Back to the Mountain: Praying with Confidence

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SERMON LETTER

Dear Friends,

We can easily neglect to pray. Forgetting to pray will start us on a path leading to a spiritual desert.
It is much easier to keep your communications with God positive and healthy when you have confidence.
This Sunday we will learn how to have confidence in prayer. I really pray you come and go to a class or small group. Make a point to invite someone. I think this message will help you move forward in guilt free confidence.

Blessings,
Joe

PREPARING FOR SUNDAY: SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

PLEASE PRAYERFULLY READ THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURES AND CONSIDER THE QUESTIONS

Mat 6:5-15: “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. “So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’ “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. “But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

Have you memorized the Lord’s Prayer? If not, commit to memorizing it this week, beginning now.

  • What does the word “our” tell us about the way to live out the life of faith?
  • Why is taking time alone to focus on GOD in prayer the foundation to everything else?
  • Why is this so hard?
  • What is the danger of most of your devotion to God being done in public?

Mat 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven

  • List the things Jesus says you need to cover in His way to pray?

Mat 6:9-15 “Pray, then, in this way:’Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’ For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”

  • Why does Jesus deal with forgiveness twice?
  • What place should fasting have in our lives?

Mat 6:16-18 “Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

  • Why should we avoid drawing attention to this practice?
About Joe Martin

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