BUILDING A HOUSE FOR HIS PRESENCE

Purpose:

Over the next 10 days, we will focus on aligning our lives and community around God’s presence. This guide is designed to provoke deep reflection and encourage transformation in individuals, marriages, families, and youth as we build a life of devotion to God.

Fasting is one of the ways we tangibly express that devotion. In Matthew 6, Jesus said, “When you fast,” not “if you fast.” His words reflect a clear expectation for all believers to incorporate fasting as a regular rhythm of seeking God. Through fasting, we create space to expose and reveal what we are building our lives around, particularly in the tangible areas of time, resources, and relationships.

While it is easy to love God with our emotions and thoughts, devotion is revealed through our actions and how we steward key aspects of our lives. Let this time of fasting challenge and inspire you to build a life fully centered on Him.

How to Participate:

  1. Through Fasting

    1. Food Fast: Water only fast, Daylight to Dark Fast, Daniel Fast

    2. Encouraged to eliminate social media and/or other forms of media during fast

  2. Through Mini-devotionals, Questions and Reflections

    1. This guide will lead you through reflection on three key areas: your Time, your Resources, and your Relationships. These areas are practical ways to assess whether God’s presence and will is truly the central priority in your life.

    2. Choose and answer the questions that apply to your demographic (individual, married, family, or youth).

    3. Each set of questions and devotionals is intended for deep reflection, prayer, and discussion over a three-day period, helping you to align your actions with your devotion to God

  3. Through Events

    1. Corporate Prayer Night: 1/14 @ 7

    2. Corporate Prayer/Celebration Night 1/21 @ 7pm

Days 7-9

1/18/25 - 1/20/25

RELATIONSHIPS

Mini-Devotional: Fostering Healthy Relationships

Relationships are not only about mutual benefit, but about sacrificial love. Jesus calls us to love others as He has loved us—unconditionally, selflessly, and with a heart that seeks the good of others above our own.

 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” - John 15:12

  1.  What does the way I love others say about my understanding of how God loves me?

Self Reflection Questions

Choose and answer the questions relevant to your demographic (individual, married, family, or youth)

    1. How often do I place my relationships above my own comfort? Am I truly willing to sacrifice for others, even when it’s inconvenient or painful

    2. When was the last time I truly listened, without judgment or distraction, to someone I love? How can I become a better listener and a more empathetic presence in my relationships?

    3. Am I building my life based on my own desires, or am I seeking God’s design for sacrificial love?

    Potential Actions to Commit to:

    • Choose one relationship where you have been holding back and intentionally sacrifice your comfort for that person (e.g., giving up free time to help them, listening without interrupting, or prioritizing their needs).

    • Practice active listening for an entire week with loved ones: stop everything, give your full attention, and ask questions to understand their emotions and perspectives.

    • Take a week to give up something personal (time, money, or a hobby) to serve someone else in a sacrificial way. Reflect on how this changes your heart.

    • Set aside 15 minutes daily for deep prayer, asking God to show you how to love others sacrificially and how to align your desires with His plan.

    1. How can my spouse and I grow in our love and understanding of each other by putting God first in our relationship?

    2. Are we both nurturing our marriage with intentional care, or are we taking each other for granted?

    3. How can we be more sacrificial in our love for one another, reflecting Christ’s love for the church?

    4. Am I trying to get value from my spouse that only Jesus can give me? If so, how is it impacting our relationship?

    Potential Actions to Commit to:

    • Plan a “sacrificial love” date where you each serve the other in unexpected ways, prioritizing each other’s needs and well-being.

    • Set aside a time each week to discuss and pray together about how you both can nurture your marriage and strengthen your relationship with God.

    • Take a 30-day challenge to put your spouse’s needs above your own every day — whether it’s through acts of service, words of affirmation, or intentional quality time.

    • Spend a week intentionally refraining from seeking emotional fulfillment from your spouse and instead focus on deepening your relationship with Christ. Reflect on how this changes your marriage.

    1. How can we nurture deeper relationships with our children and teach them to love and serve others?

    2. Are we intentional about family time that strengthens our bonds and draws us closer to God?

    3. How can we foster an environment of love, grace, and forgiveness within our home?

    Potential Actions to Commit to:

    • Set aside a weekly “family service night” where you all participate in an activity that serves others (e.g., cooking for a neighbor in need, volunteering at a shelter).

    • Commit to having technology-free family time every day, where you focus solely on engaging with each other spiritually, emotionally, and relationally.

    • Practice unconditional forgiveness within the family: commit to resolving conflicts by asking for and offering forgiveness immediately when disagreements arise.

    • Ask everyone to write down the top 5 emotions that describe your home?

    • Regularly check in with one another about how each person is doing, and take time to pray together

    1. How do I treat my family members, and how can I be more loving and patient with them?

    2. How can I serve my friends and family with a heart that reflects Christ’s love?

    3. Am I spending time with people who build me up in my faith? How can I be a positive influence on others?

    Potential Actions to Commit to:

    • Commit to serving your parents or siblings in an unexpected way this week, such as handling a chore they dislike or giving them a heartfelt note of encouragement.

    • Take on a “servant’s challenge” for the next month: serve your friends and family without expecting anything in return, whether through random acts of kindness, helping with something they need, or speaking words of life and encouragement over them.

    • Start a group or hangout where you and your friends intentionally build one another up in faith. Commit to praying together, reading Scripture, or discussing spiritual topics.

    • Challenge yourself to be a light in your school or social circle by initiating conversations about faith and offering to pray for those in need.