Looking Above

Looking Above

By Karen BaughmanReligion & SpiritualityChristianityEducationCoursesReligion
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Looking Above episodes

  • Episode 75 - What We've Learned

    Brooklyn and Karen sat down for one final discussion.  In this podcast they reflect on some of the lessons they have learned about prayer this season. They talk about having open hands, about God as provider, about going to God first, about trust and listening, and about asking too little of God. Listen in and then spend a few moments considering how you have grown in prayer through this season!

     

    32 min
  • Episode 74 - Tomorrow

    To wrap up our season on prayer, we have a mini-series on the Lord’s Prayer that we produced for our Pray Retreat in April. Each episode features a discussion on one phrase from the Lord’s Prayer. In this episode, Brooklyn and Karen unpack the phrase, “And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.,” (Matthew 6:13)

     

    After listening, we encourage you to sit down with a friend and process what you’ve learned. Here are some questions to guide your discussion:

     

    1. A temptation is a test. How do tests prove who we are?
    2. Discuss the differences between tests that come from external and internal sources.
    3. After listening to this podcast, how would you rewrite this prase of the prayer in a meaningful way for a contemporary audience?
    4. Spend a few minutes praying and journaling individually. Ask God to reveal your weaknesses, any areas of bondage, and any areas in which you have pride that may become temptations.
    5. When everyone has had adequate time to process, share with each other.
    6. Authoritative prayer attacks enemy territory. What about this is scary? What is exciting?
    7. Pray authoritative prayers over eachother. Exercise the authority you have in Jesus to bind the enemy. 
      8. 32 min
    8. Episode 73 - Yesterday

      To wrap up our season on prayer, we have a mini-series on the Lord’s Prayer that we produced for our Pray Retreat in April. Each episode features a discussion on one phrase from the Lord’s Prayer. In this episode, Brooklyn and Karen unpack the phrase, “and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.,” (Matthew 6:12)

       

      After listening, we encourage you to sit down with a friend and process what you’ve learned. Here are some questions to guide your discussion:

       

      1. Talk through the five “types” of sin. How do you see those at play in your own life?
      2. Are you as good a wife, daughter, husband, son, sister, brother, friend, worker, disciple of Jesus as you could/should be?
      3. Do you feel sorrow for your sinfulness? How does that affect you?
      4. Read Romans 4:2. How do you respond to that?
      5. How does living in unforgiveness affect us?
      6. Spend some time individually processing and praying. Consider journaling. Ask God to reveal to you anyone you need to forgive. Ask God to reveal any sins in your own life that are keeping you from fellowship and intimacy with Him. Ask God to give you the gift of tears - the ability to be broken over sin.
      7. When you have completed your individual reflection and prayer, pray over eachother. After praying, declare over eachother: “In the Name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.”
        8. 35 min
      8. Episode 72 - Today

        To wrap up our season on prayer, we have a mini-series on the Lord’s Prayer that we produced for our Pray Retreat in April. Each episode features a discussion on one phrase from the Lord’s Prayer. In this episode, Brooklyn and Karen unpack the phrase, “Give us today the food we need,” (Matthew 6:11)

         

        After listening, we encourage you to sit down with a friend and process what you’ve learned. Here are some questions to guide your discussion:

         

         

        1. What does worry reveal about our hearts?
        2. Why don’t you trust God? What would it take for you to increase your trust?
        3. What do you need from God right now? Would God agree - or would He amend your list?
        4. Do you struggle more with worry for the future, or the pride of self-sufficiency?
        5. How can you train yourself to go to God with every need you have?
        6. Respond to this quote:  “God gives where He finds empty hands.” - Augustine  
        7. Petionary prayer is prayer we pray for ourselves. But it is powerful when we do this in community. Take turns praying in your group. Ask God for what you need right now. Be open and honest with God. If you sense there is more He wants you to ask for, do so.
          8. 30 min
        8. Episode 71 - Kingdom

