Discussion question for November 10, 2023.

Ephesians 3:16 says that we can be strengthened with power through the Spirit in our inner being.  When have you heard from God in a way that has strengthened you?  How do you normally hear from God?  What do you do when you feel like He is not answering?  Share a testimony of a time when you needed an answer and received it.  What surprises has God given you as you have spent time with Him?  What are your tools and choices that help you abide in Him as a branch abides in the Vine?

Discussion question for November 3, 2023.

Daniel 9 reveals the intercessory prayer Daniel prayed for his people, and then offers a rare glimpse into the spiritual realm as the answer to his prayer is delayed.  When have you interceded with confessions and requests for mercy for others?  What do you know, and what do you need to know, about the rulers, authorities, cosmic powers, and spiritual forces that surround us?  How do you prepare for battle in the realm of spiritual warfare?  What limitations do you face in agreeing with the will of God?  How do you guard against deception from the father of lies?  How would your prayer strategies change if God peeled back the curtain to give you a clearer picture of what goes on in the spiritual realm?  What causes you to hold back from battle, and what gives you courage to forge ahead?  How has your prayer life changed with your spiritual maturity?

Topic for October 27, 2023.

Samuel Hakim, of Redeeming the Nations Ministries (www.rtnm.org), will join us this morning to share about the evangelical work being done in Arabic speaking nations.  This timely topic will increase understanding of God’s love for Muslims in the Middle-East.  Learn about timely prayer strategies and the spiritual warfare that are going on in that troubled part of the world.

Discussion question for October 20, 2023.

Conflict in the Middle East is not new, but the recent escalation has gotten the attention of the world.  What is your emotional reaction to the news?  How have you been prompted to pray?  What wisdom or perspective do you offer in any conversation about this?  How does your message change when speaking to a mature believer compared to an unbelieving person?  What do you believe about OT and NT prophecies regarding Israel?  How does that impact your current faith journey?

Discussion question for October 13, 2023.

We have established the truth that prayer is about building relationship with God.  When are you tempted to operate without prayer?  What circumstances act as a barrier to you?  How can you anticipate times of separation, and what symptoms do you experience when you drift from God?  What are your go-to strategies for returning to a prayer relationship?  How can you encourage another person to pressing in and experience the fullness of God through prayer?

Discussion question for October 6, 2023.

Elijah prayed seven times for rain and Paul asked three times for healing.  How do you know you should persist in prayer?  How do your prayers change when you don’t see any change?  How do you change in those circumstances?  What causes you to feel hopeless, or resigned, or disappointed?  How should you pray when those temptations come?  What is the appropriate heart attitude for effective prayer?  What sustains you when things seem to get worse instead of better?  How has unanswered prayer caused you to mature spiritually?

Discussion question for September 29, 2023.

We know that the Creator of the universe has all power and authority, and He can do whatever He wants to do.  What Biblical support is there to the idea that God waits for participation?  How would your prayer life change if you knew He was waiting to be invited to do miraculous things?  What would you need to know before boldly asking Him for the impossible?  What changes would you like to see in the world around you?  When do you take time for intercession?  How is your relationship with God affected by your prayer life?

Discussion question for September 22, 2023.

Romans 8:32 says that God gave His Son and then wonders what “all things” He could also give.  How do you respond to the truth that He gave His Son for you?  What more could you ask for?  How can you claim the fullness of the promise in this verse?  What response is appropriate?  How does this verse build your faith-confidence?  What attitudes or emotional responses are called for by this word?  How does this verse help you trust the Lord?  How does it move your relationship with Him to a deeper level?  What testimonies can you share about the “all things” He has already given you?

Discussion question for September 15, 2023.

Proverbs 13:12 says that hope deferred makes the heart sick while James 5:7-11 says to wait patiently.  What have you hoped for that is making your heart ache?  How do you know what to keep hoping for or when to let a desire go?  How does Psalm 37:7 help you understand when to wait patiently?  What encouragement do you take from Lamentations 3:25-26?  How does the level of your desire change over time?  What do you think about the faithful saints who hoped without ever seeing the result (Hebrews 11:13 and 39)?  How would you encourage a person younger in the faith to hold on to hope?  What dream or hope are you still reminding God about?

Discussion question for September 8, 2023.

God is a provider of blessings, as described in Ezekiel 34:26.  How do you identify blessings from God?  What is your response to these blessings?  Who does God send His blessing on, and why?  What experience have you had with being blessed?  What conditions might cause blessings to dry up?  How do you respond when you receive the blessings of the Lord?  What would you say to someone who recognizes that you are blessed and wonders how it might happen to them?