Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Titus‬ ‭2:11-14.

For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

Paul writes that “We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God” (v. 12), a call to evaluate our relationship with our Creator and the example we set here. It is easy to be angry about the inequities we see in this world, but Jesus teaches us to work together to care for all God’s children.

While righteous anger can be a catalyst for action, it is rarely productive in and of itself. Being angry takes a lot of energy and may actually distract us from the issue we want to resolve. We must move beyond anger to achieve solutions.

This passage reminds us that through Christ’s sacrifice for us, we have been washed clean, called and empowered to share God’s love in the world. We must not let sin back in through being angry. Breathe in God’s spirit, breathe out His love, and go with renewed hope to spread the Good News.

Gracious God, we are sorry for the times we let our anger prevent us from accomplishing the tasks You give us. May we be Your people, fueled by the love with which You created us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Galatians 5:13-18.

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

(the emphasis above is mine, not from the New Living Translation I have been using recently)

Most of you who are acquainted with me know I am rarely at a loss for words, but on this Independence Day, I am struggling. I am concerned for all of us in our current situation. I don’t remember a time when I have heard public discord at this level.

We are all struggling with our rights as humans. Defining and protecting our rights has always been a problem and we have wrestled with many issues with varying degrees of success over the years. I have opinions on everything, as everyone does, but I am reluctant to discuss them in most online forums because of encountering the very thing Paul warns us of: “But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another” (v. 15).

As a pastor, I feel my call is to share Christ’s love with everyone and encourage them to have a personal relationship with Him. There are social issues in our world to be addressed, but nothing will improve until we are able to treat each other as Jesus did, with love and acceptance. I ask each of you to prayerfully ask for wisdom and patience, and make an honest attempt at discussion with each other. There are raging voices at the extreme ends of every issue and while we all need to vent our frustration, it must not be at the expense of others. I believe there are many more less strident voices available for honest conversation than there are contentious ones. May God help us to listen to each other’s fears and concerns, and express our own in constructive ways.

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for the way we often treat each other. Bless us to love all Your children, even those with whom we disagree. In Your name we pray. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3:26-29.

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.

Paul teaches that the only real division among us is that of believers or non-believers. In Christ’s love for us, He died for everyone for all time. The only way to be left out is to exclude ourselves by not choosing to follow Him.

Many analogies have been used to describe our new lives in Christ. Paul tells us that “all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes” (v. 27) and that we are all one in Him. This faith assures us of being counted as God’s children.

By accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become part of the body of Christ, charged with sharing His love throughout the world. Using our gifts together, we become strong in Him. This was God’s plan all along, that our faith would unite us to go in His name, telling everyone the Good News.

Gracious God, thank You for the gift of Jesus and faithful followers who have passed on the faith from generation to generation. Bless us to be part of Your kingdom, loving the world as You first loved us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Jude‬ ‭1:17-23.

But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ predicted. They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them. But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

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The Epistle of Jude is one of seven general letters in the New Testament, written to Christians across the world rather than to a specific church or community. Tradition tells us that Jude was the brother of James, that in some passages he is referred to as Thaddeus, and counted as one of the Twelve. His teaching begins with a warning that is still important today.

He writes that there are divisive forces in the world and in the church, people who do not have God’s spirit and do as they please (v. 19). We are taught to keep ourselves safe in God’s love and to “show mercy to those whose faith is wavering” (v. 22). Jesus gave us the example of love for those who do not yet believe when He forgave those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34).

We are called to share God’s love with everyone, including those who oppose us. It is not always easy, but it is the commandment Christ gave us. We are to reach out to the world, that all may come to know His truth and love.

Heavenly Father, You have called us to be part of Your plan to redeem all Your children. Make us strong in our faith to go into a dark world with Your light. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭1 John‬ ‭5:18-21‬.

We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them. We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.

John closes his first letter with confidence in the faith of God’s people. He also warns us “Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts” (v. 21). While we have received forgiveness, we still must choose Him over the world every day.

We are told that evil never rests and “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5:8‬). We must avoid the attractions and distractions of this world, keeping our minds focused on the eternal promise God offers us. Sharing His love with the world is the best way to keep evil out of our lives.

