If God knows our needs, why should we pray about them? What is the value of prayer?

 

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Read and reflect on the lord’s prayer in Matthew 6:5-13

1. Do verses 5-6 suggest that it’s wrong to pray in public? What is Jesus really getting at?

• Need for sincerity

1. What can you do to reduce the distractions that get in the way of your time alone with God? (v.6)

• Need for secrecy

1. What are the differences between pagan and Christian prayer? (v.7)
2. What is the difference between the repetition in prayer that Jesus denounces and the persistence in prayer that he recommends? (v.7)

• Need for simplicity

1. How could you apply the requests of the Lord’s Prayer more to your own life?

• Need for more structure

1. Take time to talk about any answers to prayer that you have seen recently.