We're now two weeks into the New Year, and by now I'm sure a few of you will have already broken your New Year's resolutions.
I haven't, but honestly, that isn't because i've cracked the key to resolutions. It's just because i've given up on them for 2016. No gym membership, no healthy eating, and no taking up the saxophone for a week.
Instead this year I've committed to attempting to spend more time praying. As part of building closer fellowship and community with others, we're spending the month of January conforming to a scheduled, shared prayer time. Wherever we are at lunchtime and in the evening, we share a verse to consider, and pray through our day.
Romans 15:5-6 says that we should endeavor that "the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." By praying together in this way we synch our schedules, our lives and our worship.
Having grown up outside the church, and spent much of my time as a Christian trying to escape from the liturgy, structure and synchronicity of the English 'high church'. Recently, however, I've discovered a new love for the idea of the people of the worldwide Church moving together; believers worldwide engaged in the same timeless worship as one.
And it's easy to do; just find a group of friends and either work through a book (we would recommend the excellent 'Jesus Calling' Devotional by Sarah Young, or pop in to The Blessing House to grab a complimentary book of daily reading's while supplies last) or just text one another a daily verse at a certain time.
As we seek to grow in fellowship with one another, and to deepen our dependence on God, it's helpful to recognize our place in the ongoing history of His kingdom,
I haven't, but honestly, that isn't because i've cracked the key to resolutions. It's just because i've given up on them for 2016. No gym membership, no healthy eating, and no taking up the saxophone for a week.
Instead this year I've committed to attempting to spend more time praying. As part of building closer fellowship and community with others, we're spending the month of January conforming to a scheduled, shared prayer time. Wherever we are at lunchtime and in the evening, we share a verse to consider, and pray through our day.
Romans 15:5-6 says that we should endeavor that "the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." By praying together in this way we synch our schedules, our lives and our worship.
Having grown up outside the church, and spent much of my time as a Christian trying to escape from the liturgy, structure and synchronicity of the English 'high church'. Recently, however, I've discovered a new love for the idea of the people of the worldwide Church moving together; believers worldwide engaged in the same timeless worship as one.
And it's easy to do; just find a group of friends and either work through a book (we would recommend the excellent 'Jesus Calling' Devotional by Sarah Young, or pop in to The Blessing House to grab a complimentary book of daily reading's while supplies last) or just text one another a daily verse at a certain time.
As we seek to grow in fellowship with one another, and to deepen our dependence on God, it's helpful to recognize our place in the ongoing history of His kingdom,