THE 4G GUIDE

DANGEROUS PRAYERS WEEK 2

Calvary Baptist Church Bastrop Dangerous Prayers – 4G Series 2021 www.cbcfamily.net/4g.htm THE 4G GUIDE Introduction to the Dangerous Prayers series How To Use The 4G Guide

Too often our prayers are uninspired recaps of our days or a list of Each week is divided into four sections: things we want or “need”. But Prayer is so much more than that! It isn't dull. It isn't boring. It isn't safe. Prayer moves the heart of God, Gathering Time and some prayers move Him more than others. God calls us to corporate worship. On Sunday mornings we It's time to leave our easy, comfortable prayers behind and pray gather (in person or online) to worship, hear God’s boldly. It's time for dangerous prayers. This new series will inspire message, and be challenged to apply His word. This you to pray courageously and powerfully. Prayers that will search booklet includes weekly sermon guides. your soul, break your habits, and send you to pursue the calling God God Time has for you. Personal worship is vital to the Christian walk, so we have Join us for this four-week series as we pray written five daily devotionals for each weekly topic. This is DANGEROUS PRAYERS! your time to meet with God one-on-one in a guided Pastor Phillip devotional format. Once the devotional time is finished, we encourage you to pray, seeking direction for the day.

This series is inspired by the book, Dangerous Prayers: Because Following Group Time Jesus Was Never Meant to Be Safe, by Craig Groeschel and used with We learn from one another! Each week, either on Sundays permission. See the last page for more information. or at various other times, 4G Groups meet to dig deeper into the weekly material. This booklet features weekly

lesson outlines in a “three-thirds” discipleship format. In Introduction To The 4G Guide addition, links to short video guides, sermon recaps, and other helpful resources are posted on our 4G web page. * GATHER – GOD – GROUP – GIVE It's important that we GATHER each week as a church family. Still, Family Time God has so much more for us! He wants us to take what He's Family worship glorifies God. To help, we have created teaching and apply it to our lives. This is the heart of the 4G Guides. simple, once-a-week devotionals just for families. In These guides are written to encourage you in your personal GOD addition to the weekly outline, video or story guide links TIME and in your small GROUPS. They are designed to help you may be posted on our 4G web page* to help get the understand what God is teaching and apply it to your daily life. conversations flowing. Understanding and application allows you to then take what God is teaching and GIVE it to others. * 4G Groups, video links, resources, and 4G Guides are posted weekly on our 4G web page: www.cbcfamily.net/4g.html. Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture references are from the English Standard Version (ESV Text Edition: 2016) Bible. Week 2: DANGEROUS PRAYERS – BREAK ME Gathering Time (Sermon Notes) Gathering Notes Date: ______Dangerous Prayers ______

______Me James 1:1-2 ______Why Do I Need To Be ______? ______Mark 14:22-24, Matthew 16:24 ______Use Me To ______Lives ______Luke 22:61-62, 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 ______

