Category: Daily Prayer

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.

Our scripture this morning is Acts 2:1-21.

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved’.

At Pentecost, Peter and the disciples receive the gift of the Holy Spirit as Jesus promised. They are blessed with the ability to share the glory of God in a way that all those assembled in Jerusalem for the holiday may understand. We are told the crowds were amazed that “we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God” (v. 11).

While I was a pastor, it was always difficult to get someone to read the scripture on Pentecost Sunday because of all the strange place names in this passage. Can you imagine how hard it was for people to believe the disciples were speaking in the languages of all those places? God gave them the gift of being able to communicate with a variety of different people to spread the message of His love as Jesus had taught them. This is the beginning of their ministry, blessed with new confidence and joy.

We may not be able to speak in foreign languages, but God has given us many ways of reaching out to our brothers and sisters around the world. On this Day of Pentecost 2022, we are called to join with all that have gone before us and continue the mission Jesus has given us – to make disciples of all nations and share the love of God with everyone. May we be brave and joyful as Peter and the rest of the apostles were on that first celebration.

Gracious God, You have blessed us to be kingdom messengers, carrying the Good News far and wide. Strengthen us in our faith to be energetic servants, glad to go wherever we are sent in Your name. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is James 3:3-10.

We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!

Do you remember as a child hearing the rhyme “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me?” The sad truth is that our words can hurt others. The apostle James warns us that “the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body” (v. 6). When we say things that hurt others, we disobey God.

We who claim the name of Jesus have a responsibility to uphold God’s word, and to speak to each other in love and peace. Proverbs 8:7 tells us “for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips”. Saying hurtful things against another child of God is not part of His plan.

As a society, we seem to have forgotten this and harsh words fly across many paths of communication. This is not what Jesus taught us! We must consider all our words and insure they reflect the love of God, even when we are required to correct behavior or stand against evil. We are taught “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9).

Loving Lord, help us to curb our tongues and speak only according to Your word. May we be a channel of Your love in all we say and do. Amen.