Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭4:2-6.

“Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should. Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.”

Praying is an intensely personal thing…or it should be. Paul says we should pray “with an alert mind and a thankful heart” (v. 2), an encouragement to be truly involved in our prayers. God wants to hear from us, but we should be ready to hear from Him as well.

Jesus taught us that personal prayer was a necessary part of our faith life. He showed that two way communication with God is not only possible but essential. Corporate prayer in worship and praying for each other’s needs are all forms of prayer in which we must be involved.

Prayer enables us to know God’s will for us, along with scripture and teaching. Jesus gave us an example of effective prayer when His disciples asked Him to teach them (Matthew 6:9-13). All prayer is beneficial and important in the work we are called to do.

Loving Lord, we are grateful to be in touch with You through prayer. Bless us to listen, understand and act, going in Your name to share the Good News. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:12-16.

“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.”

Paul reminds us that we can trust in God’s love and mercy, knowing that there is forgiveness when we truly repent. When we are connected to Him, we must focus on moving forward in faith, rather than recalling or returning to sinful behavior. Someone once said that backsliding into sin is like rooting through the garbage you have already thrown away!

Paul likens it to a race with a focus on the finish line. Runners don’t move back toward the starting line if they want to win. We are called to be better and do better now that we know Christ’s love, growing in faith and not returning to our old ways of living.

While each of us must run the race ourselves, we are blessed to have the support and encouragement of our brothers and sisters in Christ, and to share our faith with others. When we help others learn about our Lord, we all move forward. God reaches out to His children regardless of their past, and has charged us with sharing the Good News that all may be saved through Christ’s sacrifice for us.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Jesus Christ who came to set us free. May we continue the work He began to bring all people to You. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:27-30.

“Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.”

Paul’s ministry was a struggle from the very beginning. His experience of being called by Jesus on the way to Damascus changed him from the chief persecutor of the church to the most eloquent and strident supporter of the church (Acts 9:1-19). He writes that our struggle may be different, but that it is part of our trust in Christ to stand against a sinful world.

Jesus came to show us that the ways of the world are not the ways of God. When we turn from sin and accept Him as our savior, our lives are changed forever. It is then our task to go in His love to change the lives of others.

Paul reminds us “we are in this struggle together” (v. 30). While we must choose to follow Jesus as individuals, we go in His name as the church. No one is alone in God’s love, and we stand united as the body of Christ.

Gracious God, we are thankful for those You have sent to teach and encourage us in our faith. Help us to reach out to all the world with the Good News of Your coming kingdom. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Philippians‬ ‭2:3-11.

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Paul recounts Christ coming to save us and reminds us that we are called to love others as He did and continue His ministry.  Jesus was completely obedient to God’s will and His plan for us, and taught us how to help others come to know Him. Through our repentance and continued faithfulness we are blessed to live with Him eternally.

It is an amazing thing to be part of what God is doing in creation! He made us for relationship with Him and wants all His children to return to that original connection. Because of our disobedience we have strayed from Him but through Christ’s sacrifice we can be restored. He was willing to suffer on our behalf to bring us back to the Father.

What are we willing to endure for His sake? We must admit our sin, ask forgiveness and be made one with Him, and then go in His name to share the Gospel. While we may not be called to give up our lives for others as Jesus did, He calls us to a new life in Him.

Loving Lord, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to save us and lead us back to You. Bless us to go to spread Your love throughout the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5:15-20.

“So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

God has called us to be part of His plan. As we know, He needs no help from us, but graciously includes us in His redemptive work. Paul tells us to “make the most of every opportunity in these evil days” (v. 16), using the gifts God has given to reach out to others.

Paul says we must strive to “understand what the Lord wants you to do” (v. 17), through prayer, studying scripture, and discussing God’s plan for us with others. When we go into the world, others are watching our behavior to see if we act in accordance with our teachings. A faith that doesn’t obey its own beliefs is not a true faith.

If we accept the Holy Spirit as the guiding presence in our lives, we can act as Jesus did, loving one another and leading those who don’t know the Lord to an eternal relationship with Him. It won’t be easy, the world will resist losing its power over people. However, we know Christ goes before us and has opened the way to life everlasting for all.

Loving Lord, we are weak because of our sin, but when we repent and turn to You, we can be made whole through Your love. Send us to share the Good News to all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5:6-13‬.

“Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them.”

