1. Devoted to Prayer “Devote yourselves to prayer” Imperative / Command Devotion is a response. Something always precedes devotion.

2. Devoted to Prayer The call to be devoted to prayer is a response to the love God has for us. Prayer is about a relationship with God.

3. Out of God’s Glorious Riches I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, Ephesians 3:16

4. Out of God’s Glorious Riches And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge— that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19

5. Prayer & Relationship - ACTSS If our level of communication with God is so low, should we be surprised that our relationship to him does not seem to be growing and has gone stale?

6. Prayer & Relationship - ACTSS Most of us would like a stronger relationship with God. Many of us have met people who are on fire for God and have a prayer life that is well beyond where we are today.

7. Prayer & Relationship - ACTSS I suspect the disciples of Jesus were experiencing the same thing: They saw Jesus spending hours in prayer. They noticed that he had an incredibly close relationship to God that they did not seem to have.

8. Prayer & Relationship - ACTSS The ACTSS model A - Adoration C - Confession T - Thanksgiving S - Supplication S - Surrender

9. Prayer & Relationship - ACTSS Communication helps our relationships to thrive & grow. Prayer, in response to God’s love, helps our relationship to Him thrive and grow.

10. ACTSS - Adoration Scripture Reading Psalm 100

11. ACTSS - Adoration Of the 5 types of prayer AdorationConfessionThanksgivingSupplicationSurrender which is the hardest for you?

12. ACTSS - Adoration The hardest for me was Adoration Get down to business Thank God Put in my requests “No Frills Prayer”

13. ACTSS - Adoration Adoration sets the stage for the rest of the prayer. Adoration sets the stage for the rest of the prayer. Why pray to God? Who are you talking to?

14. ACTSS - Adoration Jesus in the Lord’s Prayer began: “Our Father, in heaven, Hallowed be your name.”

15. ACTSS - Adoration By beginning with Adoration You focus on God You focus on your relationship with Him.

16. ACTSS - Adoration Adoration is different from Thanksgiving. Adoration is different from Thanksgiving. [although the 2 are never divorced.] Adoration focuses on “Who God is” not “What God gives.”

17. ACTSS - Adoration We all like to be told that we are loved. We all like to be told that we are loved. Loved for who we are not just for what we do. God loves it when his children come to him and say, “Dad, You’re the best dad in the whole world and I love you.”

18. ACTSS - Adoration Prayers of Adoration are like times of worship which help get the focus off of us and onto God. By focusing our attention on God and his characteristics we put our lives into perspective.

19. ACTSS - Adoration We pray with adoration because: 1. God loves to hear from his beloved children. 2. It helps put our lives with its concerns into perspective. 3. God deserves our praise.

20. ACTSS - Adoration How do we grow in this area of prayer? 1. Become conscious of the person to whom you are talking. Your Father who loves. Your Father who has all authority and power.

21. ACTSS - Adoration How do we grow in this area of prayer? 2. Begin by praying other people’s words. - Rediscover the Psalms. Ps. 8, 23, 46, 95, 100, 148 & others Ps. 8, 23, 46, 95, 100, 148 & others - Take a hymn or song of praise pray it. [spoken or sung]

22. ACTSS - Adoration How do we grow in this area of prayer? 3. Praise God for his Characteristics/ attributes: attributes: - all powerful- all knowing - all present - all loving - all present - all loving - merciful- faithful - attentive- providing

23. ACTSS - Adoration How do we grow in this area of prayer? 4. Try praying the Names of God. - Jahweh – Covenant Keeping God - Elohim – Creator of all - Elohim – Creator of all - Jehovah Jireh – Provider -- Healer - Ann Spangler, Praying the Names of God

24. ACTSS - Adoration Grow in adoration in prayer, Grow in adoration in prayer, and you will surely grow in your appreciation of prayer and grow in your relationship with God.