Retreat

I thought I would share my church jottings with you today. I hope you learn from and enjoy reading them as much as I do.

Family Worship Centre... Dec 11, 2016. Pst Wilson.

Text: Ps 90: 12, II Cor 13:5, Gen 3:9
God will ask where are you?
What is the state of your affair?
Men will ask who are you?

Teach us to number our days so we can see how few they are and help us to spend them Oh Lord.

The most important gift God has given mankind equally is 'time.'

The only reason men will live and not do great things is misuse of time.

Topic: Retreat, Review and Respond.

Retreat: A period of retirement, withdrawal, or getting away to be alone by yourself with God to discuss your life and your success. You stay away from work, from friends, from family so you can reflect on how far you have gone and how far you can go. You reflect on God on purpose. It is deliberate. It is uninterrupted time with God.

A time to think and ponder. It's not a rush hour deviation from the norm. It's not a quickie. It is not time to mutter things to God on your way to work.

It is necessary for every member of the Family Worship Centre to have a retreat.

Luke 5:15. Jesus took a 40-day retreat before he started his ministry.
Anyone who wants to do more, be more and have more for God needs to stay apart from God. Every time you take time to be with God, you return refreshed.
There is holiness in stillness.
Be still and know that I am God.

Matthew 11: 28- 30 (MSG)

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me, and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me, and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

Begin to pray for your retreat. Ask God to prepare you for a retreat.
Ask God if you will be fasting, eating, or doing both at this year’s retreat.

Things to go with during the retreat

You must go with a Bible.
You must go with a notebook and pen
Don't go with an internet gadget
Be excited, Be ready. Be expectant. Avoid all forms of distraction.

Thank God for your life so far
Thank for salvation
Pray in tongues.
Tell him to take over the entire atmosphere.

At the retreat, you will enter the review stage.
Examine yourself,
Examine your prayer life
Examine your personal life.
Ask yourself, 'Am I fully pleasing to God?'

Try to read a book on heaven.
Ask if you are still struggling to please God.
Did you clothe the naked this year?
Did you feed the hungry?
Opening every layer of your life.

Where were you at the beginning of 2016 with these things?
Be brutal, objective and sincere with yourself during your review.

Answer questions like this.
Where am I right now? What were the factors responsible for my devotion?
What were the factors responsible for having 0 debts?
I must have dodged that woman who told me to take the goods on credit.
Take note of the positives and negatives.

Have your goals based on your present strengths.

Short term goal
Medium-term goal
Long-term goal.

What are the habits that are counter-productive? Ensure to cut out all of these habits.

Ish 42:16 (NKJV) Jer 32:8 Ish 48:17

Now that you have an idea of what the problems are, lay them down at God's feet.

God wants you to be specific.
God will give you a defined to-do list.

I have never approached December, being scared of the coming January.

Originally published on 12/24/2016 at 2:52 AM.