Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is 2 Peter 1:1-8.

This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior. May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter begins his second letter to believers with the hope that they will continue to learn and grow in Christ (v. 2). He reminds us that we have come to know God more fully through our experience with Jesus, and to better understand His promises to the faithful. This in turn will lead us to share the joy we have found in Him with all our brothers and sisters.

He gives us a list of behaviors that will enable us to be good stewards of the Gospel, necessary attitudes for spreading God’s truth and love. Paul speaks of similar activity in his fruits of the spirit passage (Galatians 5:22-23). God has called us to grow in His spirit in order to carry out the mission Jesus passed on to us.

We have a sacred trust and duty to continue to share the Good News everywhere, and these blessings will assist us in that effort. Peter tells us through spiritual growth we become “more productive and useful” (v. 8). May we emulate our Savior in teaching peace through God’s love to all the world.

Patient God, we ask that we might be more like Jesus in all our ways. Help us to share the love You first showed us, that all may come to be connected to You. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Peter‬ ‭5:6-11.

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen.

Peter closes his first letter with words of encouragement and warning to the early church, which are just as applicable for us today. The devil still prowls, “looking for someone to devour” (v. 8). We can be overcome by evil unless we stay aware and connected to God.

He tells us that we are called to endure what the world subjects us to for the sake of Christ’s sacrifice for us. However, any pain we suffer during this life will be more than worth it for the joy of eternity with God. He teaches us to “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (v. 7), and that by this we will be healed.

Nothing the world does to us can affect our souls. The hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” reminds us “The body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still”. When we live in faith and believe His truth, we are truly saved.

Heavenly Father, we are grateful for Your protection. Help us to stand firm in Your love, sharing the joy of our connection with You with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Peter‬ ‭4:12-19.

“Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? And also, “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?” So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.”

Peter encourages us to stand firm in the face of adversity, not allowing the ways of the world to affect our faith. He reminds us that Jesus suffered on our behalf, and if we suffer for His name, we are blessed. Christ calls us to continue His ministry no matter what the cost.

Our world is a dangerous place to be a Christian. While we may not risk injury or death as many have for their faith, we face temptation and unbelief every day. Evil only needs a small opportunity to distract us from our holy task to share God’s love.

When we are distracted by issues that inflame our passions, we can act with the wrong motives. Are we arguing to prove someone wrong or to show Christ’s love? We must consider how He would respond and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, rather than our often out of control emotions.

Heavenly Father, we ask Your blessing on all Your children, not just those with whom we agree. Make us the bearers of Your love and truth in all situations. Amen.

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

“The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.”

Peter speaks of our spiritual gifts and how they are intended to be shared with God’s children everywhere. We all have gifts to share, diverse in nature and intended for us to use together. Paul outlines many of these in Romans 12, Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 12-13. Peter tells us to “use them well to serve each other” (v. 10).

No matter what spiritual gift we have, we are called to use them “with all the strength and energy that God supplies” (v. 11). God has given us important work to do while we are here, to ensure everyone hears the Good News and is ready for Christ’s return. Our gifts are necessary to accomplish our Great Commission from Jesus.

Unsure about your spiritual gifts? Prayer and discussion with our brothers and sisters can help us discern what we are gifted with and how to use it as God wants. All have skills that are needed for the work of the kingdom, and we must go into the world to share the joy we have found in Him.

Gracious God, we are thankful for all Your gifts to us. Help us to be fervent in our faith and our work, that all the world may know the truth of Christ. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Peter 3:13-18.

“Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong! Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.”

Peter gives us wise teaching, essential then and now for our interaction with others. If Christ is the center of our lives and we are “eager to do good”, we are living as He intends. Peter realizes this through his own failings, but he was restored by Christ Himself and called to feed His sheep (John 21:17).

If we no longer worry about what the world thinks of us, we are free in the love of Jesus to do good. It is often hard to stand against earthly opinions, but we know who we live for and what we are called to do. When we face opposition, we take courage in knowing the world opposed Jesus as well.

Jesus showed us by word and example – by His life, death and resurrection – what God wants of us and what we can expect of Him. When we follow His example, we are made whole again. Our faith in Him as our savior and Lord is all we need to live in His love and share it with everyone.

