32, 4-2 SHOW NOTES & COPYRIGHTS (planned date 11/27/2021)
UPDATED 11/22/2021
Today we are going to talk about the ACTS method of prayer. In September, at the church I attend, we started reading ACTS prayers. After a few weeks members of the church were asked to write a prayer to be read during the Sunday service. I was asked to read one at the end of October. We’ll get to that in a bit.
What is an ACTS prayer?
A is for adoration; prayers of praise for God and who He is and what He does.
C is for Confession; prayers as we remember we are fallen creatures in need of confessing our sins to God, our Father.
T is for Thanksgiving; prayers thanking God for all He has done in our lives, what He is doing now and what he will do for us and others.
S is for Supplication; prayers asking God to meet our needs and the needs of others.
You can look on line and get more detailed descriptions of the four prayer types in an ACTS Prayer.
The ACTS prayer follows the method Jesus used when the disciples asked Him how they should pray. We know it as the Lord’s Prayer and may very well recite this prayer during our Sunday church services.
Let’s say it together.
9 Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (NKJ)
The ACTS prayer I wrote and read at church. I have to acknowledge that I did have some editing and word changes the were suggested by the person who asked me to write the prayer. I used all of them. Thank you Tami.
ACTS Prayer, 10/31/2021
Heavenly Father, we come before you today as your humble servants. You alone are the one true God, the God of creation who set the sun, moon, and stars in place for our good. You created us in your own image and breathed into Adam the breath of life. And as we’ve strayed from your ways you’ve shown patience, forgiveness and grace. You are truth, you are forgiving and your love is beyond understanding, especially the sacrifice you made in your Son, Jesus. We are blessed and we praise you for being the one constant in our lives.
Dear Father, we humbly ask for forgiveness as we confess our sins to you, those we are aware of and those we aren’t. We have sinned against you and against our brothers and sisters. We’ve neglected to help those in need whose paths we’ve crossed. We’ve focused on ourselves when our focus should have been on you. We’ve been influenced by the sinful ways of the world.
Dear Father, we thank you for forgiving our sins through the sacrifice of your Son, Jesus. We thank you for the life he lived among us, showing us how to live with those around us.
We thank you, Jesus, for your obedience to the Father and that your prayer was always, “Not my will, Father, but your will be done”. Thank you for taking us into your embrace and saving us for all eternity.
Thank you, Father, for who you are and always will be.
Father, we pray for the Cornerstone Church and all the churches in the Blue Water area. May we remain faithful to your Word, to your commandments through Jesus Christ. Might we all be in accord with one another working together to help those in need.
We pray for our nation in this time of turmoil. Please lead our government leaders to the right decisions
We pray that we as a people and a government would live in a loving manner in order to resolve the problems that have been created with immigration, and with our affairs in the world as a whole. We ask that families would be the ones to teach right and wrong.
And we pray for those who are in need of healing, whether it be physical, emotional, spiritual, or addictions.
And Lord, as you are faithful to forgive our sins, we ask that we would all experience your mercy and grace in the coming week.
We offer our prayer in the mighty name of your Son and our Savior Redeemer, Jesus, Amen
In the books I have written about prayer, but not in the ACTS way of praying. I have tried in my prayer life to include the four letters of A, C, T, S in my daily prayer. I find it . . . perhaps . . . or maybe more prayerful or better yet, following the words of Jesus. First a confession: I have not always prayed this way. It has taken awhile.
This poem is from Living In God’s Rhyme © 2017 (pg. 182)
THE WONDER OF GOD’S WAY
God’s love is shown and Jesus is known
As the words of King David are heard
Many years after and many years before,
After the creation and before the resurrection.
In times of grace and in time of waste
God’s love for us never falters, never fails.
His is a love we may never understand,
While on this earth we are merely man.
David writes:
the LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger; abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
(Psalm 103:7-12)
How can we on this earth understand this love?
We live our lives struggling for love
While we struggle at times to give our love.
We shake our neighbor’s hands with winter gloves.
If we have fear for the Lord, the awe and respect he deserves,
We have opened the door to our hearts to receive his grace,
If we truly believe and accept this and are not reserved
In our faith, he is faithful to forgive and remember never.
Be thankful that as Isaiah writes of God,
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways.”
declares the LORD .
As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
(Isaiah 55:8,9)
Live in awe filled wonder and his voice will not thunder
Because of who he is, as we live, he forgives.
By faith through his grace, we have the gift to forever live
Through the death of his Son, who took upon himself our sin.
Be thankful God is who he is and always will be,
Be thankful God loves you and loves me,
Be thankful God created us in love
So by believing we will see him in heaven above.
God so loves us that he sent his only Son to die for our transgressions.
If his ways were our ways, we would still be dying in those transgressions.
Be thankful and accept his love, the gift of his son
So one day you will be with him when with this world you are done.
