Sermon Study Guide Week of Sunday, February 5, 2006Questions from the StreetWhy doesn’t God answer my prayers?How would you respond to a young person who told you that they prayed for a friend who was very ill and because the friend died, they no longer believe in God? What is the boldest prayer you have ever prayed and what happened? What is the most important part of the Lord’s Prayer for you? What is the most difficult part of the Lord’s Prayer for you? What steps could you take to make the Lord’s Prayer a regular portion of your spiritual life? How have you seen prayer change people—including yourself? When do you find it easiest to pray? Paul the apostle prays for God to remove his “thorn in the flesh” and that does not happen. How does Paul deal with this? (II Corinthians 12:7-10) What can we learn about prayer from Paul’s experiences and conclusions? What do you believe is the purpose of prayer? Someone said, “We pray, not to inform God, but to inform ourselves.” What do you think of this statement? Sample Prayers“Lord Jesus Christ, you are the Light of the world. Fill my mind with your wisdom and my heart with your love.” - Marcus Borg My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore, I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
-Thomas Merton |
