janbear
09-09-2009, 09:19 AM
KEEP IT REAL
"When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again."
- Matthew 6:7 (NLT)
If there's one thing that God would have us avoid when it comes to prayer, it's insincerity. When we pray, He desires for our prayers to come from the heart, not just the head. Jesus even goes so far as to warn us here about the proverbial "auto pilot" prayers that lack any sense of fervency or urgency. They're a waste of our time and they're dishonoring to God because it shows a lack of respect.
We all know what it's like when another person speaks to us in a detached and uninvolved way. Maybe it's a sales clerk who's answering the same question for the ten-thousandth time, or the teenager who's simply goes through the motions when asked about their day at school.
None of us appreciate that, and inside we want to say, "If you're going to talk to me then talk to me!" God is the same way. He wants us to truly engage with Him, to hurl all our heart into the conversation. That's the kind of prayer He's interested in.
We see a perfect example of this from Peter. He had stepped out of the boat and began to walk on the waves toward Jesus. But it wasn't long before his faith began to fail and he started to sink. In absolute desperation he cried out, "Lord, save me!" That was a very sincere prayer, and we shouldn't miss the fact that the Lord answered it (Matthew 14:28-31).
That's the kind of passionate sincerity that ought to be fueling our prayers. Remember, God doesn't care about our eloquence. He cares about our earnestness.
Discuss, Dig, Decide
Discuss this idea of keeping it real. Share with your group a time when you have seen a sincere expression of faith. How about an insincere expression? What does "keep it real" mean to you and your faith?
Dig into Matthew 6:6-7. Why did Jesus make this point? How does God view our shallow superficial prayers? Read Matthew 14:28-31. What words would you use to describe Peter's position and plea? How are your prayers more "real" in times of crisis? Why?
Decide to pray with your heart, not just your head. Challenge your group to spend time this week offering personal and genuine words from your heart. Get real with God, and remove any superficial stuff that could be cluttering your communion.
Godspeaks
"When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again."
- Matthew 6:7 (NLT)
If there's one thing that God would have us avoid when it comes to prayer, it's insincerity. When we pray, He desires for our prayers to come from the heart, not just the head. Jesus even goes so far as to warn us here about the proverbial "auto pilot" prayers that lack any sense of fervency or urgency. They're a waste of our time and they're dishonoring to God because it shows a lack of respect.
We all know what it's like when another person speaks to us in a detached and uninvolved way. Maybe it's a sales clerk who's answering the same question for the ten-thousandth time, or the teenager who's simply goes through the motions when asked about their day at school.
None of us appreciate that, and inside we want to say, "If you're going to talk to me then talk to me!" God is the same way. He wants us to truly engage with Him, to hurl all our heart into the conversation. That's the kind of prayer He's interested in.
We see a perfect example of this from Peter. He had stepped out of the boat and began to walk on the waves toward Jesus. But it wasn't long before his faith began to fail and he started to sink. In absolute desperation he cried out, "Lord, save me!" That was a very sincere prayer, and we shouldn't miss the fact that the Lord answered it (Matthew 14:28-31).
That's the kind of passionate sincerity that ought to be fueling our prayers. Remember, God doesn't care about our eloquence. He cares about our earnestness.
Discuss, Dig, Decide
Discuss this idea of keeping it real. Share with your group a time when you have seen a sincere expression of faith. How about an insincere expression? What does "keep it real" mean to you and your faith?
Dig into Matthew 6:6-7. Why did Jesus make this point? How does God view our shallow superficial prayers? Read Matthew 14:28-31. What words would you use to describe Peter's position and plea? How are your prayers more "real" in times of crisis? Why?
Decide to pray with your heart, not just your head. Challenge your group to spend time this week offering personal and genuine words from your heart. Get real with God, and remove any superficial stuff that could be cluttering your communion.
Godspeaks