Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is Zechariah 14:9 (NLT).

And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day there will be one Lord—his name alone will be worshiped.

Zechariah wrote to the children of Israel during the captivity in Babylon, reminding them of their sinful behavior. However, he also reminded them of God’s promise to be their king and restore them. More than that, God’s kingdom will extend to all people.

Jesus began His public ministry with the words “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” (Mark 1:15). Repent and believe, that is what Christ asks of us. 

Paul tells us “And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory” (Colossians 3:4). We are blessed to follow our savior! Our love and trust in Him lead us to continue the work He began, sharing the Good News with the world. 

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to show us the way to salvation. May we be the disciples of today, going in His name to bring Your love to all. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 42:11 (NLT).

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!

I spent many, many joyful years in different choirs, so every time I read this verse my mind goes to the song “His Eye is on the Sparrow”.  This psalm and related quotes in the Gospels remind us that we are valuable to God. If God sees value in us, how can we not see the value in ourselves and others?

In Matthew 10:31 Jesus tells us “So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” Luke records almost the same quote “And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows” (Luke 12:7). God created everything and loves everything He created, but we were made for a higher purpose – to be part of His work here.

The final phrase of this verse is the source of our joy and our salvation. God made a way for us to be saved from our failure and to be reconnected to Him. We have no cause to be discouraged when our hope is in Him.

Why should I be discouraged? Why should the shadows come?

Why should my heart be lonely and long for heaven and home?

When Jesus is my portion, my constant friend is He.

His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me! 

His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me!

I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free.

For his eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 John 4:4-5 (NLT).

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.

Jesus said that there would be obstacles to our discipleship. However, John reminds us that “the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” When we accept the gift of the Holy Spirit that He sends, we can stand against worldly things.

In John 6:63 Jesus tells us “The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” This teaches that living by the Sprit’s guidance is the way to be saved. We can do nothing apart from Him.

Later as Jesus prepares to give Himself up for us, He says “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). God the Father made a way for Jesus the Son to save us when we live by the Holy Spirit. It is not through any power we have, but it is by our own decision through faith and love.

Gracious God, Your love created us and Your love saves us. We are sorry for the times we have tried to do it on our own, when there is only one way, Your way. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 43:1 (NLT).

But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.

Ransomed, redeemed and restored – God has done everything possible to bring us back from our willful disobedience to the connection He planned for us from the beginning. He brought His people out of Egypt and later sent His Son as the final sacrifice to save us from sin and death.

God created us to be in relationship with Him, in a different capacity than all His other creatures. We are made in His image, called to be the stewards of all He has given us. He gave us free will so that we might choose Him out of love. When we ignore our connection to Him and our responsibility, creation suffers.

Isaiah gives us the biggest reason that God continues His efforts on our behalf: “I have called you by name; you are mine.” He wants to be a part of our lives to sustain us, and make us part of what He is doing in the world. When He lives in us we can share that blessing with all our brothers and sisters.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we choose our way instead of the path of Christ. Forgive us and strengthen us by faith that we may bring the Good News to everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 6:25-26 (NLT).

That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?

Jesus warns us against trusting in the security of our wealth and possessions – this distracts us from our reliance on God. However, He doesn’t tell us not to plan or act, but not to be obsessed with our needs or our things. We are to use God’s gifts to provide for ourselves and others responsibly.

Later in Matthew’s Gospel Jesus says “What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31). All of this is to teach us how precious we are to God, who created us in His own image.

We are way too focused on the pursuit of “more”. The only thing most of us really need is more Jesus! This doesn’t mean our needs are selfish or unjustified, only that worrying won’t change anything. We can’t worry ourselves into salvation. Only our relationship with our Savior can do that.

Gracious God, help us not to worry about things and worry more about each other. Help us to use Your gifts wisely and spread the Good News to all. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Philippians 1:4-6 (NLT).

Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Paul expresses his confidence “that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” This simple statement tells us much about our faith and our call to be part of what God is doing in the world. It speaks of His presence with us, the power of prayer and our responsibility to spread the Good News.

First, we learn that God will never stop what He is doing in our lives to help us strengthen our relationship with Him and our brothers and sisters. We read in Isaiah 41:13 “For I hold you by your right hand— I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.” He is always there for us.

Paul says “Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy.” He knows that prayer is effective and it does us good as well when we pray for each other. He also reminds them (and us) that we are all “partners in spreading the Good News about Christ.” All of these work together to allow us to use our gifts as Jesus commanded to “go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times when our energy and focus fade and we don’t accomplish the work You have for us. Refresh us and send us to share Your love with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Ephesians 3:20-21 (NLT).

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

This passage leads me back to Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” Paul writes that God can “accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Our understanding of what God can do is limited; we need to open our hearts and minds to Him in order for His gifts to work through us.

God can certainly do whatever He wants, but He often chooses to work in the world using us as His representatives. When we are in connection with Him and listening for His guidance we can do amazing things. History is full of such examples.

Paul had been the “Persecutor General” of Christians originally. God chose to change him and when he accepted God’s call, he went on to spread the Gospel in unbelievable ways, traveling thousands of miles in an era when people rarely left the region in which they were born. God’s “mighty power at work within us” allows us to go in His name and share His love with the world.

Gracious God, You forgave our sin and brought us back to You through the sacrifice Jesus made for us. Bless us to be energetic bearers of the Good News everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Romans 12:1-2 (NLT).

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Paul writes about the gift God has given us of ourselves. Sometimes we don’t fully appreciate how we are wonderfully created. However, Paul is speaking about more than just the physical shell our spirits inhabit.

He teaches “let them be a living and holy sacrifice”, which means much more than just our flesh and blood. The CSB Study Bible: Notes call it a “dedication of the total person to living for God’s honor.” That’s a pretty tall order but Jesus has shown us the way.

He told us there would be opposition and obstacles, but if we allow God to transform the way we think as Paul puts it, we can be complete in body and spirit. God loves everyone and He has a purpose for each one of us.

Heavenly Father, we are awed at the wonder of Your creation, given to us in trust. Help us to use all our resources wisely, including ourselves. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Habakkuk 2:13-14 (NLT).

For as the waters fill the sea, the earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the Lord.

Everything owes its existence to God who spoke them into being. While we don’t necessarily think of nature offering praise to God, it does so by its very being. In Psalms 19:1-2 we read “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.”

We were made to be in a relationship with God and offer our praise, too. Revelation 5:13 tells us “And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.” 

When the Pharisees told Jesus to quiet His followers as they cheered His entry to Jerusalem, He replied “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!” (Luke 19:40). We are all part of the chorus of creation and we offer Him our thanks and praise.

Heavenly Father, we are amazed at the wonderful world You have made for us and filled it with good things. Bless us to be good stewards of everything You have given us and go to share that blessing with all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Hebrews 11:1-2 (NLT).

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.  Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.

Paul reminds us that before the coming of Christ people connected to God by faith alone. Martin Luther wrote “we are saved by faith in Christ alone”, meaning no amount of good works without a connection to the Lord can lead to salvation. Jesus told us “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Faith means we believe in something outside ourselves, that God will keep His promises when we follow the path Jesus set for us. It’s still faith alone, but He gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us. Now we can be part of what God is doing in the world.

Jesus sends us out in faith to share His message of love with everyone. We are called to be the voice of forgiveness and the hands of healing. May we go in His name to bring the world to Him.

Heavenly Father, You gave us the promise that all who believe in Your Son will be saved. Bless us to be energetic disciples and spread the Gospel everywhere. Amen.