Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is 1 John 3:14-24.

If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them. We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him. And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.

John writes that love is at the core of every worthwhile relationship. We know what real love is because we see it in the life of Jesus, in His teachings and His actions. As Jesus gave His life for us, we must be ready to give our lives for others.

Note that this does not necessarily mean to die for others. Yes, we should be willing to do so because of Christ’s sacrifice for us, but we should be ready to give of our lives on a daily basis. John tells us if one sees “a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?” (v. 17).

How can we say we would give our life for another but be unwilling to spend a few minutes or a few dollars to meet their need? We can’t erase issues by ourselves in most cases, but we can make a difference. God calls us to work together as the body of Christ and it is together that we will bring the world to Him.

Gracious God, help us to be Your light and love in a broken world. May we be the image of Jesus to those who need to know Your love and care. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 John 3:1-10.

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure. Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is. Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

John tells us that “Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God” (v. 10). To be honest, none of us are without sin, but when we live in God’s love, we make a conscious effort to avoid sin and take responsibility for our failings, asking forgiveness and repenting. This is what separates the children of God from those of the world.

You have heard the saying “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven”, and this is true because when something comes between us and God, we ask for His mercy and strength to do better. The difference between Judas betraying Jesus and Peter denying Jesus is that Peter remains connected to Him and accepts His forgiveness, becoming a leader in the early church. When sin enters our lives, running away won’t help.

God wants to forgive us, but we must want forgiveness and be willing to admit our wrongdoing. In this way we can be restored to God’s family and continue the work He has for us. We don’t carry our past sins as baggage, we give them up to the Lord and move on to better lives in Him.

Loving Lord, we know we have failed before but You came to take away our sins. Help us to live in Your forgiveness, made new by Your mercy, carrying the Good News to everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:18-25.

Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come. These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us. But you are not like that, for the Holy One has given you his Spirit, and all of you know the truth. So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies. And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist. Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either. But anyone who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us.

John writes to the people of his time and all that follow, including us, that “the last hour is here” (v. 18). My personal belief and that of many, is that the last days began when Christ returned to heaven. He told us that “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know” (Acts 1:7).

This is guidance we must live by, not concerning ourselves with the specifics of “when”, but the fact that the Lord Jesus will return and we must be ready, whenever that occurs in God’s timing. A popular saying is “we’re the welcoming committee, not the planning committee”. This means sharing God’s love and welcoming new Christians right up until the time we welcome Christ back to gather us all. For this reason, John tells us we “must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning” (v. 24).

Waiting is not easy, and many long to see the end of days just to see Jesus. However, John writes that “in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us” (v. 25). If we are faithful to the lessons He gave and go to share His love, we shall see Jesus!

Heavenly Father, we are so thankful for the gift of our Messiah. Help us to go in faith and love to share the Good News with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:12-17.

“I am writing to you who are God’s children because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus. I am writing to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I am writing to you who are young in the faith because you have won your battle with the evil one. I have written to you who are God’s children because you know the Father. I have written to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I have written to you who are young in the faith because you are strong. God’s word lives in your hearts, and you have won your battle with the evil one. Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”

John writes to us about keeping our focus on God and not being distracted by the things of this world. “Things” are not evil in and of themselves, they can’t perform actions by choice as we do. It is our choice to disobey God that brought evil into the world.

We are warned that our “craving for everything we see” (v. 16) will lead us astray, and that this world is only our temporary home. John tells us “this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave” (v. 17). Our possessions, money, and power will not accompany us into the world to come, nor can they save us.

Only by repenting and accepting God’s love sent to us in Jesus can we enter eternal life. Jesus came to show us how God’s wonderful gift can be ours and that His mercy extends to all His children. When we believe and change our hearts and lives in accordance with His will, we become part of His plan of salvation for all.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for our selfish disobedience. Help us to choose You always and forever, sharing Your love with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 John 2:7-11.

Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining. If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in darkness. Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.

John warns that we can fool ourselves by being dishonest, but only our genuine love for God and others will lead to salvation. He reminds us this is not a new commandment but “an old one you have had from the very beginning” (v. 7). Without love for God and our brothers and sisters, we are living in darkness. 

However, because of God’s love for all His children, Jesus came to save us and “the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining” (v. 8). He is the one true light and He calls us to be part of sharing this blessing with the world. Loving one another means being willing to go where our gifts are needed, giving back to God by caring for each other.