Since Jesus came to be with us we can “live in fellowship with the true God” (v. 20). Our hearts and minds have been changed and we see the world for what it is. Don’t allow this temporary existence to keep us from everlasting life.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for the gift of our savior, who came to teach us what real love and real life can be. Bless us to share this joy with all our brothers and sisters. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 John 5:6-12.

“And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross—not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony. So we have these three witnesses— the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree. Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son. All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son. And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.”

John talks about the water, the blood and the Spirit giving us testimony that Jesus is the son of God. Jesus came to be one of us and although He did not need to be forgiven of sin, He came to be baptized in order to show His love and connection with us (Matthew 3:13-17). From the very beginning of His public ministry, Jesus wanted us to see Him as our brother.

Jesus was obedient even unto death and on the cross He poured out His blood that we might be saved. His sacrifice for us shows how dearly God loves all His children and sets the example for us to be willing to give up our lives for others (John 15:13). At the Last Supper He told His disciples “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:27-28).

The gift of Holy Spirit came to His followers at Pentecost (Acts 2) and to all of us since then. This is His presence with us to guide and protect us from falling back into sin. We may still make mistakes, but we are promised forgiveness when we repent and turn back to God. The waters of baptism, the saving blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit all prove that we are God’s beloved children and called to be part of His plan of salvation.

Gracious God, we do not deserve any of the gifts You give, but You bless us just the same. Help us to be the people of the light, sharing Your love with all the world. Amen.

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

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

God calls us all into a relationship with Him, through His eternal love for us and the guidance for living He gives. While He calls us all, it is a personal decision for each one of us. This is the beauty of His plan for us, individuals united in His love as one.

John writes “every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith” (v. 4). We can stand against worldly things through the strength God gives us. While we often feel as if we stand alone, God is always there for us. Obeying His commandments empowers us to resist evil.

Jesus came to show us God’s love and our faith in Him compels us to share that love. By reaching out to our brothers and sisters we become part of His kingdom work, showing the world the blessing of a connection with Him. Through our individual and combined efforts, with God’s help, we can make a difference.

Loving Lord, we are thankful to be Your children, called for a purpose. Help our thoughts, words and actions reflect Your love for all people. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:16-21.

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first. If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.

If we are asked what the Bible tells us, the best answer in my opinion is “love”. It’s the story of God’s love for us from creation right up to this moment. Many believers have been inspired by His love to share their experience and understanding that we might come to know God’s love as well.

Jesus taught us the greatest commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: love your neighbor as yourself” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22:37-39‬)‭. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:13 “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” In this passage, John says “we love each other because He loved us first” (v. 19).

God’s unchanging love for us is the only reason we exist, and He calls us to share that love with all our brothers and sisters. We can only demonstrate our love for Him by loving others. It may not be easy, but it is our commission from Christ to bring all people to the Father.

Gracious God, we are sorry when we fail to love others as You intend. Forgive us and make us strong in faith to bear Your love to all the world. Amen.

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

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

The whole of scripture is about God’s love for us and how we should love Him in return. The only reason we exist at all is because He loves us, and the only way to be saved is to accept His love and share it with the world. He loves us so much that He became one of us to better teach us His ways.

John writes about God’s love for us in his Gospel and his three letters. Even his Revelation, which can be a little frightening and confusing, is about God’s love for us. God has promised us eternal life if we connect to Him and obey His commandments.

The “obey” part of the covenant is where we fall into trouble. Thankfully, the God of love offers us forgiveness when we recognize our mistakes and return to Him. No matter what we have done, God wants to redeem us from our sins that we may have new life in Him.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for Your love and forgiveness. Help us to follow the example Jesus gave us, loving You and one another. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 John‬ ‭4:1-6‬.

Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here. But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.

John warns us against “believing everything we hear”. He asks us to test what we are told to discern whether it comes from God or the world. The ways of the world are in opposition to God’s plan for us to be connected to Him and love one another.

Jesus came as a human so we could relate to him directly as a person. Because of this we know He understands our frailty and our needs. He shows us what a life lived fully in God can be, sharing the gifts we are given for everyone’s good.

We must avoid the spirit of the world and put our faith in Christ in order to be saved. Nothing the world offers can accomplish this. All our hope is in Him and we will rejoice at His return.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for Your coming to be one of us and Your sacrifice for us. By this we are called to be part of Your plan and one with You. Amen.