A.C.T.S. of Prayer

TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY Sunday, November 3, 2019 Readings: Lesson: Ezekiel 34:1-16 Psalm: 113 Epistle: Ephesians 5:15-21 Gospel: Matthew 22:1-14 ADORATION Almighty God, I praise You, and I bless Your holy and sacred Name from sunrise to sunset. As Your glory is above the heavens, so the Universe proclaims Your ever-present “I AM” power, singing with the very vitality of existence and awareness. As You are high above all nations, so all creatures praise, love and serve You—whether they know it or not. Who is like You, enthroned on high and yet watching over heaven and earth? Exalted Father, You lift the weak out of the dust, and the poor from the ashes. Suffering Son, You humbled Yourself into our weakness and poverty. Fluid Spirit, Your power enlivens and the barren household. Eternal Trinity, be praised and blessed for evermore. CONFESSION Righteous Father, through Your prophet You called out the false shepherds of Your flock. I confess my fail...

NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY Sunday, October 27, 2019 Readings: Lesson: Ezekiel 18:19-32 Psalm: 111 Epistle: Ephesians 4:17-28 Gospel: Mark 2:1-12 ADORATION Almighty Lord and God, I give You thanks with my whole heart. Your works of old are full of majesty. Your everyday miracles are full of splendor. You are gracious and full of compassion. You give food to all creatures, and you keep watch over all You have made. You teach me that truth is that which stands fast forever, and You build upon the sure foundation of Your truth with faithfulness and justice, with righteousness and equity. You send me the daily invitation to redeem myself from past wrongs, offering me the promised land of a heart at peace and at one with You. To respect and revere You is the beginning of wisdom, and to act accordingly is correctly to understand Your will and Your love. CONFESSION Loving and righteous Father, through Your prophet Ezekiel, You declared that You have no ...

EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY Sunday, October 20, 2019 Readings: Lesson: Jeremiah 33:1-16 Psalm: 108 Epistle: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 Gospel: Matthew 22:34-46 ADORATION Almighty God, I praise You in the morning and in the evening. My heart is firmly fixed to worship You in song and melody. My spirit wakes up early to commune with You in prayer and meditation. Through the fruits of my devotion, I declare You among the peoples, O Lord. I declare that Your love is greater than the heavens, and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. You are exalted above the heavens, O God, and Your glory is over all the earth. In triumph You enter into the strong city of my hardened heart to claim it and cast off the armies that guard it from You. You grant me Your help against the enemy, for vain is my own strength, but with You I can do valiant deeds. CONFESSION Holy and gracious Father, through Your prophet Jeremiah, You promised to heal Your people after the coming ...

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY Sunday, October 13, 2019 Readings: Lesson: Jeremiah 25:1-14 Psalm: 90 Epistle: Ephesians 4:1-6 Gospel: Luke 14:1-15 ADORATION Almighty God, from day to day You are my refuge, and from moment to moment You are my God. When I forget this truth, I am swept away like a dream and fade away suddenly like the grass. Without You, all my days are but labor and sorrow and come to an end like a sigh. Therefore You grant me a full lifespan to experience You. You teach me to number my days by seeking You through prayer, that I may apply my heart to the wisdom of Your Word. You satisfy me by Your loving-kindness in the morning, and I rejoice in Your Presence all the days of my life. You show me the splendor of Your works, that I may know Your grace. Your prosper the work of my hands, according to Your will. CONFESSION Holy and gracious Father, through the prophets You warned Your people Israel that if they did not turn from their w...

SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY Sunday, October 6, 2019 Readings: Lesson: 2 Chronicles 36:5-21 Psalm: 89:1-37 Epistle: Ephesians 3:13-21 Gospel: Luke 7:11-17 ADORATION Almighty God, Your love forever will I sing, and from age to age my mouth will proclaim Your faithfulness. I am persuaded that Your love is established forever, and that You have set Your truth firmly in the heavens. The throne of Your Son is founded on righteousness and justice. The presence of Your Spirit goes before You in love and truth. I rejoice daily in Your Name, for You are the glory of my strength. In covenant love, Your hand holds me fast and Your arm makes me strong. You defend me from deceit and evil. You are my Father, my God, the Rock of my salvation. You are my ruler, my King, my Holy One. You crown me with righteousness, and I am victorious through Your Name. CONFESSION Heavenly Father, God of our ancestors, the final kings of Jerusalem despised the prophets You persist...

FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY Sunday, September 29, 2019 Readings: Lesson: 2 Kings 2:1-15 Psalm: 86 Epistle: Galatians 5:25–6:10 Gospel: Matt. 6:22-34 ADORATION Almighty God, I praise You because You hear my prayers, and You answer me when I need Your help. I am devoted to You, for You alone are my God, and there is none like You. I serve and trust You, for You protect and save me. You give me happiness when I give myself to You. You are good and forgiving, compassionate and merciful, full of unfailing love. You are great, and You perform great and wonderful deeds. You teach me Your ways, so that I may walk in Your truth. You grant me purity of heart, so that I may faithfully honor You. I praise You with all my heart, and I give glory to Your holy Name. You love me so much that You have sent Your Son to rescue me from the sting of death. CONFESSION Father, Elisha asked to inherit a double share of Elijah’s spirit before his ascension and become his su...

FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY Sunday, September 22, 2019 Readings: Lesson: 1 Kings 17:1-24 Psalm: 84 Epistle: Galatians 5:16-24 Gospel: Luke 17:11-19 ADORATION Lord Almighty, how dear to me is Your dwelling place. My soul desires to visit Your house of worship, and my heart and my flesh rejoice everywhere that Your Presence is felt. I love to go to the place where Your glory dwells, where I can praise You, where I can find my strength in You. There, You cause my mind to climb from height to height towards You, so that You may reveal Yourself in my heart. One day in Your sanctuary is better than a thousand in my own room. You are the sun that illumines my path with Your glory, and the shield which defends me with Your grace. You do not withhold any good thing from those who walk in Your ways. Happy are all who put their trust in You!   CONFESSION Father, You sent the prophet Elijah to feed a poor widow and to raise her only son from the dead. I co...