Scripture: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 5:16 Prayer is just lovingly, reverently talking to God. Have you ever heard of the A.C.T.S. of prayer? Each letter stands for one kind of prayer. It is not the only or right prayer model, but it can help remind us of some of the basic things to cover when we approach our Heavenly Father in prayer: A = Adoration (praise) C = Confession (of sins) T = Thanksgiving (being grateful to God) S = Supplication (requests) Adoration and Praise Our Creator God is wonderful, and He deserves our praise! That’s why it’s good to start by praising Him. It also gives us a right perspective -- God’s greatness and power compared to our smallness. Jesus began The Lords Prayer by acknowledging Gods fatherly love, goodness, and rule over the earth: Our Father in heaven, may Your Name be kept holy. May Your Kingdom come soon. May Your will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven (Matthew 6:9-10).Confession of Sins Everyone has sinned, [and] we all fall short of God’s glorious standard (Romans 3:23). Your sins have cut you off from God (Isaiah 59:2), but we want to be close to Him! If we confess our sins to the Lord, He is faithful and just to forgive us (I John 1:9). Holding onto our sins builds a barrier between us and God. Confessing and repenting of them breaks down that wall. Thanksgiving and Gratitude How has God blessed you? How has He shown His love for you? Of course, we are thankful for His blessings. But we can even be grateful for problems and hardships, because He can use those to bring us closer to Himself. The Bible tells us to be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus (I Thessalonians 5:18).Supplication and Requests Jesus taught that we can ask for what we need, and to be persistent in asking: keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you (Luke 11:9). We can trust that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us (I John 5:14).The Gospels record Jesus turning to the Father in prayer time after time, day after day. We are to follow His example and pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17).Prayer, Care and Share Jesus * The Prayer, Care and Share Jesus (PCS) series is a guide to help you PRAY and CARE for others and SHARE your faith in Jesus *
Posted on: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 16:17:23 +0000
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