Week 5
Worship, Love, Compassion
1. Have you ever tried praying? What happened?
2. What do you think about the idea of God answering prayer?
3. Can anyone describe a time when a “coincidence” happened?
4. In the talk, various reasons for praying are given. Which of these do you relate to and why?
Application
Helping each other experience Jesus
In the book of Ephesians, Paul prays for the people in the Church in Ephesus:
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3: 14-19
Break into groups of 2-3 and pray for one another. During this time, don’t pray for their needs, pray this prayer for them. Even if you have to use the exact words, pray this BIG prayer over their lives. Then take ‘requests’ at the end and pray for them on your own throughout the week.
Helping people far from God experience Jesus
In the book of 1 Timothy, Paul instructs us to pray for people far from God:
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:1-4
Pray for people far from God. The more specific the better. Think of actual names and faces, speak them out loud. Think about the person in your life who is a “Oh, he/she will never…” and pray for them that they will come to a knowledge of the truth of God, because God wants all people to be saved and their is no limits to what He can do.