The A.C.T.S. of Prayer: The Practice of My Simplified Prayer Life {CONFESSION}

CONFESSION:The act of coming to God with my wrong-doing or sin.

“Confess yourself to heaven: Repent what’s past, avoid what is to come.”

~ William Shakespeare

Sin and transgression are used interchangeably in reference to our wrong-doing in this life. From my studies, there is a clear distinction between the two, even though they can affect one another. While sin is missing the mark of whatever it is you are working to attain, transgression is a willing act or offense against a law or rule. It's easy to see them as the same, considering confession and forgiveness are needed in order to move on from each. Confession to self, confession to God, forgiveness of self, forgiveness of others, are all necessary. Being unforgiving (towards self and others) can even be looked at as a sin or transgression, depending on the intent of the person who is required to forgive. One thing I know for sure, is that when I come to God with my sin, I am assured forgiveness from Him, as well as myself. I come away feeling lighter, and most times, much wiser (especially if I'm asking for wisdom, but that's something else to talk about)! The important thing for me, is to be open about all of my foolassery, even though He knows everything that I think and do - I want all of my bases covered - so complete honesty with myself is key. That way, I'm assured of being honest with God.

Who can understand why we do wrong? I ask the Lord to cleanse me from secret faults. To keep me also from presumptuous sins. Let them have no dominion over me, so that I shall be blameless and innocent of great transgressions. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in His sight. My Lord, my strength and my redeemer.^[4]  When I come to God in prayer, I acknowledge my sin to Him and my iniquity I do not hide. I confess my transgressions to the Lord, and He forgives the iniquity of my sin.^[5]  I ask that God have mercy on me, according to His lovingkindness, according to the multitude of His tender mercies, and to blot out my transgressions. I desire for Him to wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin, as I acknowledge that my transgressions and my sins are always before me. Against Him, only Him, have I sinned and done evil in His sight - that He may be found just when He speaks, and blameless when He judges.^[6] 

I know that if I cover my sin, I will not prosper. But when I confess and forsake my sin and transgression, God will place His mercy upon me.^[7]  For if I say that I have fellowship with Him, but walk in darkness, I’m lying and not practicing truth. But if I walk in the light as He is in the light, I have fellowship with and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses me from all sin. If I say that I have no sin, I deceive only myself, and the truth is not in me. But if I confess my sins, He is faithful and just to forgive me of my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. If I say that I have not sinned, I make God a liar, and His word is not in me.^[8] Once again, this is my relationship with Him. It's important to me, so the least I can do is trust Him with my "stuff".

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^[4] Psalm 19:12-14

^[5] Psalm 32:5

^[6] Psalm 51:1-4, 10-13

^[7] Proverbs 28:13

^[8] 1 John 1:6-9

The A.C.T.S. of Prayer: The Practice of My Simplified Prayer Life {ACKNOWLEDGMENT}

ACKNOWLEDGMENT - The recognition of God’s existence, validity, and authority in my life.

“It is in the process of being worshiped that God communicates His presence to men.”

 ~ C.S. Lewis

O, come let us adore Him! We sing this as part of a hymn in worship and praise to Jesus, never really paying attention to the words that we memorized as children. But when I look at how good God is to me, I realize that I do adore Him, and worship is one of the best ways that I can express it to Him. The Lord desires our praises, and he is more than worthy.

When I come to Him in prayer, I come first in acknowledgment of His sovereignty over every area of my life, and what He means to me. This is just one aspect of my relationship with God, and like my other relationships, it is important to me that He understands how I feel about Him. How much I love Him and how special He is to me. And why not? Every day of my life, He acknowledges who I am to Him, and gives me so much more...

Therefore, I present myself before God, and I trust in the Him with all of my heart, leaning not on my own understanding, but in all of my ways, I acknowledge Him, and he directs my paths.^[1] I follow King David’s example when I proclaim that blessed is He, the Lord God of Israel, my Heavenly Father, forever and ever. His is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and majesty. For all that is in heaven and in earth is the Lord’s. His is the kingdom and He is exalted as head over all. Both richness and honor come from Him, and He reigns over all. In His hand is power and might. In His hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.^[2] He is my God!  Early in my day I seek Him, my flesh longs for Him in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I look for Him in the sanctuary, to see His power and His glory. Because His loving-kindness is better than life, my lips praise Him, and I bless Him while I live. I lift my hands up in His name. My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth praises Him with joyful lips. I remember Him at the end of my day, and I meditate on Him in the night watches. Because He has been my help, therefore in the shadow of His wings I rejoice. My soul follows close behind Him and His right hand upholds me.^[3] This is who He is, and this is what He does!

