LG March 29, 2020

VIRTUAL LIFEGROUPS: WEEKLY DISCUSSION GUIDE

ICEBREAKER QUESTIONS: 

Begin your session with prayer and the use the following questions to get the conversation started…

• Q: Did any new challenges present themselves this past week as we live in this unique time? How can the LifeGroup help you overcome these challenges?
  
• Q: How have you seen God at work in your life/family this week?
  
• Q: During the first few days of the 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, which Psalm spoke to you most clearly and why? 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. When it comes to the discipline of prayer, do you find it easy to engage in or difficult? If you find it easy to engage in, what helps you? If you find it difficult, what are the barriers and how can you overcome them?
2. What do your current prayer habits reveal about how you view prayer and what you believe about its purpose? 
3. When you pray, do you have a certain way/structure/form you use to help focus? If so, what is it?
4. How does a disciple of Jesus pray according to the text in Mt. 6:9-13?
5. In what ways is the instruction of v. 14-15 counter to how culture says we should live?  How is this different than even what we hear at times from other Christians?  
6. When it comes to the discipline of fasting, do you find it easy to engage in or difficult? If you find it easy to engage in, what helps you? If you find it difficult, what are the barriers and how can you overcome them?
7. According to the message this morning, what is the purpose of fasting? (To ALIGN and ABIDE with the Father)
8. What are the rewards of personal prayer and fasting? (Intimacy/Wisdom/Fruit)
9. Do you think that we generally see these things as motivating rewards? Explain your answer.
10. For both prayer and fasting, why do you think that Jesus instructs His disciples to practice these “in secret”? (HINT: Think about the rewards.)
11. Did you have any other takeaways from this Sunday’s message?
12. What are you going to do in response to this Sunday’s message? How can you apply these truths to your life over the next seven days?

CLOSING RESPONSE:

If you have not yet joined in on the 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, it is not too late. Jump in and start tomorrow.

End your time together by encouraging and challenging one another to stay engaged in the 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting. 

1. Download the 21 Days of Prayer Guide at www.bayarea.church
2. Choose one meal each day to fast—set it aside for the Lord.
3. Take time to pray during this meal time. Read the scripture for the day from the Prayer Guide and ask God to speak to you. Write down how God is speaking and how this is impacting the way you live.

It may even be helpful to create an accountability structure in your LifeGroup. Create an email group, GroupMe, etc. This is community at its finest!

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES FOR THIS WEEK: 

• Matthew 6:5-18
• Matthew 26:41
• 1 Cor. 10:13
• John 17:15
• 2 Thess. 3:3
• Matthew 9:14-15
• John 10:27
• Psalm 51:6
• John 15:7-8 

NEXT WEEK’S MESSAGE: “What Can We Expect from Prayer and Fasting?”