Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is Proverbs 3:5-7 (NLT).

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

The bible.com commentary for this passage says “wisdom is gained when knowledge meets experience.” The Book of Proverbs is filled with wisdom but this is perhaps the most important teaching, that we “trust in the Lord with all your heart.” Our connection with Him is essential, for as Jesus tells us “apart from me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Humans are notoriously self centered, often impressed with our own abilities and accomplishments. This passage warns us not to “depend on your own understanding.” When we are full of ourselves, we are often devoid of God’s love.

We are not without hope; Jesus ministered to many who thought they had the answer but instead found the truth through Him. When we “fear the Lord” we humble ourselves in repentance and accept the forgiveness He offers. No one is beyond His love and when we gain wisdom, we see each other as His children. Then we can become part of the work He has given us to do here.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we rely on our feeble strength and knowledge instead of Your almighty power and wisdom. Forgive us and send us to share the joy of salvation with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Hosea 10:12 (NLT).

I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’

God has sent Israel a series of faithful prophets, speaking to their lack of faith and stubborn self interest. They have been warned since being led to the Promised Land not to forget God who brought them out of slavery (Deuteronomy 8:10-11), but this is exactly where they are. They trust in their military might and the abundance of their territory.

Even as God plans discipline to end their disobedience, He calls them back to Himself: “now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.” God wants us to be part of His plan for creation, but we keep seeking our own goals and ignoring His love.

We are asked to “plow up the hard ground of your hearts”, loving God and each other as He intends. However, we are the only ones who can make that choice for ourselves. God has sent faithful witnesses to teach us and is always ready to welcome us back when we make the decision to return to Him.

Gracious God, even in our failing, You are with us. Bless us to be the people You created us to be, made in Your image and sent to share Your love with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 5:43-45 (NLT).

You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.

In this passage from the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells us to love our enemies. This is not really a new teaching, but a reorientation of how we are to understand God’s law. God says we are to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18) and this is our starting point. Seeing others as God sees them is the first step.

In Proverbs 25:21-22 we read “If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you.” God tells us that even our enemies are His children and we should care for them because of this.

Jesus demonstrated His obedience to God on the cross, and said as He was crucified “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). This was His example for us, that even in the midst of persecution, our love for God and His children is our first and last thought. We may never face such a dire situation, but we are all called to reduce the level of hate in the world by praying for and loving one another.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to save us from our sins. Help us to love each other as He taught and showed us, and to carry the Good News everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 41:13 (NLT).

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.

God tells His people “don’t be afraid” time after time in scripture. The Lord says this in His call to Abraham and Isaac, to Joshua as they enter the Promised Land, and here as His children face the Babylonian invasion. Later Jesus will say this to His disciples as He walks on the water to them and after His Resurrection.

God calls us to trust Him when things are at their worst, when it seems like the whole world is against us. This is the world’s normal state, however. We have been warned that Christ’s message of love will not be readily accepted in a world that craves its own way more than a relationship with Him.

God also calls us to trust Him when things are good, when it seems we have the world by the tail. This is where we often fail Him, when we forget that we don’t achieve good things by ourselves. Moses warned the children of Israel “Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today” (Deuteronomy 8:11). God is there for us in good times and bad, always ready to forgive and restore us.

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for the times we fear and fail to trust You, or in our arrogance think we don’t need Your help. Strengthen our faith and send us to show the world the love You have for all of us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Chronicles 29:10-11 (NLT).

Then David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly: “O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever! Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.”

David’s prayer in this passage offers God thanks for His continuing love and care. It is a doxology or “words of praise” that we echo in hymns and prayer – “for Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.” It tells of our gratitude that He calls us His own.

It reminds the people (and us) that God has always been with us, “the God of our ancestor Israel.” We are to remember that “everything in the heavens and on earth” was made by and belong to Him. We have been given responsibility here as caretakers for the Master, but nothing, including our lives, are truly ours.

It closes with the truth that God is “the One who is over all things.” Without God’s word and will, nothing would exist. He is always ready for us to acknowledge our eternal connection through prayer and praise, and to go in His name to tell everyone of His love.

Gracious God, we are grateful for all Your many gifts, none more wonderful than Your Son given for our salvation. Bless us to be the witnesses You call us to be. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Timothy 6:12-14 (NLT).

Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.

Paul offers Timothy strong encouragement against the opposition he will surely face as a disciple of Jesus. He reminds Timothy of the promise of eternal life we have from God and the call He makes on our lives. It is this assurance that gives us hope until Christ returns.

