Facilitator s Guide. Prayer SHARING INTIMATE SPACE WITH GOD

Transcription

1 Facilitator s Guide Prayer SHARING INTIMATE SPACE WITH GOD

2 Prayer Sharing Intimate Space with God Writer/Editor Mike L. Wonch Director of Editorial Bonnie Perry All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. From the New Revised Standard Version (nrsv) of the Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means - for example, electronic, photocopy, recording without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews. The internet addresses, addresses, and phone numbers in this book are accurate at the time of publication. They are provided as a resource. Beacon Hill Press does not endorse them or vouch for their content or permanence. Copyright 2015 by Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City PO Box Kansas City, MO nph.com ISBN: Printed in the United States of America

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Using This Facilitator s Guide 4 Session 1: Prayer Expresses Relationship 6 Session 2: Prayer Expresses God s Character and Mission 12 Session 3: Prayer Expresses All of Our Life 18 Session 4: A Model Prayer 24 Session 5: Prayer Involves Listening 30 Session 6: Prayer Involves Speaking 36 Session 7: Prayer Involves Difficulties 42

4 SESSION 1 PR AYER EXPRESSES RELATIONSHIP Focus Scriptures: Psalm 63:1-8; 73:23-28 Session Goal: To help group members understand how prayer is an important part of our relationship with God. OPENING OUR MINDS Option 1 Invite your group to respond to the following question: What are the ways we develop and strengthen our relationships with. Parents Spouse Children Friends Coworkers God Follow up by asking, Why is communication important to any relationship? How is prayer an integral part of our relationship with God? Share with the group that you are beginning a study of prayer today. Prayer isn t some stale, difficult, boring duty we are expected to perform. Rather, in the same way good human relations are built, God desires open communication and expressions of love from us in prayer. 6

5 Option 2 Share with the group that just as a spouse or other loved ones desire true expressions of love, so does God. Begin this session by identifying some of the marks of true love in human relationships. Ask your group members to help you build two lists: 1. To build a True Love list, invite them to imagine that a close relative (son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter) or friend has asked how he or she can tell if someone truly loves him or her. What would they tell the person? Record their responses. 2. To build the Better Watch Out! list, ask them to list as many warning signs of potential relationship troubles that they can imagine. This session will discuss the importance of building a growing relationship with God through prayer. OPENING THE WORD Understanding Psalm 63:1-8 This prayer by David is an expression of his desire for God, and a seeking of the sanctuary God s presence brings amidst his deadly enemies. His longing is described as a thirst in a dry land. At night he meditates on God, knowing He is a help in time of need. David has experienced God in such a way that he knows God s love is better than life. Through this prayer David moves from a longing for God to the expectation of joy. Understanding Psalm 73:23-28 This psalm is written by Asaph, a leader of one of David s Levitical choirs. The theme of his psalms is God s rule over His people and a call for God to rescue the people from their enemies. The first part of psalm 73 (vv. 1-14) focuses on the wicked. The second half (vv.15-28) focuses on a renewal of faith and the 7

6 fate of the wicked. Asaph acknowledges that God will never let him go and will always be his guide. The writer praises God and vows to tell of His deeds. In the two psalms we consider in this session today, both David and Asaph give us examples of prayer that is in close relationship with God. Option 1 Read Psalm 63: Use the following questions to challenge your group members to seriously consider the quality of their prayer lives. (You may ask the group to pair off and answer these questions. Or you can do them as one group. Either way, remind the group that no one will be judgmental of their honest responses.) How well does the phrase earnestly seek describe the way we should approach our prayer life? In what ways can a person thirst for God? What do you think David meant when he said he beheld the glory of God? How would you interpret David s statement that God s love is better than life? What do you think David meant that he would be fully satisfied as with the richest food? What would it mean for David to cling to God? How would you summarize David s thoughts and feelings in this psalm? Read Psalm 73: What is the psalmist saying to God in verses 23-24? What is the testimony of the psalmist in verses 25-26?

7 What is the psalmist saying about his relationship with God in verses 27-28? Option 2 Ask two people to read Psalm 63:1-8 and Psalm 73: Then, ask the group to look closely at the two psalms and identify verbs used in them. (Record their responses for display.) What verbs describe how we express love to God? (Seek, thirst, long for, behold, glorify, remember, sing, think of, cling, and desire.) What verbs describe how God expresses love to us? (Holds, guides, takes, and upholds.) What are some of the word pictures that describe the psalmist s relationship with God? ( My soul thirsts (63:1). Your love is better than life (63:3). My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods (63:5). I have made the sovereign Lord my refuge (73:28)) What word picture speaks most vividly to you? After seeing all of these expressions of love from the psalm writer, how would you describe his prayer life? (passionate, earnest, truly loves God more than all else, knows God) How does this type of prayer life strengthen our relationship with God? Imaginative Option Divide your group in half. Assign one group to read Psalm 63:1-8 and the other group Psalm 73: Invite each group to read their passage and find key words found in each psalm that describe our relationship with God. Ask them to discuss how each one of these words adds to our understanding of an all-caring and all-sufficient God, who is worthy of our prayer and praise. 9

8 OPENING OUR HEARTS Option 1 Share with the group that 1 John 1:3 summarizes the kind of relationship believers should have: We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. We can live out such relationships through prayer. Suggest that your group begin today to keep a daily prayer journal for the next six sessions. They should first list three or four growth goals for their prayer life they hope to accomplish during this study of prayer. Then, as the weeks go by, they can record their daily prayer activity, including praises, requests, answers to prayer, and new insights about God and about themselves. Option 2 10 Conclude this session with a time of guided, silent prayer. Use the following, one at a time, to direct the prayer. Offer expressions of love to God. Praise and glorify God. Acknowledge your need for God to uphold you, strengthen you, and guide you. Imaginative Option Distribute a small note card to each group member, and ask each participant to write his or her own name on it. Collect the cards and mix them up in a small box. Invite each person to draw out a card and covenant to pray for the person named on it every day during the coming week.

9 Connect WEEK 1 Prayer Expresses Relationship THIS WEEK: We will examine the ways that prayer creates relationship and the ways it connects us to God. THINK ABOUT THIS: In what ways are you earnestly seeking God? PRAYER CONCERNS: 11

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