God's Gift To You

4. Daily Disciplines—spiritual practices that help us live in God’s presence daily.
Scripture—Jesus embodied the Word of God. Daily reading of Scripture will help us to grow spiritually; will give us an inner awareness of God’s will for our lives.
Prayer—Jesus spent daily time in prayer to God. Prayer is living every moment with hearts open to God’s love and guidance.
Service—Jesus used His time and energy every day for service to others. He washed the feet of the disciples, freely gave to others what God had given Him. If we get but never give, we become like stagnant water. Acts of giving make us channels for the flow of love to others.
Regular meeting with spiritual friends—Jesus didn’t live in isolation but shared His spiritual life with friends. Regular attendance at church, meeting with our friends provide us with a place to share our joys and troubles, listen to God, and help each other live in truth and grace.
5. Healing--All of us experience a need for healing, physical, emotional, mental, or relational. God wants us to be whole. To receive healing in our lives, we do whatever the Great Physician asks us to do: forgive, let go resentment, change priorities, change our lifestyle, and obey our doctor.
Christians use oil as a symbol to represent the healing presence of the Holy Spirit. In ancient times, oil was used regularly for bodily healing.
Now healing doesn’t always happen as we wish it would. The healing that most of us need is in our eternal relationship with God. This spiritual healing is a lifelong process that begins with our spiritual conversion.
Forgiveness is an important part of healing. Healing relationships with God and people require forgiveness, letting go of past bitterness, resentment, and guilt. We can experience God’s forgiveness through one another. When someone comes to you asking for forgiveness we must forgive them.
When someone hurts us, we acknowledge the hurt; we ask God to help us forgive; and (if possible) we go to them in love to work it out. If we don’t deal with it, anger and resentment will destroy us and the relationship.
6. Holy Communion—the sign of spiritual nurture, marking Christ’s presence with us daily.
Baptism represents our spiritual birth; Holy Communion is the spiritual food that keeps us spiritually alive and growing in the course of our daily walk as Christians. Christ continually gives us His life and Spirit for living in communion with God and all people daily.
Holy Communion is Christ’s invitation to come home to God. We leave behind anything that separates us from God and people; we restore our desire to live in peace with God and people; we receive the grace of forgiveness and healing.
In communion, we get a glimpse of the way the world was meant to be and will be when Christ comes in final victory: people sharing, breaking bread together around a common table in the spirit of God’s love.
Christ invites to His table all who desire to live in peace with God and neighbor,
In closing we are now going to the sanctuary to share in a very special service of Holy Communion.
Please go in silence and sit with your table groups.