detailed explanation of the acts prayer
Detailed Explanation of the 'A.C.T.S' Prayer
If God is our destination, then prayer is the route to reach that destination. But it is pivotal to understand the pros and cons of the path we take, that is, we ought to understand whether the path we take is righteous or not. This Buzzle article attempts to shed light on a popular mode of prayer, called the ACTS Prayer.
"Work as if you were to live a hundred years, pray as if you were to die tomorrow."
― Benjamin Franklin
It is a common belief that prayers are best chanted during the testing times. But, ideally prayers should be accepted as the sole means of communication with the Almighty. All God-fearing mortals rest ultimate faith in God. But as we are mortals it is practically impossible to communicate with God with the aid of mortal resources. Here comes the need for prayer, which is the life-giving act for our souls.
In these turbulent times of hustle and bustle, we tend to overlook praying to the Almighty. But, it is important to devote some of our valuable time to the Creator. It is also common for petty humans like us to bow our heads in prayer for the fulfillment of all our desires, however small or big they are. Therefore, in order to thank God for the exceptional bounty he has showered upon us, and also to besiege his divine blessings, a model for prayer has been formulated which is accepted widely. Through this article you will be able to follow the minute details about the A.C.T.S Prayer, that will enlighten you and will guide you nearer to God.
A.C.T.S Prayer: Meaning
ACTS is the guide that helps one to devote wholly to the act of praying. It signifies a deep practice. Prayer in itself is a mighty practice. It is again fragmented into four parts, namely, Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. Now the question is, how to pray the ACTS prayer. Well, the above mentioned practices are synchronized serially. Hence, they are to be followed in the same order. Let us now delve deeper in order to comprehend the significance of each fragment, which when practiced as a whole, results in a beautiful, cumulative payer.
ADORATION
Synonyms: Admiration, Worship, Devotion, Adulation, Love, Praise
It is the first stepping stone towards a wholesome prayer. It is the expression of acute pleasure of having been blessed with the Almighty's blessings. It is a sincere way to thank Him for his love, kindness, and countless gifts that He showers upon us continuously. This is the stage when we surrender ourselves completely to the divine shepherd who has guided us along the path of life. We therefore take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude towards Him. It also allows us to praise the majesty, holiness, divinity, and greatness of the Lord, which we experience in the course of our life at differing magnitudes, and differing situations.
CONFESSION
Synonyms: Admission, Acknowledgment, Acceptance, Affirmation
'To err is human, to forgive divine'. This short phrase explains many complicated occurrences that we encounter quite often. We are mortals and hence we are destined to commit follies. Sometimes we commit wrongs without being conscious about the same, at others, we purposefully indulge in the wrongdoing. It is the latter case, that calls for Confession. At this stage we surrender to Him completely, and tell him all about our misdemeanors, so that the Lord can pardon us. To folly is a sin, to forget about it is a greater sin. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that we are accountable to those whom we have treated wrongly. In order to reach closer to God, we must cut down on our sins.
THANKSGIVING
Synonyms: Grace, Gratitude, Gratefulness
The amount of our gratitude we express towards The Almighty is never going to be proportional to the array of gifts God bestows upon us each day. However, in our own humble way, let us all take the chance to thank God. This is known as the Thanksgiving segment, which is the third stage of the A.C.T.S prayer. Life in itself is a beautiful gift. It's beauty intensifies when we further receive additional gifts from God. Take a breath, sit down and thank God with all your heart. This is a simple, yet vital phenomenon of a wholesome prayer.
SUPPLICATION
Synonyms: Request, Plea, Prayer, Petition, Appeal
We are greedy. It is almost impossible to do away with our greed, wants, temptations, and desires. We must put forth all our wants and desires to God. He is omniscient, but we need to express specifically about what we want. We shouldn't be ashamed of asking from God. He is our pathfinder, our savior. We must also ask for blessing people who are related to us. We must also broaden our minds and ask for things that are beneficial for the masses, and for humanity as a whole. Our want for betterment must not overshadow community aspirations. As children of God, we must also remember those, who are also children of the same God, like we are.
Examples of ACTS Prayer
Adoration
O' My Lord, you are the Savior, you are the Creator. You have created this beautiful world, and all the beautiful things that it houses. I admire your magnanimity, your grandeur, and your power.
ACTS prayer verse for Adoration
Then Moses and the Israelite sang this song to the Lord:
"I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.
"The Lord is my strength and my defense he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him.
― Exodus 15:1-2; The Song of Moses and Miriam
Confession
Dear God, I have come to Thee with folded hands. You are merciful towards everyone. Shower your mercy upon me O' lord, for I have done things that I shouldn't have. Forgive me O' Father, and cleanse me of my forebodings.
ACTS prayer verse for Confession
David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord,
"I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing."
― Samuel 24:10
Thanksgiving
O' Heavenly Father, I thank You deep from my heart, for you have blessed me with so much that I could ever ask for. You have filled my life with food, clothes, wealth, happiness and joy.
ACTS prayer verse for Thanksgiving
I will praise God's name in song
and glorify him with thanksgiving.
― Psalm 69:30
Supplication
Dear God, I totally submit myself to your omnipresence. You are all-knowing. There is none that is hidden from your divine knowledge. Therefore, I solemnly plead you to shower your blessings upon me and my near and dear ones. Help us O' God to pass the times of test with flying colors, so that with every passing day, my belief in You multiplies manifold.
Prayer is a means of talking to God. It can take many forms. The tears rolling down the cheeks of a grief-stricken individual is also a form of prayer. Through ACTS we can proceed gradually towards the ideal mode of offering prayers, because prayer is beyond the superficial urge to have overall fulfillment.ACTS prayer verse for Supplication
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
― Psalm 69:30Philippians 4:6