Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is Romans 9:30-33.

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. As it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.

Paul writes that seeking righteousness on our own terms (works) rather than by belief (faith) will never be successful. We must first have faith and then act as a response to our faith if we want to be righteous in the sight of God. This has been a source of discussion for centuries.

The familiar passage from the book of James says “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17). Jesus taught us that acting out of God’s love for us is essential. At the end of the Parable of the Good Samaritan He tells us “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37).

Faith and works are a powerful combination for spreading the Good News to all God’s children. Faith is between us and our Creator; works are between us and our brothers and sisters. Both are needed if we are to be saved and effective servants of our Savior.

Loving Lord, we are grateful to be in relationship with You and all Your people here on earth. Help us to share Your love everywhere and always. Amen.

Our scripture today is Romans 6:3-10.

Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

Paul continues an explanation of faith in his Letter to the Romans. He makes an unusual statement – “all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death” (v. 3). He shows that through Christ’s sacrifice we too can conquer sin and death by trusting Him.

Jesus explained that we must “die” to self and the selfish things of this world in order to follow Him. To be free of sin we must be willing to put the needs of others ahead of our own, to worry more about people, and less about possessions or position. It is not always easy, but it is always right.

Paul writes “The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God” (v. 10). Because of this we can choose to be free from the curse of sin by choosing Christ. His sacrifice has opened the path to eternal life and His example shows us the way.

Gracious God, thank You for sending Jesus to show us the joy of a life in You. Strengthen us and send us to share Your love with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Romans 5:15-17.

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

Even in modern English translations, Paul is sometimes difficult to follow. Today’s passage was taken from the New International Version (NIV). In these verses he compares the curse brought about by Adam’s disobedience with the blessing we have received through Christ’s obedience.

Paul explains that while humanity chose our own way, Jesus chose to obey God, remaining sinless even in the face of all human temptation and wickedness. More than this, His sacrifice at the hands of those frightened of losing control stood as our sacrifice for all time, God’s forgiveness poured out for His people. God planned our redemption and Jesus lived it out for all to see.

This gift of salvation is offered to all who confess Jesus as Lord and earnestly repent of their sins. There are no strings, no memory of past wrongs, only the joy of being restored. God waits for us with the open arms of love, wanting only for us to be in relationship with Him.

Loving Lord, we are amazed at what You have done to save Your sinful children. Thank You for sending Jesus to show us the way back to You. Amen.

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

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God will repay each person according to what they have done.

Paul writes that by judging each other we judge ourselves, echoing a teaching from Jesus “Do not judge, or you too will be judged” (Matthew 7:1). Both are warning us against our tendency to compare others to our own standards, and that whatever standard we apply will also be applied to us. Instead of judging each other we must concentrate on achieving God’s standards ourselves and leave the judging to Him.

This is hard in a human world that thrives on comparing things and people. We shake our heads at how much people make or what they spend it on. We complain about too much or too little government action on issues. We make decisions about others without all the facts.

The only standard we need and the only comparison we should ever make is between ourselves and Jesus. Are we loving and sharing as He did? That is the most difficult judging we will ever do and the one we are most reluctant to accomplish.

Gracious God, we are thankful that You judge us all fairly by the standard Jesus showed for us. Help us to love each other as You first loved us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Romans‬ ‭1:8-12‬.

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.”
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Paul begins his letter to the Christians in Rome with thanks to God for their faith and his desire to share that faith together. This is something we have likely missed over the last two years as well, the gathering of the faithful separated due to the pandemic. Being together as the body of Christ is important to our spiritual well-being.

Jesus modeled a prayer life that included quiet time alone with God, but most of His life and ministry was with people, spending time in small groups for discussion and large groups for teaching. We were created for relationship with God and each other, and this exchange is essential for our growth in faith.

Paul longed to be in personal contact with the family of believers in Rome instead of just writing to them. If you have been separated from family, friends and church due to the infection, consider ways you can safely begin to be part of the gathering again. While our technology has helped us stay in touch, nothing beats face to face human contact. God wants us all to be together!

Heavenly Father, thank You for making us to be connected, with You and our brothers and sisters. Bless us to strengthen our faith and to share it in love with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 20:26-31.

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

I have always longed for the experience the disciples had, seeing the risen Christ in person. Even the Damascus Road experience of Paul (Acts 9:1-19) would be wonderful, hearing Christ call me into His service. However, these were not given to me for the same reason they were given to the disciples and Paul.

