Pastor Bell's Words To Live By

Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand (1Corinthians 14:15 NLT).

For this month of June I will be focussing on the spiritual discipline of prayer. Each day I will outline my take on some of the aspects of living a prayerful reflective lifestyle that brings results. However I would like the life that I am advocating to be one that sees prayer not so much as a tool for getting what we want but as a means of communicating with the father to know what he wants for us to do in these times in which we live. The premise of my reflection will be a follow on from the previous month’s line of argument that the most important aspect of our faith is the ability to appropriate and use truth to bring about changes in our lives.

We will start off with the fact that the dichotomy of double consciousness can now be superseded by the fact that we can live in an evil world and shine like bright starts (Philippians 2:15) and still be true to ourselves and to Jesus Christ our lord and saviour.

So for today let us start the process like the psalmist David and speak to tell ourselves; You [God], require truth in the inward parts [my psyche or subconscious being]  therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart [my most private memories]. This prayer starts with a cry for mercy and a plea for the Holy God to cover his iniquity with God’s abundant mercy and love. He then moves on to confess his sin and seek the cleansing that only comes from the washing of the word [the Blood of Jesus] so that truth may rise to the front of his life like cream on top of a warm cappuccino.

This prayer is real and revealing. It is not just a repetition of words or a ritual that is carried out with religious precision. It is a plea for help from a man who loves God but has allowed the position that God placed him in to become more important than his relationship with God. The spirit of pride, which is common among us, gets the better of him and he falls into the sin of believing that he can do it all by himself.  Many of us as Christians reach this place and miss what God is doing ‘Today’. If you are in that place, pray with understanding and become more reflective.

Read Psalm 51 slowly and reflectively and meditate on verse 6.