“Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you” (Matthew 5:42).

We are not being instructed to give everything away, but we are to have an attitude of stewardship that holds on loosely to the things of this world.  You have been given gifts and abilities.  Do you use them to help others.  In helping others, it is not about you, but about what the Lord is going to do through you.  He will partner with You to literally make you like Christ.  Look outward and not inward.

Lord, I am self-centered.  I do look at myself first.  I do not believe You are asking me to be all things for all people, but You are asking me to do what is good and right always.  The first charity is what You have given me.  You want me to give some of what You have given me to others, reflecting Your grace and kindness.  Many do not, but what about You?  Will you trust the Lord for all things?

Holy Trinity, for You and from You are all things.  You have called me into Your ministry.  In the mystery of faith You have given me, create in me a new and clean heart that welcomes the opportunity to live the way You created us all to live.  You are the provider and only in You is there true hope and life.  Guide me by Your grace to live this day in the way that is pleasing to You.  Amen.

“And if anyone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak also.  Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two” (Matthew 5:40-41).

There are wars and rumors of wars because people know how to hate.  Division and hatred rule in this age.  Jesus knows this.  He came to set us free from this sinful way of thinking and acting.  Learn how to shed the reactionary way of thinking that you are in control that you may learn what Jesus is teaching.  Love is the action of doing what is right for the soul and well-being of the other.

Holy Spirit, stir my heart to understand these things and put them into practice.  I understand what I should not do quite well because these are the things I do.  The fruits You will grow in me are the kinds of things Jesus is talking about.  Help me to live them, grow in them, and dwell in Your presence as You teach me.  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and the like are the fruits of my new creation in You.

Lord and Savior, I hear these things with my ears, but I know they are far from my heart.  I need You to save me here too.  When I become selfish and self-serving, lift me out of myself.  When I am weary and unwilling, nudge me to walk with others anyway.  Lord, You know all that is needed.  I am asking You to continue to lead me as I need to be led no matter whether I understand it or not.  You are the potter, and I am the clay.  Shape me, Lord.  Amen.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’  But I say to you, do not show opposition against an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other toward him also” (Matthew 5:38-39).

If I do not get what I want, I become mad.  That is the Genesis 3 old Adam in us.  The new person Jesus is making us to be recognizes that in this world there are times when hostility happens.  How will you react?  That is what we need to learn.  The world wants vengeance.  Love wants restitution.  The world wants to give back what has been received.  But love is patient, kind and longsuffering.

Lord, You know the attitude I have in my heart.  You also know the struggle that is mine.  You have promised to make me new and shape me into Your image.  Guide me, Lord Jesus, so that I humbly walk in the way You are instructing me to walk.  Soften my heart so when I see in others the same behavior that, without You, I would display, I may respond with love.  The pliability You describe is something I want.

Lord Jesus, as I mature in faith, I begin to see things differently.  You are not replacing one law with another but showing me what You will make of me.  Continue to lead me, Lord, so that I walk under Your guidance and live this new life that You have given me.  Lead me to see others with the same compassion that You have shown me.  Guide me, Lord, in Your goodness.  Amen.

“Nor shall you take an oath by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black.  But make sure your statement is, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil origin” (Matthew 5:36).

Often, we will act as if we have power.  No one knows what tomorrow will bring.  We have no power over these things.  We may say, “By [whatever], I am going to . . . ,” but Jesus is teaching us to be truthful.  I have no power to assure what is going to happen, so why swear by it?  Instead, be truthful, do your best and if the Lord wills, work toward what you seek and it will come to pass.

Lord, You know how often I do this.  I suspect I do it more than I can even begin to realize.  No wonder I have so much disappointment.  I tell myself that something is going to happen, and it doesn’t.  Then, I blame You.  Forgive me, Lord, and help me to learn how to be truthful in all things.  Teach me how to respond with an affirmation or rejection and then move forward.

Lord Jesus, You did not come into this world to impress anyone.  I should not seek to do that either.  Lead me to be a person of my word and to do so without oaths or swearing by anything.  Help me to learn how to be honest with myself.  Guide me this day, Lord, for I know that You have told me that all things are in the Father’s hands.  Guide me, with a truthful tongue, to follow You today.  Amen.

“But I say to you, take no oath at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God, nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King” (Matthew 5:34).

What will you change with an oath?  You are either going to do what you said, or else, you will not.  The oath is just so much bravado.  From the “trust me,” to the “you can always count on me,” we make so many promises with all types of oaths.  The truth is that there are those who are trustworthy and those who are not.  Which are you?  It should be clear what the Lord is asking of all of us.

Lord, help me to assess my character and become one of those who does what they say they will do.  When I sin and do not as I ought, chastise me and help me to walk the narrow path.  The devil is a liar, and this age is steeped in lies.  What a mess.  Heaven is perfect and must remain so without any untruth.  Help me to learn how to be truthful so that I am fit to live with You in heaven.

Lord, You have given me great assurances and promises.  I do not see how, but I will trust by faith that You, who are able to do all things, will lead me to the place where I practice truthfulness in all things large and small.  Guard the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart so that I may walk with You this day, O Lord, my Savior.  Lead me, Jesus, in the way of the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

“Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord’” (Matthew 5:33).

