Group Leader: This is a complete reading and personal application prepared so that you may take it and lead your group through a unique aspect of worship.
Because of the Bible, a historical account of God's people, we have the special privilege of peeking into the lives of the legendary. What we learn from observing their lives is that the faithful, the truly righteous men and women praised and begged God through their honest, sometimes gut wrenching prayers. Their prayers were obviously a part of their personal worship. Throughout the Bible we see the "pray-ers" saying all kinds of things to God. But what is unique is not so much what they are saying, for we have said many of the same things, but the postures in which they prayed.
Consider to these:
Jeremiah stood before God to pray for his people (Jeremiah 18:20).
Peter went to his knees to pray (Acts 9:40).
Nehemiah sat down when he prayed (Neh. 1:4).
Abraham prostrated himself while praying (Gen. 17:3).
Ezekiel prayed in a loud voice (Ezek. 11:13)
Hannah prayed silently to the Lord (I Sam. 1:13)
Paul prayed and sang in the spirit (I Cor. 14:15)
There are hundreds of references to prayer and to different postures of prayer. It seems that different prayers called for different body and voice postures.
We are going to explore a couple of those prayers and postures. I am going to ask two things of you:
1. To participate by praying short sentence prayers as I direct.
2. To participate by changing body and voice positions as I direct.
Please feel free to opt out of anything that makes you uncomfortable.
Let's begin with praying words of adoration.
Let's start out by lifting our faces to the Lord as we speak out words of adoration. Please speak simple one-line prayers of adoration… praise God for who He is to you.
Pause for them to pray and then read:
You are my God, and I will give you thanks for You are good.
You are gracious and kind. Your mercy forever astounds me, Lord.
Your perfect love endures forever.
You are Lord of Lords, the great and mighty God. You are awesome to all…
Will you please stand now as we speak words of thanksgiving for the wonderful things that God has done in our lives. Complete this statement "Lord I am so thankful for…"
Pause for them to pray and then read:
It is good to give thanks to You, Lord, to sing praises to Your name, O Most High. I will declare Your loving kindness in the morning and I will tell of your faithfulness in the evening. Your love for me is never far from my mind and I cannot be quiet. Thank you Lord for your presence in my life. Psalm 92:1-2
Let's continue by praying words of confession.
Would you please kneel before the Lord and begin to confess your struggles, weaknesses and your sins to the Lord. If you are comfortable I encourage you to speak these words out loud, but if not, please begin praying silently.
Pause for them to pray and then read:
Lord have mercy on me, according to your unfailing love and your great compassion blot out my sins.
Wash away all my selfish desires and cleanse me from thoughts that are unpleasing to you.
My sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,
Cleanse me wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:1-12
