Group Devotions - Prayer
Overview
Before beginning your devotion each night, it might be beneficial to start out by posing a question to the students to get the discussion rolling. This also helps everyone be more aware of what all is going on. Each day has a topic related to prayer. Several scripture passages are given for each day. You may choose as few or as many as you would like to share with your students. You are encouraged to try to get a response from your students after reading and, if necessary, explain what you think the passage means. Ask your students for everyday examples or examples from their own lives. Try to relate the devotion to the happenings at your mission site.
If you are choosing to use these on your trip, please read them ahead of time and decide what scripture to read and what you want to emphasize. Also try to come up with stories that relate.
Here are some suggestions for "mixing it up"…
(Please try some of these this week and you can mix it up at home, too)
Guided Prayer—A moderator would lead participants by giving prayer topics, directing groupings, and stopping and starting the prayers. (Solemn Assembly)
In the Round—Traditional circle where each person gets a chance to pray in turn
Thumbs—Like prayer in the round, except participants hold out their right hands or their left hands and each person extends and hold thumbs. It makes a tight circle.
Partner—Personal, one-on-one… great for accountability purposes and private matters.
Popcorn—Participants pray in turn, randomly. Usually one person is designated to open and one to close. (“You dial, I hang up”)
Target—Each prayer request is prayed over one at a time as they are given (whole group pauses as one person prays)
Group—Participants pray all at once out loud.
To the left/right—Each person intercedes for the requests/praises of the person beside them. Everyone goes one way left or right.
Hands On—Lay on hands with prayer…group, popcorn, in the round, or one at a time.
List—Prayer requests/praises are listed, assigned, and prayed over.
Journal --Prayer request go in a long-term journal. Requests, praises, and answers to prayer are recorded.
Recited—Prayers are recited from memory or read.
Sentence Prayers—One sentence prayers in a group setting
24 Hour Prayer—Assigned prayer throughout the day. Time slots are usually 15,30, or 60 minutes assignments.
Banners—Banners or signs of particular prayer concerns are displayed and people pray at the particular banners for those particular concerns (can be round robin style or open)
Prayer Walk—Pray while walking. May include stops for prayer in the round. May include hands on prayer. (suggested that you keep your eyes open and be friendly as you go—this can easily turn into street evangelism)
Intercessory Prayer Program—individual prayer concerns are assigned to members of a prayer team to be prayed over for a set amount of time.
Day 1 - Prayer in general
Suggested Question
What do you expect to get out of this week?
Overview
Today we want to explore prayer…what is it? Why do it? How should we do it?
Matthew 6:5-15 – Lord’s Prayer
Nehemiah 1:5-11 - model prayer
Romans 8:26 – Spirit intercedes
Jeremiah 33:3 – Call to me…
Luke 18:1-8 – Persistence
James 5:13 – pray when suffering and happy
Philippians 4:6-7 – not anxious, pray about everything with Thanksgiving peace
(Prayer and peace are inseparable)
I Timothy 2:1-3 – pray for all, including authorities
Ephesians 6:18 – Prayer is a weapon
Mark 4:38 – defensive
Mark 9:29, Acts 28:8 – offensive
I Thessalonians 5:17 – Prayer is a lifestyle
Pillars of Prayer
Go to God with Humility, Faith, Obedience, and Love
Ecclesiastes 5:1-3, II Chronicles 7:14, Hebrews 11:6, James 1:6, John
15:7, Matthew 22:38, I Corinthians 13:13
Tips
Pray like you mean it, Pray along as others pray, Pray continually.
Top of Page
Day 2 - Adoration
Suggested Question
What do you adore about God today?
Overview
Adoration and praise of God should be a part of our prayer lives. There are verses in the Bible that tell us to praise God. There are also verses written praising Him.
Suggestion
At the end of this devotion during the closing prayer, ask the students to praise and adore God in popcorn prayer fashion. They can say even just one word, an adjective.
Psalm 147:1 – Praise the Lord
Psalm 147:12 – Extol
Psalm 148:1 – Praise the Lord
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath
Ephesians 1:3 – Praise be to the God who has blessed us
Revelations 4:11 – You are worthy…to receive…for you created…
Top of Page
Day 3 - Confession
Suggested Question
What did God teach you today?
Overview
God expects us to confess our sins, and we can expect forgiveness from God. It's in the Bible.
Suggestion
Give the students some time during this devotion to confess their sins to God silently.
I John 1:9 – If we confess, he is faithful…
James 5:16 – So confess and pray
Top of Page
Day 4 - Answers
Suggested Question
How did you see God move today?
Overview
Sometimes it seems like God doesn't answer our prayers. At times we think he has given us the wrong answer. Things don't always work out the way we think is best. We must remember that God is omniscient, he knows all. He knows what is best. How can we even compare our ideas to his, he has so many more facts on which to base his decisions.
Psalm 38:15 – Waiting
Romans 8:28 – all things work together for the good…
II Corinthians 12:7-10 – Paul’s thorn…when weak then strong.
Top of Page
Day 5 - Thanksgiving
Suggested Question
Who did you see God through today?
Overview
The Psalms and Paul's letters both tell us to give thanks and do so themselves. We have much to be grateful for. Express it to God.
Suggestion
In a prayer time ask the students to thank God for specific things using one of the types of prayer listed. -OR- Have students state what they are thankful for with open eyes and head up.
Psalm 100:4-5 – Enter his gates…
Psalm 136:1 – Give thanks…for he is good.
Colossians 3:15-17 – Let the peace…and be thankful, let the word…with gratitude, and
whatever you do…giving thanks…
I Thessalonians 5:18 – give thanks in all circumstances…
Read Psalm 136 as a responsive reading.
Top of Page
Day 6 - Intercession
Suggested Question
Has God laid anyone on your heart this week for whom you need to be praying?
Overview
We are given many examples in the Bible of praying for others - enemies and allies. We are told to pray for our enemies in Matthew and for authorities in I Timothy. Paul asks for prayer as he shares the gospel in Ephesians - this tells us we should be in prayer for missionaries.
Suggestion
Have a time of intercessory prayer. You could allow the students to prayer by themselves for their friends or in groups of friends who would be praying for their common friends. Ask them to remember missionaries, enemies, authorities, and those to whom your mission trip is ministering in their prayers. Ask for prayer requests and have a time of "To the left/right" prayer.
Enemies
Matthew 5:43-45 – pray for enemy
Luke 23:34a – Father forgive them…
Acts 7:60 – Stephen…do not hold this sin against them
Model prayers
Colossians 1:9-14
Ephesians 1:15-19 – for wisdom and revelation
Ephesians 3:14-21 – for strengthened love
Philippians 1:9-11 – for knowledge and insight
Ephesians 6:18-20 – for Paul
Top of Page
Day 7 – Supplication
Suggested Question
What did God reveal to you about yourself this week?
Overview
The Bible tells us to ask. Let's do it. Always remember though that God knows best.
Suggestion
Have students pray for themselves silently. Suggest that they ask God to help them remember what they have seen and learned this week.
Matthew 7:7-12 – ask, seek, knock
John 15:7 – remain in me….ask…done
Matthew 26:39 – Gethsemane prayer…not my will, but yours
James 1:5-8 – for wisdom, without doubt
II Chronicles 20:5-12 – Jehoshaphat’s prayer for help for Israel
Top of Page
|
