Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:2-7‬.

“Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all. However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ.”

Paul speaks of how brothers and sisters in Christ need to treat each other, “making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love” (v. 2). We all have things that annoy or anger us, as we all do things that annoy or anger others. By being more aware of our own behavior we can make a difference in others.

Because we are all part of the body of Christ, it is important for us to keep faith with each other in our efforts to share the Good News. We hear that “He has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ” (v. 7), meaning we each have a different way of working for the Kingdom. We must honor each other’s gifts and work together to continue the ministry Christ has given us.

This passage reminds us there is “one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all” (v. 6). We are all part of His creation but unlike every other thing, we were made in God’s image. We must learn to reflect His likeness through our love for one another.

Heavenly Father, we are amazed that You chose us to be part of what You are doing in creation. Help us to see all people as part of You and Your image in them. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:46-52‬.

Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.” So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.

I have a “secret sign” with family and friends that they use when I repeat myself. ✌🏻 this means “Doug, we’ve heard this at least twice”. That may be the case with this story.

At a particularly meaningful retreat study, our guest spoke on the scripture of Jesus healing Bartimaeus and the change it caused in his life. I wrote this as a response. In my defense, hearing a story more than once usually doesn’t cause any ill effects!

Dear Mom and Dad,

I know you’ll be real surprised to get a note from me since I haven’t been able to write for the last 10 years, but I have really amazing news – I can see again! Yes, miraculous is the only way to describe it but here’s what happened.  Jesus was coming down the road where I was sitting in my spot. How did I know it was Jesus? I was blind, not deaf! Anyway, I shouted to him, he stopped and asked what I wanted. I told him I wanted to see! Jesus said to me “Go, your faith has healed you” and right then I could see again! I know this is quite a shock, but there’s more – I’m going to Jerusalem with Jesus!  I promise I’ll pick up a new coat first chance I get.  You may think regaining my sight must have made me crazy, but I’ll tell you, once Jesus has touched you, you can’t just go back and sit in your spot anymore.

Your loving son, Bartimaeus

Loving Lord, may we heed the example of those You have made whole and accept the healing You offer us all. Bless us to follow in faith as they did. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:13-16.

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

It seems even long ago children were sometimes considered a nuisance. I don’t think the disciples had evil intent, they just didn’t want Jesus bothered, much like when we hush small children during worship. However, Jesus says “let the children come to me” (v. 14), letting us know that they are important to Him and to the kingdom.

He tells us “anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it” (v.15), an indication that children have something to teach us. Their desire to know more and their willingness to do new and different things are how we should approach our faith. God always has more to share with us and more for us to do.

We must reach out to others with the gifts we have been given, ready to follow Jesus as our teacher. We must learn heavenly lessons like children, growing in our relationship with God and one another. When Jesus said “let the children come to me”, he meant all of us.

Loving Lord, help us to see that everyone has a part to play in sharing the Gospel, no matter how young or old we are. Bless us to watch over those who are still learning and lead them to know your love. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Mark‬ ‭6:1-5‬.

Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them.

Jesus came as a human to help us better understand God’s love. Because of His humanity it was often hard for people to see Him as the Messiah, especially those in His hometown of Nazareth. It is often difficult for us to accept those with whom we are familiar in any way but the way we came to know them.

He wanted very much to teach and heal people while He was in Nazareth, but their unbelief prevented them from receiving His blessing. It’s not that His power was limited, but it was their choice not to believe. They could only see Him as the carpenter they knew.

We need to be open to the fact that God works among us and through us, wanting us to use our gifts and to rejoice when others are blessed to use theirs. The old saying “familiarity breeds contempt” is certainly at work in this passage and this reaction is not what God intends. We must be ready to work together, recognizing His love shared in unusual ways and through unexpected people.

Gracious God, help us to see Your love and light displayed in all Your children, not just those we expect. Bless us to go in Your name, accepting Your call on our lives. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:15-20.

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.”

We are told that “actions speak louder than words”. I looked for the original source of this statement but couldn’t find an authoritative answer. However, Jesus tells us “you can identify people by their actions” (v. 20), meaning we should believe what people do rather than what they say.

Jesus also says “a good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit” (v. 17). As I’ve said before, unlike plants we have choices as to what fruit we produce. We are given free will and can choose between good and evil.

