Spiritual Practices – Wk 3

Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

God is able to do more than you dare to ask, think, or imagine.

James 4:2-3 (NLT)

2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

1. Ask God with the right motives.

2. Pray in agreement with others.

James 5:16-17 (MSG)

Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.

Matthew 18:19-20 (NLT)

19 “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”

3. Be specific.

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (NLT)

9 There was a man named Jabez who was more honorable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez because his birth had been so painful. 10 He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!” And God granted him his request.

4. Thank God in advance.

COMMUNITY GROUP MEETING OUTLINE

Where your faith intersects with real life!

Reconnect:

Each person shares a recent high and low from their life.

Explore:

Review the message notes.

Big Idea: Bold prayers are big requests to a powerful God.

Consider:

Choose one or two questions for your Group to discuss as time allows.

▶ Read James 5:16. What makes confession valuable prior to prayer?

▶ Read James 4:2-3. What other motives could there be for prayer?

▶ Read Ephesians 3:20. Share a time when God met you with more than you were even hoping for.

▶ Read 1 Chronicles 4:9-10. What is an area of pain in your life that you could pray a Jabez type prayer over?

Activate:

Spend a moment in silence to consider your response, then share your decision with the Group.

Read Matthew 18:19-20. Ask God what to bring to the group to join in prayer about.

Prayer:

Thank God for the highs and lift up the lows.

Pray together for what was shared above.