Take care with what you say.  Humans have always made vows.  Why?  Because humans are also great liars.  A vow is often really nothing less than an promise that you will do what you have said that you would do.  Rather than making contracts and vows, perhaps move in the direction of simply saying what you will do and then make it a habit of doing what you say. Jesus is always getting to the truth of the matter.

Lord, you know the long contracts and agreements I have signed, or on the computer, clicked on.  We live in an age where many people are not honest.  We know how to be untruthful, but it is very hard to always be honest; yet that is the direction I need to go.  Lead me to the place where I learn how to be truthful.  Let me not be like the unfaithful, but like You, Lord.  Guide me in the way of truthfulness.

Lord Jesus, lead me to come to the place where what passes my lips is honest and true.  Help me to know that in You alone is there hope and an eternal future.  You are teaching me to have a consistently honest character.  You know what I will encounter this day.  Let me not fall into the trap of making a vow when all I need to do is what I have said I would do.  Give me what I need … to do what I say, Lord.  Amen.

“Now it was said, ‘Whoever sends his wife away is to give her a certificate of divorce’; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery” (Matthew 5:31-32).

We are tempted to use human reasoning, just as Eve was tempted into doing, to justify our actions.  Wrong is wrong no matter what the cause.  We have been told that following Jesus will cost us, and we are directed to always do the right thing.  Our eyes, actions, and heart are under the guidance of Jesus.  Will you listen to Him, or will you do what is right in your own mind?

Lord, You alone know where my thoughts wander.  Right in front of others in church, I can be sinning away and those around me do not know it.  Guide me, Lord, so that in heart, soul, and mind, I am directed to You.  Lead me always to know that You are the source of all life and the source of my being.  Guide me today to resist temptation so that in all I do, I am looking to You.

Lord Jesus, I do need Your help.  I want to be faithful, but I am tempted all the time in ways to err and stray from what is right and good.  Lead me so that I will humbly walk with You, my Lord and Savior.  Keep my eyes upon what is good and right.  Help my actions be the right ones in Your eyes.  Keep me in Your grace and mercy so that I may now and always walk with You.  Amen.

“And if your right hand is causing you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell” (Matthew 5:30).

Jesus moves from what we see that tempts us to sin to what we do that causes us to sin.  What you do in this world matters.  I am not talking about your occupation but about the things you do in the hiddenness of your heart.  If you have love for others, as our Lord commands, you will do things for them.  If you have desire only for yourself, everything will eventually be shown to be done for yourself alone.

Lord, I do know how to be selfish.  I do know how to think only of myself.  I do not want to live this way.  Remind me, Holy Spirit, as I walk this day, to keep my mind upon Your prompting.  Lead me in Your goodness and mercy to do all I need to do so that I may learn how to stay on the path of faithfulness.  Guide me in the way You know I need to go so that my actions match the words of my lips and the meditations of my heart.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for the grace I need.  You are good and gracious, and You are always with me.  In You I have hope.  Lead me in that hope so that I may now and always walk according to Your goodness and mercy.  Keep me from walking the broad way of destruction in order that I may humbly walk with You wherever You lead.  Guide me today, my Lord, and help me to keep my focus upon You.  Amen.

“Now if your right eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell” (Matthew 5:29).

Jesus is not asking us to maim ourselves, but reminding us that if we take our faith seriously, there is going to be a cost.  Do you consider anything in this life more valuable than your faith in the Lord?  Too many put the Lord in the category of the fingernail.  Cut that off if you need to.  But the Lord tells us that there is nothing more important than what He is doing for us.

Lord, I am with You and You are with me.  Guide me, Lord, so that in You alone do I see my hope and future.  Lead me to live into this life You give, no matter the cost, and pay whatever price I need to pay to accomplish all that needs to be done.  In my humanity, Lord, I have a hard time imagining being without parts of my body, but I see those around me who are without, and they are doing just fine.

Lord, not that I want to lose an eye or any other body part but help me to come to the place where I am willing to do whatever it takes to follow You in all my ways.  Guide me in Your goodness to see that in You alone is my hope.  Help me to live for You today and walk in the goodness of Your grace and mercy.  Lord, I want to be with You forever.  Guide me to do all You give me to do so that this may become true.  Amen. 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27).

When the Psalmist says, “Create in me a clean heart and a right spirit within me,” he was not talking about looking good.  He was talking about what goes on in the heart.  We all have things going on within us that are more wicked than another whom we might accuse, who did some outward act.  A murderer murders once.  One who murders in their heart, is a serial murderer.  Sin inside is just as bad as sin acted out.

Lord, I do have many things that have gone on in my heart which only You and I know about.  You are telling me that my inward life is every bit as important as my outward life.  Lead me  away from pretending to be good in order that I might practice that which is right and true.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to be honest with myself so that the Holy Spirit can make my heart clean.

Lord Jesus, I often say clean me up, but inwardly I am really saying, “but not yet.”  I have a spirit in me that is unchaste and sees things selfishly, looking upon my neighbor as a thing.  Guide me, dear Savior, in Your goodness to live into my life for which You gave Your life in order that I would be able to obtain true life.  Guide me by grace in the upward path of becoming more like You each day.  Thank You, Lord, for confronting me honestly so that I may truly be saved.  Amen.