Advent

In the Old Testament the Israelites were commanded to celebrate – What is the spiritual point of celebration? Israelites experienced many hardships, like us, and needed to set aside time to remember and enjoy the goodness of God. Doing things to fill them with joy reminded them that God was the giver of every good and perfect gift. Celebration draws us closer to God. Celebration trains us for joy – it teaches us to find delight where we would not have noticed it before. Activities

Christian community exists when believers connect with each other in authentic and loving ways that encourage growth in Christ. They engage in transparent relationships that cultivate, celebrate and make evident Christ’s love for all the world. Activities

A fast is the self denial of normal necessities in order to intentionally attend to God in prayer. Bringing attachments and cravings to the surface opens a place for prayer. This physical awareness of emptiness is the reminder to turn to Jesus who alone can satisfy. Throughout history the people of God have come together to pray and fast for: corporate repentance, times of choice, the world and its needs and hurts, the church to do God’s will. Activities

God intends to bless the nations through us and our lives of service. Christians are the very presence of God to others. We become God’s vehicle of blessing on planet earth. Service is rooted in “seeing” others as God does. Being like Jesus means being compassionate and working for the good of others. Jesus maintains that radical love for others demonstrates whether we know God or not. Activities

To pray is to let Jesus come into our hearts. It is not our prayer which moves the Lord Jesus, it is Jesus who moves us to pray. To pray is nothing more involved than to let Jesus into our needs. Prayer, perhaps more than any other activity, expresses the fact that God invites us to be in a personal relationship with him. The practice of biblical prayer is learned behavior, even the disciples had to be taught. Activities

God calls us to one thing in life – to pursue God’s kingdom and his righteousness above all else. The practice of biblical meditation penetrates, cleanses and transforms our hearts and minds, teaching us how to live fruitful lives for the kingdom of God. We need the Holy Spirit’s guidance as we read God’s Word to us in the Bible. To meditate on a Bible passage is to seek to allow the meaning of the passage to influence us. When we meditate, we anticipate that God will speak to us through his Word. We meditate…

Bonding with God is not an all-or-nothing endeavor. Intentional time set aside for bonding is one of the best gifts we can give anyone, especially God. Open yourself up to God in deeper ways. Regularly and intentionally make space in your life for listening to God at home, at work and with others. Enjoy time spent alone with God in quiet reflection. Activities

The fourth commandment reads: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” Jesus tells us in the gospels that God gave it to people as a restorative and recuperative gift. God did not intend for life to be all effort, so he punctuated each week with 24 hours of sabbath rest, during which people could remember what life is about and who it is for. Activities Select a day for your Sabbath rest – Begin in prayer – (if you select a Saturday or Sunday, include being at worship) and do one/some of the following: