Cornerstone’s 30 Weeks of Experiencing Life Groups
WEEK 12: Prayer
Cornerstone LifeGroup
Week of January 15, 2017
“Prayer”
Open in prayer. Begin your discussion by reading the Key Verse a few times and then try and get the group to recite it from memory. Do the same with the Key Idea.
Key Verse: Psalm 66:18: “If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;”
Key Question: How do I grow by communicating with God?
Key Idea: I pray to God to know him, to find direction for my life, and to lay my requests before him.
ICE BREAKER: Ask the following questions out loud and discuss.
Are you a morning person or an evening person? Have you always been that way?
Did you grow up in an openly “religious” home, or was your faith a private matter?
Were you taught any rote prayers as a child? Can you recite one now?
STUDY: Have someone read the following verses out loud.
Read: Matthew 6:5-8
Ask: How does the hypocrisy of the Jewish religious leaders contrast with the reward of those who pray sincerely?
Why does Jesus constantly remind His followers to avoid worldliness?
If God knows what we need before we ask Him, then why do we ask Him?
Read: Matthew 6:9-13
Ask: What three concerns related to God did Jesus pray about first?
What personal concerns follow? What is the relationship between forgiveness and prayer? Who is the “evil one” and why do we need to be delivered from him?
Read: Matthew 6:14-15
Ask: What happens to Jesus’ followers if we are not able to forgive others? How serious do you think Jesus is about our ability to forgive others?
APPLICATION: What difference does this make in the way I live?
Ask: Have you picked up any bad habits when it comes to prayer? What are they and what are you going to do about it?
Ask: What are the main points Jesus want us to remember and apply about prayer?
Ask: How can we misuse prayer to impress others?
Close in prayer and pray for your group throughout the week!
Week of January 15, 2017
“Prayer”
Open in prayer. Begin your discussion by reading the Key Verse a few times and then try and get the group to recite it from memory. Do the same with the Key Idea.
Key Verse: Psalm 66:18: “If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;”
Key Question: How do I grow by communicating with God?
Key Idea: I pray to God to know him, to find direction for my life, and to lay my requests before him.
ICE BREAKER: Ask the following questions out loud and discuss.
Are you a morning person or an evening person? Have you always been that way?
Did you grow up in an openly “religious” home, or was your faith a private matter?
Were you taught any rote prayers as a child? Can you recite one now?
STUDY: Have someone read the following verses out loud.
Read: Matthew 6:5-8
Ask: How does the hypocrisy of the Jewish religious leaders contrast with the reward of those who pray sincerely?
Why does Jesus constantly remind His followers to avoid worldliness?
If God knows what we need before we ask Him, then why do we ask Him?
Read: Matthew 6:9-13
Ask: What three concerns related to God did Jesus pray about first?
What personal concerns follow? What is the relationship between forgiveness and prayer? Who is the “evil one” and why do we need to be delivered from him?
Read: Matthew 6:14-15
Ask: What happens to Jesus’ followers if we are not able to forgive others? How serious do you think Jesus is about our ability to forgive others?
APPLICATION: What difference does this make in the way I live?
Ask: Have you picked up any bad habits when it comes to prayer? What are they and what are you going to do about it?
Ask: What are the main points Jesus want us to remember and apply about prayer?
Ask: How can we misuse prayer to impress others?
Close in prayer and pray for your group throughout the week!