Jesus’ disciples asked him to “teach us to pray” because prayer is not always intuitive. One of the problems I had early on as I prayed was a sort of sameness to my prayers. (Lord give me this, Lord forgive me for that.) This kept my prayer times short and sort of shallow. A tool that helped me is this acronym, ACTS. I used this tool for many years until it became a natural part of my prayer life. I have found the more specific you can be in each category the more helpful this can be to you.
A = Adoration – Honor God for his greatness and goodness.
C = Confession – Ask God’s forgiveness
T = Thanksgiving – Where can you see his blessings in your life?
S = Supplication – This simply means to ask God, to bring your requests to Him.
Adoration: I Chronicles 29:11
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.
Confession: I John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Thanksgiving: Ephesians 5:19-20
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Supplication: Matthew 7:7
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
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