A few weeks ago we began a series on one of the most crucial practices of every Christian – that of prayer. And we stated then that the action of prayer should not be looked upon as an option but as an obligation.
Because prayer is so powerful and so persuasive, it should not be seen as a passing fancy but as a personal privilege. Prayer was never designed to change the heart or mind of God, as the late Dr. E. K. Bailey once stated, but it will change the mind and heart of the one doing the praying - prayer.
In our first message entitled Prayer and Fellowship, we looked at what is often called The Lord’s Prayer as our guide. And while looking at that prayer we discovered that it is ‘more-or-less’ a pattern on how to pray and not necessarily a way on what to say.
Biblical scholars suggest to us, in their study of Matthew 6:9-13, that this one prayer can be divided into two sets of three requests. The first set of request recognizes God and His glory. While the other set of requests refer to man and his needs. Notice the order – God first and then man (us).
And in using this modeled prayer as our guide, we’re using the acrostic A-C-T-S to help us recognize the proper way to fellowship with God in prayer. The first thing Jesus advised his disciples to do, when fellowshipping with God in prayer, is to set forth Adoration.
In the Old Testament priests would prepare themselves prior to entering into God’s presence. They would wash their bodies; put on their priestly attire and offer sacrifices before they entered into God’s presence.
Well, our adoration of God is likened to the act of the priests’ preparation. As we prepare ourselves to meet with our God intimately, we first of all need to recognize and adore His,
a)Person
Remembering that we are talking to God! We adore Him because of who He is. He is great and He is greatly to be praised! He’s all of that and a bag of chips!
b)Parenthood
The text reads, “Our Father who art in heaven…” He is our heavenly Father.
c)Perfect
The text says, “Hallowed be thy name.” And we discovered that hallowed means holy. Holy is his name. His name is perfect!
d)His will should be our Pursuit
Verse 10 says, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
A- Stands for adoration.
That’s what we covered in our first message entitled, Prayer and Fellowship.
In our next installment we talked about, Prayer and Forgiveness. And using the second letter of our A-C-T-S acrostic, we focused on the letter C. C- Stands for confession.
In that message we began with the stance that when you and I pray, after we approach God with adoration, we need to open up with confession. Confession is the act of inner cleansing and it’s also the prelude to forgiveness- confession. As some of us have faithfully memorized 1 John 1:9, it tells us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and also cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” But the qualifier for forgiveness is confession.
The word “confess” in the original New Testament Greek language, homologeo is a compound Greek word (two words that equate the meaning of this one word). The first word homo means ‘together or the same’. While the second word logos means ‘word’. So in essence the word “confess” simply means to “say the same words” as God says. It also has a connotative meaning to it that says, “To see it just as God sees it”.
For too long, we’ve been minimizing sin, the very things that God wants us to recognize and maximize. For too long there has been some sugar coating and some skating over our sins; in essence treating them as if they’re just minor issues in the big scheme of life. Listen to our conversations as we walk and talk by the way. By the mere fact of what some individuals say ought to tell us that we don’t view sin or call it the same as what God calls it. For example,
We say Exaggerates - God says - Liar
We say Always tipsy - God says - Drunkard
We say Sticky fingers - God says - Thief
Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10 that such as these shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven. So when you and I confess sin, it’s imperative that we call sin just what God calls it!
So looking at our text of Matthew 6:12, we discovered that confession of sin is an essential principle for the Christian. And we noticed that it’s essential in order to continue our,
a)Heavenly Relationship
We can pray the most beautiful prayers that anyone has ever heard openly, but if there is unconfessed sin in our lives privately; our prayers won’t go any further than the ceiling! Psalms 66:18 says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.”
So confession is an essential principle to continue our heavenly relationship. But confession is also essential to foster,
b)Human Reconciliation
Whenever you and I do something wrong to another brother or sister in Christ, we need to confess our faults to that individual and be reconciled.
Jesus said, in Matthew 5:23-24, “If therefore you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.”
