Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭17‬-‭21‬.

For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Paul explains to us that Adam’s failure to obey God allowed sin to enter the world. He taught the same essential lesson to the Corinthians, “For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:21-22). When humans try to do it their own way, the result is separation from God.

However, God loves us too much to allow that separation to continue. Jesus tells us “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” (‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭17). Our salvation is assured when we repent and accept Jesus as our savior.

God wants only good for us and He wants us all back in a loving relationship with Him and each other. The only way for that to happen is through Jesus (John 14:6). By receiving the forgiveness and mercy He offers us we can be new people, and go to share His love with the world.

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for the ways we let sin enter Your creation. Bless us to be Your children, strong in faith and ready to carry the Good News to everyone. Amen.

‬

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭5.

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

The dictionary definition of faith is “complete trust or confidence in someone or something; strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof”. Faith is believing the promise we have received even when we don’t see what is to come. Paul tells us that through faith and Christ’s sacrifice we are “made right in God’s sight” (v.1).

This means that our relationship with Him has been restored to the creation state, the connection we had with God from the beginning. He loves us enough to continue reaching out to us, even in our sinful state. When we accept His offer of salvation in faith and obedience, we are made new again.

God has a plan for every one of us and no one is excluded. It is our choice to continue in the ways of the world, separating ourselves from His love, or to repent and return to Him. He has a place reserved for each of us and all are welcome.

Gracious God, we are thankful for the saving gift of Jesus and the everlasting life You promise for those who follow in faith. Help us to share the blessing we have received with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭6‬.

God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord. Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name. And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ.

Paul opens his Letter to the Romans with the point of his ministry, “the Good News is about his Son” (v. 3), sharing that Jesus came to save us. He speaks about his call from God to tell people “what God has done for them” (v. 5). We are called in the same way to share the Good News with everyone.

He testifies to Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection, explaining that God has done this so that we “will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.” He closes this passage with the promise from God that we are included in His blessing. While those in Rome may have heard about Jesus through rumor or gossip, this is likely the first honest witness to His love they have received.

Paul was willing to risk censure, physical punishment and imprisonment to accomplish what Jesus had called him to do. While we may not face the same perils, our call is the same – to share the love of Christ with the world. God gives us the gifts and the opportunity to be His representatives, telling everyone that through our faith in Him, we can all be saved.

Loving Lord, we are amazed at the depth of Your care for us. Help us to be the bearers of the Good News to all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Romans 8:15-19.

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.

Jesus told His disciples “John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5). Paul reminds us that this wonderful gift is given to all of us who claim Jesus as our savior. The Holy Spirit enables us to go in His name to share the Gospel with the world.

If we want to follow Jesus and spread His love to everyone, we must be ready to share His suffering as well. Worldly people seem to only care about themselves; we are called to care for everyone and work against the sinful selfishness of the world. Jesus said it would be difficult and there would be opposition, but we must continue in faith.

As God’s children we are blessed to be part of His plan for salvation. Jesus came as one of us to show us the way. Now it is our task to continue the loving work He began, bringing the Good News to everyone.

Gracious God, we are humbled that You chose us to be part of the redemption of humanity. Help us to live as You intend, caring for the needs of others and sharing the love of Jesus with all. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:1-4.

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.”

It was our weakness that allowed sin to enter the world. We chose our own way, rather than the path God intended for us. However, God loves us so much that He was willing to give up a part of Himself to save us.

Through Jesus “God declared an end to sin’s control over us” (v. 3). In this human form, He taught that we too can be obedient to the commandments we have been given and live in love with Him and all creation. We must choose this for ourselves, accepting the New Covenant He offers and the salvation it provides.

After receiving the Holy Spirit, we are free “from the power of sin that leads to death” (v. 2). Now we can be part of God’s plan to share His love and forgiveness with the world. By faith we are saved and in that faith we go to make disciples of all nations.

Gracious God, we are grateful for the saving power You send through Christ our Lord. Help us to be strong in Your love and show everyone the joy of a relationship with You. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:9-13.

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Paul tells us “it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved” (v. 10). He teaches that faith and faith sharing are both essential for salvation. If we proclaim Jesus is Lord in all our thoughts and actions, we can be saved and we can help others come to him.

