Sanctuary

Read Mark 1. What speaks to you most personally in this first chapter? What does this text say about the nature of God? What does it say about the character of God? What does it say about the love of God? 

In the last few weeks, how have you grown in your understanding and desire to pray? 

Reread Mark 1.29-39. What draws you to Jesus in this portion of the text? 

What drew people to Jesus in the text? Why were people coming to Him? How would you characterize those seeking Jesus? 

In reading these verses and reflecting on the text, where do you find yourself? Do you relate most to Jesus and His need to be in a solitary place? Do you relate most to the disciples, “Everyone is looking for you?” Do you relate most to the sick who are being healed of all kinds of diseases? 

Verse 35 highlights a practice of Jesus that would be His norm: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went to a solitary place where he prayed.” Why was this rhythm important to Jesus? Why would Jesus need to pray or want to pray? What do you think Jesus prayed on this day in His solitary place? 

Do you have a solitary place? What’s your primary purpose for entering into that space? Do you invite anyone to join you there, or to pray for the things you pray for when you are in your solitary place? 

Simon Peter and the disciples go looking for Jesus as “Everyone is looking for you?” Why was Simon Peter looking for Him? What did Simon Peter want from Him? Why was “everyone” looking for Jesus? What did they want from Him? 

How active are you in your pursuit of Jesus? How do you sense His current pursuit of you? 

The verses that follow describe Jesus not returning to Simon Peter’s house, but going “somewhere else…so I can preach there also.” What happened in the solitary place to cause Jesus to go in a different direction? 

How have you been redirected, comforted, and blessed in your solitary place? 

What message did Jesus want to “preach” in the nearby villages? 

Read Hebrews 4.14-16. What does this text tell you about Jesus? What does it tell you about His character? What does it tell you about His love? 

What does it look like for you to “approach the throne of grace with confidence”? 

How do you sense you are in a time of need? Where in your life do you desire a deeper sense of grace and mercy? How do you long for Jesus to touch you as He did those who “gathered at the door”? 

Spend a few moments resting, listening, receiving, and praising. 

Read Psalm 19. Consider the words of the Psalm. What speaks most personally to you? 

How do you sense God speak to you? What’s the primary way in which He speaks? 

Read 1 Samuel 3.1-10. In what ways are Eli and Samuel different? How do you see God speaking to both of them? 

The phrase, “Speak, Lord for your servant is listening” is prominent in the text. How do you typically speak to God when you desire to hear Him? 

Reread 1 Samuel 3:1. Why was the voice of the Lord not heard often? What’s the implication of this verse on your life today? 

For the rest of this study, let’s take time to practice listening to God. Be free to listen however God invites you to listen, or you can continue to follow this guide in working through a few of the seasons of prayer we used on Sunday. 

Begin by settling yourself and then speak to God, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” 

Read Romans 8 aloud and ask God to speak to you through His Word. 

Choose a favorite song or hymn and play it allowing God to speak to you through the song. On Sunday, we listened to “Come to Me” by Jenn Johnson. You can listen to the song by following this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=sY0Vz8fvIhE

Spend some time in silence listening to God. Begin the season of silence by again saying, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” 

Take a few moments and intercede for someone specific in our Faith Family. Allow God to lead you as you speak to Him. 

Lastly, consider the Priestly Blessing that is spoken over our Faith Family every Sunday. Take some time to sit with this blessing. Ask God to speak to you as you review it, speaking it out loud. 

“‘The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.” – Numbers 6.24-26

Read Exodus 2-3. What does the text tell you about God? What does it reveal about His character? How is love expressed in the text? 

Reread Exodus 2.11-15. Why is Moses angry enough to kill? What might be at the root of his anger? What causes Moses to flee? Where does Moses spend the next 40 years of his life? 

Reread Exodus 3.1-10. How does God speak to Moses? Why does God not addresss the murder? 

In this section of Scripture, what breaks God’s heart? 

The text says, “God is concerned about their suffering.” Do you believe God is still concerned about suffering? Is He concerned about your suffering? How do you sense God doing something about your suffering and about the suffering of His people? 

God calls Moses to go back to Egypt, to go back to Pharaoh. God calls Moses to go back to the place of his greatest sin. Why would God call Moses back to the place that is most personal to him? 

What or where is a place/space that is most personal to you? How do you engage that place/space? What tempts you to stay away from that place/space? What if God invited you to return to that which is most personal to you? Would you go? What would be His motive in inviting you back? 

