Prayer isn t an obligatory thing we do before dinner or a last-ditch effort to ask for help on a tough exam. As we see in James 5:16, prayer is

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2 P R AY E R Prayer isn t an obligatory thing we do before dinner or a last-ditch effort to ask for help on a tough exam. As we see in James 5:16, prayer is powerful and effective. The God of creation is accessible, and He delights in conversing with us on the big and small things of life. In this series, we will take a look into scripture and see how the writers praised, mourned, and declared truths to their Creator through powerful words of prayer in all seasons of life. 1

3 W E E K O N E I ll pray for you. You should pray about that. Can I pray for you? Somewhere you have heard something like this or said something like this to another person. These phrases can become almost auto pilot responses, but why do we pray? How would you answer that question? God sent His only son to die a death as payment for our sins, and because of that death, the veil was torn and we have full access to a relationship with our Father. I didn t say contract or enslavement with our Father, I said relationship. We now have full access to a relationship with our Creator and in a relationship, communication is a pretty important element to connection. It is incredibly hard to have a relationship with a friend, spouse, sibling, or parent if you never chat on the phone, text, or grab a meal. 2

4 Prayer is our connection to the Father. We then come to him with stories of our days, praises for provision, tears of sadness, bouts of confusion, and voids of love. He is able to enter in and pour out wisdom, love, truth, healing and so much more. Don t you want to hear from the Healer, Creator, Sustainer, Provider, Peace giver, Shepherd and King of Kings?? I sure do. Read Hebrews 10: What truth do these verses reveal to you about God? What truth do these verses reveal to you about approaching God through Prayer? Read James 1:2-8. What truth do these verses reveal to you about God? What truth do these verses reveal to you about approaching God through Prayer? 3

5 Read Luke 17: What truth do these verses reveal to you about Jesus? What truth do these verses reveal to you about Prayer? Praying The Scriptures :: In scripture, most verses will fall into the following categories according to John Piper. 1] Something about God. >> leads to praise. 2] Something about what He has done. >> leads to thanksgiving. 3] Something about expectations. >> leads to reflection and asking for wisdom / discernment. 4] Something about how we have fallen short. >> leads to confession of sin. Praying the scriptures is such a powerful tool when we don t have words to say. Example :: Lord I praise you that you are the healer and that you delight in bringing not only physical healing but whole body, mind, and spirit healing. Lord, I thank you that you take time to care for your children. Lord, I ask for discernment in my own life on the places that I need to ask for healing and don t even realize it. Lord, I confess, and ask for forgiveness for the time last week when I didn t come back to offer you the praise and glory you deserved, and instead I kept it for myself and forgot all about you. [Luke 17:11-19] 4

6 Now, choose one of the verses from above and use it as a scaffolding to pray. Record the following. Scripture :: Praises :: Thanksgiving :: Asking for Wisdom / Discernment :: Confessing where my life doesn t align with scripture :: 5

7 // CHALLENGE // Spend some time as we begin this series reflecting on your prayer life. What does it look like? Does it align with scripture? Then, read Jeremiah 33:3 and Psalm 86:5. What is revealed to you in these verses? Share about your revelation from scripture with someone this week. Then, share with your life group about that conversation. 6

8 W E E K T W O Let s be honest with each other it is super easy to fall into a pattern of prayer that consists of simply asking for what we want. We can so easily turn prayer into a genie game and expect God to play along. However, scripture is clear in 1 John 4:15 that we have confidence [to] approach God: that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. This scripture doesn t say ask anything and you shall receive, It says ask in accordance with His will, and He will hear. But, how do I know what His will is? Remember, we can know and be sure of what it is. His will is laid out in scripture for me, and as I spend time with Him building our relationship through prayer and reading His word, I am being transformed to see, know, and love the Fathers will. If we are encouraged by scripture to ask according to His will, then it s a good place to start by writing that out. In your own words, what is the Fathers will? Read 1 Thess. 5: What does this scripture say about the Fathers will? 7

9 Read 1 Timothy 2:1-4. What does this scripture say about the Fathers will? Read 1 Peter 2: What does this scripture say about the Fathers will? Does your definition of the Fathers will change after reading these verses? If so, how? Now, with a working definition, what specific new thing did you learn about Prayer? Where can you practice this in your daily life? 8

