Hi God…
Learning to Pray
Week 1: Praise
Text:
Matthew 6:9
Message Guide:
Prayer Changes the Way We Relate to God
Praise Defines the Relationship
Deeper Dive:
Question 1: On a scale of 1-10 with10 being the highest, how would you rate your prayer life? Explain.
Question 2: What has kept you from praying on a regular basis – guilt, pain, busyness, distraction, doubt, or not knowing how? Say more.
Question 3: Did you grow up knowing and reciting the Lord’s Prayer? Was it something meaningful to you or mere routine? Explain.
Question 4: Read Matthew 6:9-10. The Lord’s Prayer opens with Jesus addressing God as “Our Father in Heaven.” What does it mean to you that God wants us to call Him “Our Father”? How does this inform the way you pray?
Question 5: Jesus follows this with “Hallowed be your name.” We ought to approach God both as a personal Father and as the powerful God of the universe. Do you find yourself leaning towards one of these more than the other? Why? How would your prayers change if you recognized God as both?
Question 6: Do you tend to start with your priorities and desires over God’s when you pray? Why? What are some ways you can make your priorities the same as God’s when we pray this week?
Question 7: One of the goals of this series is developing good prayer habits. Would you purpose to start your prayers this week with words of praise (Father I/we bless you; You are worthy of Honor…. etc)?
