Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is John 16:13-16.

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’ In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.”

Theologians call the final lessons Jesus gives in John 14-17 the Farewell Discourse. It is seen as a bookend to what He taught us in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Jesus came to prepare us all for the Kingdom of God, now He is returning to the Father according to God’s plan, and it is up to us to continue His work here.

We certainly aren’t left alone in our task. Jesus promised us “another counselor” (John 14:16). This is the Spirit of truth He speaks of here. Jesus came to teach us the way; now it is up to us to share God’s love in the world with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus knew His death would cause us pain and His Resurrection would amaze us. He wanted us to be prepared for what we face in a world that often rejects God’s love and those who share it. However, that doesn’t change the call He has placed on our lives to bring the Good News to all God’s children everywhere.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You made a way through Christ for us to be saved from our sin. Bless us to go in Your name to tell everyone of the joy of salvation. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 119:105-108.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. I have suffered much; preserve my life, Lord, according to your word. Accept, Lord, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws.

In the beginning God spoke into chaos and said “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). We hear many more references to this later in scripture. John writes “God is light” (1 John 1:5) and recounts Jesus telling us “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). God’s light gives us life and guidance.

This passage speaks to our desire to follow the light, living according to God’s commandments. The psalmist sings “I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws.” Jesus came to demonstrate God’s love for us and through His sacrifice we are forgiven and restored.

Jesus told us “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). He calls us to carry His message of God’s love to all the world. Now we are bearers of that light, sharing the Good News with all.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Your son to be the light that guards and guides us. Help us to be light in the dark places that all Your children may see there is a place for them in Your kingdom. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Colossians 1:11-14.

We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

Paul writes to the Colossians, teaching we must always give thanks to God for our gifts, asking for patience and endurance in a world that often opposes God’s love. Our inheritance in Him is through Christ and by His sacrifice we are saved from darkness, forgiven, and called to share His love. This is our blessing and our task, to go in His name to the world. May we all live in His light, rescued and redeemed!

Gracious God, we are ashamed of the times we fall away from Your love and Your plan for us. Help us to be strong in faith, bringing the Good News to all. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Proverbs 12:25-26.

Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray.

The Book of Proverbs contains much “good advice” for us to live out and share. Many are from King Solomon who asked God for wisdom in order to rule well (1 Kings 3:9). These sayings are given that we might become wise in the ways of the Lord. God is always willing to lead us on the path He has made for us but we must choose to follow. In this passage we hear that we can lift others from the worry we all face in the world. God wants us to help everyone know His love and be part of His plan of salvation.

Gracious God, we are grateful that You share Your wisdom and call us to share it with our brothers and sisters. Help us to be energetic bearers of the Gospel that all may know Your love. Amen.

Friends, traveling over Memorial Day, back to normal Wednesday.

Our scripture this morning is Jeremiah 31:23-25.

This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity, the people of Judah and its towns will again say, ‘The Lord bless you, O righteous home, O holy mountain!’ Townspeople and farmers and shepherds alike will live together in peace and happiness. For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.”

Jeremiah was sent to warn Israel about the coming judgement. God wanted the people to see that the destruction of Jerusalem was an indictment of what they had done and not done in their relationship with Him. However, He gave them hope that afterward they could begin again. God wanted them to see that even amidst the demise of Jerusalem there was hope for them when they put their trust in Him. Sometimes we need to start over, as God did for Israel, and this cleansing may not be pleasant. God is with us through whatever we bring on ourselves, ready to redeem and restore us.

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for the times we choose our way instead of Yours. Bless us to share Your love with all Your children everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 43:2-4.

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.

God promises to be with us in all our situations, joy and sorrow. He has expressed His love for us in a myriad of ways and His love is always constant. In the verse that precedes this passage He proclaims “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1).

It’s never a question of Gods love for us. He has made us in His own image and given us all creation to care for in His name. However, we have turned to ourselves rather than Him so many times. God is always there for us but do we make ourselves available to receive and return His love?

