Two men went fishing. One man was an experienced fisherman, the other wasn't. Every time the experienced fisherman caught a big fish, he put it in his ice chest to keep it fresh. Whenever the inexperienced fisherman caught a big fish, he threw it back. The experienced fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got tired of seeing this man waste good fish. "Why do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?" he asked.The inexperienced fisherman replied, "I only have a small frying pan."
Sometimes, like that fisherman, we throw back the big plans, big dreams, big jobs, big opportunities that God gives us. Our faith is too small. We laugh at that fisherman who didn't figure out that all he needed was a bigger frying pan; yet how ready are we to increase the size of our faith? As we begin our future, let's look for a bigger frying pan.
What are you doing that is so big that if God wasn’t involved you would fall flat on your face?
So don’t worry about these things, saying, “What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?” These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. –Matthew 6:31-34
- Seek God.
- Live obediently.
- Depend on God.
- Don’t worry
Let me rephrase the question:
What are you praying about that is so big that if God wasn’t involved you would fall flat on your face?
Do you really want to spend another year going to God with the little stuff that is probably going to be taken care regardless of if you pray or not?
Pray: God, if You don’t it won’t
Here is my challenge to you: This year I want you to commit to latch on to something that is bigger than you and I want you to be relentless in praying for this.
I want you to ask God something that honors and glorifies Him for how big He is. When we go to God with something big, God is not bothered…God is honored.
The size of your prayers determines the size of your God.
God can move mountains
- Overcome addictions
- Help me heal from a broken heart
- Use me as a blessing to my city
- Help me raise these kids to become men and women who will change the world
- Help me beat this disease
- Allow me to leave a legacy at this church so that others may know how big You are
Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Jesus said, “This is how you should pray:
Father, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
Give us each day the food we need,
and forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation.”
Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’
He calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’
But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.
And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.
Keep on seeking, and you will find.
Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. -Luke 11:1-13
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What do you usually find yourself praying for?
Read Luke 11:1-4. What do we learn about the basics of prayer from the model that Jesus gave us?
Read Luke 11:5-8. What do we learn from the boldness and persistence of the person in this parable? What does this tell us about how God wants us to approach him?
Read Luke 18:1-8. Is there anything that you have prayed about as consistently and persistently as the widow? What have you seen God do with that request?
Read Luke 11:9-10. What is it that you want God to do this year? What will you ask, seek, and knock for on a consistent basis?
How should we adjust our group prayer time to take into account what Jesus taught about prayer?
THINK ABOUT IT
When you pray, what do you find yourself praying for? Please help me not to be late. Please, just help me pass this next test. Lord, I really need to close this deal. Ultimately, what does it all add up to? Is there anything that you are praying for on a consistent basis that will not happen unless God steps in? How should your prayer time change based on what we've discussed?
WHAT WILL YOU DO?
When will you set aside time this week to begin praying for something big?
CHANGING YOUR MIND
So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Luke 11:9
See "Asking Big" from Andy Stanley
Click here for Campus Crusade for Christ
See "Leading with Vision" a wonderful book edited by Dale Galloway
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