In this passage we hear of Jesus appearing to His disciples in the locked room. Thomas had not been with them during the first visit, and had said “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” (John 20:25). Thomas is only asking to have the same experience the others had, wanting desperately to believe but needing the blessing of Christ’s presence again.

Thomas and the others had known Jesus in person as their friend and teacher, so it was essential to their credibility that they see the Lord in person after His resurrection. They have been charged with carrying on His ministry and sharing the Good News far and wide. Jesus tells them “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (v. 29). This is the reason we believe, the faithful testimony given by those who knew Him, and the reason we are called to carry on the mission.

Loving Lord, thank You for meeting our need to hear the Gospel, handed down by believers through time. Strengthen us and send us to do the same, loving as Jesus did and telling the world that Your kingdom has come near. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Corinthians 5:6-8.

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Paul speaks to the Corinthians using an analogy about dough that also applies to our lives. He teaches that a small amount of disobedience can affect everything we do individually, and likewise individual bad actions can negatively influence a larger group. He tells us what we think and do is important, not just to us but also to those around us.

Our conduct as Christians is especially important because others watch God’s children to see if all this “Jesus talk” is just that – empty words. If our behavior does not match what we profess in Christ, we are failing Him. Paul encourages us to be “the unleavened bread of truth and sincerity” (v. 8).

Jesus was willing to be obedient to God, even unto death. While it is unlikely that any of us will be called to face death for our faith today, we must always be ready to testify to the truth of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection to save us from sin. Jesus has called us as the disciples of today to share the Gospel with everyone.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to teach us and redeem us. Bless us to go in Your name, telling the world the Good News of Your kingdom. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 20:1-18.

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

The grief that followers of Jesus felt after His crucifixion was deep and painful. Their wonderful friend and teacher had been put to death by a combination of religious and political power. How would they live out His lessons if it meant they might die for their faith?

The answer of course is that many would willingly face death for their belief in Christ, even in the 21st century. After Jesus appeared to Mary, she ran to share the news with the disciples, and reports came in from others to whom He had appeared as well (Luke 24:13-35). Death has been defeated and we all begin a new chapter in our faith, following Christ’s Great Commission to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

Today we celebrate with the same joy as His first followers and go in His name as they did that all the world may know the blessing of His resurrection. We ask His forgiveness for our sin and unbelief, and by His blood we are washed clean. Christ is risen; He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Loving Lord, we are amazed at Your saving power and Your mercy toward us. Help us to share the love You showed through Christ’s sacrifice for us and send us into all the earth to tell others the wonderful redemption story. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Peter 4:1-8.

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

While Jesus was in the tomb, the disciples grieved and hid. Perhaps none were quite so devastated as Peter, who had denied in public that he had even known Jesus. It was a dark time as they asked themselves why the man they claimed as Lord and Savior had to die in this manner.

After the Resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples, forgiving and restoring Peter (John 21:15-19), calling him to be a leader of the believers and a voice for the Way. In today’s scripture passage Peter speaks to God’s children everywhere, encouraging them to give up the sinful behavior they have known and live a new life in Christ.

He tells us specifically to “love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” (v. 8), reminding us that whatever we may have done in the past is past, and Jesus stands ready to forgive us when we repent of our disobedience. We are all called to turn from our evil thoughts and activities and follow the path to eternal life that Jesus has showed us, sharing God’s love with everyone.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to teach and save us. Bless us to be the disciples of today, carrying Christ’s message of hope and love to all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Hebrews‬ ‭10:16-25‬.

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days” says the Lord: “I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds,” he also adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

The Letter to the Hebrews shares wonderful wisdom as we remember Christ’s example and sacrifice for us. It speaks of the humble thankfulness we feel knowing that Jesus was obedient even unto death for our sins. Our Lord went to the cross that we might be saved.

We could never repay the enormous debt of our sins, but Jesus paid it all through His crucifixion. He waits for us to give up these sins to Him that they may be forgotten. Through His sacrifice we may be washed clean forever and become His representatives here on earth.

What an amazing gift! God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to teach and save us. If we accept Him as Lord and Savior, we are blessed to follow His path, sharing God’s love with all His children.

Heavenly Father, we are grateful for Your saving grace, demonstrated in the life, death and Resurrection of Your son, Jesus Christ. Help us to be the people created in Your image, spreading the Gospel to everyone. Amen.