These verses tell us that God has given up things for us, “others were given in exchange for you”. What are we willing to give up for our God? He calls us to be part of what He is doing in the world by sharing His love with everyone.

Gracious God, You sent Your only son that we might be free of sin and death. May we be ready to bring the Good News everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 42:11.

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!

As we have learned, the Psalms express the entire range of human emotions. We hear of our deepest fears and our greatest joy, being connected to our Creator. In this short Psalm we find despair is overcome by putting our hope in God.

This phrase in verse 11 is also written as verse 5, a chorus as it were, following an outpouring of sadness over Jerusalem being overrun. It speaks of the beauty and joy that were part of their lives before the destruction of the city and the temple by the army of Babylon.

While the psalmist expresses grief for the loss, the end of each section returns to the hope we have in our Heavenly Father and His ability to restore all things according to His will. God can put His joy back in our hearts when we turn to Him for help, repenting of our wrongdoing and following His ways.

Loving Lord, when we experience loss and hurt, You are there to console and restore us. Help us to share Your love with those who suffer that they may be made whole in You. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 2 Corinthians 1:3-5.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.

In the New Living Translation mercy and love are implied in the word translated here as “comfort”, which Paul uses five times in just three verses. Jesus brought comfort to us that we might share it. We are to be a channel for God’s comfort to others, bringing His mercy and love to the world.

This may seem a difficult task. How do we know who needs God’s love and mercy? The easy answer is “everyone”, but as Jesus showed us it is necessary to go to the world in order to know people’s needs.

God wants His message shared so that everyone knows they are invited to receive His forgiveness. He calls us all to lay down our burden of sin and care through Christ’s sacrifice for us and know the joy of salvation. Then we too can be a source of comfort to others, bearing the Good News everywhere.

Merciful Lord, we don’t deserve Your comfort, but You love and care for us just the same. Bless us to be good stewards of Your gifts and bring comfort to Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Samuel 2:1-2.

Then Hannah prayed: “My heart rejoices in the Lord! The Lord has made me strong. Now I have an answer for my enemies; I rejoice because you rescued me. No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.”

Hannah had prayed faithfully for God to give her a child, and God made her the mother of the prophet Samuel. After she had conceived, she offered this prayer of thanks, praising God for His blessing and strength. She declares “there is no Rock like our God.”

The God of creation can do all things, but He waits for us to be connected to Him, not forcing but inviting us. As our faith and relationship grows, God is able to use us to accomplish His plan here. Hannah became the mother of Samuel, an important figure in doing God’s will in early Israel.

Without Hannah’s faith and acceptance, this would not have happened. She joins the list of those who were obedient to the Lord even in dire circumstances. God can use any one of us, but we must accept the task he gives, using our gifts for the good of His children.

Heavenly Father, we are grateful for those who have gone before us, sharing their faith and Your love for all. Help us to be the disciples of today, going to the world in Your name. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 8:12-14.

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” The Pharisees replied, “You are making those claims about yourself! Such testimony is not valid.” Jesus told them, “These claims are valid even though I make them about myself. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don’t know this about me.”

Jesus uses the the phrase “I am” several times in John’s gospel. It shows His connection to God who told Moses “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14), and helps the people understand who Jesus is and what He has come to do. Here He explains how following Him leads to eternal life.

The Pharisees are quick to challenge His statement, quoting Jewish law that requires two witnesses to establish truth. They used this against Jesus and the disciples, often bringing false witnesses to testify against them. In Acts 6:13 we read this tactic was used against Stephen, who was martyred for his faith.

Jesus tells them “you don’t know this about me”, a recurring problem with religious leaders of the day who were afraid of losing their position and authority, but also afraid of the truth Jesus spoke. As we know, denying the truth doesn’t change it, and Christ’s light will always point us to the truth.

Gracious God, help us to see the light of Your son, sent to save us. Bless us to be part of Your plan for all people, sharing the Good News of salvation with everyone. Amen.