So take it to court, part 2 of 3

June 13, 2024

Hi All,

Happy you’re in the mix.

We’re questing to elevate our Christ-following, understand the times, and strongly impact our circles of influence for THE King.

This week:

> Kingdom dynamic: legal prayer petitions, part 2
> Higher thoughts: level-up faith, the overlap, indicators
> Word wealth: pray — our most creative capacity
> Relationships: god (vertical) and neighbor (horizontal)
> And more

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KINGDOM DYNAMIC
Boldly present your legal prayer petitions, part 2

In last week’s newsletter we saw that prayer has a clear legal dimension, allowing us to boldly seek justice as we bring our petitions to God as Judge.

Jesus used the teaching narrative of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8 to daylight this for us.

Let’s go further …

A legal instrument secures a legal right. Effectual prayer submits a claim before the Ultimate Judge, acting as a legal instrument in Heaven’s Court.

A Prayer Petition states what’s happening and what needs to align with justice. It explains why a favorable decision is needed from the Court of Heaven.

The legal basis for prayer includes Christ’s Firstborn rights over all creation. All things have been handed over to the Son, and all authority has been given to him.

And then he commissions us with his authority!

Justice matters to God. The justice issue you are bringing to the Throne of Grace could be:

• Healing for yourself or someone else.

• A financial challenge or opportunity.

• Deliverance from dark spiritual powers.

• Reconciliation between individuals, in a family, or within an organization.

• Accurate placement and connection within the Body of Christ.

And what about advocating for macro justice issues?

Petition about the poor, sex trafficking, economic oppression, religious persecution, abortion, and more.

This is the 2nd in a 3-part mini-series on Legal Prayer. Next week: The authority of writing our prayer petitions.

Q4U: In what ways does prayer as a legal matter challenge you? Can you see yourself as a Prayer Attorney or even a Prayer Prosecutor?

RENEWING THE MIND
Higher thoughts

Leveled-up faith: Yes, the Father will have you face things that demand leveled-up faith. Demand stimulates the possibility of growth.

Overlap: Prayer that comes of age is at the overlap of heaven and earth, the present and future.

Leading indicators: Prayer (and the prophecy which can flow from prayer) are Leading Indicators. The fulfillment of prayer and prophecy are Lagging Indicators.

Trending

• Redeeming. What does using AI for good look like? (Barna)

• Passive. Our nation is dying because of idle shepherds who refuse to get involved in ‘political issues’ (Pastor Jack Hibbs, Charisma News)

• Game on. “All the players are in place”: Max Lucado on end times prophecies (Glenn Beck podcast)

• What’s new? How Americans get news on TikTok, X, Facebook and Instagram (Pew Research)

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WORD WEALTH
Pray — our most creative capacity

Proseuchomai is the most frequent New Testament word for pray. The word is a special term meaning an “invocation, entreaty.” “Pros” means “in the direction of.”

Jesus said, “When you pray (proseuchomai), go into your room …” (Matthew 6.6 NKJV). So in the secret place we direct our request to the Father and invoke his engagement.

“Father, thank you that I have access to you in Christ. Holy Spirit, teach me to pray. I bring my requests to you and invoke your engagement in earthly situations. Amen.”

Vexed with negative thoughts?

Bruce Colbert is an insightful friend who reads the Smart Edit. And we’re happy to recommend his new book!

• Tap into the power of Heart Intelligence, a concept rooted in Scripture that reveals the heart as the center of thought and emotion.

• Implement a proven six-step process for changing negative thought patterns and replacing them with positive, biblical truths.

This is not your standard read on this topic. Get your physical copy this Friday from Amazon or pre-order the digital copy immediately.

STELLAR QUOTE
Growing up

Eugene Peterson is renowned for creating The Message, a contemporary transliteration of the Bible. He founded Christ Our King Presbyterian Church in Maryland. As a pastoral writer, he focused on helping Christian leaders stay rooted in strong biblical theology amidst the noise of superficial preaching.

RELATIONSHIPS
God (vertical) integrated with your neighbor (horizontal)

God deeply values relationship … it seems he desires the same sort of relational integrity among us that exists between the members of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

• Have you brought your offering to the altar and remembered someone has something against you? Pause. Make it right, then return. The vertical and horizontal are integrated. Hear Jesus say it in Matthew 5.23-24.

• Husbands, are you trying to move the needle on something in prayer and at the same time treating your wife without honor? Forget it. Better go to 1 Peter 3:7.

• Trying to move mountains with faith but holding onto unforgiveness? That’s not going to happen. See how mountain-moves work in Mark 11:20-26.

There’s more to uncover on this, but remember: God is love, and everything operates through love. The neighbor factor is a high value with God.

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