He uses common language to express the “good fight” Timothy and all disciples will face, the resistance the world offers to Jesus’ message of love and forgiveness. We know there will be challenges, Jesus told us that Himself. However, as Jesus did, we are to give “a good testimony” in the world.

The underlying lesson here is that we don’t care about what the world thinks of us. Jesus taught us to do good, no matter what. Opinions for or against us here have no bearing on our eternal life. That is strictly between God and ourselves, and if we repent and go in His name, our salvation is assured.

Loving Lord, thank You for the blessing of Your Son and the opportunity to be forgiven our sins.  Make us strong in faith and send us as the disciples of today to spread the Good News. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Exodus 20:8 (NLT).

Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

This commandment continues in Exodus 20:9-11. It gives us specific instruction to remember God rested after Creation (Genesis 2:1-3) and that we are to follow the pattern of work and rest that God has given us. More than just stopping our physical labor, we are to keep the Sabbath holy by remembering our relationship with our Creator and what He has done for us.

Jesus teaches us a lesson about observing the Sabbath that is found in the three synoptic Gospels – Matthew 12:1-8, Mark 2:23-28, and Luke 6:1-5. In these passages His opponents accuse Him and His disciples of breaking the Sabbath. As always, His reply shows us the truth.

Jesus tells those listening “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!” (Mark 2:27-28). It’s not just doing something, but why we do it. Merely “checking the boxes” is not what God asks of us. He wants us to love Him and one another not because there are rules given, but because we are His beloved children, grateful for all He has done.

Heavenly Father, we ask Your forgiveness for the times we place rules over relationships. Help us to value each other because we are Your children, and share Your love with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 18:20 (NLT).

For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.

This verse concludes a lesson on church discipline (Matthew 18:15-20). It speaks of how to treat others while resolving a problem among believers. This is never an easy process, but Jesus gives us specific guidance to be able to treat people fairly with His love.

His first admonition is to speak to the one with whom you disagree privately. Communication is always the key element. If this is unsuccessful, He tells us to bring one or two others into the discussion. This allows a larger group to see and hear the issue and help explain the disconnect that is occurring. Finally, if the person is still not convinced of the error, He says “Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector” (Matthew 18:17).

The important point here is how He treated pagans and corrupt tax collectors – with love and understanding, inviting them to remember their place as one of God’s children. This passage is less about correction than community. That is why He concludes with this verse, saying He is there among us when we gather in His name.

Loving Lord, help us to always see each other as members of Your family, worthy of Your love and forgiveness. May it be on earth as it is in heaven. In Your name we pray. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Corinthians 15:57-58 (NLT).

But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Paul writes words of encouragement to all who do God’s work. This passage reminds us that “He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Now we have hope and all can be part of His kingdom through repentance and faith.

In God’s “upside-down” system the last shall be first. Paul teaches that this faith allows us to be “strong and immovable” in Him. By following the example Christ has given us, we can be the resource God uses to bring all people to Himself.

We may not always understand the big picture but we know that “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28). When we give our lives to Him, we become part of the kingdom work, and “nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”

Gracious God, we are sorry for the times we have ignored each other’s needs and not loved as You commanded us. Still us and fill us, mend us and send us to do Your will in the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 9:35-38 (NLT).

When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.” “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!” “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.

This lesson takes up all of John 9 with a number of points essential to our faith, such as obedience, spiritual blindness and the persecution of believers. At the conclusion, Jesus asks the man He healed “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”, a title Jesus used for Himself several times in John’s Gospel. We hear this term used in Daniel for God’s presence with His people during severe trials.

In order for the man to be healed, he had to believe healing was possible and obey Jesus’ command to go wash in the pool (John 9:7). In doing this his faith was made whole and his sight was restored. This sequence of sending – obeying – participating in our own healing is the pattern for following Jesus. We obey Him as He obeyed the Father and through His sacrifice for us, we are healed.

Sadly, as Jesus predicted, there was pushback from those whose power and position were threatened, against both Jesus and the man who was healed. As His followers we should expect the world to resist our efforts because the world is spiritually blind to His love. However, by our faith in Him we continue our efforts to open their eyes and share the Good News everywhere.

Loving Lord, we are often dismayed by the state of our world. Help us not to lose hope, and to go in Your name to share Your forgiveness and love with all Your children. Amen.