Bible Study                                     Notes 1999

11 January 1999

REVIEW 1 Samuel 1-2

2 SPECIAL CHALLENGES FOR THE YEAR 1999

1.   A CALL TO MAKE PRAYER SO MUCH MORE A PART OF OUR LIFE   1 Sam 1:1-28

a)   The many heartaches of life should drive us to pray! (1 Sam 1:5-8)

b)   The anguish of life should cause us to pour out our very soul before the Lord.

c)   Hannah’s example of offering heartfelt prayer and the swift way in which God responded to her prayer efforts challenges us to pray as she did.

QUESTION!

What’s stopping us from PRAYING lots more?

2.   A CALL TO MAKE PRAISE SO MUCH MORE A PART OF OUR LIFE   1 Sam 2:1-11

a)   Personal joy should be the most natural response from the heart  (1 Sam 2:1)

b)   Appreciation of God should increase most significantly (1 Sam 2:2-10)

c)      Expressions of praise should flow from our lips (1 Sam 2:1-10)

QUESTION!

What’s stopping us from PRAISING lots more?

3.   A SUGGESTED PLAN TO MAKE “PRAYER AND PRAISE” SO MUCH MORE A PART OF OUR LIFE

a)   Heeding the prompting of the Holy Spirit in our life  (Romans 8:15)

      The Spirit of God (“The Spirit of Adoption”) will cause us to naturally cry out to God as our Father.

b)   Cultivating this sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s activity in our hearts:-

      i)      Through prayer itself

      ii)      Through love for God

      iii)      Through the meditation on God’s Word

      iv)      Through growth of faith

c)      Developing a Personal Prayer / Praise Life

      i)    Setting aside time to pray

      ii)      Including the Word of God in prayer

      iii)      Making it a point to praise

d)   Towards a powerful intercessory prayer ministry

      i)    Drawn to prayer

      ii)   Driven to prayer

      iii)      Determination to pray

      iv)      Development of a significant prayer life and ministry