Look Back: What changes did you make to avoid “imitation” relations this week?
Look Up: Read Matthew 6:5
- What specifically does Jesus tell us not to do when we pray? Why are doing these things a problem?
Read Luke 18:9-13
- Who was Jesus talking to and what message was He sending to them?
- How was the tax collector’s prayer different? How does this compare to your typical prayers?
,Read Matthew 6:6
- Why does Jesus tell us to pray privately “to your Father”? What does this say about the relationship we have with God?
- Why does Jesus remind us that God “sees what is done in secret”? How easy is it for you to accept and apply this truth?
Read Matthew 6:7, Psalm 22:6 & Numbers 11:11
- Why do people tend to use “many words” in their prayers? Why is this unnecessary?
- How do Psalm 22:6 and Num 11:11 show how to “pray what you’ve got”?
Overall (Discovery Bible Study)
- What do these scriptures say about God?
- What do they say about people?
- How will I apply this to my life?
Look Ahead: What barriers stand between me and a flourishing prayer life? What am I going to do about it?
Notes
Our relationship with our Father in Heaven is complicated and communicating with the creator of all things can be intimidating & confusing. Jesus saw that many of the people’s attempts to communicate and build a relationship with God were falling short or misguided, so Jesus offered us a simple framework that can be used any time we reach out to God. Jesus’s prayer reminds us that we have a loving Father who is as close as air, cares about us and wants what is best for us. All we need to do is pray what we’ve got.
