Pray

We are beginning a study with our C3 group on Mark Batterson's "The Circle Maker" next week.

In thinking on this book and thinking about prayer in general, I'm becoming convinced that prayer is more about POSITIONING than PETITIONING.

I tend to come with a laundry list of items I need God to work in and ask Him to do just that. This is not bad, but it my petition is driving my prayer life, it will very quickly become a stunted relationship, with God as a genie that either comes through or doesn't with my wishes.

Positioning is everything. Our group went through the Lord's Prayer last night and I wanted to share a blog post I had done last year as I ask you to pray this week.

The disciples asked Jesus how to pray...He answered:

Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." (Matthew 6:9-13)

In some ways, the rote-ness of this prayer may steal its potency.

But pray this multiple times this week focusing on what all this prayer conveys.

Our Father (It's corporate not private...He's Father/we're children)

In Heaven (He is divine (we aren't)

Hallowed (He's Worthy of Worship...We aren't))

Be Your Name (His...Not ours)

Your kingdom come (He's King...we're not)

Your will be done (He's Sovereign...we're not)

On earth as it is in Heaven (He's a God who gets involved in the here and now)

Give us this day our daily bread (He is provider/we are provided for)

And forgive us our trespasses (Redemption is on Him/not us)

As we forgive others (We are called to go and do likewise)

And lead us not into temptation (He protects, we're protected)

but deliver us from evil (He delivers, we're delivered)

Amen. (So be it)

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So Jesus taught the disciples to pray...and the emphasis is on positioning first...and once you know who God is...you begin to want what God wants...and your petitioning submits to your (and His) positioning.

So Position yourselves this week and pray for these couple of items

Praise!--Got to do an interview with Rivertree Christian in Stark County and the pastor there challenged the congregation to give $50,000 next weekend to CityCampusChurch!

Pray that they are compelled to give even beyond that!

Pray as usual for connections with friends (new and old) this week. Ask for God's vision to stir those He is calling (and repel those He's not!)

Pray for me as I will be team preaching at Rivertree's Massillon Campus with my good friend Toby Thomas this Sunday. It's been awhile since I've gone after it preaching, so pray for anointing and God's stirring in the hearts of those that are there.

Pray for our family. We are loving Columbus and loving this calling and loving each other. That needs to keep happening.