A Long Conversation

CELL MATTERS

  “A long conversation”

OPENING QUESTION:

1. Talk about one of your close friends.  How often do you speak with this person? What subjects seem to come up the most in your conversations with this person?

THE WORD:

1. Have someone read I Thessalonians 5:16-18.
2. Our main focus tonight is on verse 17: “Pray Continually.” 
3. How would you define prayer?
4. Does it feel impossible to you to pray continually?  Is this just an ideal, or is it something God truly expects us to live up to?
5. We learned on Sunday that praying continually means to carry on a long conversation with God.  In the same way that we talk about favorite subjects with our friends, God wants to have some favorite subjects that He and you chat about. 
6. What things do you find yourself praying about the most?
7. Do you believe God is interested in hearing about those things? Why or why not?
8. What kinds of things do you think God likes to talk about with you? 

GETTING PERSONAL:

1. Praying continually is really about having a close relationship with God.  It is not a command to pray all the time, but rather it is an invitation to be friends with God.  How close is your friendship with God at the moment?  Why?

GROUP PRAYER TIME:

1. If someone in your group expressed that they feel distant from God, be sure to pray specifically for them. 
2. Share prayer requests and pray for one another’s concerns. 

INVITING FRIENDS:

Encourage the folks in your group to invite friends to join you for next week’s meeting.  Who will you invite this week?