Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 31:23-24 (NASB1995).

O love the Lord, all you His godly ones! The Lord preserves the faithful And fully recompenses the proud doer. Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the Lord.

David has been through difficult times but his faith is not shaken. He writes “Be strong and let your heart take courage”, reminding us of God’s words through Moses from Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”

Our connection to God is essential to withstand the power of evil that wants to tear us away. We are tempted by what we see and hear and have, temporary happiness and things that won’t last. God promises eternal love and life with Him for those who repent and accept his forgiveness.

When we come to Him admitting our wrongdoing, we can be restored and go into the world with His blessing to share the Gospel. God wants all His beloved children to know Him and be saved, but each of us must choose Him for ourselves, and go to do the kingdom work He has given us.

Loving Lord, our hope is in You and not in any earthly thing. Help us to bring the love You send to everyone, telling the Good News with joy. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Ephesians 6:10-11 (NASB1995).

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

Paul shares the “battle plan” in order to stand against evil: “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” We are called to trust in the Lord’s strength, not our own. Paul uses military imagery in this chapter to remind us of the tools we are given for spiritual protection.

Like the spiritual gifts Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians 12-13, none of this is possible without love – God’s love for us and ours to Him in return. This is not just a random collection of things that might help us, but a planned and coordinated set of tools that only work as part of His plan.

Jesus embodied these gifts and showed us how we could be part of what God is doing in creation. He taught that we can be forgiven and made new, ready to share the Gospel in every part of the world.

Loving Lord, help us to use the gifts You give wisely, that all Your children may come to know the truth of Christ and choose salvation. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 14:6 (NASB1995).

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

In John 13-17 Jesus gives His disciples instructions before His crucifixion. Jesus has always told them what was to happen, but even now they find it hard to accept. Bible scholars call this the Farewell Discourse, a dry name for the loving guidance He offers them (and us!) in this teaching.

Jesus says “I am the way, and the truth, and the life”, which pretty much covers everything there is. He is the only way for us to be saved, sent by God for that specific purpose. He is the truth, described as the very Word of God who came to be with us (John 1:14). He is indeed life itself, a way to live with God and each other here, and the promise of eternal life for those who accept His saving grace.

The last phrase is extremely important – “no one comes to the Father but through Me.” Jesus tells us God has made a way for us, but only through our faith in the Lamb of God can we saved. When we come to the Father through Jesus in repentance, we can be forgiven and live as God intends for us. 

Wise and wonderful God, in Your mercy You sent Your Son to be the path to forgiveness and salvation. May we go to Your children with the Good News that all can be saved through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 9:36-38 (NASB1995).

Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

In the space of just a few verses (Matthew 9:36-10:5) Jesus teaches three important things. He has compassion on us because we are like sheep without a shepherd. He asks us all to pray for workers for the Lord’s harvest, and that we are called to be those workers. This points to loving God, loving neighbor and making disciples.

Jesus used things that were familiar to His listeners of that time like flocks and crops to teach us about God’s kingdom. Like crops and flocks, people need tending as well. Jesus came to show us how to do that and to remind us of our blessing and responsibility from God to act as His stewards.

We are all part of God’s plan for creation, and each of us have gifts to be used in His service. If we want God to act, we need to act with Him. How can you be part of spreading the Gospel today?

Loving Lord, help us to see the bountiful harvest that is waiting for our action. Bless us to be active workers for You. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 34:22 (NASB1995).

The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

This verse from David reminds us of God’s promise that those who trust in Him will be saved. God loves all His children and wants only the best for us. Earlier in this psalm we read “O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” (Psalms 34:8). God is always there for us, but we need to accept His forgiveness and live new lives.

Peter refers us to this verse in his first letter (1 Peter 3:12-16) with instructions for living in peace. Think about Peter’s experiences of highs and lows, seeing Christ in His glory at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13) and seeing Him crucified. Even after denying he knew Jesus, Peter was forgiven and spent the rest of his life sharing the Gospel.

We can learn about taking refuge in the Lord from the examples of David and Peter. The world is a hard place because we have chosen our own way rather than the instruction God has for us. However, He still waits for us to repent and return to Him, ready to offer His love and forgiveness.

