SEEK WEEK February Gatherings. Mornings in Room 101 Monday - Saturday 6:15-7:15 AM Evenings in Room 101 Monday - Saturday 6:15-7:15 PM

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1 Loving God, Loving People, Serving The World SEEK WEEK 2018 February 5-10 Gatherings Mornings in Room 101 Monday - Saturday 6:15-7:15 AM Evenings in Room 101 Monday - Saturday 6:15-7:15 PM Someone has said: The things we get done are typically the things that we schedule to do. No plan, no action. This is just as true when it comes to the practice of prayer. Seek Week is a week set aside to spend time seeking God alone and together. Usually we seek God by ourselves, at home, on a commute, or elsewhere. It is also important to make time to seek Him together. The gatherings will be at SWAG Monday - Saturday mornings and evenings from 6:15 to7:15. We ll seek God both on behalf of ourselves as individuals and also on behalf of those around us; our families, friends, neighbors, coworkers...you get the idea. Seek Week is mostly about becoming the kind of people that are available to hear from Him. Simply put, let's make ourselves available to be led by God. Let s make time to pray!

2 AN OVERVIEW OF THE DETAILS the Bible bit: Scripture will anchor our journey in seeking God this week. Each day will start with a specific passage. If you don't have your own Bible, we would be honored to give you one. They are available in the foyer of the church. you can look up these passages at After you read the passage from the Bible, take a few moments to consider a few questions. Reflect on them and bring your thoughts and reflections to God. Suggestions are provided as to how you might to God as you meet with Him. A couple suggestions will be provided but we encourage you to respond in whatever ways you'd like. Writing, drawing, creating, journaling, taking pictures, singing. These are all ways to express what God is saying to you. A daily call to fast. Something specific each day. The idea is not to give something up just to give it up. Instead, take the time you would normally spend on that activity and use it to seek God. There will be times during this week when God will speak to us regarding our individual lives. And that's great. But we also want to set ourselves up to hear from Him about the people and situations in our neighborhoods, workplaces, and communities. That's why we're going into these places. Seeking God is important a final note: This booklet simply contains suggestions on how we can pursue God this week. It is not the comprehensive guide to meeting with Him. The Holy Spirit is the ultimate guide to seeking God. If He's leading you to a different expression of pursuing Him, please, follow the Holy Spirit. The point of all of this is that we would encounter God, not just finish this booklet.

3 MONDAY BE THANKFUL Everywhere people look, the same message is given: happiness is out there and you don't have it. Not until you purchase whatever it is from whomever it is that has your attention for those 30 seconds. Consumerism steals gratitude. Consumerism has a way of shielding people from the truth that everything a person has is a gift from God. the Bible bit: Read Psalm 100. Thanksgiving is not meant to be reserved Thanksgiving Day. Psalm 100 is an anthem of thanksgiving inviting all of creation to orient their lives in a way that worships God as Creator and giver of all. What are some specific things in your life that you should spend time giving thanks to God for? Consider the different ways God has provided for you. Relationships. Shelter. Food. An income. Clean water. Health. Life. Write down 5 things you are thankful for. Share your stories with someone close to you. Give up criticizing today! Give up your right to complain about what you don't have. Instead, remember what you are thankful for! [if you're anything like me, you may need to ask friends, family, and coworkers to help point out those patterns of complaining]. Walk around your house, neighborhood, workplace, or community. Consider the wonderful gifts given by God. Spend time thanking God for placing you there. Ask Him to give you a heart of gratitude for that place. Payer is neither rote exercise nor an optional activity. Prayer is absolutely essential if we are to understand the nature and reality of our life with God. Richard Foster

4 TUESDAY LISTEN It's easy to think God is silent, isn't it? But think about the noise that blares into our lives. Noise, Noise, Noise everywhere: the television's blaring; the cell phone's ringing; the kids are complaining; the boss is demanding; the internet's beckoning; another text message just arrived. Is God silent? Or are we just too distracted to hear? Could it be that God is speaking but there is too much noise around us? the Bible bit: Read Psalm 85. Psalm 85 is both a prayer and a promise from God. The psalmist says in verse 8 that he would listen for a word from the Lord who promises peace to His saints and gives salvation so that His glory may be evident throughout the land. get out there / Take another walk. Go walk around your neighborhood or work place. Ask God to share His heart for the community you live in. Listen to what He might be saying to you about the area and the people around you. Media. Yes, all of it. Internet. Television. Radio. ipod. Newspaper. Seriously, all of it. Give yourself space to listen. Consider a time when you heard clearly from God. Where were you? What do you remember? What did you feel? What was your response? How has it impacted your life. Such questions can be hard to answer because we are used to distraction. It is not only hard to listen at times but hard to remember and to think. In a revealed religion, silence with God has value in itself and for its own sake, just because God is God. Failure to recognize the value of mere being with God, as the beloved, without doing anything, is to gouge the heart out of Christianity. Edward Schaerbeek