______

Use My ______To Make A ______

______• ______Into The ______Of Your ______• Let Others ______You ______

• Look For Ways To ______Others ______• ______On The ______

______Week 2: DANGEROUS PRAYERS – BREAK ME God Time: Day 1 – Break Me God Time: Day 3 – Why Do I Need to Be Broken? (Thy Will Be Done) Read James 1:2-3 Read Mark 14:23-24 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3for 23And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. and they all drank of it. 24And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” When we ask God to change or grow us (i.e., pray “Dangerous Prayers”), trials may come our way. It isn’t because God is out to get us! Rather, These verses immediately follow the verse we read yesterday. What trials can shape us into Christlikeness. But sometimes growing is does Jesus give to His disciples after He “had given thanks?” uncomfortable. According to the verse above, what should we do when ______we “meet trials?” Circle what He says in verse 24. ______How do these words relate to yesterday’s devotion? Why can we do this (Verse 3)? ______Now read about a different cup in Luke 22:42b When we experience a trial, it means that we are experiencing a test of “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not faith. This produces steadfastness. What trials can you count as joy in my will, but yours, be done.” your life today? In this passage, “this cup” refers to what Jesus was about to do, knowing ______that His crucifixion was drawing near. Nevertheless, He wanted God’s ______will. Pray the last sentence of the verse over your own life: Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done. God Time: Day 2 – Why Do I Need to Be Broken? (Give Like Jesus) Read Matthew 16:24 Read Mark 14:22 24Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him And as they were eating, he [Jesus] took bread, and after blessing it broke deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25For whoever would it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Circle what Jesus said. Circle the words, “deny himself”. Then draw an arrow to the word “bread.” Underline how to “find” life. Put a box around what He did to the bread after blessing it. None of us want trials and troubles, but we should always pray for God’s The passage above tells us about the first Lord’s Supper. Jesus broke will to be done in our lives. When we ask the Lord to “break us” we bread with His disciples figuratively (meaning he ate dinner) and literally humble ourselves and seek His will above our own. We can then pour (meaning He picked up the bread and broke it). out our lives for Jesus. (This is heavy material!) In complete obedience to God, Jesus gave His body as a sacrifice for our Have you “lost your life” for His sake? sin; His body was broken for us. If we want to grow into a life of ______Christlikeness, we should give ourselves to God’s service, too. If not, give you heart to Jesus today. What one thing will you do to give of yourself today? If you have, share this Good News! Start with those in your own ______household. ______Week 2: DANGEROUS PRAYERS – BREAK ME God Time: Day 4 – Help Me Change Lives, Lord! God Time: Day 5 – Use Me to Make a Difference, Lord! Jesus can use our brokenness to work healing and to make a difference Read Luke 15:18-20 in someone else’s life. When we ask God to “break us,” we’re actually 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have praying, “Help me change lives, Lord!” sinned against heaven and before you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20And he arose Read about Peter in Luke 22:61-62 and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father 61And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62And he went out and wept What was the son planning to say to his father? (Verse 18) bitterly. ______In the passage above, Peter denies knowing Jesus. Peter’s sin (lying and ______denying Jesus) caused his sorrow in verse 62. What does that verse say Peter did? Retell in your own words, what the father does in verse 20? (Look for all the action words!) ______Peter’s actions showed that he was sorry about what he’d done. Later, Jesus restored Peter and used him to preach the Gospel. The result? The ______world was changed! God doesn’t want us to sin, but when we repent, ______God can restore us so that we can become a willing part of His purposes. In this passage the Prodigal (Extravagantly Wasteful) Son realizes his Read John 15:1-2 mistakes and goes back to his father. It’s a picture of our relationship 1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2Every branch in with God. If we ask God to break us, we approach Him in humility. He is me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does always ready, waiting, and looking for us! As we pour out our lives in bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” devoted service, we find joy and newfound intimacy with God. What does verse 2 say God does to branches that bear fruit? Why? What can you do to run to the Father’s arms today? ______When we ask God to use us to make a difference, we should: When we truly follow (obey) Jesus, God prunes us (“breaks us”) so that • Run to the Father (like the Prodigal Son did). we can be even more fruitful — all to His glory! With this pruning, our own life is changed, and we are positioned to change others’ lives. • Allow/seek godly people to help us. Is your brokenness preparing you to change someone’s life? Whose? • Look for ways to bless others. When will you take your first step to share what God has done for you? • Focus on the eternal. Make a plan today: Think through this list. Pick one area where you are most challenged. ______Pray about it; ask God to give you help, humility, strength, and ______confidence in Him. ______Make a specific plan to address your challenge. (E.g.: I will call John today and encourage him with my story. I’ll help him through his hard time.) ______Then make sure to do it!

Week 2: DANGEROUS PRAYERS – BREAK ME Group Time LOOK FORWARD: Application Leaders win when everyone participates. Point: God will break you because He loves you and wants to use you. Look forward to it. Break Me What activities are you involved in that God might need to break you of so that you can be used in a greater way for His kingdom? ______LOOK BACK: ______Point: When we understand who we are in God’s sight, we are in a ______position for God to lead us to something better. What opinions or views do you hold that God might need to break you of • Review last week’s lesson. Share with the group one thing God so that you can be used in a greater way for His kingdom? revealed to you. How is resolving it moving you closer to Jesus? ______

______Question: What does it mean when someone is “broken?” Does it necessarily mean they’ve hit “rock bottom?” Use a personal ______example if possible. How will you let others help you break away from these? LOOK UP: Watch this week’s Group Guide video on ______our 4G web page. ______Recap: The second dangerous prayer is “Break Me!” ______Being broken doesn’t sound at all fun and when conditions arise, it may even cause us to flee. But, as Nietzsche said, “What doesn’t kill you makes How will you use your brokenness to help others? you stronger.” OK, that probably doesn’t help. ______Brokenness is when we realize, or are made to realize, that what we are ______doing does not have any eternal purpose (see Ecclesiastes). In response, we put aside our ways and commit to God’s ways and will. ______LOOK IN: Discussion Questions Plan today for eternal rewards tomorrow. Make a plan and pray. • If you had the courage to ask God to break you, what are you afraid ______He might do? ______• Read John 15:1-8. Compare John 15:1-2 with James 1:2-4. Compare ______and contrast: “pruning,” “trials,” and “being broken.” ______o What are the results of each? ______o What is the purpose of each? ______Week 2: DANGEROUS PRAYERS – BREAK ME Family Time • Jesus, you’ve told us to keep doing what you did: be Main Idea: broken and poured out to bring people closer to God. Will you embolden us to really start living this way? Dangerous Prayers… Break Me Amen. • Start digging. Read Scripture about brokenness and Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 11:24 record what you learn. and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. Psalm 51:17 ______Set it Up: Have you ever seen people break boards with their ______bare hands? Or maybe they use their forehead or even their Isaiah 53:4-5 foot. Watch this video of some of these great board breaks. ______Watch: Week 2 Video 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 This week’s video is on the Playlist of the CBC YouTube channel or go to cbcfamily.net and click on 4G Guides for the ______video link. ______