There is another lesson here – that of not producing any fruit. Inaction is often as harmful as evil action. We are called to be active members of Christ’s family, using the gifts we have been given to show God’s love to everyone. When our words and our actions are in line with what He taught, we produce good fruit.

Loving Lord, we are blessed by the gifts You give us. Help us to lead fruitful lives, telling the world of the joy we have found in You. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭13:24-30.

Here is another story Jesus told: The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew. The farmer’s workers went to him and said, “Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?” “An enemy has done this!” the farmer exclaimed. “Should we pull out the weeds?” they asked. “No,” he replied, “you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.”

In this parable Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a field. Perhaps this sounds peaceful but not very exciting. The problem is that as humans we aren’t capable of understanding or even imagining Heaven, so Jesus uses familiar things to say it’s “like” something we know.

Jesus understands our limitations, but He teaches in a way that we are able to grasp. God’s people are the wheat and nonbelievers are the weeds. God has decided to let us grow up together until the harvest, when Christ returns to collect the faithful. Unlike wheat and weeds, people can change, and Jesus calls us all to be wholesome grain in the Kingdom.

These parables are given to us as examples of how to live and how to show the love of God to others. By sharing the teachings of Jesus, we grow closer to Him, fulfilling His command to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). May we go in His name to all the world.

Gracious God, thank You for sending Jesus to teach us how to love You and each other. May we be the servants You call us to be, proclaiming the Good News to everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:24-27‬.

Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.

Jesus tells us that following His teaching is the way to build a solid life. Our savior, the master teacher, explains eternal concepts in human terms. His illustrations use common things that we can understand, like houses and rain and floods. 

Being grounded in His word and His love gives us stability in an often shaky world. No matter what we encounter, we can keep our spiritual balance through the wisdom He shares with us. Nothing can overturn the word of God, and we ignore it at our peril.

Hearing and obeying Him gives us a firm foundation. The old hymn says “on Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand”. When we stand with Jesus, our hope of salvation is assured.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Your son. Help us to be Your people, strong in faith and ready to share Your love with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Titus 3:4‭-‬8.

When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.

Paul shares a truth that we must remember – “He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy” (v. 4). There is nothing we can give or do to merit salvation, God forgives our sin because of His righteousness and love for us. We are unable to save ourselves through any human effort, only through Christ’s sacrifice for us can we be made right with God.

When we let go of the false impulse to try to make things right ourselves, we begin to work through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Then we are truly on the path Jesus showed us. We must submit to God’s will and turn away from the temporary things that lead us astray.

We hear that now we have “confidence that we will inherit eternal life” (v. 7). What a wonderful gift! God wants us all to be saved but we must make that choice as individuals. By giving up our human failings and trusting God for everything, we can be reconnected to Him forever.

Loving Lord, thank You for the blessing of Your son who came to teach us the way back to You. May we share this gift with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:7-11.

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.

The commandment to “love one another” is stated a number of times in various forms throughout the New Testament. Perhaps the most important is when Jesus combines love for each other as part of loving God in His explanation of the greatest commandment (Matt. 22:39). We are taught that we can’t say we love God if we don’t show that love for one another as well.

John writes that God shows how much He loves us “by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him” (v. 9). We ourselves are evidence of this love, created in God’s image to be in relationship with Him. We can best show our love in return by how we love and care for all His children here on earth.

John says simply in verse 8 of this passage that “God is love”. Our very existence and everything around us testify to the love of our Creator. It is up to us to live in that love and share it with everyone.

Heavenly Father, we are humbled to be included as part of Your plan for all things. Help us to be the loving people You created us to be, connected to You and each other. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭3:11-16.

Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness. And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him— speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.

Peter writes of the day of God, when everything we know will end and a new Heaven and earth will begin. He encourages us to “make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight” (v. 14) when that time comes. While we do not know the day or time, our task is to be ready.

He tells us of Paul’s work, that “those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture” (v. 16). We need to be aware of this misuse of God’s word and stand ready to speak the truth in love. Prayer, study and Christian fellowship are the ways to meet this challenge.

He speaks of God’s patience, giving us time to accomplish our Great Commission of making disciples. Sharing the Good News with everyone is our call and our joyful goal. We go in His name in all we do that the world may know His love.

Gracious God, we are amazed by Your goodness and love for us. Help us to share this blessing with everyone. Amen.