Icebreaker
Be honest—when you wake up in the morning, what really gets your attention first: coffee, your phone, your kids/pets, or sheer panic about the day ahead?

Questions

1. How have you personally experienced the Lord’s Prayer, and how often do you intentionally begin prayer by honoring God first?
   
2. What patterns or “default structures” do you notice in your prayer life, and how closely do they resemble the flow of the Lord’s Prayer?
   
3. How do you feel about addressing God as Abba or “Dad” in prayer, and what does that reveal about how you relate to Him?
   
4. What are some things in your life that most often compete with God for your allegiance or attention?
   
5. What is one intentional way you can set aside time this week to honor God’s name as holy?
   
6. How might your faith and daily walk with Jesus change if honoring God’s holiness came first in your prayers, worship, and decisions?
   

Prayer
Invite the group to begin by naming who God is before asking for anything—His holiness, goodness, love, power, and faithfulness. Then pray that God would gently reorder our loves this week, helping us put Him first, loosen our grip on the things that compete for our attention, and grow in awe, gratitude, and trust toward the One who is truly worthy of our worship.

Icebreaker
When you think about prayer, which feels more intimidating to you: praying out loud in a group, or trying to find quiet time alone with God?

Study Questions

1. In Matthew 6:5, what problem does Jesus identify with the way some people pray, and what does that reveal about their motivation?
2. What contrast does Jesus draw between praying “to be seen by others” and praying to the Father who is unseen, and how does that contrast reshape the purpose of prayer?
3. What did Pastor Jim teach about the prayers of the babbling pagans? How does Jesus’ critique of them challenge how we pray today?
4. What do these verses teach us about God’s character as a Father and how He relates to our prayers?

Application

1. In what ways have you ever felt pressure to pray a certain way or sound a certain way—either in public or in private?
2. What might it look like for you personally to “remove the audience” in your prayer life this week?
3. How could simplifying your words in prayer help you grow in honesty and intimacy with God?
4. What would change if you truly believed, before you prayed, that God already knows your needs and welcomes you?

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Prayer
Invite God to help each person release pressure, comparison, or fear connected to prayer, and to grow in trust and intimacy with Him. Take time to share prayer requests, then pray simply and honestly for one another, trusting God’s care.