Why do some prayers get answered while others seem to go unheard? Jesus promises that faith can move mountains, yet we still face trials, disappointment, and mystery. In this message from Robyn Elliott we wrestle honestly with unanswered prayer, exploring biblical tensions, real-world complexity, and the hope the resurrection still offers.
Discussion Questions:
1. When have you experienced an unanswered prayer, and how did it shape your perception of God?
2. How do you reconcile Jesus’ promises in Matthew 21 and John 14 with the lived reality of suffering?
3. Which of the possible explanations discussed - contradiction, wounded world, free will, evil, sin - resonates most with you, and why?
4. To what extent is the modern Western expectation of happiness influencing how we interpret God’s role in our lives?
5. How does free will complicate the idea of God intervening in response to prayer?
6. In what ways does the biblical portrayal of spiritual evil (Ephesians 6) add nuance to the question of unanswered prayer?
7. What is the difference between having faith in God and having faith in the amount of your faith?
8. How does the Christian hope of resurrection reframe the way we interpret suffering, healing, and unanswered prayer?
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Why do some prayers get answered while others seem to go unheard? Jesus promises that faith can move mountains, yet we still face trials, disappointment, and mystery. In this message from Robyn Elliott we wrestle honestly with unanswered prayer, exploring biblical tensions, real-world complexity, and the hope the resurrection still offers.
Discussion Questions:
1. When have you experienced an unanswered prayer, and how did it shape your perception of God?
2. How do you reconcile Jesus’ promises in Matthew 21 and John 14 with the lived reality of suffering?
3. Which of the possible explanations discussed - contradiction, wounded world, free will, evil, sin - resonates most with you, and why?
4. To what extent is the modern Western expectation of happiness influencing how we interpret God’s role in our lives?
5. How does free will complicate the idea of God intervening in response to prayer?
6. In what ways does the biblical portrayal of spiritual evil (Ephesians 6) add nuance to the question of unanswered prayer?
7. What is the difference between having faith in God and having faith in the amount of your faith?
8. How does the Christian hope of resurrection reframe the way we interpret suffering, healing, and unanswered prayer?
Acts (The Church Gets Messy): From Terrorist to Testimony
Lakeside Church
29 minutes 24 seconds
4 months ago
Acts (The Church Gets Messy): From Terrorist to Testimony
Saul was the last person you'd expect to change, and yet, Jesus met him, and everything flipped. In this message from Mike Carmody, we dive into Acts 9, where God uses an ordinary guy named Ananias to welcome a dangerous man into the family of faith, showing us that no matter your story or your struggle, there’s a place for you in the church.
Discussion Questions:
1. Have you ever judged someone based on their past like Ananias judged Saul? What happened?
2. Mike said, “When we experience Jesus, something changes in us.” Have you experienced Jesus and what changed for you?
3. What might God be trying to say to you that you’re currently resisting or not hearing?
4. Do you find it easy or difficult to accept others into your spiritual community without preconditions? Why?
5. Where do you relate most in this story right now? As Saul before the encounter? Ananias being asked to trust? Or even Saul after his transformation?
6. What ordinary thing might God be calling you to do that could have extraordinary impact?
7. How can we, as a church (or small group or family, depending who you’re doing these questions with) create space for people to experience Jesus at their own pace?
Lakeside Church
Why do some prayers get answered while others seem to go unheard? Jesus promises that faith can move mountains, yet we still face trials, disappointment, and mystery. In this message from Robyn Elliott we wrestle honestly with unanswered prayer, exploring biblical tensions, real-world complexity, and the hope the resurrection still offers.
Discussion Questions:
1. When have you experienced an unanswered prayer, and how did it shape your perception of God?
2. How do you reconcile Jesus’ promises in Matthew 21 and John 14 with the lived reality of suffering?
3. Which of the possible explanations discussed - contradiction, wounded world, free will, evil, sin - resonates most with you, and why?
4. To what extent is the modern Western expectation of happiness influencing how we interpret God’s role in our lives?
5. How does free will complicate the idea of God intervening in response to prayer?
6. In what ways does the biblical portrayal of spiritual evil (Ephesians 6) add nuance to the question of unanswered prayer?
7. What is the difference between having faith in God and having faith in the amount of your faith?
8. How does the Christian hope of resurrection reframe the way we interpret suffering, healing, and unanswered prayer?
