How to pray
Prayer is talking honestly with your Father. Jesus gave us a pattern, and ACTS is an easy way to start.
You don't need special words
God isn't grading your vocabulary. Jesus warned against heaping up empty phrases. Talk to Him plainly, the way a child talks to a good father.
The pattern Jesus gave
The Lord's Prayer moves from God's name and kingdom to our daily needs, forgiveness, and protection. Pray through it line by line in your own words.
ACTS: a simple framework
Adoration: praise God for who He is. 'Lord, You are faithful and You never change.'
Confession: name your sin honestly. 'I was harsh with my wife today. Forgive me.'
Thanksgiving: thank Him for what He's done. 'Thank You for this job and for saving me.'
Supplication: ask for what you and others need. 'Give my friend courage for her surgery.'
Make it a habit
Pick a time and place. Five honest minutes every morning beats an hour once a month. Use Scripture as your prompt: read a psalm and pray it back to God.
From Scripture
So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Rejoice at all times. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
Put it into practice
- Tomorrow morning, pray through ACTS with one sentence for each letter.
- Keep a short list of people you're praying for and note when God answers.
These notes are pastoral commentary. Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible.