How Do We Pray?

Good morning dear friends and brothers and sisters in Christ! Remember that “it’s a great day to be alive!” (There’s a story behind that phrase that I’ll share someday)

Today's passage is 1 Kings 8:22-30.

Have you prayed today? Did you pray yesterday in church service? Did you hear your pastor or someone else lead the prayer yesterday? Are you going to pray with your family sometime today? If so, how are you going to pray? That is, is there a certain pattern that you usually follow?

You’ve most likely heard the “ACTS” pattern which is based on the Biblical pattern of prayer:
A – Adoration and praise
C – Confession
T – Thanksgiving
S – Supplication

Many prayers that I’ve heard (and I certainly include the prayers I pray!) seem to have the tendency to invert the ACTS pattern. That is, our human nature is concerned with supplication, what I need or want. Now, God wants to hear the desires and needs of our heart, but He also wants to hear adoration and praise. We need to have a balanced prayer pattern. Notice the following prayer from the Bible:

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven 23 and said: "O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below-- you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. 24 You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it-- as it is today…” (1 Kings 8:22-24)

Notice the opening sentences of Solomon’s prayer before God and how he names God, lifts up and praises Him, and declares His mighty works and faithfulness; notice also how many times Solomon uses the pronouns “you” and “your”.

How do your prayers begin? Do they quickly move to “Bless me…my need is…grant me…Help me…I need…etc.”? Again, there is nothing wrong with asking God for something, He wants to hear that. But for our prayers to be “balanced”, we should acknowledge and remember to declare God’s faithfulness and mighty works in a spirit of praise and adoration.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, You who created all things and have given us your love. You are the King of kings and Lord of lords. You have provided for us for our every need. You alone are worthy of our praise. I praise and thank You this day for our goodness and mercy. Help me this day to remember You in all areas of my prayer and daily life. In your Son's name I pray. Amen.

By grace alone,
Pastor David