Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is John 16:19-20 (NLT).

Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won’t see me, but a little while after that you will see me again. I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.”

Jesus tries to explain to the disciples (and us) what is to happen next. It’s a hard lesson for Him to share because He knows the pain it will cause us, but it is absolutely necessary if we are to be saved. His decision to be obedient unto death is our gift of salvation.

He says “your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.” Before the Resurrection, we didn’t know what that meant. Now, we see the wonderful plan God has for all His children and the work of making disciples of the world continues through us.

God has made a way for our sin to be forgiven and for us to be part of the ministry Jesus began. We have new lives through Him and we are to invite all our brothers and sisters to know this joy. While Saturday of Holy Week is a quiet day, we know what happens tomorrow as the stone is rolled away and we all rejoice that He is risen!

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to save us from our sin. Bless us to be part of that sacrifice, dying to our old way of life and rising with Him to be sons and daughters of Your kingdom. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 15:12-14 (NLT).

“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.”

In John chapters 13-17 Jesus gives His disciples the instructions they will need to carry on His ministry. They still don’t understand all that will happen but Jesus reminds them of what is most important: “Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” Loving God and each other is what He has taught all along.

However, as part of what He is about to do for us, He adds “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” This is His example, obedient unto death because of His love for God and us. He calls us to be ready to do the same if necessary. Many of His disciples and early followers were martyrs for their faith.

While we may not face daily oppression and the risk of death for sharing the Good News, there are still places where it is dangerous to be a follower of Jesus. Many today take that risk just as His disciples did after His Resurrection and Ascension. The Gospel goes out into the world in spite of all the resistance and hate that still exists. 

Heavenly Father, through the gift of Your Son we can be saved from sin and death to eternal life with You. As we remember His sacrifice for us today, make us strong in our faith to share Your love with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 6:48-51 (NLT).

Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.

Today we remember Jesus sharing a final meal with those closest to Him, the Last Supper. The words He said earlier when He fed the five thousand with two fish and five loaves of bread echo in our ears – “I am the bread of life!” Jesus uses this metaphor to impress on us the importance of our connection to Him.

The Passover meal reminded the children of Israel how God’s love and mercy led them out of captivity in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. Jesus teaches us at the Last Supper that God’s love and mercy will now lead us to eternal life if we accept the sacrifice He makes for us. The example of a meal that feeds our bodies teaches about spiritual nourishment we can only receive from Him.

Eating is essential to life. If we don’t eat, we die. Jesus is explaining that if we don’t eat the bread of life – that is, make Him part of ourselves – we can’t receive eternal life. In Luke 22:19 He tells us “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” By gathering in His name to take the bread and cup, we remember His sacrifice for us until He comes again in glory and we all sit at His banquet table together.

Loving Lord, we are not worthy of the gift You offer, but You invite us just the same. Forgive us and make us strong in faith to share the Bread of Life with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 21:12-13 (NLT).

Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”

Jesus was quoting scripture when He cleared the Temple. Isaiah 56:7 says “I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices, because my Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” This was God’s intent, but through time people began to use the Temple and those who traveled there to offer sacrifices as a money-making scheme.

Only approved currency could be used to purchase the sacrificial animals being sold, so the money changers enriched themselves through unfair exchange rates. Those selling the animals charged unfair prices. This is why Jesus quotes Jeremiah 7:11 where God asks “Don’t you yourselves admit that this Temple, which bears my name, has become a den of thieves?”

Zechariah 14:21 tells us “And on that day there will no longer be traders in the Temple of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” Jesus is the fulfillment of this prophecy, opening people’s eyes to the dishonor to God and them being done there. He Himself will be the final and perfect sacrifice to save us from our sin.

Gracious God, thank You for the mercy You have shown us, rather than the justice we deserve. Forgive us we pray. During this Holy Week, still us and fill us, mend us and send us to share Your love with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 23:37 (NLT).

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.”

Even as He entered Jerusalem to shouts of “Hosanna!” Jesus knew that the adulation of the people wouldn’t last. He came as the Lord of Love, conquering death and sin. Unfortunately, the people were looking for a king who would do it their way.

In His sorrow Jesus reprimands Jerusalem – but He means all of us! – for failing to hear God’s message and give up our selfish stubbornness. Luke 13:34 in the NLT is an exact duplicate of this verse. He laments over our willful disobedience when He offers us forgiveness and a new relationship with our Father.

“Jerusalem” exists spiritually wherever God’s love is ignored or rejected. Jesus still loves all of us, and we who claim His name are called to share that love everywhere. When He returns, He will gather all God’s children together to be with Him eternally.

