How to Pray

By David Woods

Open: What is your favorite stance for prayer? What is your least favorite stance?

Read Matthew 6:5-8

Discussion: What is the reward of the hypocrites?

Discussion: What does it mean to enter one's closet?  Does it mean simply not to let anyone else know you are praying?

Discussion: How can we define a "vain repetition"?

Discussion: What is the main point Jesus is trying to teach us in these verses?

Read Matthew 6:9-10

Discussion: What are some ways we can show reverence to God's name through prayer?

Discussion: If we are to pray for God's kingdom, for what are we praying?

Discussion: Can we pray for our nation and our world without including ourselves?

Discussion: Why does this model for prayer include a statement of submission?  Why is it necessary for us to submit ourselves to Christ regularly?

Read Matthew 6:11-15

In first century A.D., the worker was paid on a daily basis, at the end of his shift.  Of course, we today are paid on a variety of schedules.

Discussion: Why is it still important for us to pray for God to supply our daily need?

As Wesleyan-Arminians, we understand that sin is a willful transgression against a known law of God. Therefore, we do not need to pray every day that God forgive us for sins we might have committed.  We need only pray for sins we have committed.

Discussion: Should we still ask God on a regular basis to "forgive us our debts"?  Why or why not?
(As an argument for - we need to avoid an attitude of pride that overlooks actual sins.  Some Wesleyan/Arminian people have done some very regrettable things and called them "mistakes" when they might should be called "sins".)

Discussion: If God forgave us like we forgive others, what would happen to us?

Discussion: Is it useless to pray for God to shelter us from temptation? Why or why not?