THE 4G GUIDE

DANGEROUS PRAYERS
Week 1

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
Psalm 139:23-24 __________________________________________________

• My ______________ __________________________________________________
Jeremiah 17:9-10
__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________
• My ___________________
Romans 12:2 __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________
• My ____________
Isaiah 29:13 __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________
Lead _______ __________________________________________________
Psalm 139:23-24
__________________________________________________
• _________ This Verse ____________ __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________
• _______ Three _______________
__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________
• Get ____________
__________________________________________________

• Take _________ Step __________________________________________________

 Week 2: DANGEROUS PRAYERS – BREAK ME
God Time: Day 1 – Search Me God Time: Day 2 – Search My Heart
The “Dangerous Prayers” series is about prayers which ask God to Read Jeremiah 17:9-10
9
change us rather than merely to give us what we want. If we never ask The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can
God to transform us, to be more holy, our faith will never grow to understand it? 10“I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give
maturity. We start with this prayer by King David: every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”
Read Psalm 139:23-24 Underline the two “d” words in verse 9 which describe the human heart.
23
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! These descriptions do not reflect the world’s common encouragement
24
And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way to “follow your heart” as a wise course of action.
everlasting!
Draw a box around the phrases which tell how God measures people.
Underline the action words David asked God to perform.
This passage illustrates the contrast between thoughts and deeds and
David’s prayer to search me, try me, see, and lead me is an invitation for highlights how important our choices are. Like the old saying “You can’t
God to reveal David’s true character and shape it for the better. keep the birds from flying overhead, but you can keep them from nesting
Just before these verses, David had asked God to destroy the wicked. in your hair,” we may not be able to prevent thoughts from passing
through our mind, but we do have a choice about which ones we let stay
Though he is not aware of any specific sin in his life at this point, David
there and develop into actions.
knows that the justice he seeks for the wicked must deal with evil
wherever it is found – even in himself. David’s request for God to search But is the heart always our enemy when it comes to following God’s
him and know his heart and thoughts shows the confidence and trust he ways? On the contrary, God wants us to have a heart He can approve of,
has that God loves him enough to correct him. We can have the very like when He refers to King David in First Samuel as “a man after God’s
same confidence in a loving, forgiving God, giving us the courage to ask own heart.”
Him to examine us as well.
Read Ezekiel 36:26
Rewrite David’s prayer from Psalm 139 in your own words: And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And
I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of
_____________________________________________________
flesh.
_____________________________________________________
Underline the two new things God gives those who seek Him.
_____________________________________________________
Circle what He will do with our old hard heart (the one we allowed the
_____________________________________________________ birds to nest in).
_____________________________________________________ Write a prayer desiring to have a heart God can approve of, one that
_____________________________________________________ seeks after Him above all else:

_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________

Repeat this prayer every day this week and journal how God responds. _____________________________________________________
 Week 2: DANGEROUS PRAYERS – BREAK ME
God Time: Day 3 – Search My Thoughts God Time: Day 5 – Lead Me
Read Romans 12:2 There is another famous Psalm that David wrote besides 139. It is the
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of 23rd Psalm about God as our Good Shepherd.
your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what
Read Psalm 23:3
is good and acceptable and perfect.
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's
Circle what leads to spiritual transformation. sake.
Underline the “d” word which results from a renewed mind. What image comes to mind when you read “He restores my soul”?
Our thoughts and beliefs are the foundation of what we feel and how we _____________________________________________________
choose which actions to take. From your own spiritual transformation,
_____________________________________________________
contrast at least one WORLDLY WAY OF THINKING with GOD’S WAY OF
THINKING: _____________________________________________________
WORLDLY WAY OF THINKING GOD’S WAY OF THINKING Just as we saw earlier this week, how we perceive God’s attitude toward
us greatly affects what we believe about His intentions and plans for us.
________________________ ________________________
His leadership in righteousness is always to “restore” our soul.
________________________ ________________________
As you continue to pray David’s prayer from Psalm 139:23-24 (which you
________________________ ________________________ wrote in your own words on Day 1 of this week), determine how deeply
committed you are to having God reveal needed changes in your life.
God Time: Day 4 – Search My Ways
Use the following list to help you:
As we saw in Day 2, God measures people by their actions. We choose
• Ask someone you trust as a dedicated follower of God to give you
actions based on what we truly believe and think in our hearts rather
feedback on your own behaviors and obedience to God.
than on what we say.
• Ask yourself, “Am I justifying actions I know are not godly?”
Read Isaiah 29:13
And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and • Determine, “What single step can I take today to keep moving closer
honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me. to Jesus?”
Reflecting back to the prayer you wrote on Day 1 this week, how has God Share your findings and decisions with a trusted friend. Commit to taking
revealed any “grievous ways” in your life? a step of obedience to do whatever God has revealed.
_____________________________________________________ And remember, when we feel like we just can’t handle any more
_____________________________________________________ correction, take encouragement from David’s prayer in Psalm 23:6.

