Continuing in a study, Learn to Discern with part 1 in Nehemiah–seeking to learn from Nehemiah’s prayer life.
Small Group Questions
1. How would you describe your prayer life?
2. Is prayer natural to you or do you have to work at it?
3. Do you have a set time to pray? Do you simply depend on “conversational prayer”?
4. Compare your normal prayer with Nehemiah’s pattern or structure of prayer? Are the any elements missing or incomplete in your own normal prayer?
Adoration
Confession
Reminder of the Word of God (thanksgiving)
Supplication
5. When do you find it hard to persist in prayer? (Nehemiah prayed for 4 months)
6. Compare Nehemiah’s two prayers–Nehemiah 1:4-11 and 2:4. What can you learn?
7. One of the instructive elements of Nehemiah’s prayer in chapter 1 is Nehemiah’s “praying Scripture”–reminding God of His promises. He boldly challenges God to remember and fulfill His promise. Should we do the same? If so, when can we do this? What is necessary for us to “pray Scripture” and what is necessary for us to be able to “challenge God with His promises?”
8. When the King asked Nehemiah what his request was–he had specific items and a plan. How do you reconcile praying and planning?