We will encounter opposition as we share the Gospel, but we go in His strength to overcome evil with good. The world will offer a thousand reasons why this will never work, but Jesus offers us the truth. He loved us so much He was willing to die for us, we can offer Him nothing less in return. 

Gracious God, in Your mercy Jesus came to save us. We don’t deserve this blessing but You came to redeem us just the same. Send us in Your name to carry the Good News everywhere. Amen.

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

“My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.”

John puts it plainly speaking about Jesus – “He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins” (v. 2). Through Jesus, God has given us the greatest gift of all, eternal life with Him. Now that we are saved, John tells us we must obey God’s commandments and live in the truth.

It is hard to follow Christ’s example, as He told us it would be. The world does not change for good easily. It requires our faith, love and often, hard work in the face of opposition. 

Jesus was willing to suffer humiliation and death for us. John tells us He is the “advocate who pleads our case before the Father” (v. 1). He has called us to continue the ministry of love and reconciliation He began, bringing everyone back into connection with God. 

Loving Lord, we are grateful for Your example and Your everlasting love for us. Help us to follow in faith, bringing the Good News to all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 John 1:5-10.

“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

The apostle John is credited with many writings found in the New Testament. His Gospel and the Book of Revelation are well known, but he also wrote three letters that are part of our spiritual heritage. I’ll explore these here over the summer.

John writes “God is light and in him there is no darkness at all” (v. 5). God created everything we know and experience. Without His intentional creating act, we would not even exist.

When we thank God for “everything”, let us remember that we are a part of that, made in His image, but living only because He willed it to be. Without God, there is nothing. Our life comes only from Him and only He can forgive and save us.

Loving Lord, we thank You for our very being. May we be the workers You send to share Your love everywhere. 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.

While this passage sounds frightening, believers are promised to be saved from the destruction. Peter tells us “what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along” (v. 11-12). Christ came to show us the way, and when we are repentant, we can be saved.

We are called to “peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in His sight” (v. 14). We also must share the joy we find in being children of the living God, telling others of His love. In this way, we fulfill our commission from Jesus to carry the Good News to the world.

Peter mentions Paul and his letters, and that some of his comments are hard to understand (v. 16). Even then believers had to think and evaluate what they heard and read, as we must now. Pray and ask for discernment, that we may truly understand God’s word as He has spoken it.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for the gift of scripture, given to us that we might be connected to You. Help us to continue to grow in our knowledge of Your kingdom, that we may share Your love with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭3:1-10.

“This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory. I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles. Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed. But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.”

Peter reminds us that while the Day of the Lord will come as a surprise, Jesus and the prophets have taught us how to be ready. We must repent, accept the gift of life He has given us and be ready to stand with Him when the day arrives. By changing our hearts and lives now we will be prepared for the coming of His kingdom.

Peter writes that “the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment” (v. 10), which is the sad truth. However, he tells us that God “is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (v. 9). God is giving us every chance to turn from sin and be saved.

We have been blessed with the truth of Christ, the certain hope of the resurrection and the promise of eternal life. It is a choice we must make and when we choose to follow Him, we accept the obligation of the cross. May we go to share His love with everyone.

Loving Lord, we are humbled by Your call to be part of the kingdom work. Bless us to be faithful and energetic as we carry the Good News to the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 2 Peter‬ ‭2:1-9‬.

But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed. For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment. And God did not spare the ancient world—except for Noah and the seven others in his family. Noah warned the world of God’s righteous judgment. So God protected Noah when he destroyed the world of ungodly people with a vast flood. Later, God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and turned them into heaps of ashes. He made them an example of what will happen to ungodly people. But God also rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a righteous man who was sick of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him. Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day. So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.

Peter warns that there will always be those who reject God’s sovereign rule and follow their own ways. These are dangerous people who can lead believers astray. He cautions us “For God did not spare even the angels who sinned” (v. 4), teaching that there are consequences for disobedience.

However, God is loving and merciful toward all His creation. While there are stories of punishment for sin, there are also stories of people saved by their faith. Noah and Lot are mentioned in this passage; later we will hear of God saving His people from slavery and leading them to the Promised Land. Through all of these scriptures we find God offering us another chance.

God sent Jesus as our ultimate chance at forgiveness and eternal life with Him. Christ told us “I am the way and the truth and the life; no one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). When we follow Him and make His teaching part of our lives, God uses us as agents of His plan, resisting evil and sharing His love with all the world.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for Your grace and mercy shown through Christ’s sacrifice for us. Make us the disciples of today, going in Your name to share the Gospel with everyone. Amen.