“LORD, how long will this last?… 8 Don’t punish us for our past sins. Show your mercy to us soon because we are helpless! 9 God our Savior help us so people will praise you. Save us and forgive our sins so people will honor you.” —Psalm 79:5a,8-9 (NCV)
Greetings on this wonderful Sunday afternoon,
The scripture from Psalm 79, are words from people who have a difficult time grasping what they are seeing in their beloved nation. That is where we are as citizens of the USA.
The ongoing focus of our prayer is of course our nation, that the Christian foundation of our great country would be restored. However, there are also important aspects of our approach to the Lord to consider. What follows is a brief outline of a classic understanding of how we pray:
Four basic elements in our prayer life:
A-Adoration
To adore God is to worship and praise Him, to honor and exalt Him in our heart and mind and with our lips.
C-Confession
When our prayer begins with confession, the Holy Spirit will reveal any sin in our life that needs to be confessed. This is a real door opener for drawing near.
T-Thanksgiving
An attitude of thanksgiving to God, for who He is and for the benefits we enjoy because we belong to Him, enables us to recognize that He controls all things – not just the blessings, but the challenging times as well. As we approach God with a thankful heart, He becomes strong on our behalf.
S-Supplication
Supplication is where we begin to focus and move into intercession for others. Pray that you will be sensitive to and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Pray for others – your family, your parents, neighbors, and friends; the USA and those in authority over us. Pray for the salvation of those you know who aren’t saved, for a daily opportunity to introduce others to Jesus.
While the above seems to move a bit beyond our Fasting and Prayer Initiative focus, you will find this simple pattern will be effective in your personal times of prayer
Blessings on your week,
Paul Laursen, on behalf of Advent Leadership and The Praise Community
