slot machine where you feed prayers like coins hoping for a pay out but I think we don't utilize the gift of asking. 

I know for myself I don’t always ask because I don’t fully believe who I am to God, but when I see myself as a beloved son then I can approach the throne of grace with confidence. 

Praying to ask for something isn’t wrong on fact I would say it’s encouraged. 

Like my own children I want to give good things to so my father in heaven wants to give me good things. 

Joshua asked for the sun to stand still. 

Peter asked to be called out of his boat 

Why don’t we ask for bigger things with bigger faith?

Do we forget who we’re asking? 

2021 is the year of hope and hope means believing and believing means expecting and expecting means we ask. 

Make 2021 the year of asking for big things. 

Let your petition be made. 

R. 

Repentance

I don’t think this is a very popular word; it certainly does not hit mainstream conversation but it’s an important element of prayer. 

What is repentance? 

I was always told that repentance is turning away from bad behavior or choice, a 180 degree turn that means I need to change. 

I hate being wrong I don’t know about you but I don’t believe anyone can move to the next level of maturity without admitting what’s wrong and dealing with it. 

I think the reason most of us don’t come to prayer with repentance in mind is we are so afraid of being shamed for our shortcomings. 

Repentance isn’t about shame or guilt it’s about accountability and acceptance. 

With Jesus there is no condemnation. I’ve experienced it from people who said they represented him but it’s not God's heart. 

A second chance is heaven's heart. 

I think it’s time I started taking ownership of what is not right in my life and where we are failing. It's the only way I can accept what Jesus wants to give me; it's also the way to accepting what he wants to give you. 

Don’t be afraid of repentance it’s the first step to forgiveness. 

A. 

Aligning 

Prayer is about alignment but in what direction?

What part of God's will are we needing to line up with however?

Praying in alignment isn’t about pushing yourself out of the way because you're bad it’s about getting your heart and mind on the same page as Gods about your life. 

What does God dream about for you? 

Have you ever thought about that?

Did you know that the dreams inside you for things you want to do are his desire for you?

Try praying that God would show you how he sees you, what plans he has for you and then embrace that version. 

If how you’re living today isn’t aligned to the person God sees you as you have two options alignment or denial. 

You change what your doing and how your living or you pretend you never saw the best version of yourself and live the shadow version and never experience the beauty of a life lived in alignment. 

I’m committed to living in alignment and out of the shadow version. 

I invite you to join me in alignment today. 

Y. 

Yielding

Yielding is waiting, not abandoning thought. 

When we pray with yielding we are saying to God I’m gonna look to see what you're doing before I just go out and act. It's not saying I’m gonna not act till I know every light is green along the route I’m on. 

Yielding requires maturity that to this day I’ve yet to achieve. It demands that I do not rush ahead but stop and listen to the one with the answers. It also means trusting in God's timing for things knowing when his delays are not denials. 

I’ve actually learned a lot about yielding from the intentional mentorship I’ve experienced over the years. 

Good mentorship is about getting perspective not permission. 

Yielding in traffic is about looking before leaping. 

Yielding in prayer is about both asking for perspective from the one who knows you inside out and looking to see where he is going and waiting on his timing. 

Jesus said. Ask, Seek, & Knock. All actions that require the maturity to wait and listen.