Heavenly Father, forgive us for choosing our own way instead of the path of love Christ taught us. Bless us to be the bearers of the Good News, carrying Your love everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 21:5 (NLT).

Tell the people of Jerusalem, “Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt.”

In the verses prior to this, Jesus has His disciples bring Him a donkey for His entrance into Jerusalem. The New Bible Commentary tells us that there are no other mentions in scripture of Jesus ever riding, so this is a symbolic act that Jesus wants people to see. Jesus wants people’s attention, not for Himself personally, but for His message.

In Isaiah 62:11 we read “Tell the people of Israel, ‘Look, your Savior is coming. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.’” Zechariah 9:9 tells us “Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt.” Jesus is the fulfillment of these prophecies.

In spite of this, He is not the king the people expected, one who would throw off the Roman yoke and reign in triumph. His triumph is much larger than that, but we will have to suffer along with our Lord through this week. We know that our Redeemer lives, but it strengthens our faith to remember the sacrifice Jesus has made for us.

Loving Lord, in Your mercy You made a way for us to be saved through Your son, Jesus Christ. Bless us to be part of the work You do in the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Galatians 5:13-14 (NLT).

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

I feel our friends at bible.com have shared this passage several times already this year. In scripture when something is repeated multiple times it usually means it’s pretty important. Sadly, it also means that we as humans rarely get the lesson without numerous repetitions.

Paul warns us against using our freedom “to satisfy your sinful nature.” We must be careful not to abuse the gift we have been given by abusing each other. What we have been given also comes with a responsibility: we must share the Gospel with the world, no matter how the world treats us.

Through Christ’s sacrifice for us we are now free from the guilt and shame of sin. We are called to love God, love neighbor and make disciples. This is not out of obligation, but a joyful response to the gift of salvation we have been given.

Gracious God, we are sorry for the times we have harmed one another out of selfishness. Forgive us and send us to love as You do and tell the Good News to everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Philippians 4:12-13 (NLT).

I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Contentment is a word we don’t hear used very much anymore. It’s almost as if being content with what we have and where we are in life means being lazy or unmotivated. That’s not how it works in God’s kingdom.

Paul says “I have learned the secret of living in every situation”, relying on God’s provision and doing what we have been called to accomplish. He reminds us that we have a higher duty than being well off. Even when Paul was imprisoned, he never stopped sharing the Gospel.

We need to understand that difficult times are not a punishment and when things are hard, we can count on God and grow from the circumstances. It also helps others in tough situations to see how faith sees us through. We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us all.

Gracious God, we are sorry for the times we complain about our lives but fail to thank You for living at all. Without You, we are literally nothing. Bless us to share the Good News, no matter what we encounter, and tell everyone of Your love for us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 9:36-38 (NLT).

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

Jesus really doesn’t need any help from us but He calls us to be part of His work in the world. He saw what a desperate situation people faced without a relationship to the Father. He chose a small group of everyday people, many of whom were simple fishermen, and said “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” (Matthew 4:19).

In this passage He likens our ministry of making disciples to the harvest. Like a crop, people need care and tending. In the old hymn Come, Ye Thankful People, Come we sing “Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.” Jesus says “The harvest is great, but the workers are few”, a sad commentary on our feeble faith sharing efforts.

After His resurrection Jesus told us “Therefore, 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). This is our Great Commission, called by Jesus Himself to carry on the work of discipleship everywhere. God has a plan for each one of us, and part of that plan is to tell the world of His love.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for Your forgiveness and Your invitation to be part of the kingdom work. Bless us to go in Your name to share the Good News with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Corinthians 3:16 (NLT).

Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?

When God led His people out of Egypt He met them at Mount Sinai. In Exodus 25-31 He gives them instructions for building the Tabernacle, a place for them to meet Him. In 1 Chronicles 28 we read about the plans for the Temple in Jerusalem. All of these were to meet our needs, not His.

God certainly doesn’t need a building or a particular place to be with us. Jesus warned us “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!” (Matthew 24:2). It’s not about the structure, it’s about us.

Paul tells us that we are God’s temple because His spirit lives in us. We are the church quite literally. While we may have a place to gather with our brothers and sisters to praise God, it’s only a church because we are there to meet the Lord. When we leave that building, God’s church goes into the world to spread His love.

Gracious God, thank You for Your love and presence with us through Your spirit. May we share the Gospel with the world and help others reconnect to You. Amen.