W E E K 2 D O E S I T M A T T E R?

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1 Prayer WEEK2 DOES IT MATTER?

2 Weekly Reading

3 Few of us have Ashley's courage to articulate our cynicism or spiritual weariness that develops in us when a prayer goes unanswered. Most of us, for various reasons, have a similar questions in our hearts. Does prayer matter? What difference does it make? Does prayer work? I believe the answer is no, prayer does not work. At least not in the traditional sense. What I mean is, prayer doesn't have a formulaic process in which we can expect it to yield results like = 2 or turning a key in the ignition to start a car. Yet prayer changes things and makes a profound difference. In the next few weeks we will explore and expand our understanding of the difference it makes. One of the problems in our approach to prayer is our focus and how we measure the success of prayer. If I measured my conversation with a friend purely by the results it produces I would miss the point, and the most valuable part: the relationship. Results are not the destination point of prayer, but rather it's about getting to know God and being known by Him. At it s core, prayer is all about relationship and intimacy. Love, intimacy, and knowing are the syntax of prayer. Prayer is how we come to know God. God, in his love for us, made Himself known and gave us his one and only Son that we might be reunited in intimacy with Him. In all cases, God is the initiator of prayer. Prayer then takes us from an intellectual knowing of God, to a growing intimacy with God. J.I. Packer in his famous work Knowing God said, Knowing God is more than knowing about Him; it is a matter of dealing with Him as he opens up to you. Many people struggle with prayer because they make the act of praying the focus, not God. Making prayer the focus is like making a conversation the focus of time with family. It's important but it's not the point. If we are to address our doubt and problems with prayer, we must widen our understanding and adjust how we measure the effectiveness of prayer. We must make knowing God the focus. Prayer is a journey, a process of deepening intimacy and trust. That trust and intimacy expands when we pray. Prayer makes the biggest difference in that it is the only way we can personally know God. Prayer is not merely a way to get things from God, but a way to get more of God himself. Prayer is striving to take hold of God. (Keller, Prayer: 27) For us to experience and understand prayer, we must first change our perspective, shift our focus and redefine what effective prayer can look like. That means starting on the ground floor, with it s foundational purpose: knowing God. These truths have begun to radically reshape my prayer life and rebuild my trust in the Father. I hope and pray the Spirit uses them similarly in your life. Discussion Question: How do you normally measure the effectiveness of your prayers? Blessings Daniel Brown

4 Prayer Practice In teaching us how to pray in Matthew 6 Jesus says... But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. This passage reveals one of the most simple and foundational elements of an effective prayer life. To have a healthy, growing prayer life you must have a regular space and time were you close the door to be present to God. It can be hard to carve out time, but for prayer to grow we must have times where we try to give God our undivided attention. While prayer can and does happen at any time and in many different contexts, those moments don t take the place of setting aside time to shut the door and sit down before the Father. Similarly, I have many wonderful conversations with my wife, throughout the day and with kids crawling all over me, yet I have to have time with her where she has my undivided attention for our relationship and communication to grow. This week s practice is the most simple of all that we will do, but is possibly the hardest. This week please choose at least 4 set times, to go to a specific solitary place to be alone with God in prayer. This can look very different for everyone. For some, 5 minutes in the morning and evening are all you able to do. I encourage you to not use this time to read a book, or to listen to your favorite worship band. While these are good, they often can take the place of just being present to God. Keep it simple and remember that Jesus is waiting for you there, no matter how inadequate you feel! After your time it might be helpful to journal your experience. Reflective/ Discussion questions 1. Share with your group when you did this practice, where you did it and how it went. 2, During this time what feeling, emotion or struggles did you encounter? 3. Was there anything you felt God said to you during this time?

5 Scripture Reflection Please take a moment and prayerfully read this passage and reflect on its word. Psalm 91 (NLT) 1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. 3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. 4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. 5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. 9 If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, 10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. 11 For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. 12 They will hold you up with their hands so you won t even hurt your foot on a stone. 13 You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet! 14 The Lord says, I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. 15 When they call on me, I will answer, I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. 16 I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation. Reflection Questions/ Possible Group Discussion Questions What strikes you, challenges you, or stands out to you personally?