Paul explains that everyone is invited to know God and to be part of His plan for all people. We have the opportunity to come back to the relationship for which we were created. God wants us all together in His love and for us to love each other so much that He was willing to send His only son to make it so.

Jesus came as God with us, that we might better understand our connection to Him. He showed us God’s love and has called us to carry on the ministry He began. We are not only the recipients of this great gift, but the bearers of the Good News, telling the world of His redeeming grace.

Loving Lord, thank You for the blessing of salvation, brought through the gift of Jesus Christ. Help us to be faithful in our interaction with others, showing them the love You first gave us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:17-21.

“Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.”

Paul was never soft on bad behavior. He warned us regarding anger and revenge a number of times. However tempted we are to respond to evil with evil, it is not what God wants. It saddens Him when we don’t treat each other as we should.

I must admit I have struggled with this. I hope I have never been part of evil action. Before I became a pastor, I served in the military for twenty years. Following that I was a Corrections Officer at the County Jail. There were times I was involved in violent actions, although I wasn’t the instigator. I felt I was protecting those who needed it. I can only hope that the Lord sees it the same way.

God calls us to care for one another and love as Jesus did. We must do our best to not let evil enter our thoughts and actions. When we are faced with evil it is important to limit its effect on us and defend others from harm. We are called to respond in ways that show God’s love.

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for the times we don’t love each other as You intend. Help us to be the loving and obedient children we were created to be, sharing the joy of Christ with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:1-5‬.

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”

This passage reminds us that we are all unique and beloved by God, endowed with different gifts and called to different tasks. Paul reminds us that all of us are necessary to carry the Good News of Jesus to the world. When we accept Him and the change He makes in our lives, we no longer “copy the behavior and customs of this world” (v. 2) but become a new creation in Him.

God wants us to give up our attachment to worldly things and know His will for us, understanding His love for us and His desire for us to love one another. He invites us back into a relationship with Him and others because we were made to be together. Paul tells us “we are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other” (v. 5).

We are more than just flesh and blood, here to amass possessions and please ourselves. We are part of God’s being, made in His image and expected to treat each other as He intends. May we see that we all belong to each other and live together in His love.

Heavenly Father, we are blessed to be Your children, given a wonderful world to live in and gifts to use in Your name. May we be truly grateful and share our blessings with each other according to Your plan. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Romans‬ ‭3:23-26.

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.”

In the opening of this passage, Paul puts it plainly – “for everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (v. 23). No one other than Jesus has ever not fallen short. However, God knows our weakness and in His mercy made a way for us to be free from sin because of Christ’s sacrifice for us.

Jesus came to show us through His actions and teaching what a life in God is about and that the wonderful blessing of forgiveness can be ours as well. We can be born again, reconnected with Him and share the love we receive with the world. God created us to love Him and each other and by following Christ we fulfill our purpose.

Paul writes that God “makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus” (v. 26), reinforcing our understanding that no one comes to the Father except through Jesus (John 14:6). Our faith in Him is the only way for us to be saved. It is still our choice, but one we postpone at our own risk. 

Loving Lord, in Your grace and mercy You sent Jesus as our savior. Help us to accept the blessing and the call You send and share the Good News everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Romans‬ ‭13:8-12‬.

“Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.”

Paul summarizes the commandments about our relationships with each other as Jesus did – “love your neighbor as yourself” (v. 9). If we can keep this one greatest commandment, we can all live well. Unfortunately, we have broken this, our commitment to God and each other, since the very beginning.

Paul reminds us to “wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” (v. 11). We don’t know when the day of the Lord will come, so the time to repent and live as God intends is NOW! We have His promise of eternal life, but we must uphold our part of the covenant.

We are encouraged to “remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living” (v. 12). Only through our confession of sin and acceptance of God’s forgiveness can we accomplish this. Our Heavenly Father is always ready for us to return to Him in love.

Gracious God, we are sorry for the times we rebel against Your love, wanting our own way. Help us to find the joy that only a relationship with You can give, and to share that blessing with everyone. Amen.