Adoration–As the Praises Goes Up – kenbarnes.us
By Pastor Cletus Hall
Adoration—As the Praises Go Up
I recently attended a birthday party of a friend who turned 50 years of age. Family members and friends lavished words of thanksgiving and praise on the party’s honoree. I thought how we love to praise each other, and we should. It is a good practice to lift other people. Yet, do we praise God in an even greater way?
Years ago, I was taught how to open my prayer to the Lord with a very simple acronym that we can all remember…
ACTS
A-C-T-S
A is for adoration—the opening for all our prayers. We recognize this action as a key element in prayer. Yet, at times, we give a passing nod to God, and we are quick to neglect and rush by our praise for the Lord. Once you praise God, it gets your mind off what is opposing you.
When we praise our requests tend to take over our thoughts. What if we savored adoration for God, giving aspirations of praise, as we do for a birthday party? Here are three items I have learned about adoration and praise in prayer.
Adoration is passionate. When you feel passion, you do not need to pump yourself up. As David in the Psalms exclaimed, “Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” Adoration was deep within his being and leaped from his soul. Adoration cannot wait to express the worship of God. Where there is passion there is no loss of words.
Adoration is unselfish. Adoration focuses your attention on the audience of One—the God of the universe. Adoration does not know the word me. As Matt Redman sang, “it’s all about You.” We have the privilege of communicating our praise with the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Adoration is our gratitude. We are not flattering God when we adore the Lord. Adoration teaches us gratefulness as Ephesians 5:20 says,
“Always giving thanks for all we have.”
In the end, gratitude strengthens you. When the exiles returned the build the temple, Nehemiah said, “the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Revelation, a book about the worship of the Lord in Heaven, says,
“Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!’”
When we are in Heaven, we will no longer need the other items of A-C-T-S in prayer.
C for Confession is not heretofore needed for the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. T for thanksgiving is included in our eternal praise. Plus, S our supplication and bread will be fulfilled. We have no more needs. However, all eternity will be filled with A-adoration and praise, according to Revelation. But why wait until that day?
O Come, let us adore Him!
Cletus’ Website— www.cletushull.com
Cletus’ blogs at Cletus Hull – Blog
Email-contact chull3@yahoo.com
