Emmanuel Evangelical Church Chippenham

From 26^th April 2007:

In this session we will consider the place that forgiving others should take in our prayer life.

Background

We have started unpacking some of the misunderstood considerations in effective prayer:

We considered “Praying according to God’s will”  and the issue of “Praying with Faith”.

Last time we looked at confession. We saw that the NT insists that because sin is against God, and sadly continues to be our experience, we must confess - but in the confidence that Jesus has done everything necessary for us to be forgiven: (1 John 1:5-2:2; Matthew 6:12; James 5:16).

Forgiving Others

Today we’re going to consider the place or otherwise that forgiving others has in our prayer life:

Please read Matthew 6:9-15

1. Discuss together exactly what you understand is going-on when we pray.

2. What kind of praying is Jesus instructing the disciples on here? (i.e. once only at conversion, yearly, daily, etc?)

3. What assumption is being made in verse 12 concerning our restored relationship with God? (c.f. Ephesians 4:30)

4. What then do you understand by verses 14 & 15 (see also Mark 11:25, and bear in mind last week’s study on confession, especially 1 John 1:9)