Devoted to Prayer
-
Upload
shad-pickett -
Category
Documents
-
view
30 -
download
0
description
Transcript of Devoted to Prayer
Devoted to PrayerDevoted to Prayer
As Christians we are called to As Christians we are called to be a people who be a people who
““Devote yourselves to prayer”Devote yourselves to prayer”Colossians 4:2Colossians 4:2
Devoted to PrayerDevoted to Prayer
The call to be devoted to prayer The call to be devoted to prayer
is is a responsea response to to
the love God has for us.the love God has for us.
Prayer is about Prayer is about
a relationship with God.a relationship with God.
Prayer & Relationship - ACTSSPrayer & Relationship - ACTSS
Most of us would like a Most of us would like a stronger relationship with God.stronger relationship with God.
Communication helps our Communication helps our relationships to thrive & grow.relationships to thrive & grow.
Prayer, in response to God’s love, Prayer, in response to God’s love, helps our relationship to Him helps our relationship to Him
thrive and grow.thrive and grow.
Prayer & Relationship - ACTSSPrayer & Relationship - ACTSS
The ACTSS modelThe ACTSS model
A - AdorationA - Adoration
C - ConfessionC - Confession
T - ThanksgivingT - Thanksgiving
S - SupplicationS - Supplication
S - SurrenderS - Surrender
ACTSS - AdorationACTSS - Adoration
By beginning with AdorationBy beginning with Adoration
You focus on GodYou focus on God
You focus on your relationship You focus on your relationship with Him.with Him.
ACTSS - AdorationACTSS - Adoration
Adoration focuses onAdoration focuses on
““Who God is” Who God is”
not not
““What God gives.”What God gives.”
ACTSS - AdorationACTSS - Adoration
In our In our prayers of adorationprayers of adoration
we tell God we tell God
that we love him for who he is.that we love him for who he is.
In our In our prayers of thanksgivingprayers of thanksgiving we thank God for what he gives.we thank God for what he gives.
ACTSS - ThanksgivingACTSS - Thanksgiving
Prayers of thanksgivingPrayers of thanksgiving
affirm that our prayers never begin affirm that our prayers never begin the conversation with God.the conversation with God.
Prayers of thanksgiving =Prayers of thanksgiving =
Our response to what God has Our response to what God has already donealready done
ACTSS - ThanksgivingACTSS - Thanksgiving
Just as prayers of adoration help Just as prayers of adoration help refocus our lives,refocus our lives,
So prayers of thanksgiving help give So prayers of thanksgiving help give us peace.us peace.
ACTSS - ThanksgivingACTSS - Thanksgiving
6Do not be anxious about anything, 6Do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God. present your requests to God.
7And the peace of God, which transcends 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts all understanding, will guard your hearts
and your minds in Christ Jesus. and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:6-7Phil 4:6-7
Prayer & Relationship - ACTSSPrayer & Relationship - ACTSS
The ACTSS modelThe ACTSS model
A - AdorationA - Adoration
C - ConfessionC - Confession
T - ThanksgivingT - Thanksgiving
S - SupplicationS - Supplication
S - SurrenderS - Surrender
ACTSS - ConfessionACTSS - Confession
Hiding is a part of sinning.Hiding is a part of sinning.
Hiding from God.Hiding from God.
Hiding from others.Hiding from others.
Hiding from self.Hiding from self.
ACTSS - ConfessionACTSS - Confession
Adam and Eve hid from God.Adam and Eve hid from God.
““Then the man and his wife heard the Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking sound of the LORD God as he was walking
in the garden in the cool of the day, and in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the they hid from the LORD God among the
trees of the garden.” Gen.3:8trees of the garden.” Gen.3:8
ACTSS - ConfessionACTSS - Confession
David and Bathsheba David and Bathsheba
hid their sin from God, others and hid their sin from God, others and probably themselves.probably themselves.
