ACTS: Adoration. Confession. Thanksgiving. Supplication.

I learned this method of prayer almost 20 years ago. It’s an easy, user-friendly way of praying the way Jesus taught his disciples. 

Adoration — Praising God the Father’s character: His majesty, His omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, His ceaseless pat-ience, grace, mercy and unfailing love. 

“God, I praise you because you are in control of this world. When tragedy strikes that we do not understand

(9/11, cancer, earthquakes) we praise you because we know you are in control. You reign over the earth and all its people.”

Confession — Admitting our sins to God and asking for forgiveness. We confess sins against one another, which are all sins against God. Through confession we hope to wipe the slate clean, purify our hearts and close the gap that sin creates between God and us.

“Lord, forgive me today for the selfishness in my heart, the self-centeredness that prevents me from being the spouse and friend I need to be. Help me put others first, trusting that you provide for all my needs.”

Thanksgiving — Offering thanks for the many blessings God pours out on us. Immediately our minds turn to tangible things: a new house, job promotion, good health and children. Yet we must also consider the spiritual blessings God gives us such as opportunities to share the gospel, the gift of prayer itself and God’s mercy on our lives.

“Heavenly Father, thank you for blessing me with godly friends whom I can rely on in my time of need. Thank you for fruitful conversations. Thank you for encouraging me through friendships.”

Supplication — Petitioning God to act on our behalf and on behalf of others. Praying for our friends and family, teachers, co-workers, government leaders and even those around the world whom we do not know.

“Dear God, I pray for my sweet grandmother who is coping with the loss of her husband. Bring her comfort through your presence and the encouragement of friends. I also pray for wisdom for our government leaders as they make vital decisions affecting our country’s future.”

The ACTS method of prayer, while effective, can feel redundant at times. As my children grow older and better grasp the concept of prayer, I seek new ways to incorporate it into our lives. If it feels stale, consider new ways to invigorate your prayer life.

My aunt recently gave me a beautiful, decorative marker board, which I placed in my kitchen. This room serves as the hub of our home. The board sits on top of my refrigerator for all to see. On the board I wrote a Bible verse, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” (Proverbs 4:23 NIV) Every time we see the board, we meditate on these words and how we can apply them to our lives. We also take the opportunity to pray through this verse:

“Lord, help me guard my heart today against wasteful things: mindless television, Web sites that do not glorify you, idle conversations. Help me, instead, to focus on things that bring life: encouraging a friend, loving my children, serving my spouse.”

Last Christmas, a friend gave me an exciting idea that my family now practices. Instead of throwing away our Christmas cards or stuffing them in a box in the attic, we place them in a decorative bucket on our kitchen table. At mealtime, we pull a new card out of the bucket and pray for that family. My children love this new ritual. They enjoy seeing their friends’ smiling faces and praying for their needs. 

This practice also teaches children the act of supplication. They pray for their friends, yet they also learn to pray for people they do not know. We receive many cards from people living in other cities, friends we made before we had children and lived in Waco. Our children enjoy the stories we tell them about these dear friends and are learning to pray beyond their inner circle.  

The beautiful thing about prayer is that we can communicate with God anytime, anywhere, about anything. As I wrote in last month’s column, this was not always the case. Ancient Israelites sought God through a priest. But we have direct contact with the creator of the universe. What a privilege! Now that we know how to pray, let us not waste the opportunity. 

As the apostle Paul wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians

4:6-7, NIV)

Elizabeth Oates (B.A. Baylor University; M.A.C.E. Dallas Theological Seminary) is a wife, mother and freelance writer. She and her husband, Brandon, founded Project Restoration Ministry. For more information on Elizabeth’s Bible study curriculum, “Dealing with Divorce: Finding Direction When Your Parents Split Up,” or to e-mail her, go to the Web site www.projectrestoration ministry.org.