5 WEDNESDAY LAMENT When you look at your own life, home, neighborhood, or community, do you ever get the sense things are not right? There is conflict, division, disease, addiction, financial struggles, crime. If we're honest, there are areas in each of our lives where need God to break through and transform. the Bible bit: Read Psalm 41. This psalm records the cry of the troubled. David found no immediate deliverance from his adversary. David continued to honestly voice his feelings and struggles while declaring his trust in God's unfailing love. Spend some time thinking and praying about the specific ways in which you, your family, and your city need to be delivered. Food. And remember, the idea is not just to go hungry [who wants to do that?]. Spend the time you would normally spend eating seeking God on behalf of your own life and those in your community. Write a psalm of lament...an honest prayer. Simply tell God how you feel. Share your psalm with someone you trust. Walk around your neighborhood, workplace or school. Ask God to break through for individuals, their families, and the community as a whole in the specific ways they need. There should always be more waiting than striving in a Christian s prayer. Evelyn Underhill

6 THURSDAY TRUST Trust is easier to talk about then it is to live. All of us have areas where we attempt to control because if we don t control that area, who will? Most of us struggle with worry, anxiety and stress. Trusting is easy when circumstances are easy. Trusting is much more difficult when circumstances are rough. the bible bit: Read Psalm 9. This psalm begins with David proclaiming, "I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart." As David reflected on his life, he couldn't help but remember the many ways God had rescued him from his enemies. Remembering gave him a confidence and enabled him to trust that God was at work in every situation. God will not forsake those who seek Him. Reread verses David says the Lord is a refuge for the oppressed and a stronghold in times of trouble. Is this something you can easily believe? Coping mechanisms. We each have ways we use to cope with stress, worry and anxiety. Some of us shop. Others eat. Others have a couple drinks. Others watch hours of television. Consider how you personally respond to anxiety. Today, make an effort to avoid those activities and instead, choose to declare your trust in God for the uncertainty in your life. Consider the areas where you know you need to trust God more. Write them down and share them with someone you trust. Let's try something new. Go for a walk. Ask God to transform you into a person who lives their life surrendered to Him, into a person that regularly trusts that He is good. God is too good to be unkind. He is too wise to be confused. If I cannot trace His hand, I can always trust His heart. C.H. Spurgeon

7 FRIDAY BLESSING Hopefully as we end Seek Week God has blessed you with His presence. Throughout this week as you ve spent time with God He s worked. You ve sensed it. Maybe you sensed his had at work and your heart has become more grateful or He s spoken a word about your neighborhood, school or workplace or He s reassured you that He is near. However God has worked this week, He has worked not just for our your consumption but He s worked so that your life can show those around You what He's like. the bible bit: Read Psalm 67. This psalm begins by quoting part of the priestly blessing found in Numbers 6. When God makes His face shine upon people, He showcases His divine favor so they can make His ways known throughout the world. What is one specific way you can help make God's ways known throughout your neighborhood? Don't spend money today. Consider taking the money you would have spent on yourself and bless someone else in some way. Pay for someone's gas at the gas station. Buy someone's groceries at the store. And talk to them as you do. Who has God specifically called you to bless? Commit to praying for them over the next month. Write down their names and what you are praying for. Take a walk [hey, why stop now?]. Pray a blessing over the homes and people you pass.. God is too good to be unkind. He is too wise to be confused. If I cannot trace His hand, I can always trust His heart. C.H. Spurgeon

8 Fasting What is Fasting or what does it mean to Fast? Fasting is a voluntary abstinence from food or other needs and areas of life for a specific period of time. (1 Cor. 7:1-5) The Bible identifies 3 types of Fasts: The Normal Fast - (no food or other needs, but water only) Gen. 24:33 The Total Fast - (no water or food or other needs) Ex. 34:28; Esther 4:15-16 The Partial Fast - (some foods and fulfilling needs are eliminated from the life) Dan. 1:12; Matt 3:4 Why Fast? Fasting rewards those who participate in the discipline in three areas: Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual. In order for us to allow God to do what He wants and receive the full benefits from fasting we must have the right motive. (Matt 6:16-18) Benefits Discernment - Fasting helps us to discern what is going on in our life and in our surroundings. Fasting also helps us to keep our priorities in focus. (Lk. 2:37-38) Direction - Fasting can help us to hear what God is saying and to sharpen our spiritual ears. (Acts 13:2) Spiritual Power - The Scriptures are clear that there is an increased spiritual power that is released and that victory at times can only be assured when people fast. (Is. 58:5-8; Mark We hope Seek Week has stirred you and that you have heard from God.