• Crying Out: Heartfelt Prayer in Times of Spiritual Barrenness
• Discover the One Who Listens
• Does Prayer Really Work? (seeker friendly)
• Embracing Prayer in Our Lives
• How Do You Express Faith? (seeker friendly)
• Learning to Listen to God
• Praying for Miracles (seeker friendly)
• Praying Through the Storm
• Releasing God’s Power Through Prayer
• Revitalize Your Prayer Life
• Studying the Significance of Prayer
• What Does It Mean to Have Faith? (seeker friendly)
• When God is Silent
• When is the Right Time to Pray? (seeker friendly)
• Why Should We Pray? (seeker friendly)

Resources on Prayer:

• Intercessory Prayer - Dutch Sheets
• Watchman Prayer - Dutch Sheets
• The God who Hears - W. Bingham Hunter
• A number of excellent prayer articles are available from Chat Administrator.

Articles for Reference:

• What Should be Included in Prayer? By Katherine Kehler http://www.retirementwithapurpose.com/includeinprayer.html
• Ask for More by Gail Rodgers http://www.retirementwithapurpose.com/gr_ask.html
• Why Pray? By Jim Cymbala http://www.retirementwithapurpose.com/jcwhypray.html
• How to Spend a Day with the Lord By Katherine Kehler http://www.retirementwithapurpose.com/daywithlord.html
• Sample prayers by Katherine Kehler http://www.retirementwithapurpose.com/kjkhelpfulprayers.html

*******************************************************************

Crying Out: Heartfelt Prayer in Times of Spiritual Barrenness

Have you ever faced a time when you felt spiritually barren? Many have. These times present a major challenge to our spiritual lives. Are there insights we can share together about how to deal with these times? Have others gone through them to reach a place of blessing? Join us as we share the reality of life in a time of intense longing for God’s hand in our lives.

• Have you ever faced a time in your spiritual walk when you felt spiritually barren?
• How did you feel? What thoughts and emotions did you experience? In those times, how did you (or could you) respond?
• What are some of the benefits of walking through a spiritually barren time?
• What do you most long for, when those barren times come?
• Discuss this statement: “Circumstances don’t always occur because of sin, God can be intricately involved.”
• What are some actions that we should take while in a spiritually barren time?
• Look at 1 Samuel 1: 1-20, describe Hannah’s time of barrenness. Consider the spiritual, relational and physical challenges she faced.
• How did Hannah express herself to God and others?
• How does God bless Hannah during this time?
• How can we pray when we don’t feel like praying? (gather others around us, pray intentionally and pray intensely)
• Why is community so valuable during these times of our life?
• How can we take an active role in coming out of a time of struggle with barrenness? (Look at 1 Chron 28:9, Deut 4:29, Heb 11:6.)

***********************************************************

Discovering the One Who Listens (a study on the Lord’s Prayer) 

Related Article: How to Spend a day with the Lord

http://christianwomentoday.com/prayer/daywithlord.html
Perhaps the hardest task in many of our relationships is the task of truly listening to another. How frustrating it is to have shared something important only to find that someone had tuned us out. How valued we feel when someone unexpectedly sets aside their agenda to truly hear our heart! Tonight we invite you to join us as we discuss the reality of a God who actually listens to us.

• What are some reasons people don’t pray?
• What hinders our prayer life?
• Who are we addressing when we pray? What does the Bible mean by “Abba”?
• Where is God when we pray?
• How are we to pray?
• What should we ask?
• “Better is a heart with no prayer than a prayer with no heart”, what does this mean to you?
• Who is the Holy Spirit and how does He help us pray?

**************************************************

Does Prayer Really Work?  (seeker friendly)

Prayer has become familiar terrain in our culture. It is woven into the daily rhythms of life both publicly and privately. Studies have shown that much of our society does pray, but does prayer really work? Join our discussion tonight.

• What things draw people to a time of prayer?
• Why are some prayers answered and others not?
• How do we pray with confidence, knowing that God will hear us?
• Why would God want to hear all the messy details of our lives?
• Can we still pray if we have really messed up?
• Does God really care about our lives?
• What things should we say when we pray to God?
• How can we establish a need for God and get to know Him better?