Jesus warned that the world would try to tempt us away from our connection with God. He was tested Himself as the devil offered Him power and riches, but Jesus resisted it all. Paul writes “Don’t participate in the things these people do” ( v. 7), encouraging us to respond in faith as Jesus did.

Once we have accepted Christ, we are washed clean and made right again with God. As humans, we are exposed to sin every day but we are given the strength to endure the trial through the presence of the Holy Spirit. When the day of reckoning arrives “their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them” (v. 13).

God wants us to avoid the evil we once practiced, but when we fail He stands ready to forgive us if we repent. Peter denied even knowing Jesus (Luke 22:55-62) but he received Christ’s forgiveness and restoration to lead the early church (John 21). Staying in connection with our Heavenly Father through what Jesus taught is the only way we can be saved. 

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we have fallen away, but we are blessed to receive Your mercy and reconciliation. Send us to share Your love with everyone everywhere, that all the world may return to You. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3:6-12‬.

“And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News. Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.”

Paul writes that we are all one in God’s love. Our location, heritage, appearance and status don’t matter to our Heavenly Father, only that we love Him and one another. Jesus taught this in His interaction with the woman at the well (John 4) and the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10).

How we respond to those “who aren’t like us” is a hallmark of Christian behavior. Jesus treated everyone equally, from the Roman governor and Jewish leaders to blind beggars and lepers. No one was above or below His attention and love. He calls us to do the same for everyone we encounter in our daily lives.

Paul reminds us that “because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence” (v. 12). The only thing that can separate us from God is us. Through our acceptance of Christ as our savior, we can be born again and live in Him.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for Jesus coming to be with us, to show us Your love and forgiveness. May we treat each other as Jesus did, loving all Your children because of His love for us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:21-27.

“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.”

We have heard the Good News and seen the difference it makes, in our lives and in eternity. Why then do we continue our former patterns of behavior toward each other? The chaos and raised voices we experience every day are not the way God calls us to live.

Paul tells us “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes” (v. 23). If we live as Jesus showed us, we can be made new, part of His ministry to all the earth. Paul says we can have a “new nature” (v. 24), but it is really the original nature in which we were created.

Perhaps the most important guidance in this passage, and the hardest for us to obey, is “not letting anger control you” (v. 26). Anger is a divisive and nonproductive emotion. Jesus taught us the way of peace, and we can all do better every day following His example.

Loving Lord, we have been shown what is right and good, but we still fall back into our old ways when we face opposition. Help us to speak and act with Your love, sharing a better way of living with all our brothers and sisters. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:7-10.

“Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.”

We seem to think that if no one sees it, it didn’t happen. Paul tells us plainly that our Heavenly Father sees everything and “you cannot mock the justice of God” (v. 7). He isn’t hovering over our shoulders waiting for us to mess up, but because He is always with us, nothing escapes His notice.

There are consequences for sin, not always immediately apparent, but we are responsible for what we do. We are told that “those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life” (v. 8), which is the blessing of seeking God and obeying His will. However, there is help and forgiveness when we fall if we repent.

Paul sums it up well in verse 9, saying “let’s not get tired of doing what is good”. God is always there, reaching out to each of us. If we accept God’s love through Christ’s sacrifice for us, we are called to be like Jesus ourselves, sharing the blessing of our relationship with Him with the world. 

Loving Lord, we are sorry for our failure to love as You have shown us. Help us to be Your people, carrying the Good News everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭4:4-7‬.

“But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.”

Paul uses an example from his time to describe Jesus coming to buy our freedom from slavery to sin. God loved us so much He was willing to come to be one of us in order to break the hold of evil in our lives. He writes that the law which was meant to guide and protect us had been manipulated by people and had taken the place of an honest, loving connection to the Father.

You may have heard me use the phrase “love God, love neighbor, make disciples”. It’s a combination of the Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22:37) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19). Jesus said these things to show us what is most important in our lives and the task we are given to carry on His ministry. We don’t really need a rule for every situation that occurs if we believe and obey these.

Jesus wants us to choose a relationship with God, loving Him above all things, loving our brothers and sisters in the same way and going into the world to share that joy. It sounds so simple, that we can be connected to God and each other through the only covenant that matters – His love for us. If we repent and accept God’s promise, we can be free from sin, free to do what He calls us to accomplish, and free to live with Him eternally.

Loving Lord, we are rule-based creatures, but we don’t follow them faithfully and we twist them to our own advantage. Free us from captivity to sin and send us to share the Good News. Amen.