July 11, 2013
Lift Everything Up
“Sometimes I feel that I have all the correct information, yet I’m not communicating with God. As a result, I have become more determined to learn how to really pray. I’m not interested in fancy rhetoric, or eloquent oratory, or endless monologues or mystical languages… I just want to talk to God.”
The Magnificent Obsession, p. 134
Prayer. Talking to God. This is probably one of the most challenging aspects of the Christian walk. And your enemy absolutely does not want you talking to your Creator because he knows that in developing that kind of relationship there is power. We must guard against the enemy's attacks against us: Busy-ness, Noise, and Unbelief.
Busy-ness: The world will always present you with a million reasons why you don’t have time to pray. "I’m just too busy." "I’ve got errands." "I’ve got too much going on." "There's no time." We use those excuses in our spiritual lives as well (Bible reading, study, church attendance, serving, etc). But as Martin Luther said, “I am too busy not to pray.” He knew that the busier he was, the more he had to do, the more difficult it would be, so all the more he needed the grace of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. So the more he had to do, the more he prayed. He made the time to pray and he made it a priority. Have you made the time to talk to God a priority in your life?
Noise: Do we expect that God will speak above all that other noise in our lives. In a sermon, a pastor exhorted the congregation to “Leave your cell phone at home on Sunday! There is only One person you need to be hearing from on Sunday morning; only One that should be ringing in.” Amen! Simply put, noise is distracting; it fragments you, slows you down, and gets you off track. You cannot spend focused time in the presence of the Almighty while your phone is vibrating and signaling you that you have a message, an email, a text, or a tweet from one of the thousand other voices calling.
That's our challenge this week. Can you leave your cell phone at home this Sunday when you go to church? Not just silence it -- but leave it at home. Observe a fast from technology.
Unbelief: God hates unbelief. Look at Moses and the Israelites left to wander in the desert for 40 years because of their unbelief. The best why to believe God and trust His promises is to get to know him. In order to believe God you must take the time to get to know Him by spending time with Him in His Word. As Paul prayed so passionately for us, “… to have the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to know God better” (Ephesians 1:17) we should be praying that for ourselves. Pray it out loud, pray it often, read His Word and believe Him.
Satan does not want you to talk to God. Are you going to play his game? Or will you JEALOUSLY GUARD YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD?
THIS WEEK’S ASSIGNMENT:
Scripture Reading: Genesis 18 & 19
Read Chapter 5 – Magnificent Obsession
Questions for Small Group Discussion and Blog:
1. How is your prayer life? What is keeping it from being meaningful…intentional?
2. What kinds of things keep you from walking with God in His direction, at His pace.
- Is it busy-ness? Is there something in particular you need to “just say no” to? Ask God to reveal it. Will you share it with the group?
- Is it noise? Have you gotten used to the constant clamoring of noise all around you? Do you use the noise to hide from God, distract yourself from God? Do you make quiet a priority in your life? Please share with the group.
- Are there times when you really don’t believe God? What are some of the things you have trouble believing to be true about God or His promises? Please share with the group.
4. What does "talking" with God mean to you? How do you "talk" with God. Do you hear from God? If so, how? What does it look, sound, feel like when you hear from God? Please share with the group.
5. On Page 138 we see God speaking with Sarah about His promise to give her a son. The author describes "Sarah's faith was born! Her personal relationship with God was established by faith in God's Word . . ." What has God done to build your own faith in His Word? Please describe an experience that God has used specifically to build your faith.
6. On Page 139, the author describes "Walking with God is like walking with a friend." She gives us two rules for walking: (1) walk in the same direction; (2) walk at the same pace. What can you do in your daily life to . . . . walk in the same direction as God? Walk at the same pace as God? Please share with the group.
7. Jesus also walked with His disciples and "called them friends" (John 15:15). How do walk and talk with your friends? Does this image change your idea of walking/communicating with God? If so, how?
8. On Page 144 we read, "God's purpose for Abraham included using not only him but his entire family as a channel of blessing to the world." In what areas of your life might God might be using you or members of your family to be a channel of blessing to the world? Is there anything you need to do to allow God to carry out his work to make you a blessing to others? Please be specific.
9. On Page 151, the author says "I've heard it said that while skeptics argue with each bother, believers argue with God." "God welcomes our questions." Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?
10. What is the Lord doing right now that doesn't seem right to you? Are you harboring your doubts? Repressing your confusion? Would you instead respectfully ask God about it? Will you share it with the group? (Page 153)
11. Who do you think had been crying out against Sodom and Gomorrah? (Page 144) Why do you think God made the "side trip" to Abraham to discuss his plans for Sodom and Gomorrah?
12. Abraham prayed fervently for God to save Sodom and deliver Lot and his family from that pending doom. As a result of Abraham’s prayers, Lot and most of his family were saved. Do you have a list of people you fervently pray for to be saved? List those people in your life who you will commit to pray for daily to know Jesus. Will you start praying today?
For Personal Prayer & Reflection:
Lift Everything Up~
Think specifically about the burdens and people you want to lift up to God in prayer. Write them down in your journal and then spend time talking to God about them. Go back to your choices from the previous chapters. Is there anything you want to add or delete from these lists? Is there any other insight you’ve received since making those lists? Write it down.
Remember- this is not about just getting through your assignment and recording the answers. This is about developing your relationship with Jesus. Growing in intimacy and friendship with Him; knowing Him better and believing Him more… day by day.
Going Deeper Still~
This week I want to challenge you a bit more to cultivate some meaningful relationship-building time with Jesus. Set aside time to take your Bible and enter into God’s presence through prayer. Talk to Him, and let Him respond to you through His Word (either through the passages we’ve been studying, or maybe the Psalms or another portion of Scripture He’s led you to). He is waiting to speak to you! As He does, He will bring to your mind the things or the people He wants you to pray about. As Anne says, “Prayer strengthens your relationship with God which is essential if you are to take the next step and cast everything out.”
Hi Friends. Don't forget that we are meeting at my house this week. Check your emails for directions. See you Thursday.
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