Gracious God, even when we fail, You are there for us. Help us to overcome our foolish pride and humble ourselves, claiming the promise of salvation through faith. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Judges 6:12 (NASB1995).

The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.”

This story from Judges almost seems funny. A young man is hiding from danger and yet the angel greets Gideon with the words “the Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.” The focus of this passage is that God is with us and He alone is the source of strength.

Apart from the Lord, none of us are “valiant warriors”. Trusting our own strength and wisdom is a recipe for disaster. We can’t stand against the world without relying on God’s strength to accomplish the mission. Many times in scripture we are told “Fear not!”

Like Moses, Gideon has questions and concerns about being called as a leader. God calms his fears and guides him on the way to protecting the people. We must remember to ask for God’s help and accept His wisdom, knowing that He wants only good for us. God is with us always!

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for the times we are afraid to trust in Your love and wisdom. Forgive our timid faith and send us to be valiant warriors for You. Amen.

Our scripture today is Ephesians 2:8-9 (NASB1995).

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

We’ve discussed this verse and what some believe is a contradictory verse in James 2:26 which tells us “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” I don’t think Paul and James actually disagree, but people can and do take their statements out of context.

James didn’t say we can work our way into Heaven. Paul didn’t say if we have faith what we do doesn’t matter. We are saved only through faith in Christ, not by anything we can do. However, our transformed lives must show His love in our actions.

Jesus showed that faith is an active thing. We must use the gifts we are given to tell the world what He has done for us. There is no question of faith or works, it has always been faith and works together with love.

Gracious God, we come in repentance for our lazy faith and works. Energize us and send us to share Your love with the world. Amen.

Our scripture today is Psalms 51:10 (NASB1995).

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

David had sinned grievously and it was made plain to him through a visit from the prophet Nathan (2 Samuel 12). He went to God in repentance, asking to be made new. Notice he doesn’t say “I didn’t do it” or “I had a good reason”, he admits what he has done, accepting responsibility and consequences. 

David asks for the kind of renewal only God can give – a clean heart and a steadfast spirit. He knows that as humans, even ones who have walked closely with God, there is nothing we can do to save ourselves. Only by going to Him in repentance can we be forgiven.

God is always ready to hear our cry of confession and restore us in His love. Paul tells us “nothing can separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:39). We can be renewed and sent to share the mercy we have been given with the world.

Gracious God, we are grateful to receive Your forgiveness when we fail. Strengthen us in faith and use us to spread the Gospel everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Philippians 1:3-5 (NASB1995).

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.

Paul prayed often for the people in churches he had planted. His gratitude for their partnership is evident. While the church at Philippi supported Paul financially, he thanks them more specifically for their “participation in the gospel.”

Paul perhaps more so than any other missionary of that time wanted desperately to see people come to know Jesus. When one of his churches began evangelizing, not just worshipping, he was elated, even in his imprisonment at Rome. This is what his call was all about, to bring the gospel and ensure that it would continue to spread.

This is our task from Jesus, to love one another as He does and share the Good News everywhere. We may not think we are missionaries in the truest sense, but wherever we spread the love of Christ, we fulfill the mission He gave us.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for all Your many blessings. Help us to use the gifts You have given to share Your love with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Proverbs 18:10-11 (NASB1995).

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe. A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own imagination.

This pair of verses contrasts the mindset of those who put their trust in God with those who believe in their own wealth, position, power, or any human thing. It reminds me of an earlier verse pair: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). We are stuck in the sin of pride when we trust ourselves rather than relying on God.

I have heard our situation compared to a toddler with a complex Lego set – we have a wealth of resources given to us but not always the knowledge of how to use them well. God says “let me guide you with what I have given and together we can build something beautiful.” Unfortunately, like petulant toddlers, we often refuse His help.

God is always there to love and protect us but as the proverb says, we must run to Him. All our human “strength” is imaginary, only God is able to save us. Let’s run the right way in faith, choosing God over all else.

Loving Lord, we are ashamed of our willful disobedience, thinking we can do it on our own. Help us to see the blessing that awaits us when we say yes to Your love. Amen.