**************************************************

Embracing Prayer in Our Lives

Like a lifeline, prayer reaches from our hearts directly to the heart of God. Yet sometimes we fail to even notice its absence from our lives. Is prayer saying certain words or following a formula? How do we embrace prayer as a vital part of our spiritual walk with God? Join us tonight as we consider the holy privilege of communicating with God.

• Describe what prayer means to you.
• How do you think God views prayer?
• The true aim of prayer is intimacy with God, would you agree or disagree?
• Do you think that our prayers change the mind of God?
• How can we pray scripture?  How do we pray God’s will?
• If nothing happens when we pray, does that mean that God isn’t listening?
• How is Jesus praying for us in Heaven right now according to John 17:20?
• What did Jesus tell us to pray according to John 16:23?

*******************************************************************

How Do You Express Faith? (seeker friendly)

We express faith in something or someone daily. As we sit down, we fully expect our chairs to support us. If we use an ATM card, we have some degree of confidence that the transaction will be accurately recorded by our financial institution. If we work for an employer, we expect that we’ll receive a paycheck as agreed.
How do you express faith? How does faith impact your spiritual journey? You are invited to chat with others about “How Do You Express Faith?”

• Explain what ‘faith’ means to you.
• Share with the group how faith has affected your life.
• How has faith helped you during the storms of life?
• What do you place your faith in?
• Can we trust God enough to place our faith in Him?
• Discuss why people place their faith in Jesus Christ.
• How does one begin to develop a faith and relationship with Christ?

*******************************************************************

Learning To Listen To God

“Are you listening?” a mother asks her child. She knows the child’s hearing is fine, but wonders if her child is attending to what is being said, if she is really listening. Appearances don’t always tell the story, either, for we learn early to look attentive when our thoughts are far away. “Are you listening?” our Heavenly Father may ask. Come share as we discuss how to listen to God.

• Do you think it is possible to listen to God?
• What distracts us from hearing God’s voice?
• What kind of snares does the evil one put in place to distract us?
• How can one recognize God’s voice?
• What kind of a filter can we place in our lives to ensure we recognize God’s voice?
• How can we discover God’s will for our lives if we don’t listen for God’s voice?
• How can we develop a hearing ear and a pure heart to discern God’s voice?

*******************************************************************

Praying for Miracles (seeker friendly)

Think of a time when you could see no way that something would work out. How did you respond? You or someone near you may have said, “It would take a miracle.” Let’s discuss those times when we call out for God’s active response to our need.

• Share what things you pray about.
• Have you every experienced a miracle in your life? Tell your story.
• How do we know God hears our prayers?
• How can we be assured that God cares about our needs?
• When we pray, what words do we use?
• How can God be so big that He can hear all the prayers around the world?
• Does God really perform miracles like Jesus did in His day?
• How do we develop a faith strong enough to expect a miracle?

*******************************************************************

Praying Through the Storm

Related Article:Why me God?

http://www.christianwomentoday.com/closet/susanmart.html

As the storm raged violently, Jesus prayed and calmed the seas. That same Jesus can help us pray through the storms in our own lives and calm the tossing waters which seek to capsize us in our struggles. Please join us as we discuss praying through the storms in our lives.

• How should we respond to storms in our lives?
• What are some ways we can keep focused on God through the storms of life?
• How should we pray during life’s trials?
• What should we expect of God when we pray?
• How can the Holy Spirit help us?
• When others are hurting, how can we best pray for them?

*******************************************************************

Releasing God’s Power Through Prayer

Related Article: Getting Your Prayers Answered http://christianwomentoday.com/prayer/answered.html
Prayer is a mysterious yet powerful subject, and we have all felt inadequate at times when we go into our prayer closets to meet with our Heavenly Father. How do we pray more effectively? Can we truly release God’s power through our own words? Join us tonight as we discuss this fascinating subject, and discover the keys to effective communication with God.

