Let's Chat Chapters 9 & 10 | Becoming Book Club

Chapters 9 and 10 Discussion from Cari Trotter on Vimeo.Hey guys!Welcoming you into chapters 9 and 10 of our little book club....to be honest, this week's video is worth the watch just to hear me stumble through pronouncing "Macedonia" {ha!}. We have tons of ground to cover in "When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy". This week we will push our spiritual lives and uncover the importance of our prayer life. Prayer is a great heart revealer. Prayer should be our continually moving river of communication with God. 

"Prayer is the human expression of treasuring and trusting the Spirit of God." {pg 148}

I talk in our video this week how I am not necessarily discussing the value of our surface prayers of protection and provision. This week John Piper is opening our spiritual intellect to consider the importance of deep, consistent prayer and meditation. Like, I'm talkin' praying down the Hound of Heaven on your behalf kinda praying. This aspect of our spiritual life couldn't be more important.....prayer is our open dialogue with the Creator of the Universe.

"If we are going to be fruit-bearing people, and not wither under the pressures of idle, fainthearted, weak, and hurtful people, then we must fight, as 1 Thessalonians 5:16 says, to "rejoice always" or to "delight...in the word of the Lord....day and night" {Ps. 1:2}. And to do that, as verse 17 says, we need to "pray without ceasing." {pg 157}

Love how Piper goes on to breakdown three ideas on what exactly praying without ceasing means. {all listed on page 157}

1. Praying without ceasing means that there is a spirit of dependence that should permeate all we do. This is the very spirit and essence of prayer. 
2. Praying without ceasing means praying repeatedly and often.
3. Praying without ceasing means not giving up on prayer. Don't ever come to a point in your life where you cease to pray at all times. 

"Lean on God all the time for the miracle of joy in your life. Never give up looking to him for help. Come to him repeatedly during the day and often. Make your default mental state a Godward longing for all that you need, especially for spiritual desires." {pg 157}

Discussion Questions and Journal Prompts for the week:

1. Read 2 Corinthians 8:1-4 
2. Read 1 Thessalonians 5:14-18
3. If prayer is ultimately "an offering up of our desires unto God" and a heart revealer.....have you spent time giving over your desires to God? Have you pushed past superficial desires to identify what you REALLY need to see God do in and through your life/circumstances? Spend time doing just that today. Take a risk and trust God with your desires. 
4. Have you been pleading for some time and not seen answers? Do you feel the threat in your flesh to give up praying? Don't give up, friend! Take a big risk today....keep praying. Allow God the chance to reveal something fresh to your heart. By faith speak His Word and Promises back to Him. He will unlock new perspectives, and when He does write them down. 

"Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end - it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay." {Habakkuk 2:2-3}