Purposeful Practices
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Emmanuel, God with us. This is who Jesus was and is. When he taught his disciples to pray, he said, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” God’s will reigns in heaven—but heaven is not something that we’re just waiting for in a holding pattern here on earth—heaven and all its abundance comes to earth as we live it out day by day. The following practices, which Jesus did as well, build the kingdom of heaven on earth more surely than anything else we can do in life.
prayer
“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.”
Throughout history, God has revealed himself as our Creator, King, Priest, Father, Mother, Brother, Friend, and Counselor. None—absolutely none—of these relationships are distant and far off, and nor are they one-way relationships. Even as king, God redefines the word for his people as one who provides, not one who taxes. Prayer brings heaven to earth as we enter into two-way communication with God.
Speak and listen. That is prayer.
the living word of God & the revealed word of god
Prayer connects us with God himself. He is the Living God, and he still speaks today. the Bible is the “revealed word of God.” 66 Books written by close to 40 authors, describing the human experience of God from the beginning of time. Reading the Bible connects us with that experience, and gives us a more robust understanding of the character of God and how he relates to humanity.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…”
Gathering with the Church
As people come to know Jesus Christ as their risen Savior, the Son of God, they become members of the church at large. This church is not Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal, or any other denomination. This is the church at large, made up of every. single. believer in Christ. Gatherings may be small or large, casual and informal or organized and formal. Regardless of how people gather, meeting with people who also believe these same truths brings with it the benefit of encouragement, camaraderie, teaching and learning, and corporate prayer and worship. Gathering is essential to growth in faith.
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 another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Worship
Worship declares the truths of the unseen spiritual world into the physical world. To speak aloud the character of God connects the layers between both realms, which serves to bring heaven to earth. It blesses the heart of God, empowers his people, and infuses the physical world with the power of the unseen. This unseen spiritual world is the same place from which the whole earth and universe was created, so this power trumps anything the physical world can produce. Worship can be spoken or sung, and can be done alone or in a group.
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
Serving others with your gifts
You are gifted with insight and ability. These gifts are meant for building other people up. Sometimes it feels like helping other people will be expensive to you, but actually, it is programmed in your DNA to be deeply satisfying. Use whatever gifts you have to help the people around you. The greatest gift we all have is love.
“And [Jesus] said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.’”
Eat Together
Jesus ate with so many people—expected guests and unexpected, close friends, new friends, and acquaintances. He was invited and he invited. He ate with those who he got along with, and he ate with those who held friction against him. Meals are central to our lives, and let’s face it—some of the best conversations happen around the dinner table, and what grows from there is even better than what was eaten and drunk.