Program Title: Pray On!

Date: 04/02/17

OPENING PRAYER: Nickesha Millette

SONG SERVICE: Voces de Promesa (15 mins)
AY AIM, MOTTO & PRAYER: Nickesha Millette

SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Timothy 2:8

Reading of an Inspirational Story ** (3 mins)

DISCUSSION (10mins)
1. Have you ever had a story of answered prayer?
2. Have you ever been frustrated by an unanswered prayer?
3. Why do you think some prayers are answered and others are not?

About the A.C.T.S. acronym (15 mins)

Introduce the A.C.T.S. acronym to the church and separate them into 4 groups. Each
group will be given one of the letters and some information about that aspect of the
acronym. They will then be asked to creatively explain (song, drama, visual art, etc)
their aspect to the wider church.

Adoration

When we catch a glimpse of how magnificent and awesome God is, our hearts naturally turn to
adoration. The Westminster Catechism states "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him
forever". As we worship something happens on the inside - the worries and cares of the day
seem less important as we realize how amazing God is and how special is His love for us. Jesus
affirms the importance of adoration in His teaching on prayer. His first line was "Our Father in
heaven, hallowed be your name".

So adoration is important for two reasons -

• Adoring God reminds us of who He is
• Worshipping God reminds us of who it is that loves and cares for us.

Confession
As we adore the living God, we become aware of our own frailty and sin. We realise that we
have not lived as could have done. We have let others down, ourselves down, and mostly
 importantly, we have let God down. In confession we tell God about these things, and ask for His
forgiveness and restoration.

Thanksgiving
There are many incidents recorded in the scriptures where people gave thanks to God:-

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever". (Psalm 118:1 and at the end -
v.29)

And again in psalm 136, this time the psalmist recalls the many reasons why it is good to thank
the living God:-

(v.1) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

His love endures forever.

(v.4-7) to him who alone does great wonders,

His love endures forever.
who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1 & 4-7 (NIV)

In adoration, our focus is on God - who He is, and our worship of Him. In thanksgiving, our focus
is on what he has done - for us, for others, or throughout history. If we have just confessed our
sins to our Father and received His forgiveness, then thanksgiving will be a very natural thing to
do.

Supplication

The Apostle Paul encourages believers to offer prayers of supplication to God:-

"do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known to God". (Phil 4:6, ESV)

Supplication is requesting God to do something, either for yourself or on behalf of somebody else.
 The ACTS prayer template
it's only a guide!
The method of the ACTS prayer model is a guide to how to pray, it is not a rigid format. For example:-

• The order can be mixed up - sometimes it is good to start with thanksgiving, and remind ourselves about the
things that God has done for us, before making our requests (supplication) to God. It could also omit an
element. (E.g. T S A)

• Moving backwards and forwards between adoration and supplication can help to remind us that we are in
God's presence and that all our concerns for the world around us flow out of being deeply aware of the beauty
of God and His everlasting love for us. (Eg. A S A S A S etc.)

• A prayer could be all adoration! (E.g. A A A A A A !)

SPECIAL MUSIC: Instrumental piece

LARGE GROUP ACTIVITY (15 - 20 mins)

Draw Swords! - Bible Texts related to some common misconceptions about prayer
1. "Prayer comes naturally, I don't need anyone to teach me." Luke 11:1
Jesus' disciples asked Him to teach them after 3 years of walking with Him…

2. "Prayer doesn't make sense; if God knows everything, why do I have to ask?"
Matt. 6:10
Does the Crucifixion make sense? ....God is God. He designed the "program of prayer".
He chose to limit Himself by the prayers of His people. It's part of His plan. His will is
accomplished, His rulership is introduced "on earth as it is in heaven"

3. "Prayer doesn't do much good" James 5:16,

How many here feel you were saved in direct answer to someone's prayers? How
many feel you have received ....spouse....job material needs healing....?

4."Prayer is only to be used as a last resort, after you have done everything else you
possibly can." First of all....Mark 1:35

5."I don't pray because I don't want to bother God with my needs." Matt. 7:7-11
Bother God? The Almighty, Eternal One who created all things and by His word holds all
things together? The God who loves you so much that He became a man, suffered and
died a horrible death to pay for your sins and make a way for you to become His child
and have communion with Him? The heavenly Father who enjoys giving good gifts to
those who ask Him? What bothers God is that we don't pray more often!!

6. "I can't pray because I haven't been doing right lately." 1 John 1:9
That's why you NEED to pray!! 1 John 1:9 Confess your sins and receive cleansing, then
go on and pray!! Part of the purpose of prayer is to deal with our own sin. That's what we
did when we first came to God!!!

7. "I must feel like praying in order to pray effectively. I need to be in the mood or
inspired." Ephesians 6:18 - at all time with all kinds

8."I must feel something when I pray in order for my prayers to be answered. I must
feel like I'm full of faith." James 5:15
The prayer of feeling shall save the sick...? “Prayer is a duty, commanded by God, it’s
not a glandular condition!”

9. "One should always expect immediate, measurable evidence of the effects of one's
prayers. If you ask for the same thing more than once, that is a sign of your lack of
faith... Luke 18:1-8 Jesus emphasized persistent faith and repeated asking. Jesus
Himself repeated prayers.

10."I can't pray, I don't know what to say." Matt. 6:9-13

a) Just talk to Him as His child. Learn from David's example. Read the Psalms!
b) Read the Scripture. Find verses that express what you feel. Quote them as part
of your prayer. Be sure to include verses that declare God's greatness and
goodness, for PRAISE should be a part of our prayers. It’s not "buttering up" God so we
can get on His good side. Praise helps us focus on the Lord, come into His presence in a
special way. It helps build our faith.
c) Use a prayer list, it won't "quench the Spirit". It can help you get going.
SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY (10 mins)
Either break into small groups or, if your group is already small, do this together.
Brainstorm a list of people and situations in our church, community and nation that we
need to pray about.

SONG: Whisper a Prayer

Spend time praying for these issues and commit to adding them to your personal prayer
list.

VESPER: (5 mins)
“Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend. In the secret place of prayer,
where no eye but God's can see, no ear but His can hear, we may pour out our most
hidden desires and longings to the Father of infinite pity; and in the hush and silence of
the soul, that voice which never fails to answer the cry of human need, will speak to our
hearts....We can no more live the Christian life without prayer than we can live the
physical life without food. To grow in grace, we must ask and receive the bread of
heaven. The strength gained by prayer gives a preparation for duty and fills the heart
with peace.To every sincere, earnest prayer an answer will come. The answer to your
prayer may not come just as you desire, or at the time you look for it; but it will come,
and in the way and at the time that will be for your best good. The prayers you offer in
loneliness, in weariness and trial, God answers, not always according to your
expectations, but always for your good.” (Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, January 29,
1902).

CLOSING HYMN: I Need the Prayers of Those I Love- 505

CLOSING PRAYER: Deacon on Duty