I have found that there can be healing in my life and perhaps others when I pray for a person in need of prayer. This is one of those times.
THE SCIENCE OF PRAYER, God Still Rhymes, © 2018 (pg. 114)
One time, the struggle, the healing.
A second time now reeling.
Remembering once, now dealing
With the recurrence of feeling;
the rain,
the pain,
the strain,
the drain,
on one’s life from the strife,
from the struggle,
the burden,
the worry,
not just for you,
but for family
and friends
who share their care
each and every day
in what they say
and what they pray.
But to do this again
As it was done before,
Knowing we are heirs
Life becomes a prayer.
So many praying every day,
Perhaps not knowing what to say,
But knowing of your faith
And the smile on your face.
The chain was never broken,
No doubt ever spoken.
Faith in the God of Heaven above
Shown brightly in everyone’s love.
The odd, better the good, thing about prayer
Is that although God knows the end,
Whether or not one will heal and mend,
There is a second healing for those who care.
Through illness, those who intercede
On your behalf come to know God,
Perhaps in a way not known before.
They find that prayer is more than a good deed.
When we seek out God, he is faithful
To open our hearts to his goodness,
His love for us, his desire in the mess
That we find joy and become full.
One has to sometimes wonder
Who receives more,
The one being prayed for
Or those that are praying.
In our prayer of thanksgiving
We know everyone received more,
More of the love God has for us
Through the healing power of is son Jesus.
Perhaps without even knowing as he did speak,
“I am a scientist, you are a miracle,”
A doctor received part of the miracle
That through prayer everyone did seek.
God the eternal scientist
Uses us as he needs
Us to sow the seeds
Of his desires for his creation.
Reflection on The Science of Prayer
This was written for a friend. This was her reply to me when I asked for a description of what she had.
I have 4 Glioblastoma Multi form stage 4 Multinforms, it sprouts new tumors like weeds in a garden. I’m starting my 9th chemo round next week. I’ve had 6 weeks of radiation. Last April I had surgery, they got 90 % of the main tumor. I’m currently on Optune which stops new tumor growth. There are electrodes that hook up to a bag I wear 24/7 for one-two years. It stops new tumor growth and the original from re-growing less.
Knowing what she has been through and what lies ahead, her strength, her outlook, and faith in God, she is truly inspiring.
I have found that there are those are living with terrible health issues have healed, strengthened my faith as I see how deep their faith is God is during these times of trial and struggle. in the last couple of years I have been praying for a young woman who has had a heart transplant and is now waiting for a double lunge transplant. And long with those issues there have been other health issues. To hear of her faith , her hope in God is truly inspiring. Her faith has help heal my failing faith at times. It is the faith of those struggling that can heal, strengthen the faith of the rest of us.
If we have time.
I wrote this poem in the late 1970s or early 80s. It was written during my awakening to who Jesus truly was and is and will be. It is simply titled Prayer. It is from God’s Rhyme, © 2018.
PRAYER
Dear Jesus, how do I pray,
what do I say?
What words do I speak
for the peace that I seek?
I give thanks to You
for all that You do,
for the blessings You are giving
in this life I am living.
I praise Your blessed name,
forever & always it is the same.
Yesterday You guided me,
today You helped me see.
Forgive me for all the wrongs,
keep me singing happy songs.
From temptation set me free
so that in You I can be.
I praise You
I thank You
I worship You
I honor You
Jesus, You set me free,
now I can see.
When my vision is blurred
You show me Your word.
As I have been blessed,
now I pray for the rest,
for my sisters & brothers
who think they have no other.
For our salvation You are risen,
for us new life You have given.
Use me as You would
that others may have what they should.
I praise You
I thank You
I worship You
I honor You
On bended knee or with hands upraised,
it is Your life that is praised.
And as I give You my life
You take from me my strife.
You have given me so much;
joy, life, love & the such.
& all You have taken
is my life’s burden.
You are all the love
from Heaven above.
& Jesus, each time I pray
there is not enough to say.
Except,
I praise You
& Your holy name,
I thank You
for what You have done,
I worship You
as my Savior & Lord,
I honor You
as only You deserve,
& I do Love you,
my Jesus, my Lord,
my Savior, my friend.
Amen
An unplanned poem from God Still Rhymes, pg. 57
MY PRAYER TODAY
Lord, tell me what to pray.
Tell me what I should say.
May your Spirit that is holy
Be at my side, my guide solely.
What I do learn
I do not earn,
But by your grace
I now have faith.
You lead me not astray.
You show me the path to stay.
It is thru your Spirit
That I now can learn it.
Lead me, guide me,
Take my life and set me free.
If you give
Him the times
As you live
His word rhymes ©
We are the Kings kids and you will never get rid of us because we are His with Jesus, ©
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"If you give Him the times As you live His word rhymes "
"We are the King’s kids and you’ll never get rid of us because we are His with Jesus."