Reread Exodus 3.13-15. What is Moses’ motive in asking God these questions? What does God’s response say about who He is? 

God says He is the I AM. Do a quick study of the life of Jesus noting all the places where Jesus says, “I AM.” 

Moses not only does what God asks of him, Moses begins to intercede for God’s people. What does that say about Moses? What does it say about God? 

Read Exodus 33.8-11. What is the role of Moses in the text? How do the people of God participate in this prayer? How does God respond?

Read the following passages of Scripture and note the problem that requires intercession. Then, make special note of how God responds to each cry of the heart. 

• Exodus 33.8-11
• Exodus 15.23-25
• Numbers 11.1-2
• Exodus 17.8-13
• Exodus 32.11, 14, 31-32

In your own words, describe how God responses to Moses. 

Intercession is “entering into the suffering of God’s people.” 

Who intercedes on your behalf? Who enters into your suffering before the throne of God? 

Read Hebrews 7.24-25. What does this text say about Jesus? What does it say about His love for you? In what ways might Jesus be interceding for you right now?

Spend the next few moments interceding on behalf of others. Use the following prompts as a guide. 

Loving God, I hold in your healing presence those who suffer pain and ill health… May they know the deep peace of Christ. 

Loving God, I hold in your healing presence those who suffer in mind and spirit… May they know the deep peace of Christ. 

Loving God, I hold in your healing presence the suffering people of our world, and the places where people are experiencing hurt and division — including places of hurt and division in my own life… May we know the deep peace of Christ. 

Loving God, I hold in your healing presence those experiencing grief and loss….May they know the deep peace of Christ. 

Loving God, I hold in your healing presence those who need wisdom for their next steps…May we know the deep peace of Christ. 

Loving God, I hold in your healing presence those people and situations that seem broken beyond repair….May we/they know the deep peace of Christ. 

Loving God, I hold in your healing presence and peace those whose needs are not known to me but are known by you, and those for whom I have been asked to pray… I name in my heart all those who are close to me…  May they know the deep peace of Christ. 

Glory to God, from whom all love flows, glory to Jesus, who showed his love through suffering, and glory to the Holy Spirit, who brings light to the darkest places. Amen.

Read Psalm 13. How would you categorize this kind of prayer? When have you prayed a similar prayer? What was the outcome of that season? 

What’s the difference between a prayer of complaint and a prayer of lament? 

There are over 50 prayers of lament in Scripture, including an entire book called Lamentations. Do a search of Scripture and spend some time reading other prayers of lament. 

Read Psalm 79:5-8. Like David, Asaph prays a prayer of lament asking, “How long, Lord?” What is it that David and Asaph are waiting for?

Describe a season where you waited on God. What did God do in you in that season of waiting? How did the waiting challenge you? How did the waiting mature you? Whom did you invite into your waiting? 

Read Psalm 6:6. David says he is, “worn out from my groaning.” What is he describing here? 

Read Psalm 22:1-2. David senses he has been forsaken by God. Jesus too prays these same words from the cross. Does God forsake His people? How do you resolve the words of David and Jesus?

Read Psalm 58:6-8 in the Message. When is this kind of prayer appropriate? How does this kind of prayer work? What is the ultimate purpose of this kind of prayer? 

Read and reflect on the following: “Is it possible that we do a disservice, do injustice, violate our integrity when we avoid prayers that need to be spoken – thoughts and words that need to be exposed to the light – simply because we think that’s not what a faithful Christian would say?”

Read Psalm 13:4. What or whom is the enemy David is referring to in the text? What enemy wants to overcome you? What’s your greatest enemy? In what ways does it desire to overcome you? 

“God is not your fixer.” How have you grown in your understanding of the purpose of prayer? How have you grown in your understanding of the Person of Jesus to know God is much more than your fixer? What is your primary purpose in prayer?

Read Revelation 21-22. How does God resolve all that is wrong in the world?

Read Psalm 13:5-6. What happens to David to move from a place of lament, to a place of faith? 

Do a word search on God’s “unfailing love.” List five of the passages that most resonate with you. In your own words, define God’s unfailing love toward you. 

Read Psalm 33:20-22. How does this verse encourage you today? 

How does Psalm 13 call for you to invite deeper streams of community into your life? 

Give God praise for His faithfulness in the midst of seasons of hope and in seasons of lament.