_____________________________________________________ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I
shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
_____________________________________________________
Write a prayer of dedication today:
How are you responding to God?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
 Week 2: DANGEROUS PRAYERS – BREAK ME
Group Time LOOK FORWARD: Application
Leaders win when everyone participates. Point: When we understand who we are in God’s sight, we are in a position
for God to lead us to something better.
Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Each day this next week, pray Psalm 139:23-24
23
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know
my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
LOOK BACK: and lead me in the way everlasting!
Point: Jesus did not come to make bad people good. He came to make Then answer the following three questions:
dead people alive – spiritually alive!
 Day 1:
• Review last week’s lesson. Who did you share the One-Verse gospel • Do I know, or listen to, what godly people are saying about me?
with? How did it go? • What am I justifying?
• How am I moving closer to Jesus?

Question: Almost everyone depicts themselves as a “good person” or at  Day 2:

least having “good intentions.” What is this • Do I know, or listen to, what godly people are saying about me?
portrayal based upon? • What am I justifying?
• How am I moving closer to Jesus?
LOOK UP: Watch this week’s Group Guide video on our 4G
web page.  Day 3:
• Do I know, or listen to, what godly people are saying about me?
Recap: In this new series we will be looking at prayers that don’t just ask
• What am I justifying?
God to do for us, but prayers that ask God to change us. It’s not going to
be easy and it will push us to grow in our faith. • How am I moving closer to Jesus?
 Day 4:
The first dangerous prayer is “Search Me” from Psalms 139:23-24.
• Do I know, or listen to, what godly people are saying about me?
David prayed this prayer at a particularly difficult time – people were out to • What am I justifying?
kill him. He knew that if he followed His heart it would lead to sin and if he • How am I moving closer to Jesus?
didn’t allow God to reveal sin and correct it, he would only begin to justify
it. Asking God to do this is allowing God to lead us.  Day 5:
• Do I know, or listen to, what godly people are saying about me?
LOOK IN: Discussion Questions • What am I justifying?
• Watch this Bible Project video on “Sin.” • How am I moving closer to Jesus?
(Search YouTube: Bible Project – Sin)
• Using a variety of Bible versions, explore Psalm 139:23-24. Asking God to reveal issues within us and correct us allows Him to lead us.
o Have you ever asked God to search you? Why or why not? But you don’t have to do it alone. Your group can help!
o What did He, or you are afraid He might, show you?
 Week 2: DANGEROUS PRAYERS – BREAK ME
Family Time
Main Idea: Encourage:
Dangerous Prayers…Search Me As a family read Psalm 13
1 How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
Key Verse: Psalm 139:23-24 How long will you hide your face from me?
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my 2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and
lead me in the way everlasting. and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O LORD my God;
Ask: What are different times that we can pray? What kinds
of things we can pray to God about? Check out this funny light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
video about prayer. 4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”

Watch: Week 1 Video lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

This week’s video is on the Playlist of the CBC YouTube 5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
channel or go to cbcfamily.net and click on 4G Guides for the
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
video link.
6 I will sing to the LORD,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.
Talk: Can anyone pray to God?
Read Hebrews 4:16a
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, David wrote this to God in a time when he was going through
that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of a lot in his life. Maybe your family is willing to take the
need. challenge to ask God to search your hearts and life. If so, take
some time to pray through Psalm 13 as a family.
In this verse Paul is telling us that everyone can come before
God and pray to him any time we need to.
Going back to the theme verse, what does David ask God
for? (Search Me) Have you ever asked God to search you?
That seems like something strange to be asking God to do.
The reason David does this is so that God can show him what
is inside him and so that God knows that David wants to be
more in line with God.
 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
Being a part of a 4G Group is an essential blessing in our journey to “No” questions.
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
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, are circled “No.”
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
We are here to help. Contact the CBC office. encounter(s) with
someone this past week?”
their partner and,
512.303.1697 / [email protected] on the provided
“Did you intentionally share
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.