Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A river watering the garden flowed from Eden. The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. The Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day. – Genesis
The Garden of Eden is where we spend time with God. In that peaceful place of spiritual nourishment our souls are fed with good and pleasing food and watered with the living water of God's Spirit. Our spirits are renewed as we experience God's loving presence, walking with us and loving us. Jesus Christ restored our access to the Garden when He died on the cross, enabling us to once again walk in the presence of God. The result of time spent in the Garden of Eden is an increase of the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives, as we learn to “Have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16)
• Study (Education)
o Scripture
o Devotional Materials
o Religious Publications
o Seminars
o Sunday School
o Confirmation
o Study Groups
o Premarital Counseling
o College and Seminary
• Piety (Diet)
o Humility
o Holy Communion
o Individual Prayer
o Christian Meditation
o Contemplative Prayer
o Prayer Groups
o Small Group Discipleship
• Christian Action (Exercise)
o Surrender to God
o Forgiveness of Self and Others
o Baptism
o Ordination
o Marriage
o Ministry
o Missions
• Sabbath (Rest & Relaxation)
o Sunday Worship
o Retreats
o Holidays
o Vacations
• Spiritual Health (Wellness - from Galatians 5:22-23)
o Love
o Joy
o Peace
o Patience
o Kindness
o Goodness
o Faithfulness
o Gentleness
o Self-control