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^[1] Proverbs 3:5-6

^[2] 1Chronicles 29:10-12

^[3] Psalm 63:1-8

Sitting in My Chair

In my waking dream, the first thing I saw was a big, cushioned, high back chair with black flower print. Let me back up some, because the chair formed out of a large smooth ball of clay... So the chair is black and flower printed, and now I'm looking up at an older version of myself, who is sitting in the chair, telling of dreams that were the stories of my youth that were long forgotten, but eventually remembered by my adult self and manifested into the reality of my older self, who is sitting in this amazing chair, made just for her, having a conversation with a crowd of people sitting at her feet, listening intently, all seeming to know her and the others around them. I suddenly long to sit with her in this seemingly comfortable chair, and in that moment of longing, I realize that the reason these dreamstories are so important, and the reason she shares them with this strange  group of familiar faces, is because she is me, they are my descendants, and this is their dream/story too...

LOVE Under New Management

I love me some Him. I'll never love this way again.

That is my truth, because I am a woman in love.

How many ways do I love Him? I can't even count the ways.

I just love being in love with Him.

When I met Him, I could barely love myself.

I was too busy giving and receiving that "please baby, baby please - smack it up, flip it, rub it down" kind of love. Oh, no...

I was caught up in the kind of "love" that never fails to disappoint.

Then He came along, and showed me that true LOVE never fails.

He Loves me when I am unlovely. I can't help but love Him, because He first Loved me...

He keeps me when I don't want to kept, and so faithfully meets every single one of my needs.

When I am lost in lust, He takes my hand, speaks to my heart, and Loves me completely - from the inside out...

I sometimes wonder what kind of love this is, and why me?

Without hesitation, He simply says, "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love."

Ooo-ooo wee... That's what I'm talking about! A LOVE Supreme...

So now I am a woman - not just in love - but in love under new management.

Someone very special came into my life, and no one can take His place.

Only He can fill my empty space.

I'M IN LOVE UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT...

Reflection

I've got alot going on. Works in progress, projects in preparation stages. Lots to do, and my mind constantly in motion.

I thank God for the conversations he allows me to think that I'm having with myself. The ones where I'm sorting things out, either in my mind or out loud. The ones where I come to a conclusion - believing that I've gotten it all figured out - then he quietly, subtly, interjects His Truth, leaving me with no doubt.

Epiphany...

Yeah, I really love those moments.

Like Water for Wine

So, I'm back on my school grind, and my fall quarter starts out with Hydrotherapy - the use of water to revitalize, maintain, and restore health. 

I was none too thrilled about having to take this class, but it is required for my HHP program, so I'm getting it out of the way. This is the attitude that I walked into class with, but left with a better understanding of what Hydrotherapy is and how it relates to not only my practice, but my own well-being. 

I now understand why anytime my children complain about an ache, pain, headache or whatever - in all of my mommawisdomhood - I, without flinching, will prescribe a cup of water or a long shower, to soothe whatever ails them. Or why when I wash my hands or take a shower, I alternate between hot and cold water. Why? Because it works! My son swears by the shower cure... 

One of the most important things that I've learned, is that our bodies - being made up of 70% water - are most nearly fully hydrated when we divide our body weight by two, then drink that amount of water in ounces daily. 

Hydration formula expample: 130lbs / 2 = 65lbs .... presto, chango! 65oz water daily 

So now I'm on day four of my hydration challenge, and it has gotten easier as each day goes by. I can now tell the difference when I have not had my first 24oz or so for the day, and I no longer need to hit the head every 30 minutes - now I'm able to last for about an hour... 

I have to say that I am feeling better, am not having the sweet cravings that contributed to my gaining almost 20lbs in less than two months (WTW?!?! Yes, smh....), and will likely keep this up for life. 

Did I mention that I don't have to give up my wine? The water intake is in addition to whatever else you drink during the day. Thank You Lord for the water, and Thank You Jesus for the wine! 

We've Got to Do Better

Most of us seem to be taking our financial advice from those around us who aren't doing much better than we are. Those who would have us in debt and slaves to credit for status' sake, so that we can say, "Look at my house, my car and ALL of my stuff (even though my mortgage is upside down and I have no equity, my car is a depreciating asset and the fact that I still owe on the loan means it's not really an asset at all, and my 'stuff' is just sitting and not benefiting anyone)."  These same folks are working all of their adult lives but leaving no legacy to their future generations - nothing more than some trinkets and maybe some life insurance (if it's not eaten up by the debts that are left behind). Backwards thinking, and definitely not the future that our ancestors sacrificed and worked so hard to build for us. When and where did we get led astray?

Going forward, let us purpose to educate ourselves financially and try sitting at the feet of the true "have's", so that we can learn how to make money work for us - not the other way around - by creating and sustaining generational wealth for our children and grandchildren, which will enable us to be a greater benefit to our communities as well. Just a not so random thought, manifested from what I see and experience in my own environment on a daily basis. In the words of Dr. Tiffany Monroe, "You've got to choose a side."  I'm choosing to change my mindset - for my future generations - in order to break the cycle of financial ignorance and the "go figure it out yourself" mentality, and purposing to live in financial freedom.  Have you chosen your side?