GLEANINGS — September 15, A.D. 2013                                                                                                               Structure for a Prayer Meeting: "A.C.T.S."

That simple acronym provides our basic format for an hour of communing as a congregation with our great God. In the spirit of the disciples who so asked Jesus, we hereby ask Him to teach us to pray as, if it be His will, we continue to meet in the weeks ahead...

A stands for adoration. Psalm 8 will be read, and a space of about ten minutes devoted to the expression of PRAISE to God; prayer requests (intercession) will come later.
 
C stands for confession. Psalm 51:1-12  will be read, then we will move into a second ten minute period of confession according to James 5:16, "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

At this point we will rise to sing one or two verses of a hymn or psalm

T stands for thanksgiving. 1 Chronicles 16:8-12 will be read, and the emphasis for the third ten minute portion will be thankfulness. Count and name your blessings and come prepared to publically give Him thanks for them!

S stands for supplication. Our fourth ten minute period is the one devoted to intercession (prayer requests) such as:

1. The proclamation of the Gospel and the advance of God's kingdom through New Life
2. The persecuted church – naming particular Christians, nations, and circumstances 
3. Family, Church, and Civil leaders
4. Needs within our congregation including spiritual and numerical growth, guidance, as well as matters specific to various individuals and families.

Prayers need not be long and "flowery." In fact, our Lord warned against praying to be seen by others, and against the misguided idea that anyone is heard by God because of many words, (Matthew 6). Moreover, it can be hard for the rest to follow as one prays at length. 

A "conversational" style of prayer is good for a meeting like this; prayers of one or two sentences, anyone free to pray aloud once, more than once, or to not pray aloud at all. Not every prayer must be concluded with the phrase, "in Jesus name," for we will be gathered in His name...by His grace gathered in the Spirit before the Father's throne, accepted through the divine person and work of the Son.

About three minutes of verbal instruction and encouragment will be offered by the pastor as we start promptly at 7 P.M. We will plan to end the meeting promptly at 8 P.M.

Come, let us pray together!