• Do our prayers motivate God to action?
• How does God’s power flow through us as human vessels?
• What things hinder our prayer life?
• What role does the Holy Spirit play in prayer?
• How do we learn to listen to God?
• What is effective prayer for spiritual protection?
• How do we pray using the scriptures?
• Why do we pray “in Jesus name”?

*******************************************************************

Revitalizing Your Prayer Life

Related Article: The Privilege of Prayer

http://www.christianwomentoday.com/growth/privilegeofprayer.html

Making time to pray is often a very difficult thing to do in our busy lives. Even though we understand the importance of prayer and the reality that it changes lives, it can be hard to find that precious time we so desire to spend in prayer. Please join us as we discuss practical ways that you can make prayer a daily part of your life.

• Why do many women struggle with a consistant prayer life?
• Why should we pray if God is a sovereign God and already knows everything?
• Does prayer make a difference in your life?
• How can we best protect our family with prayer?
• Share some thoughts on spiritual warfare praying for our children.
• How do you pray specifically for your husband?
• Share some practical thoughts on prayer.

*******************************************************************

Studying The Significance Of Prayer

Related Article: The Power of a Praying Wife http://christianwomentoday.com/growth/praywife.html

If God is all-powerful, why does He need us to pray? If we pray and God is silent, does that mean that God doesn’t care, or isn’t listening? Join us tonight as we discuss how vital our prayers are to God.

• How can I be intimate with an invisible God?
• Does prayer change God’s mind?
• What can I tell an all-knowing God?
• How am I certain that God really cares about my concerns and prayers?
• What hinders our communication with God?
• What role does faith play in our prayers?
• How does the Holy Spirit help us to pray?

*******************************************************************

What Does It Mean to Have Faith? (seeker friendly)

As we consider the concept of prayer, we soon face the word “faith.” What does it mean to have faith, and how does faith relate to prayer? Join us as we discuss the place of faith in our lives.

• What words come to mind when you hear the word ‘faith’?
• Is faith associated with love?
• What things cause you to have faith? What deters faith?
• Share what you place your faith in.
• Do you have faith in God?
• How is our prayer life affected by faith?
• Prayer is about a relationship.  Discuss this thought.
• How can we begin a relationship of faith with God?

*******************************************************************

When God Is Silent

Related Article: How to Spend a Day with the Lord http://christianwomentoday.com/prayer/daywithlord.html

“Is God ignoring my deepest needs?” We have all experienced times of silence, times when we feel God has left us all alone. Yet we know that our loving Father cares for us more deeply than our minds can imagine. Let’s discuss some of these issues tonight in a stimulating chat on prayer. Join us!

• Have you experienced times of silence, or where you felt God wasn’t answering with God?
• Can you think of some Scriptural examples of prayers that didn’t seem to be answered?
• Can we ever ask God the wrong question when we pray?
• How should we handle times when God is silent or says “no”?
• What are some possible reasons for God to remain silent?
• What are some examples in Scripture where God is silent or says “no”?
• Does there ever come a time when we should give up praying a specific request if God is silent?
• Is persistence required in prayer?
• Are faithful prayers always answered?

********************************************************************

When is the Right Time to Pray? (seeker friendly)

Since the early days of mankind there has always been a record of prayers. The sense of being connected with a higher being is almost as instinctive as breathing. Join our discussion tonight as we chat about prayer.

• How often to you pray?
• What do you generally pray about?
• Share reasons why people turn to prayer.
• How can we be assured that God hears us?
• How can we become closer to God?
• Is God always available to hear us?
• How can God hear the prayers of everyone?

********************************************************************

Why Should We Pray? (seeker friendly)

If a friend asked whether you pray, how would you answer? If you do pray, complete the following sentence: “I pray because _______.” Join us as we focus our discussion on “Why Should We Pray?”

• What draws you to a time of prayer?
• What is the purpose of prayer?
• When people pray what are they seeking?
• Is prayer a one way conversation?
• What feelings do you get after you have spent time praying?
• Should we bother God with details when we pray?
• How can we be assured we are being heard when we pray?
• How can we begin a friendship with God?

********************************************************************