Cell Notes on the Lord's Prayer

[I believe there are two major obstacles to prayer: 1. belief (i.e. that God carries on working on the earth just fine without our prayers) and 2. time (or the perceived lack of it!). May cell this week strategically identify these obstacles and help us to hurdle them! I would suggest you major on handing out leaflets and studying the word this week.]

Fun question to start out:
What has been your all time best answer to prayer?

Give time this week to hand out some more prayer request sheets - this exercise is far more effective if you knock on people's doors rather than just playing postman! (people are often touched to be asked if we can pray for them)

Word:
Read together Luke 11:1-4 and Matthew 6:9-15
Allocate the following verses to different members of the group: (all Luke's gospel) 3:21-22, 4:40, 6:12-13, 5:15-16, 9:28-29

Some Questions:
[Biblical]
1. What do we learn about prayer from Jesus' teaching in the Lord's Prayer?
2. Is there anything you don't understand from these passages? - can other group members help on this?
3. Read out the allocated verses and discuss what challenges us from these glimpses into Jesus' prayer-life.

[personal]
4. Last week how did you pray? (type of praying, length of prayers, time for praying...)
5. How did you find praying last week?
6. Have you ever tried structuring your prayer time according to the Lord's Prayer - how might this work out and how did it help?
7. How would you like your prayer life to grow? and how might you co-operate with God towards this goal over the coming week?
8. What, if anything, are you (as individuals and as a cell group) going to do to participate in next week's prayer and fasting?

Robin Plummer, 16/09/2008