Sermons

Print this page

Company Of The Committed Message #3

Trait #3 - Pattern of Prayer

September 24-25, 2005 Pastor Chris Brown

Return to Sermon Page

Growth Group Homework
For the week of September 25, 2005

GETTING TO KNOW YOU
1. Outside of your parents, who are the people that have had the greatest influence on you?


2. How do you think people on the street would respond if you asked them what they believe about prayer?


3. Looking back at this week’s teaching on prayer, was there a point or statement that particularly grabbed your attention more than normal or was a great reminder?


DIGGING DEEPER
1. We saw in this week’s sermon that we have to be on good terms to have healthy communication with God.  Unfortunately, like any relationship, there can be roadblocks that we may or may not be aware of that erode and even cut off our prayer and communication with God.  What potential roadblocks do the following verses describe?

Proverbs 21:13
If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor,
he too will cry out and not be answered. [NIV]

Matthew 5:23-24
"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, [24] leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. [NIV]

Mark 11:25
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."  [NIV]

James 4:3-4
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
[4] You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. [NIV]

1 John 5:14
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. [NIV]

Is there one that you think people tend to forget more than others? Which one is most important for you to hear?

2. The Lord’s Prayer gives us five components of healthy prayer and communication.  Unfortunately these five guidelines are oftentimes thought to be magical phrases to be offered to God.  After reading each verse and the definition that follows, rewrite it in your own words.

Matthew 6:9 – Praise, honoring & remembering who God is
 
"This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name, [NIV]

Matthew 6:10 – Submitting to God’s Will w/ the confidence of His return

your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven. [NIV]

Matthew 6:11 – Bringing your requests and needs to God
 
Give us today our daily bread. [NIV]

Matthew 6:12 – Confessing your wrongdoings and sin
 
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors. [NIV]

Matthew 6:13 – Seeking God’s guidance and protection

And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.' [NIV]

Is there one of these components of prayer you think people tend to miss more than the others?


How do you think this kind of balanced communication helps a person in their connection with God?

3. What does James 5:15-16 convey about the power of prayer with other people in our lives and group settings?
James 5:15-16
And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. [16] Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. [NIV]

What are some potential challenges people could have when it comes to praying in a group?

TAKING IT HOME
1. Looking back at this week’s sermon and study, is there anything you think you need to focus on to help balance or change how you pray and connect with God?


2. Is there anything you would like your Growth Group to pray about this week?


In this week’s study we’ve seen that group prayer can be powerful when it comes to connecting people to God and seeing His work in their life. Here are some guidelines to help make your Growth Group prayer time more effective. 

•  WE PRAY FOR ONE TOPIC AT A TIME - Anyone in the group is free to introduce a prayer request either before prayer begins or during the prayer time.  Once a topic is introduced, the group focuses on that request alone.  Once it's covered, the group moves on to the next topic.
• EACH PERSON PRAYS MORE THAN ONCE - Because the group is focusing on one topic at a time, each person is encouraged to pray several times during the prayer time for those topics they feel most led to pray about.
• WE KEEP OUR PRAYERS SHORT AND SIMPLE - Group prayer goes better when members keep their prayers short and to the point.  When someone prays for a long time, it's hard for the other members to stay focused and long prayers tend to intimidate those who are just learning to pray out loud in a group.

_________________________________________
Prayer Requests for this Week

>
>
>
>