As In Heaven, Week 2: Upward in Adoration

Q:  Do you struggle with Prayer?

“If prayer stands as the place where God and human beings meet, then I must learn about prayer. Most of my struggles in the Christian life circle around the same two themes: why God doesn’t act the way we want God to, and why I don’t act the way God wants me to. Prayer is the precise point where those themes converge.”  –Philip Yancey Prayer

Matthew 6:9–10 (NIV)

Our Father in heaven:

⇒ Prayer is having a close personal  with our dad.

Hallowed be your name:

“Hallowed” in Greek = hagiazo means “to make holy, purify or consecrate”

Isaiah 29:13 (NIV)

⇒ Prayer entering and enjoying His  fully.

It is the lifting of the heart and the mind to God asking nothing but to enjoy God’s presence. –Book of Common Prayer

 “In commanding us to glorify him, God is inviting us to enjoy him.” –CS Lewis

John 15:15 (NIV)

Your kingdom come, your will be done:

⇒ Prayer is not convincing God to act on our wishes, but us intentionally to his will.

On earth as it is in heaven.

⇒ Prayer is bending our wants to God’s wants and living out those holy intentions so that they become as on earth as they are in heaven.

Q:  How does God need you to change your perspective of praying for His Kingdom to come?

Theme: Thy Kingdom Not My Kingdom

Reflect Together  

What impacted you the most from Sunday’s message?

Share Together  

Where do you find benefit or challenge with being a person of prayer?

Read and Discuss Together   Matthew 6:9-10

• What does the opening phrase, “Our Father in heaven,” reveal about the nature of our relationship with God? How does this address impact your perception of God?
  
• What does it mean to hallow God’s name? How can we practically do this in our daily lives?
  
• How do you interpret the phrase “your kingdom come?” What significance does the concept of God’s kingdom hold in your faith journey?
  
• Discuss the idea of seeking God’s will “on earth as it is in heaven.” What challenges do you face aligning your will with God’s will?
  
• How can prayer help us better understand and accept God’s will in our lives? Share any personal experiences of discerning God’s will through prayer.
  
• In what ways can we actively participate to bring God’s will on earth?
  
• Do you believe that God’s will is always for our ultimate good? Why or why not? How can we trust in God’s plan, even when it may not align with our own desires?
  
• How can we encourage one another to pray more fervently and consistently for God’s will to be done in our lives and in the world?
  
  Pray Together  Share what God has been doing and also How can we pray for one another this week.

This Week’s Prayer Guide: Upward