          To wrap up our season on prayer, we have a mini-series on the Lord’s Prayer that we produced for our Pray Retreat in April. Each episode features a discussion on one phrase from the Lord’s Prayer. In this episode, Brooklyn and Karen unpack the phrase, “May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven..” (Matthew 6:10)

           

          After listening, we encourage you to sit down with a friend and process what you’ve learned. Here are some questions to guide your discussion:

           

          1. Define “the Kingdom.” 
          2. How do we seek the Kingdom practically? 
          3. Why do we cling so tightly to “our will”? 
          4. Do you know God’s will? How can we better seek and discern God’s will? 
          5. Do you know anyone who lives seeking the Kingdom first? What does that look like? What about that lifestyle is appealing? What about it makes you squirm?
          6. Spend some time praying together.  Pray about a specific situation or two that you can relinquish to God.
          7. How does it feel to relinquish control and leave these situations to the will of God? 
          8. How will you know if you have actually relinquished these requests to God? What will be a sign that you are still trying to control?
            9. 29 min
          9. Episode 70 - The Lord's Prayer

            To wrap up our season on prayer, we have a mini-series on the Lord’s Prayer that we produced for our Pray Retreat in April. Each episode features a discussion on one phrase from the Lord’s Prayer. In this episode, Brooklyn and Karen unpack the phrase, “Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.” (Matthew 6:9) After listening, we encourage you to sit down with a friend and process what you’ve learned. Here are some questions to guide your discussion:

             

            1. How does the word “our” impact the way you pray? What does “our” communicate? (Ephesians 4:4-6)
            2. Are you able to approach God as Father (Abba)? How does your own relationship with your dad impact how you view God?
            3. Discuss God as holy. What does this mean? How does it affect how we relate to God?
            4. Why do we need to understand the deeper meaning of “name” in this prayer? What part do we play in keeping God’s name holy?
            5. Is it easier for you to relate to God as holy, or as Father?
            6. What box are you in? What keeps you from relating to God in prayer?
              7. 40 min
            7. Episode 69 - Unceasing Prayer

              In this last episode of the season, Brooklyn and Karen are chatting about our end goal in the life of prayer - to live a life of unceasing prayer. While this form of prayer feels like an unattainable goal and may take years to achieve, it is a worthwhile goal because every day we spend pursuing God is an opportunity to be conformed into His likeness.

               

              We are at the end of our Life Group semester here at New Life, so we will be taking a break from the podcast, however, we will be dropping a few new bonus episodes on the Lord’s Prayer in a few weeks! Subscribe, so you are sure to get the alert when those drop.

               

              Listen in, and then take some time and have a conversation with a friend or small group using these questions:

               

              1. What routines or things in your day could serve as reminders to pause and pray? When are you already apt to think about God during your day? Could those times be prayer prompts?
              2. Do you have any experience with breath prayers? Can you tell the group what your experience has been?
              3. Spend some time as a group brainstorming a few breath prayers you could use in different situations (when disciplining a child, in an argument with a spouse or coworker, sitting in traffic, when overwhelmed…)
              4. Read some of the passages about unceasing prayer. (1 Thessalonians 5:17, Romans 12:12, Ephesians 6:18, Colossians 4:2, Philippians 4:6-7) What about unceasing prayer feels overwhelming?  What about it feels exciting?
              5. Discuss practicing the presence of God. When are you most prone to talk to God? What is it about those situations? How might you become more aware of God in you and in others?
              6. Who do you know that lives in this type of continual communication with God? What do you notice about their life? 
              7. Unceasing prayer is very much a hidden prayer, not seen by others. How might humility be grown in us as we enter into this discipline?
              8. What step will you take this week toward unceasing prayer? (ideas: add prayer to specific parts of your day, use an app or alarms, pray for every person you meet, pray as you go through doorways)
                9. 55 min
              9. Episode 68 - Prayer of the Forsaken

                On this episode of the podcast, Brooklyn and Karen chat about what some believers call “the dark night of the soul.” It is in these seasons, that faith feels barren and God seems distant. The Prayer of the Forsaken is the prayer we pray in that season when we are longing for God but feeling deserted by Him. This episode provides hope for those who are questioning why it feels like your prayers are making it no farther than the ceiling.