Talk about cover upsTalk about cover ups
““Bathsheba-gate”Bathsheba-gate”
ACTSS - ConfessionACTSS - Confession
Ananias and Saphira Ananias and Saphira
in the early church in the early church
tried to hide their sin tried to hide their sin
from the church and God.from the church and God.
ACTSS - ConfessionACTSS - Confession
You and I You and I try to hide our sin from God, try to hide our sin from God,
others and ourselves.others and ourselves.
““Nothing in all creation is hidden from Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom laid bare before the eyes of him to whom
we must give account.” Heb.4:13we must give account.” Heb.4:13
ACTSS - ConfessionACTSS - Confession
God in His Love hates the break God in His Love hates the break that sin and its cover-up does to that sin and its cover-up does to
our relationship with Him.our relationship with Him.
So he comes looking for us.So he comes looking for us.
He comes to remove the covers.He comes to remove the covers.
ACTSS - ConfessionACTSS - Confession
In the Garden, calling out to a In the Garden, calling out to a hiding Adam, hiding Adam,
““But the LORD God called to the man, But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" Gen. 1:9"Where are you?" Gen. 1:9
To a king busy covering up his sin To a king busy covering up his sin God sends a prophet, NathanGod sends a prophet, Nathan
ACTSS - ConfessionACTSS - Confession
When David confessed his sin he When David confessed his sin he realized that Sin was getting in the realized that Sin was getting in the way of his relationship with God:way of his relationship with God:
11 Do not cast me from your presence 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain
me. me. Psalm 51:11-12Psalm 51:11-12
ACTSS - ConfessionACTSS - Confession
God loves us too much to let God loves us too much to let anything get in the way of his love anything get in the way of his love
relationship with us.relationship with us.
In His love, God invites us to In His love, God invites us to confess our sins to him.confess our sins to him.
ACTSS - ConfessionACTSS - Confession
David begins his psalm of David begins his psalm of confession focusing on God’s Love:confession focusing on God’s Love:
““Have mercy on me, O God, Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.” blot out my transgressions.”
Psalm 51:1Psalm 51:1
ACTSS - ConfessionACTSS - Confession
How do we confess our sins?How do we confess our sins?
1.1. Own your own sin and Own your own sin and its consequences.its consequences.
““blot out blot out mymy transgressions. transgressions. Wash away all Wash away all mymy iniquity iniquity and cleanse and cleanse meme from from mymy sin. Ps. 51:1b-2 sin. Ps. 51:1b-2
ACTSS - ConfessionACTSS - Confession
How do we confess our sins?How do we confess our sins?
2.2. Name your sin.Name your sin.
- Be specific- Be specific
ACTSS - ConfessionACTSS - Confession
How do we confess our sins?How do we confess our sins?If you can’t think of anything . . .If you can’t think of anything . . .
3.3. Ask God to pull back the coversAsk God to pull back the covers - Be willing to be exposed- Be willing to be exposed
““The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” O God, you will not despise.”
Psalm 51:17Psalm 51:17
ACTSS - ConfessionACTSS - Confession
How do we confess our sins?How do we confess our sins?
4.4. Ask for God’s help to turn from Ask for God’s help to turn from that sin.that sin.
” ”Create in me a pure heart, O God, Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
- Psalm 51:10- Psalm 51:10
ACTSS - ConfessionACTSS - Confession
God loves you too much to let you God loves you too much to let you remain estranged from him remain estranged from him
because of your sin.because of your sin.He wants to pull the covers off of He wants to pull the covers off of
you you so that you may experience his so that you may experience his
loving forgiveness.loving forgiveness.
ACTSS - ConfessionACTSS - Confession
You have a choice:You have a choice:
Keep the covers over you and Keep the covers over you and your sin,your sin,
Or in confession allow God to pull Or in confession allow God to pull the covers off of you so you may the covers off of you so you may
experience his tender touch.experience his tender touch.