A.C.T.S.

-Prayer changes things
-The Power of Prayer
-God Answers Prayer
-Pray Hard

These statements have been printed or engraved on decorative pieces of art, t-shirts, bumper stickers or even tattooed on people (see the Whosoevers website :)

One of my favorites is the model of prayer given by Jesus and made into the acronym "A.C.T.S."
When we go before the LORD God in prayer we offer, A-Adoration, C-Confession, T-Thanksgiving, and S-Supplication.

I want to focus on T- Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately, we all can fall into this habit in prayer-- We offer a quick hello to God, forgive me quickly, now here is where I want to spend my time God, here are all the prayer requests I have... and we unleash a 20 foot scroll and go on for 10-20 minutes or longer with our petitions.

Please, please, please don't misunderstand me--- God loves us and He is all about relationships. Even a prayer, "Lord Help me" or "Lord Thank you" is like sweet smelling incense to Him. He wants us to come to Him with all our requests...

But what I want to share, what I was reminded of recently was the importance of praying...simple prayers just for the purpose of giving thanks.

Last night God reminded me of the importance of prayers of adoration and thanksgiving to honor our Father. God did an amazing victory and answered prayers in a wonderful way and I fell to my knees and all I could say was, "LORD thank you, thank you, thank you." It felt so good! No laundry list, no burdens, no distractions, just me....just Him and just two words I could offer, "Thank you."

One time I heard Pastor Chuck Smith mention that God loves the spontaneous praise and prayer of thanks we give the LORD. This is what I think he meant---

We are driving in our car and just "out of no where" from the depths of our soul we bless God for who He is and what He's done. I like that!!! We can simply praise Him and thank Him for being good. The loving thing about our God is that we will be refreshed too as a result.

I think sometimes we can feel burdened by our supplications and petitions. Again, I am 100% convinced we do not come to the LORD with our supplication and petitions enough, so I am not saying that we should stop...If anything, we need to come to Him MORE with our petitions and requests. We need to truly offer prayers without ceasing...all day, all the time. Prayer is like oxygen. It's vital and we can't grow as a believer without it. How can one have a relationship with another he doesn't talk to?

What I am encouraging you (and me) is to take in EVEN MORE good stuff, more vitamins- Taking time to offer Thanksgiving Prayers once a day, or more.

It could be a prayer of thanks like this:
"God you are too good to me. Although I fail you, you never fail me. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for dying for me. Thank you for writing my name in your book of life. Thank you for doing exceedingly abundantly more than we could ever ask or think with my life and my testimony. Thank you for being the good sheperd and taking care of me your sheep, your precious lamb. Thank you for my spouse. Thank you for my family. Thank you for my friends. Thank you that I can see, hear, think, walk, dance, laugh, meditate on your Word and sing songs to you. Thank you that I have a roof over my head, clothes and shoes to wear, food in my fridge and cupboards and even extra resources to eat out! LORD you are too good. Thank you for my children. Thank you for the church I go to and the way you move there. Thank you for the ministry opportunites you give me daily. Thank you for my health. Thank you for my husband's job and my daily tasks you assign for me. Thank you for the Holy Spirit that indwells me. Thank you for being the Great I AM, the all sufficent one. LORD you are too good. LORD thank you. LORD thank you. LORD thank you for being you and for loving me. God, all I can say is thank you and ask you would use my life to be a blessing an offering poured out for you and your glory. In Jesus Name I offer thanks, AMEN."
(Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Hebrews 13:15; Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.Phil 4:6)

I am sure as you read this prayer you thought of 101 other things to offer thanks to God for. I bet you forgot what your petitions even were. What were you in need of again? At the time of utter surrender in thanksgiving to God we forget. We forget our worries and we just swim in the ocean of His amazing grace and love and provision.

Oh that we would give thanks more often to our Father!!!!!!

(Scripture References:
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Corinth. 9:15
We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned. Rev. 11:17
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinth 15:57
Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. Psalm 136:2
We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.Psalm 75:1
We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers. 1 Thess 1:2
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.Col 3:17
For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, 1 Thess 2:13
I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 1 Corinth 1:4