Weekly Challenge -Prayer

Class,

Thanks for letting me lead this week.  What an awesome community we have where others can be graciously accepted to facilitate the class discussion and weekly topic.  

This week we continued our “Crossfit” training through the disciplines from Worship to Spirit-Led Prayer.  We drew upon the advice from Paul in Philippians 4:6-7 that our groans and moans are heard by God in our prayers much like David did in Psalms 55:16-17.  This can be our prayer and God understands that sometimes we can’t find the words.  Our challenge this week is to spend time meditating on Romans 8:26-27 and the promise we have about prayer being our medicine for our jacked up, stressed filled life.  Our trials and tribulations will result in added stress but, how we deal with it is what’s crucial.  As stress comes this week, pray to the Holy Spirit for our medicine which comes from our Father.  Be intentional with it and don’t stop!  Come to class ready to share how it changed the stress or helped deal with it.

Will 

New Summer Series

Life Group Community:

We began our Summer series last Saturday.  The series title is Cross Fit and we will study 10 spiritual disciplines of a fully developing follower of Christ.  I enjoyed the exercise of completing the LG survey on the disciplines.  Provided a good picture of our strengths and gifts along with areas we can study and step out in faith.

Worship                    Fellowship

Prayer                      Service

Solitude                    Bible Study

Confession               Generosity

Fasting                     Witnessing

Our first discipline is Worship and we had great discussion on defining worship, why we worship, and how we worship.  In Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster states “Forms and rituals do not produce worship, nor does the disuse of forms and rituals.  We can use all the right techniques and methods, we can have the best possible liturgy, but we have not worshipped the Lord until Spirit touches spirit.”

In The Purpose-Driven Life, Rick Warren says “The heart of worship is surrender”.  And “Offering yourself to God is what worship is all about.”

The challenge for the week is to offer yourself to God.  Sing and shout praises as we read in Psalm 95.  Spend time describing God.  Try bowing down or kneeling (95:6).  Spur others on toward love and good deeds, as we read in Hebrews 10.

Be intentional.

Travis