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SEEKING THE LORD IN SECRET

Session Topic

God wants us to approach Him in prayer with humility, openness, and sincerity, not with pride and hypocrisy like the Pharisees.

Community Builder (Choose One)

1. Share what your favorite kind of getaway spot is (one where you can be alone). Some might want to describe more specifically where theirs is and what it’s like.

2. We all dislike insincerity and contrived approaches in everyday life. Can you think of an experience (perhaps with an overzealous salesperson) that was especially irritating for you?

Group Discovery Questions

1. What was the Old Testament view of the importance of prayer? (See Ps. 65:2; 91:15; 145:18.)

2. How did the prophet Isaiah model the trait of reverence when he was face-to-face with God? (See Isa. 6.)

3. Did the Jews have a sense of solidarity? If so, what was it based on, and how did it affect their prayer lives?

4. What were some characteristics and attitudes of ritualized prayer? What are the names of the two most common formal prayers used by the Jews?

5. Do you have the tendency to offer public prayers that are too long? If so, look again at Jesus’ warning in Mark 12:40 and consider some ways you might streamline your prayers.

6. What sin was at the heart of the Pharisees’ approach to prayer (Matt. 6:5)?

7. What prayer trait did the Jews borrow from the Gentiles? Did it enhance or detract from the content of prayers offered to God?

Prayer Focus

• Set aside some time during the coming week to examine your motives for prayer. Ask God to reveal to you the things that may hinder your regular prayer times.

• Do you have a quiet place where you can go to pray? If not, ask God to provide a spot where you can get away from everything else and be with Him. If you have such a place, thank Him for providing it.

• The discipline of daily prayer can become monotonous. Ask the Lord to give you renewed strength and fresh desire to be faithful in prayer.

Optional Activities

1. Go to your church library or local Christian bookstore and obtain another book about prayer. Read it over the next few weeks and write down those things that might supplement the theme of Alone with God.

2. Most of us receive at least a couple of prayer letters from missionaries or Christian ministries. Reread several recent ones and evaluate them on how well they present their prayer requests. Do you feel they are self-centered, or do they seek to put the attention on God? Write down your thoughts.

Assignment

1. Read Matthew 6:8–13 and Luke 11:1–4. Notice the differences in context and wording of the Lord’s Prayer.

2. Read chapter 3 of Alone with God.