                As always, we encourage you to process the podcast with a friend or small group.

                1. What in this podcast was encouraging to you?
                2. Do you agree with the phrase “prepare for the bad days on your good days?” 
                3. How do you feel about bringing your questions to God? Is this easy or hard for you? Why do you think that is? 
                4. Have you ever experienced not feeling an “emotional response” to worship, the Bible, devotions,  etc…? How did you respond? 
                5. Do you feel like you’ve been in a desert before? What was it like when you came out of it? 
                6. What purpose might God have in allowing us to go through desert seasons?
                7. How do these desert seasons build trust in God?
                8. What is something you want to do to prepare for harder days now? (Connect with others you can share with, memorize the word better, attend church regularly, etc…)
                  9. 49 min
                9. Episode 67 - Healing Prayer

                  This week Karen and Brooklyn are chatting about a specific form of intercessory prayer - prayer for healing. We may know that God is a healer.  We may have read Bible stories of miraculous healings. But, how many of us have seen it first-hand? The ladies will offer you help and hope as you learn to pray for the healing of individuals. We believe that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, which means He still heals. Let’s learn how to join Him in that ministry.

                  After listening to the podcast, we encourage you to discuss it with a small group.  Use these questions to facilitate discussion: 

                  1. Have you seen God heal someone? Tell the story.
                  2. Where do we see God/Jesus heal someone in the Bible? (Tell as many examples as you can.)
                  3. What did you learn in this podcast?  What encouraged you? 
                  4. Do you find it easy to believe God for healing, or are you more skeptical? Why do you think that is?
                  5. Read James 5:13-18. Spend the bulk of your time praying for healing over each other.
                    1. Take turns sitting in the center of the room.
                    2. Is there anything you need to confess, anything you need to bring into the light?
                    3. What needs healing in your life?
                    4. *The rest of the group should surround that individual, lay hands on them, and pray over them. Remember to pray in faith, believing that healing will happen.  Give God thanks for the healing He will perform.
                    5. Commit to continued prayers for each other until the healing happens.
                      6. 50 min
                    6. Episode 66 - Meditative Prayer

                      Looking Above - Episode 66 - Meditative Prayer

                      Brooklyn and Karen are talking today about a form of prayer that is a lot like marinating chicken. Listen in as they discuss how Scripture and prayer meld together in meditative prayer. After watching the podcast, find a friend and discuss these questions:

                       

                      1. Do you process Scripture with your head or your heart first? What does that look like?
                      2. When you read the Bible, are you able to read it as if it was written to you?  How might putting yourself in the stories change how you engage with them?
                      3. Have you ever meditated on a passage until God unlocked a box and taken the concept from head to heart knowledge? Encourage others with the story of how God enlightened your heart.
                      4. What are you struggling with in life - what aspect of God's nature might help you with that situation? In what attribute of God do you think you need to spend a little time marinating? 
                      5. Work together to find a Scripture that each of you could meditate on this week. (Then do it! Spend time in meditative prayer each day.)
                      6. How do you feel knowing that you cannot "make" God open your heart to new understanding, you can merely put yourself in a position for God to speak to you?
                      7. God loves you so much that He wants to have a personal encounter with you that will look different than how He encounters others. Respond to this truth.  Does that relieve you? Make you jealous? Excite you?
                      8. Do you try to rush the process or get frustrated when God doesn't work on your timeline? How can you work to slow down and marinate more intentionally? What steps might you need to take? How can you remind yourself that it is about process not productivity?
                      9. Pray for each other before you leave.
                        10. 41 min

                      About Looking Above

                      From the publisher's feed

                      It’s easy to get bogged down in details of every day life. If we arent intentional, our eyes can easily be pulled away from the Lord and we can set our gaze on things of earth.