The focus here is that confession starts reconciliation. And reconciliation strengthens relationships. But not only that, it also helps start the healing process.
James 5:16 says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.”
So we determined confession is an essential principle. But confession also carries a conditional promise.
The text says, “And forgives us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” The text says forgive us as we forgive others – that’s conditional! So in essence, the outline of this fact is this; in order to,
a)Receive forgiveness
b)Reciprocate forgiveness
C- Stands for confession.
Today, continuing with our series, let’s look at the third letter of our acrostic, T.
T – Stands for thanks or thanksgiving.
Since we have learned to adore God for who He is, let’s began to thank Him for what He has done.
1 Thessalonians 5:18, the apostle Paul writes, “In every thing give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Ingratitude is one of our most serious shortcomings as Christians. God pours out His blessings upon us but too often we’re so concerned with what we want and with things we don’t have that we fail to say “Thank You” for things He has already done. One writer says, “The reason for many Christians being so ungrateful may relate back to the first two letters. If we are not adoring God and confessing to God, we are not going to be thankful for what we have received from God.”
But Paul says, “In every thing give thanks;”
Looking at this matter of thanksgiving, in its most simplistic form, it’s merely giving favorable notice to someone for something. So with that in mind, giving God thanks in our prayers shows our,
I/. Acknowledgement of God
When we acknowledge God with thanksgiving, it shows we recognize/understand/aware that it is because of Him we are the recipients of,
a)Blessings
We realize that we are where we are, because it was He who brought us.
We know what we know, because it was He who taught us.
We have what we have, because it was He who gave it to us.
And we’re saved right now, at this moment in time because it was He who caught us!
Giving thanks to God acknowledges Him as source of our blessings. But we also need to acknowledge Him during times of,
b)Burdens
If it hadn’t been for the Father, through Christ Jesus, during times of burden and tribulation, most of us would have lost our minds! But somewhere in the midst of the burden and in the mind of the believer, God gave us peace. Peace, as Paul says, that transcends all understanding. And for that, we need to say, thank you.
Giving thanks not only shows our acknowledgment of God as the one where all of our blessings come from and how we’ve made it through our times of burden, but giving thanks also shows our,
II/. Appreciation to God
Just as prayers of confession are to be specific, prayers of thanksgiving should be specific too! Be specific when you thank God for,
a)Redemption
“For by grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, where we cannot boast about it.” Father, thank you for redemption.
b)Renovation
‘Lord, I know I’m not all you want me to be right now, but I thank you that I’m not what I used to be!’ Father, thank you for internal renovation.
c)Resurrection
Because of the death of Jesus; his suffering, his sacrifice on the cross and his subsequent resurrection from the dead; we now have insight to look forward to that, “…that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;” Father, thank you for my future resurrection.
Giving thanks, specifically, shows of our appreciation to God.
A story is told about two school teachers who hadn’t seen each other in several years. They were reunited at an educational conference and they immediately began filling each other in on the goings-on in their lives since the last time they saw each other.
One teacher said, “I got married two years ago.” “Oh, that’s great,” her friend said.
“Well, no, not really,” the first one said. “My husband is twice as old as I am.” “Oh, that’s bad,” her friend replied.
“Well, no, not really,” she said, “because he is a millionaire several times over.” “Oh, that’s great,” her friend said.
“Well, no, not really,” she said, “he’s so mean, ornery and cheap; he won’t give me any money at all.” “Oh, that’s bad,” her friend replied.
“Well, no, not really,” she said. “He did build us a $3,000,000 house.” “Oh, that’s great,” her friend said.
“Well, no, not really,” she said. “The house burned down last month.” “Oh, that’s bad,” her friend replied.
“Well, no, not really,” she said. “He was in the house when it burned down!”
In everything give God thanks!!!
The A-C-T-S of prayer.
Prayer and Fellowship: A – stands for Adoration
Prayer and Forgiveness: C – stands for Confession
Prayer and Favorable Notice: T – stands for Thanksgiving
“Pray, then, in this way…” Matthew 6:9
