Questions for January 23, "Pray"

Opening
Take time to welcome any new comers, briefly review the Connection Group Commitment, and share the church announcements.  Invite someone to open your bible study in prayer.

Learn It
Read Acts 2:42-47 to put our series in context.  Notice verse 42,
“And the devoted themselves... to the prayers.”

• Share about your “prayer plan,” or any prayer stories from your life.  Perhaps an answered prayer, an ongoing prayer, or a prayer that didn’t seem answered at all.  If you’re not really into prayer, feel free to share why, or ask any questions you have to the group.

The early church immediately adopted the the Jewish prayer pattern.  While there were many different “schools” and traditions, almost all revolved around three times of prayer (morning, afternoon and evening), starting with an affirmation of faith (Shema), and followed by various passages of scripture, both said and sung.

Deuteronomy 6:4-6, “The Shema,”
    4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

• Does this kind of rigorous prayer plan seem attractive?  Oppressive?  Too ritualistic?  Share your thoughts or ideas on this kind of prayer...

Jesus’ disciples asked him to teach them to pray, just as John (the Baptizer) did.  It was customary for a rabbi to teach his students a unique prayer.  It was sort of like a mission statement.

Luke 11:1-4, “The Lord’s Prayer”

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."  And he said to them, "When you pray, say:

• "Father, hallowed be your name...
• Your kingdom come...
• Give us each day our daily bread...
• and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us...
• And lead us not into temptation."

Now go back through and discuss what each line is says,
what it means,
and how it can apply to your life.

Live It
The challenge here is obvious- would you commit to such a rigorous plan of prayer?  What tools would help? 

Consider the following:

• Choose a time and place for each prayer (morning, afternoon and evening)
• Begin each prayer time with the Shema and the Lord’s Prayer.
• For your morning session try a bible reading plan or devotional, such as the ones we gave out and suggested last Sunday.
• For your afternoon session read the corresponding chapter in Proverbs according to the day of the month (24th chapter on January 24th).
• For your evening session write out your prayers and the specific things/people you are praying for.

(This is flexible.  If you’re a morning person and have time, you may want to do your prayer journaling then.)

Close with a time of prayer with and for one another.