Category: Daily Prayer

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

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

God calls us all into a relationship with Him, through His eternal love for us and the guidance for living He gives. While He calls us all, it is a personal decision for each one of us. This is the beauty of His plan for us, individuals united in His love as one.

John writes “every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith” (v. 4). We can stand against worldly things through the strength God gives us. While we often feel as if we stand alone, God is always there for us. Obeying His commandments empowers us to resist evil.

Jesus came to show us God’s love and our faith in Him compels us to share that love. By reaching out to our brothers and sisters we become part of His kingdom work, showing the world the blessing of a connection with Him. Through our individual and combined efforts, with God’s help, we can make a difference.

Loving Lord, we are thankful to be Your children, called for a purpose. Help our thoughts, words and actions reflect Your love for all people. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:16-21.

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first. If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.

If we are asked what the Bible tells us, the best answer in my opinion is “love”. It’s the story of God’s love for us from creation right up to this moment. Many believers have been inspired by His love to share their experience and understanding that we might come to know God’s love as well.

Jesus taught us the greatest commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: love your neighbor as yourself” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22:37-39‬)‭. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:13 “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” In this passage, John says “we love each other because He loved us first” (v. 19).

God’s unchanging love for us is the only reason we exist, and He calls us to share that love with all our brothers and sisters. We can only demonstrate our love for Him by loving others. It may not be easy, but it is our commission from Christ to bring all people to the Father.

Gracious God, we are sorry when we fail to love others as You intend. Forgive us and make us strong in faith to bear Your love to all the world. Amen.

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

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

The whole of scripture is about God’s love for us and how we should love Him in return. The only reason we exist at all is because He loves us, and the only way to be saved is to accept His love and share it with the world. He loves us so much that He became one of us to better teach us His ways.

John writes about God’s love for us in his Gospel and his three letters. Even his Revelation, which can be a little frightening and confusing, is about God’s love for us. God has promised us eternal life if we connect to Him and obey His commandments.

The “obey” part of the covenant is where we fall into trouble. Thankfully, the God of love offers us forgiveness when we recognize our mistakes and return to Him. No matter what we have done, God wants to redeem us from our sins that we may have new life in Him.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for Your love and forgiveness. Help us to follow the example Jesus gave us, loving You and one another. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 John‬ ‭4:1-6‬.

Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here. But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.

John warns us against “believing everything we hear”. He asks us to test what we are told to discern whether it comes from God or the world. The ways of the world are in opposition to God’s plan for us to be connected to Him and love one another.

Jesus came as a human so we could relate to him directly as a person. Because of this we know He understands our frailty and our needs. He shows us what a life lived fully in God can be, sharing the gifts we are given for everyone’s good.

We must avoid the spirit of the world and put our faith in Christ in order to be saved. Nothing the world offers can accomplish this. All our hope is in Him and we will rejoice at His return.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for Your coming to be one of us and Your sacrifice for us. By this we are called to be part of Your plan and one with You. Amen.

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.