Month: January 2011

“Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).  That’s what the disciples wanted.  Include me, too.  Prayer is something that (almost) everyone does and everyone could do better.  “When it comes to prayer, we are all beginners” says Philip Yancey.  So, today as you speak the words of Christ, do so slowly.  Consider each phrase.  Jot down any word that is familiar to your tongue but fuzzy in your mind. Choose one phrase or word to carry in your mind the rest of the day.  Remember that these are the words of Jesus Christ.  As you pray like He prays, He is teaching you to think like He thinks.

Re:Verse reading–Matthew 5:17-48 (day seven)

“Do not resist an evil person.  If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (vs 39)  The Sermon on the Mount is not a new set of laws.  Our new law is called “the Law of the Spirit” (Romans 8:2)  By walking in the Spirit, we fulfill the Law.  Vs 39 is an illustration of such a life.  It describes a person who recognizes the power of non-retaliation.  This person sees that love in response to anger “heaps coals on the head” of the aggressor (Romans 12:20).  Jesus is not saying that a woman in an abusive relationship should always (or ever) stay and “turn the other cheek”.  He is not speaking of war or law enforcement.  The Lord is describing a person who, in the power of the Spirit, has discovered the power of love.  The right question is “what does love look like. .  .even for my enemies?”

Good morning and welcome to a year long adventure!  For the next 365 days members and friends of FBC SA  will pray the Lord’s prayer together, paying attention to the meaning and purpose of the words of our Lord.  Doing so will teach us to pray and shape our hearts and bless our world.  Thank you for being a part of this soul-shaping discipline.  Let’s get started!