Prayer
Celebrating/thanking Confessing Discussing/making choices
Celebrating and thanking Rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Celebrating and thanking Rejoice [celebrate God] always, pray [as Jesus prayed] continually [habitually], and give thanks [to God] in all circumstances. Why? Because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Today I thank you God for:
Thank you God for answering my prayer:
Confessing sin
Confessing sin Psalm 51:4-6 (MSG) You’re the One I’ve violated, and you’ve seen it all, seen the full extent of my evil. You have all the facts before you; whatever you decide about me is fair. I’ve been out of step with you for a long time, in the wrong since before I was born. What you’re after is truth from the inside out. Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.
Confessing sin Sin is our preference for anything over God. Sin is our fighting against God and turning our back on him. Sin is the things we say “yes” to that God says “no” to and things that we say “no” to that God says “yes” to.
Confessing sin Confession is admitting and agreeing with God about what I did.
Confessing sin Confession is admitting and agreeing with God about what I did.
“I did it:_____________________________” “I did not: ____________________________”
Confessing sin Why confess? 1 John 1:8-9 Danger of unconfessed sin?
Confessing sin Why confess? 1 John 1:8-9 Danger of unconfessed sin? Unconfessed sin hardens my heart.
Confessing sin Confessing one to another? James 5:13-20
Confessing sin Confessing one to another? James 5:13-20 • • • •
Secret sins? No. Omniscient God, who am I kidding? Brings it to light, takes the power away Oh hey, me too. Reminds us that we are not alone Accountability for struggle with habitual sin
Confessing sin What does repentance mean? What does repenting look like?
Confessing sin Repenting: more than just “I’m sorry.” It is turning around and moving towards God
Example: more than stopping taking cookies out, it’s making new habits of putting cookies back into the jar
Making choices Talking with God about decisions
Making choices Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-7)
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. (James 1:2-7)
Making choices Your future is the result of your choices. Your path determines your destination.
Making choices Should I _______________________________?
Making choices My past experiences:
My present situation:
My future hopes, dreams and plans:
( based on Andy Stanley’s “The Best Question Ever”)
Making choices My past experiences:
My present situation:
My future hopes, dreams and plans:
( based on Andy Stanley’s “The Best Question Ever”)
All this considered, the wise (not the right or wrong) thing for me to do is: _____________________________________________
small groups: learning to pray from Jesus
