A.S.A.P.

 

            Do you boys and girls know how many types of prayer there are? Are there 12 or 14 or 2? Who knows how many?

            Well, in fact there are 4 basic or main kinds or types of prayer. Now does anyone know what A.S.A.P stands for? A number of students already responded. They said it means As Soon As Possible. Good Answer. This is a very familiar phrase that is easy to remember. That’s why I want to use it.

            Now we want to associate those letters with the four kinds of prayer. The letters again are A.S.A.P. Can anyone guess what the A stands for? A for Adore. Adore - that’s excellent - good job - everyone’s very with today.

            That’s correct we mention Adore first that’s because it is most important. First we need to understand who God is and then praise and worship Him for who he is. He’s God creator of the whole world; actually the whole universe. Wow! Pretty awesome God - now that’s God the father. We also worship God the Son, Jesus who died on the cross for our sins and then rose again from the dead. Amen! we also worship God the Holy Spirit who live inside us and makes us holy. So A stands for ADORATION - so we say we adore you Lord.

            Now can anyone guess what the S might stand for? S stands for Sorry. Sorry? Why sorry? Because that’s what we must be to become friends with God again. You see we sin - big or older people do big sins, little people do little sins - but a sin is a sin and God doesn’t like sins at all. Actually with God, a sin is a big deal. So we have to show God we are sorry for our sins and show Him we are serious by telling him we are SORRY - SORRY - SORRY - say that with me SORRY, SORRY.

            Did you ever have a fight with someone? Or see people children or adults fighting? To get back on good terms with one another someone needs to say I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry and then the friendship can be restored. The same is true with God. It is absolutely essential - in other words, we really, really, really need to tell God we’re Sorry, Sorry, Sorry. If we don’t we are still not friends with God so say it with me - SORRY, SORRY, SORRY God for doing what you dislike.

            Next is A. Now what does the next letter represent? Anyone want to try to guess? This is a hard one to guess. A stands for Appreciate, It’s very important we tell God we really, really appreciate the fact that He gave us the gift of life, gave us fun parents, in fact gave us everything we have! We try to understand, He is the one that gave us EVERYTHING, so naturally we want to thank Him.

            Did you ever see someone do something really, really nice for someone else and then the person getting the gift did not ever say a word, did not say, thank you, I appreciate what you did for me? That’s what we want to say to God. People who just neglect, or refuse to show appreciation are not very nice people. God is a person and he is expecting us to show Him APPRECIATION for all He’s done.

            So what do we have so far?

           

            A is for Adore so we say we adore you

            S is for Sorry so we say we are sorry

            A is for Appreciate so we say we appreciate all you did for us

And then the last letter. The last letter is P. Can anyone guess what P stands for? This one is very hard to guess. P stands for Please. What- why please? Well when you ask someone for something or want something from another person, we say please - would you please, is what we say or we just say please.

            The fourth and last type of prayer is asking God for things, asking Him for favors, asking Him for important things.

            The four kinds then are…

 

            First, should come adorations, we do this in praise and worship.

            Second, comes saying sorry to become friends with God again.

            Third, comes saying we appreciate what God has done for us.

            Fourth, comes please, our requests for things.

 

            Often times the only prayer some people make is the fourth kind - in fact, it should come last and that’s why we put it last. That is very, very important. And when you want something you say, PLEASE. Now remember we don’t bargain with God. “God if I do this then you need to do that.” Oh no no no - we should not pray that way. Rather - we simply and sincerely ask God for what we need or want - and when we do that, we use the word please.

            So what do we have? 4 kinds of prayer.

 

            So we say…

                        We [ADORE] you Lord God for who you are

                        We are [SORRY] Lord God for what we have done wrong

                        We [APPRECIATE] all you have done for us and

                        [PLEASE] answer my prayers and give me the things I need.

           

            In short form Adore, Sorry, Appreciate, Please

           

            So those are the four kinds of prayer. Boys and girls, keep the A.S.A.P. in mind and recall what each letter stand for and most of all continue to pray to God in all the four ways. God be with you!

            Remember there’s nothing as strong as the power of prayer when you work, the boy or girl works when you pray, God works GOD BE WITH YOU!

            Oh by the way - I forgot - to ask you when should we pray? A.S.A.P. May the Lord richly bless you life in Him.