10 Praying The Scriptures :: In scripture, most verses will fall into the following categories according to John Piper. 1] Something about God. >> leads to praise. 2] Something about what He has done. >> leads to thanksgiving. 3] Something about expectations. >> leads to reflection and asking for wisdom / discernment. 4] Something about how we have fallen short. >> leads to confession of sin. Praying the scriptures is such a powerful tool when we don t have words to say. Now, read Psalm 143 and use it as a scaffolding to pray and record the following. Praises :: Thanksgiving :: Asking for Wisdom / Discernment :: Confession of where your life doesn t align with scripture :: 9

11 // CHALLENGE // Spend some time with God this week and ask Him what three specific prayer focus s He has for you, personally. When you sit down to listen, would you join the prophet Samuel and say speak, your servant is listening. (1 Samuel 3:10) Write down what He says to you Commit this week to pray each day for those things. How did you see the Lord move? Share this with your life group. 10

12 W E E K T H R E E When we hear the word prayer, I immediately think, talking. However, in a relationship there is both talking and listening. What misleads us from seeing both as important in our relationship with God? Can you imagine being in a relationship where you were always the listener or always the talker? How much would you miss if you never shared or never listened? I think about how much love, wisdom, forgiveness, comfort, healing and so much more I would miss out on if I was always the one talking in my relationship with God. I have discovered that he desires a life of wholeness for everyone. However, wholeness or fullness is only found in the relationship/ fellowship with Jesus. 11

13 In your life, what does it look like to incline your heart & ears to listen? In your life, how do you / can you create space to do this? Read 1 Samuel 3:1-11. What truth do these verses reveal to you about God? What truth do these verses reveal to you about Prayer? 12

14 Praying The Scriptures :: In scripture, most verses will fall into the following categories according to John Piper. 1] Something about God. >> leads to praise. 2] Something about what He has done. >> leads to thanksgiving. 3] Something about expectations. >> leads to reflection and asking for wisdom / discernment. 4] Something about how we have fallen short. >> leads to confession of sin. Praying the scriptures is such a powerful tool when we don t have words to say. Now, use John 10:1-18 as a scaffolding to pray and record the following. Praises :: Thanksgiving :: Asking for Wisdom / Discernment :: Confessing where my life doesn t align with scripture :: 13

15 // CHALLENGE // As a church we have been praying for these three things. Each day this week, pray for these specific things. Prayer focus for Concord West Hills :: Send me to reach someone in the West Hills community this week. >> Pray for this. >> As a member of this family, how is God accomplishing this through you? Raise me up to lead people for your glory. >> Pray for this. >> What s your prayer? That God would show Concord West Hills where to further the movement. >> Pray for this. >> What do you see? Share what the Lord reveals to you with your life group. 14

16 W E E K F O U R In this life, pain, suffering, hurt, disappointment, loss and so many other emotions are unavoidable. We live in a broken world with broken people. This setting makes it hard to trust in a good God when life doesn t feel so good. Once those feelings come flooding in, it is easy to shut down, remove yourself from relationships, blame God, or allow numbness to take over the hurt part of our heart. But that is not what we were created to do. We were created to be image bearers of Christ in the space we are placed which means, the world is receiving its image of Christ based on the lives of His people. Not just what we say but the life we live. 15

17 Read the following verses and write down the encouragement or conviction you receive form these verses. Psalm 145:18 :: Romans 8:26 :: Isaiah 41:10 ::

18 Praying The Scriptures :: Read Psalm 27. In scripture, most verses will fall into the following categories according to John Piper. 1] Something about God. >> leads to praise. 2] Something about what He has done. >> leads to thanksgiving. 3] Something about expectations. >> leads to reflection and asking for wisdom / discernment. 4] Something about how we have fallen short. >> leads to confession of sin. Praying the scriptures is such a powerful tool when we don t have words to say. Now, you use Psalm 27 as a scaffolding to pray and record the following. Praises :: Thanksgiving :: Asking for Wisdom / Discernment :: Confessing where my life doesn t align with scripture :: 17

19 // CHALLENGE // Though we see scripture empathize with our sufferings and disappointments, we are not left with just empathy. God takes it further into an ask of obedience. Matthew 5:44 :: But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. This scripture is an example of something called intercessory prayer. Intercessory prayer simply means I go to God on behalf of someone else. As a life group, break off into groups of 2-3 and pray for those who come to mind with bitterness or malice. Even if you cannot find words, be reminded of the verses in Romans from above. Our objective in prayer is not that we would have elegant words, or be able to solve the world s problems, it s that we would be connected to our heavenly Father and transformed by His will for our lives. What is His will in your life situation? This week, commit to praying daily on behalf of those tough loves in your life. 18

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22 SERVICE LOCATION: WEST HILLS ELEMENTARY 409 Vanosdale Road, Knoxville, TN fbconcord.org/westhills