Greatest Thing Ever Said- Week 5- Discussion Questions
February 3, 2023

INTRODUCTION
Prayer is kind of like brushing your teeth. We all know we should do it. We assume everyone else does it. We know that not doing it will have long-term consequences. We all may forget to do it once in a while, but we always mean to do it more often than we do. Jesus assumed that we would pray. Jesus assumed that we would want to know Him better. Jesus assumed that we would want Him to know us better. Prayer is a constantly available opportunity and it is never too late to start and the results for us are always good. Those good results are not just when our prayers are answered. The results are good when we spend time with Jesus. Period. The rest is bonus.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. How has your own concept of prayer been shaped over your life (prayer for meals, prayer for the sick, prayers for missionaries, etc.)?

  2. Prayer can be religious, stiff, formal, and not relational. How have you grown in your understanding of what Jesus intended prayer to be?

  3. There is not a wrong way to pray. What is a specific way you would like to grow in your prayer life?

  4. Any relationship is far better when it is built on authenticity. What is a way that prayers can be dishonest, inauthentic, or impersonal?

  5. Our prayers are profoundly influenced by our perception of our Heavenly Father. How does your current perception of God affect how you pray?

  6. When Jesus told us to pray He mentioned the importance of being alone so that we are not as affected by the opinions of other people. This does NOT mean we cannot pray around other people, but it does mean we should consider how their presence affects our prayers. How do people affect your prayers?

  7. Prayers can be full of words and lacking in sincerity. How can you grow in depth and sincerity and perhaps decrease in the amount of words in your prayers?

  8. Jesus gave us a model in the Lord’s Prayer. Which part of the Lord’s Prayer is most needed in your current prayer life (adoration, confession, or thankfulness)?

  9. One of the most important aspects of prayer is stepping our words to listen. Jesus wants a two-way conversation and He will impress your mind with thoughts that will encourage, challenge, and inspire you. What is a way that you would like to see your own prayer life take a step forward?

MOVING FORWARD

Prayer is such a religious word that many feel guilty about how they do it, guilty that they don’t do it, or guilty that they don’t do it enough. Take a moment to honestly assess your prayer life. The goal is to be honest and to take a step forward. The best part is that Jesus wants to help you grow in this area because He cannot wait for you to know Him more. Your future is exciting as you lean in to learn how to communicate more effectively and more frequently with Jesus. Blast from the past- in 1990 MC Hammer reminded us that, “We got to pray just to make it today.” Yep!