2. Devoted to Prayer As Christians we are called to be a people who “Devote yourselves to prayer” Colossians 4:2

3. 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.

4. Prayer & Relationship - ACTSS Most of us would like a stronger relationship with God. Communication helps our relationships to thrive & grow. Prayer, in response to God’s love, helps our relationship to Him thrive and grow.

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

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

7. ACTSS - Adoration Adoration focuses on Adoration focuses on “Who God is” not “What God gives.”

8. ACTSS - Adoration In our prayers of adoration we tell God that we love him for who he is. In our prayers of thanksgiving we thank God for what he gives.

9. ACTSS - Thanksgiving Prayers of thanksgiving affirm that our prayers never begin the conversation with God. Prayers of thanksgiving = Our response to what God has already done

10. ACTSS - Thanksgiving Just as prayers of adoration help refocus our lives, So prayers of thanksgiving help give us peace.

11. ACTSS - Thanksgiving 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7

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

13. ACTSS - Confession Scripture Reading Psalm 51

14. ACTSS - Confession What does “Sorry” look like? look like?

15. ACTSS - Confession Hiding is a part of sinning. Hiding from God. Hiding from others. Hiding from self.

16. ACTSS - Confession Adam and Eve hid from God. “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.” Gen.3:8

17. ACTSS - Confession David and Bathsheba hid their sin from God, others and probably themselves. Talk about cover ups “Bathsheba-gate”

18. ACTSS - Confession Ananias and Saphira in the early church tried to hide their sin from the church and God.

19. ACTSS - Confession You and I try to hide our sin from God, others and ourselves. “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Heb.4:13

20. ACTSS - Confession God in His Love hates the break that sin and its cover-up does to our relationship with Him. So he comes looking for us. He comes to remove the covers.

21. ACTSS - Confession In the Garden, calling out to a hiding Adam, “ But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" Gen. 1:9 To a king busy covering up his sin God sends a prophet, Nathan

22. ACTSS - Confession When David confessed his sin he realized that Sin was getting in the way of his relationship with God: 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:11-12 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:11-12

23. ACTSS - Confession God loves us too much to let anything get in the way of his love relationship with us. In His love, God invites us to confess our sins to him.

24. ACTSS - Confession David begins his psalm of confession focusing on God’s Love: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.” Psalm 51:1

25. ACTSS - Confession How do we confess our sins? 1. Own your own sin and its consequences. its consequences. “blot out my transgressions. “blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Ps. 51:1b-2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Ps. 51:1b-2

26. ACTSS - Confession How do we confess our sins? 2. Name your sin. - Be specific - Be specific

27. ACTSS - Confession How do we confess our sins? If you can’t think of anything... 3.Ask God to pull back the covers - Be willing to be exposed - Be willing to be exposed “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Psalm 51:17 Psalm 51:17

28. ACTSS - Confession How do we confess our sins? 4.Ask for God’s help to turn from that sin. ”Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” ”Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” - Psalm 51:10 - Psalm 51:10

29. ACTSS - Confession God loves you too much to let you remain estranged from him because of your sin. He wants to pull the covers off of you so that you may experience his loving forgiveness.

30. ACTSS - Confession You have a choice: Keep the covers over you and your sin, Or in confession allow God to pull the covers off of you so you may experience his tender touch.