C.A.S.T.ing Our Cares On The Lord Prayer #2

On Monday I introduced an anacronym for prayer that I came up with after re-arranging the old A.C.T.S. model for prayer. ACTS has been used in churches and groups for decades, made popular by the book What Happens When Women Pray? which I read a few years after it was published in 1975. A wonderful Moms In Touch group that I was part of in Centerville Ohio used ACTS. My church in Novelty Ohio used it too. So I'm very familiar with it. It's a great way to teach people to pray out loud using simple, sentence length prayers and bringing requests straight to God in prayer instead of spending precious time asking for requests before actually praying. (Asking for prayer requests is great fellowship, but if you're meeting to pray it's better to pray).

But I always wondered why confession didn't come first. After all, unconfessed sin puts a wall between our prayers and the throne of God. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." Psalm 66:18.

So I played around with the letters, putting Confession first. When they spelled out CAST--of course that was perfect! Cast all our cares upon Him! I Peter 5:7. I've collected verses that go so well with each letter of CAST that they can be used as prayers!

So try it like this: Read the verse out loud (even if you're all alone); and then pause, consider or meditate about it; add your own thoughts to the prayer if you have any (I've provided examples); move on to the next letter in CAST and repeat.

C.A.S.T. PRAYING

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6 (NASB)

Words to pray are in italics.

Lord, I come to you in prayer today, setting aside my own anxious thoughts and casting my requests, deepest desires and thanks at your feet. 

CONFESSION

But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.

Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:12-14 (NIV)

Lord, reveal my sins and blindspots to me. I confess the following:___________(If you are praying with a group this part of the confessing is done silently by the individuals. After a few moments of silent prayer the leader would move the group on to the Adoration). By your grace I stand forgiven through the death and resurrection of my Savior Jesus. 

ADORATION

Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed. Psalm 103:1-6 (NIV)

Lord, these verses remind me of what you have done for me ,what you are doing today, and what you will do in my future. How can I not adore and worship You?

SUPPLICATION

May my supplication come before you;
deliver me according to your promise. Psalm 119:170 (NIV)

Oh, Lord, my heart cries out with requests for the world, my friends and family, and myself. We do indeed need your deliverance. These are my requests today_______

THANKSGIVING

...I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:11b-13 (NASB)

Lord, thank you for your strength which gives me contentment and wisdom to live with all my heart in any circumstance. I also thank you for__________

Amen

Thanks for joining me in prayer! There was a lot of reading, but moving forward I'll post only the outline with different verses since you now have this example. Prayer is simply talking to God. And this is simply a tool to help you get started. If you don't need it, that's great! And if you do use it, I am confident you'll find a lifelong benefit by including it in this leg of your journey. 

❤  ferree