Romans 12:1 Ask: When the boards were broken in the video, were they able to put them back together? ______When you break a toy, can be fixed perfectly like it was ______before it was broken? Jesus is the only one who can fix things to be even better Challenge than what they were before they were broken. Start doing what you’ve learned above. Commit to a single As a family, many times we ask God to keep us safe, give us step and live it out this week. more, and protect us. But have we ever asked God to break • You have something to pour out. Empty every last drop us? We probably have not, but what if we did? It is a very for God this week. scary thing to do. By playing it safe, we risk missing something far more precious than our security and comfort. • Start each day by asking God to give you opportunities to rely on His strength alone. Encourage: Start praying as a family. Be bold and pray specifically. PRAYER@CALVARY Prayer@Calvary is a ministry providing prayer opportunities for the mission of our CBC Family. Opportunities Include: • The Weekly Prayer Update Email Post prayers and praises and pray for posted prayers. Join the Prayer Update email list today! • Sunday Morning Chairs for Prayers (Bastrop Campus) Before, during, and after gathering times, in the foyer of the

large auditorium, an area is available to receive prayer and pray Be Dangerous With Your Prayers! for others. Prayer partners are always welcome to serve on the weekly schedule. Sign up today and begin praying for your neighborhood. • Keepers of the Watch – Women’s Prayer Group This Women’s Prayer Group meets on the Bastrop Campus It’s free and confidential. Wednesdays at 10:00 AM to pray for the staff, volunteers, and ministries of Calvary. At the frequency of your choosing, you'll receive an email with a map and a list of five of your • The War Room – Men’s Prayer Group neighbors to pray for. This Men’s Prayer Group meets on the Bastrop Campus Fridays at 7:00 AM to pray for the ministries and growth of Calvary and When you get a chance, you can even walk or the brotherhood of men leading it. drive by those neighbors’ homes as you pray for

them. Just Remember: [email protected] Visit the link below and watch the two-minute video. When you are ready to get started, click the sign-up button on the page. Need someone to pray with? Email your number and we will call! BlessEveryHome.com/cbcfamily Have an emergency prayer need? Prayer warriors will join the fight! Want to join the prayer warrior team? Email us today!

Finding Your 4G Group The 4G Group 3-Step Encouragement Process – “Page 47” You Are Invited To The Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one SEEKING YOUR 4G DINNER another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as A how-to for facilitating, hosting, and recruiting a 4G Group. is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 4G is integral to Calvary's strategy and everyone is encouraged to Hebrews 10:23-25 be part of a 4G Group. 4G Groups are where we live out the Calvary mission to point people to Jesus by Demonstrating God’s love, 1. Participants partner-up to ask five short and simple questions. Declaring the Good News, and making Disciples near and far. Partners should be of the same gender. If there is an odd number, triplets are OK but need to work swiftly. When: Sunday Evening April 18 @ 5 PM 2. Partners ask each other these five questions: Event is Free, But Pre-Registration Is Required. “Did you spend specific To register, email: [email protected] These are “Yes” or personal time in the BIBLE “No” questions. Being a part of a 4G Group is an essential blessing in our journey to each day this past week?” understand God’s Word and apply it to ourselves, our families, and Any hesitations or “Did you spend specific time our communities. “Well…” responses in PRAYER each day this past are circled “No.” “For where two or three are gathered in my name, week? – not just for meals” there am I among them.” Matthew 18:20 • If so, the partner “Did you do something specific Find an existing 4G Group or start a new Group. briefly shares the to show Godly LOVE to encounter(s) with We are here to help. Contact the CBC office. someone this past week?” their partner and, 512.303.1697 / [email protected] “Did you intentionally share on the provided the GOSPEL with anyone line, writes the this past week?” name(s) of the person(s) they showed love to, “Did you DISCIPLE anyone shared the Gospel this past week?” with, or discipled. (E.g.: Sharing any of the God, • If not, leave the Group, or Family Times) line blank. 3. To finish, each partner prays for the other. No matter how or what the partner has done over the past week, this is an

intentional prayer of encouragement!

Want even more of Dangerous Prayers? Do you ever wonder, "Why doesn't God answer my prayers?" Do you wish you could see the evidence that prayer changes lives? Are you tired of playing it safe with your faith? In Dangerous Prayers, New York Times bestselling author Craig Groeschel helps you unlock your greatest potential and tackle your greatest fears by praying stronger, more passionate prayers that lead you into a deeper faith. Available on Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, and at fine Christian bookstores.