Pinocchio
prayer-week11
Week 11 (7/28/2019)
Awe: Praising His Glory (ch.12, pg. 187-204)
For this weeks study please read chapter 12 in the book, “Prayer”, by Timothy Keller. If you have any observations or questions in the reading please feel welcome to bring them to your Life Group.
Main point for the Study:
What can re-engineer our very inner being, the structure of our personality? What can create healthy human community? Worship and adoration of God. We must love God supremely, and that can be cultivated only through praise and adoration. (Keller, Prayer, pg. 195)
Primary Bible Scripture for the week:
Psalm 150 (ESV)
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens!
2 Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent greatness!
3 Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
4 Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
5 Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
Study and Reflection Questions:
In Keller’s book, Prayer, chapter 12 focuses on the first of three primary categories of prayer. The three types are, “upward” prayer, “inward” prayer, and “outward” prayer. Each of the next three chapters will cover one of the three. This week’s chapter focuses on “upward” prayer; also referred to as praise, adoration, and thanksgiving.
In this chapter Keller presents the idea that we give our love to the things that we think will make us the most joyful. What we praise and adore most will point us to what it is we love most (see Keller, pg.193). God knows that nothing this world has to offer will handle the weight of our expectations. He knows that He is the only one who can truly restore and renew us. This is why He desires for us to praise and worship Him before all else, because He is the only path to true and everlasting joy. Let’s look at what Psalm 150 teaches us about praise. In verse 1 (read v.1) who does the psalmist say we should praise? Where is it that He should be praised? What do you think the reason is for pointing out the “where” of praise?
Verse 2 answers the question of why He deserves our praise (read v.2). In what ways has God demonstrated His power and greatness to humankind, and to the universe? Can you make this personal to you? In other words, what mighty deeds has He done in your life? What things are you compelled to personally thank and praise God for?
Verses 3 through 6 tell us how we should praise God (read vv. 3-6). What do you think the primary message of these verses is? In the context of these verses, what does praise look like? How does your praise life compare to this “party” scene?
Keller suggests that prayers filled with praise directly develop love for God (Keller, pg.193). Does your prayer time include the kind of praise we find in Psalm 150? Do you exclaim your joyful thankfulness to Him; cry out in celebration of Him? Will you ask God to open you heart to this Psalm and see where it leads in your prayer life?