Some of you by now are on your second week of the 28 day exercise, Four Weeks With God and Your Neighbor. Others are just beginning the process. Be sure to follow this blog and my four articles in the Redemptive Presence newsletter. The challenge of Week 1 was (and for those of you just beginning is) "We must change." That is why I directed all of us to Psalm 51 for an introspective look at your own condition so that we might cry out to God for a spirit of personal renewal and revival. This exercise is about change. We must take that survey of soul, a spiritual inventory, to identify what in our life needs to change. If your married maybe you should ask your spouse to answer that question. If you are single perhaps some of your friends will want to chime in. Week 1 requires a soul searching to identify your personal agenda and a commitment to change.

But, change requires discipline. That is the theme of Week 2. Godliness comes by discipline. And discipline cannot occur apart from the study of the Word and prayer. It seems rather silly to say that it takes discipline merely to talk to someone. After all, I do not need discipline to talk to the people I love. My attention span does not waver after a few minutes of discussion around the dinner table. In fact, I often am involved (as is my family) in two or three conversations at a time. Why? Because I love my family and I WANT to talk to them. I cannot go for days or weeks at a time without any dialogue with my family.

Perhaps the reason we lose focus in prayer is because our desire for a two way conversation is not what we want. Instead, we want God to listen while we talk. This is where the twins must eat together at the same table. We must speak to God in prayer AND God will speak to us via the reading of and the meditation upon the Word of God. Our 28 day journey is designed to reduce our focus to one or two issues in your life where there is need for change. This is where we can all help each other. For example, if you are struggling with a specific sin and you do not know where to go in the Bible for help, then you can ask for help. We live in such an incredible age of technology. Just by posting your questions on my blog you may receive a whole plethora of directions from others who do know where that issue is dealt with in the Word. So go to my blog and post your questions.

Time will not permit me to answer each request, however, blogs are designed in such a way that we can help each other. And isn't that what this is all about - Body Life? In fact, I can envision some of you pairing up to help each other walk through Biblical change. We must look beyond the 28 days and use this amazing tool to touch each other's lives. My greatest joy is preaching. My second greatest joy is teaching. In this blog context we can study the Word together. So I will look for your postings as the Lord leads. May He touch you by His grace.

In His Grip,
PB