Category: Daily Prayer

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.

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.