Gracious God, thank You for sending Jesus to love and save and free us. May we live new lives, bringing the Good News to all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Peter 2:1-7.

So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness. You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. As the Scriptures say, “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.”

Peter shares two important lessons for us – we are spiritually weak, needing to grow into salvation, but Jesus is our rock, “the living cornerstone of God’s temple” (v. 4). We can always count on Him to be the steadfast source of God’s love and mercy. Peter goes on to say that we are the “living stones” Christ will use to build His church.

This is a pretty awesome task to which God calls us. We each have gifts and weaknesses that make us unique individuals. Like a structure made of stones, God has a place and a purpose for everyone.

Each of us is precious to the Lord, and He loved us so much that He was willing to suffer shame and death on our behalf. Now He wants us to be the heart and strength of His church by continuing to share the Good News of His kingdom with the world. Lead us, Lord and may we be good stewards of the Gospel.

Heavenly Father, we are grateful for Your forgiveness when we are weak. Help us to be living stones, strong and faithful for You. Amen.

Our scripture today is ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:10-16‬.

This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward. They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy. “

Peter gives important teaching about the Good News and our responsibility to God and each other. He tells us to “prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control” (v. 13). It is our turn to share God’s love with the world.

We have been called to continue the ministry Jesus brought, telling everyone about His sacrifice for us that we might be reconnected with our Heavenly Father. Peter warns that we must not slip back into our old ways; that we didn’t know any better then (v. 14). Now that our minds have been opened to the truth of Christ, we are aware of our wrong behavior and must live new lives in Him.

Jesus will be revealed to the world in God’s time, and we shall see Him as He is. We must do all we can to be ready, including spreading the Gospel at every opportunity. We have a commission from Christ to make disciples of all nations and be ready to stand with Him on the last day.

Loving Lord, thank You for faithful witnesses who have passed Your word to succeeding generations. Help us to fulfill our call today, sharing Your love with all our brothers and sisters. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Peter 1:3-9.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

I see Peter as the poster boy for Christianity. He could go from the depths of sin, as when he denied even knowing Jesus (Luke 22:54-62), to the height of faith, as Jesus restores him to grace (John 21) and he speaks eloquently to those gathered at Pentecost (Acts 2). We should learn from his experiences.

In Peter we see human frailty, our doubt and fear taking hold. It would be frightening to see Christ arrested and mistreated, and not be afraid the same might happen to us. However, Jesus shows us that God’s power can overcome even death.

Peter learns this and later he and others rejoice even when they are arrested for preaching in Christ’s name (Acts 4). The power of the cross has changed their lives. We too must be ready to suffer whatever the world may hold for us, knowing we have been saved by the love of Jesus.

Heavenly Father, we are grateful for Your love, personified in Christ and demonstrated by faithful people through the ages. Help us to be the disciples of today, sharing the Gospel with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is James 4:1-10.

What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

James writes that the major cause of conflict in our lives and between each other is wanting what we don’t have. He then adds “you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure” (v. 3). How sad that we are so mistaken in our desires.

He warns that by being a friend of the world and indulging in its temptations we separate ourselves from God. This was the human problem from the moment we listened to evil’s call. However, we have been given God’s grace and mercy, and the spirit to help us “flee from the devil” (v. 7).

God wants us to be close to Him, by our own choice, not through fear. This passage closes with the joyful promise “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor (v. 10). He is a loving God and He stands ready to forgive us when we come in repentance.

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for the many times we have fallen into sin. Strengthen us in faith and make us the people You intend us to be, sent in Your name to share the Good News everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is James‬ ‭3:13-18‬.

If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

James writes much about our words and actions. Previously in his letter we have read “So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless” (James‬ ‭2:17‬). We are called to a living faith, one that demonstrates God’s love for all.

In this passage he teaches “If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom” (v. 13). We often become so wrapped up in our own wants that we ignore the needs of others. Christ calls us not just to do good to those who ask, but to actively seek the last, the least and the lost to share God’s love.

Our faith must be shared in order to be meaningful, through our personal witness and active love. Jesus wants us to go into the world to make a difference. He has shown us the way and given the gifts we need to be the messengers of the Good News.

Loving Lord, thank You for sending Your son to give us hope and strength. Bless us to be a blessing to others that all the world may come to You. Amen.