Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 23:4.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me.

We continue our study of Psalm 23, reading that God is with us even in the worst of times. When we face adversity, God is ready to support us. The apostle Paul writes “If God is for us, who is against us?” (Romans 8:31). God may not remove the difficulties that confront us but He will guide us through if we accept His love and His plan for us.

The rod and staff are ancient symbols of authority and power, reminding us that God is in control no matter what. Unlike other rulers, God is not interested in conquest or treasure. God wants our hearts and minds to join with Him in bringing all creation together in harmony.

When Jesus was preparing His disciples to deal with His return to heaven, He promised them “another Comforter” (John 14:16). This is expressed here in the phrase “for You are with me”. God is always there for us, we only need to call on Him in faith.

Heavenly Father, we are weak but You are strong. Bless us to go in Your strength and love to share the Good News of salvation with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 23:1-3. 

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.

This weekend we’ll be taking a look at the 23rd Psalm and the calm contentment it gives to us. It speaks to our trust in the Lord and our confidence in His love for us. He watches over us because He created us in His own image and wants only the best for us.

The example of humans as sheep is not a very flattering one but it is sadly appropriate. Sheep have been known to wander off on their own and a lone sheep is an easy target for predators. When we fall away from God’s people and His love we endanger ourselves spiritually.

God wants more than anything to lead us to His green pastures and still waters so we may be safe in His love. He has shown us the way to this eternal rest but it is up to us to follow His right paths. We must decide to accept His love and His way for us.

Gracious God, in Your love You sent the Good Shepherd, Your son Jesus Christ, to free us from our sin and show us the way back to Your loving care. Bless us to share this joy with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Peter 5:6-9.

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.

Being a Christian in the first century was not easy. The teachings of Jesus upended many social “norms” of that time and made people think about their relationships with others and with our Creator. This didn’t always play well with those who believed they were in control.

He taught that in God’s eyes we are all the same – His beloved children, no more, no less. Our position, wealth, education or power are not how we are deemed successful by God. Peter tells us to “humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.” This seems contrary to all our human thought and it is why we fail when we choose our own way instead of the Lord’s.

Being a Christian in the twenty first century is not easy. Many voices clamor for attention and we must choose to how, when and where to respond. By giving our worries and cares to God, we can silence the confusion and discontent to focus our gifts on God’s plan and His way. God cares deeply about each and every one of us and we are called to share His love always.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You made a way for us to be saved through Your son, Jesus Christ. Help us to see the work You have for us and join our brothers and sisters on the path You have set for us. Amen.

I’m getting another spinal injection today, prayers appreciated.

Our scripture this morning is 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Paul writes to the church in Corinth with encouragement for the difficulty they face. There is persecution by the Roman Empire and the resistance of some Jewish leaders. Paul reminds them that what we see here and now is not all God offers us.

We know God has an everlasting blessing for us when we return to Him in repentance and become part of His plan for creation. Even though our mortal bodies wear out, our spirits are eternal. Paul tells us to “fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen”. 

If we focus on our problems, it can cause us to lose sight of the wonderful promise of eternal life through Jesus. Yes, we will face issues every day, but if we remember His blessing for us, we can see that “our present troubles are small and won’t last very long”. God is always ready to hear our cry and offer us the assurance that He is with us always.

Loving Lord, sometimes we deal with things we can’t handle alone. Thank You for Your presence to guard and guide us. Help us to share Your love with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 53:5-6.

But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

The prophet Isaiah tells us of the coming of the Lamb of God, the sacrifice sent to save us. He writes “the Lord laid on him the sins of us all”, foretelling how Jesus bore our disobedience in order to reconcile us to God the Father. Salvation comes only through His love for us.

Paul teaches “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate” (Romans 7:15). We have all strayed from God’s path at one time or another and all of us need His forgiveness. God is ready to forgive when we repent and accept Jesus as our savior.

When we are reconnected to His love and strength, we are enabled to go in His name to share that blessing with everyone. Part of His plan is to involve us in the work of His kingdom. God certainly needs no help from us but He gladly calls us into His service that all the world may know His love.

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for the times we have strayed, following our own way instead of Yours. Mend us and send us to tell everyone the Good News. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 8:31-32.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

During Jesus’ trial before the Roman governor, Pilate asks “what is truth?” (John 18:38). He wasn’t really seeking the truth but a way out of the difficulty he faced. Jesus had told His disciples “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6) but even they who were closest to Him did not understand. He wasn’t speaking of earthly or human freedom but freedom from sin that can only come through our acceptance of Him as our savior. John’s gospel opens by telling us “the word was with God and the word was God” (John 1:1). We know that God’s word is the only truth and that word came to us in human form to love and save and free us.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Your son to teach us love and truth. Help us to share this precious gift with all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Hebrews 4:9-11.

So then, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God; for those who enter God’s rest also cease from their labors as God did from his. Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs.

The Bible app has used this passage for three days now. When I saw it this morning I thought “haven’t we exhausted this theme yet?” I remember in school if something was important it was repeated multiple times in different ways so we could better absorb the lesson. Apparently, God has more to say to us about this! I encourage you to read this passage again, perhaps in a different version then you normally use to get additional insight. As He led the children of Israel through desert times to a place of rest, God wants to be with us in our trials. He is always there for us if we only call on him and accept the help He offers us. On this Sabbath Day let us turn to Him in repentance and faith.

Loving Lord, You have given us everything, including our very existence. Bless us to use Your gifts well in service to all our brothers and sisters, and rest in You. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Hebrews 4:10-12.

For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his. Let us, then, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience. For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Today’s passage continues our focus on the rhythm of God’s creating work and His call for us to rest in Him. We lay down our burdens not because we are lazy but to follow His commandment to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Through this pause we renew our connection to Him, give thanks for what we have been given and are refreshed by His spirit to pick up our tasks again. The last verse here reminds us that God knows everything about us and nothing is hidden from Him. He made us in His image but gave us the ability to decide for ourselves in the hope we would choose to live in peace with Him and all people. He sent His Son to be a living example for us to follow in love, sharing the blessing of salvation with all His children.

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for the times we choose our way rather than Yours and fall from the path Jesus has shown us. Forgive us and strengthen us to go in Your name to spread the Good News. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Hebrews 4:9-11.

So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.

The writer of Hebrews (possibly Paul) speaks of personal and community faith as well as personal and community disobedience. Each person must choose to follow Jesus individually but that choice has an effect on society. As God does not force us into faith, we don’t force others to believe but lead by the example Christ has given us. Our words and actions must encourage people to seek Him. Our blessing and goal is to enter God’s rest for us. There is a special rest still waiting, initiated by Christ’s coming to be with us which will be completed when He returns for us. Until that time, we must stand ready, sharing the love He died and rose to bring us.

Gracious God, we are sorry for the times we fall and more sorry when we cause others to fall. Help us to live in a fractured world that can only be healed by Your love, sharing the joy we have found in You with all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 6:19-21.

Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Focusing on the wrong treasure can lead us astray. In this passage Jesus talks about our material possessions and the fact that eventually they will all be gone. Putting our trust in what awaits us in eternity is the way to salvation. He teaches us “wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be”, a warning that earthly things can be a trap if we become too attached to them. Jesus points us to using wealth wisely, for the good of others and the kingdom. Everything we have is a gift from God and we are commissioned to be good stewards of His property.

Heavenly Father, we are grateful for all Your many gifts, none more wonderful than Jesus our Savior. Help us to see that people are more important than things, and to use what we are given in service to all Your children. Amen.