BEGIN WITH PRAYER · 5 MINUTES
Gather together as a Community in a comfortable setting (around a table, on the couch, the floor of a living room, etc.). Have somebody lead a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to lead and guide your time together.
MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS · 5 MINUTES
Take this time to go over any details pertaining to any gatherings of your groups that may be upcoming. Additionally, invite the participants of your group to take out their phones, open up the Missio Dei App and navigate to the Events Tab on the App. Highlight a couple of events that are upcoming that you feel are pertinent to your group.
PRACTICE A LORD’S PRAYER READING AND CONTEMPLATION · 20 MINUTES
“OUR FATHER”
God invites us into a trusting relationship not as some distant ruler, but as a near and present loving Father.
Reflect on your relationship with your earthly father. In what ways has your relationship or lack thereof contributed to your relationship with God as Father?
In what ways might God be redeeming your image of fatherhood today?
Where in your life does God feel near to you today? Where does he feel distant today?
Ask the Holy Spirit to mend this brokenness, and heal these wounds so that you can receive the perfect life of God the Father today.
“IN HEAVEN”
Our God isn’t just near to us, at the same time He is transcendent, sovereign and all powerful.
What are the areas of your life where God seems powerless to help, to heal and to transform?
What seems out of control in your life? What are the things you are finding it difficult to trust God with today in your life or in the life of others?
Pause here, consider His power and receive it. Release your control to Him and invite Him into these places within your life in trust.
“HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME”
God’s name is perfect, precious, holy, righteous, and worthy of all Glory.
In what ways are you trying to make your name more known and prove it more holy than His?
How might you be trying to receive glory for the blessings and the gifts of God in your life instead of offering praise to Him for them?
Pause here, offer praise to God and gratitude for the blessings and gifts you are receiving from Him in this season of life.
“YOUR KINGDOM COME, YOUR WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IN HEAVEN”
THe earth is full of sin, injustice, disorder, and despair, but heaven isn’t! Heaven is full of rest, hope, joy and the Presence of God…. We ask, Lord, that the things of Your Kingdom would come to bear on our world and on our hearts!
In what ways are you spending your time, talents & treasures to bring about your Kingdom and your will, instead of Christ’s?
What may God be inviting you to surrender so that His Kingdom comes and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven?
Pause here, repent of and surrender to God the ways you’ve been stringing to build your Kingdom and not His.
“GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD”
God supernaturally provides for His children. He promises to meet all of our needs and provides us with the air to breathe, hangs to work, brains to think and so much more. He invites us to depend on Him for all that we need, and for all that His children need.
In what ways have you grown to depend more on yourself for daily provision, instead of God?
In what ways have you withheld provision from someone in need because you feel as if you’ve worked for what you have, and they haven’t?
Pause here, repent of your self-sufficiency and selfishness and offer gratitude for the ways God has provided for you.
“AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, AS WE ALSO HAVE FORGIVEN OUR DEBTORS”
In Christ, we have been totally forgiven and totally relieved from all of our debts in relationship with God. Because we have been forgiven by God through Christ we can now forgive others in Christ.
What are the things you do not feel like you’ve been forgiven of by God?
Who are you holding forgiveness from right now in your life? What do you need from God or from them to offer forgiveness to them?
Pause here, ask God to teach you how to receive His forgiveness in these areas where you find it difficult in receiving it. Ask God to teach you how to forgive those whom you are finding it difficult to forgive.
“AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL”
Hebrews 4:15-16 tells us that we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, and yet is without sin. We can draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, where we may receive mercy and find grace to help in our times of need.
What temptations are you facing right now? What evil is before you?
In what ways are you relying on your own strength and not Christ’s to overcome temptation, evil, and the evil one, satan?
Pause here, repent of your self-sufficiency and invite God to be your strength in the areas of weakness and temptation you are experiencing today.
TALK THROUGH THE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS LISTED ON THE PRACTICE PAGE · 40 MINUTES
Weekly Questions for the month of June can be found on the Contemplation Page.
CLOSE IN PRAYER · 10 MINUTES
Create a public forum space where people can pray and offer prayer for one another. Fight the urge to talk more about prayer than you do spend time praying. Invite someone to begin this time and someone to end this time together. Remember, silence is not the enemy of a time of prayer.