Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is John 5:24-25.

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live.”

In this passage from the Gospel of John Jesus speaks to us all directly. While He gave us parables and examples in His earlier teachings, His words now are very specific: “those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life.” There are only two options here, eternal life or eternal separation.

God has spoken to us through scripture and prophets. He sent Jesus to personify His love and His message for us. It is essential that all His children receive the Good News, but more than that, accept it. The term Jesus uses is “listen”.

When He says “listen” it means much more than hearing or reading the words. It means taking that message and making it part of us, part of our everyday activity. God wants to be connected to us in everything we do, but is up to each of us to invite Him into our lives.

Heavenly Father, we are ashamed of our mistakes but amazed by Your love. Forgive us and send us that all Your children may truly listen to Your word and receive Your love. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 4:1-4.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Jesus doesn’t fall for temptation as we humans did. There He is, in the desert, hungry and alone, facing down Satan, but His faith is firm. We were in a beautiful garden, with everything we needed and we still blew it!

Jesus knows Satan can’t and won’t follow through on his promises. His only real power is to distract us from our connection to God with lies and empty offers. Jesus trusts God through the worst moments of His earthly life as He always has.

Jesus hears Satan’s twisting of scripture in an attempt to mislead Him. He responds to each of Satan’s statements with the truth, as we should meet our daily challenges. Jesus proved His connection to God is stronger than any earthly temptation we may face, and that we may know that same love and care.

Gracious God, we are sorry for the times we follow false paths rather than those You have prepared for us. Forgive us and bless us to go to the world in Your name. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Philippians 1:9-11.

I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

Paul has written guidance like this to other congregations.  In 1 Corinthians 13 he explains that we are gifted in many ways, but “the greatest of these is love”. God’s love for us and our love for Him and each other is the fuel that powers all other gifts.

Paul knows the power of God’s love through the miraculous conversion he experienced on the road to Damascus (Acts 9) and the mission he was given. Now he is an energetic disciple of the risen Lord, sharing God’s love and instruction with all the world. He goes to far flung places to ensure the Word of God is shared with everyone, Jew and Gentile alike.

Like the Philippians, we need to “keep on growing in knowledge and understanding”, sharing the love and lessons we have received with others. It is our responsibility as His children to spread the Good News everywhere. God wants us all to choose a life of love here with each other and in eternity with Him.

Gracious God, You have given us everything and we are grateful for Your gifts. Help us to use them wisely for the good of all Your people. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 94:17-19.

Unless the Lord had helped me, I would soon have settled in the silence of the grave. I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

This psalm reminds us of our frailty and our tendency to slip into sin. It also assures us of God’s presence and His help when we slip. It doesn’t mean we just slide through life with no consequences or responsibilities, but rather He forgives when our repentance and desire to do better are sincere.

The lesson here is God gives us “renewed hope and cheer” even when things are hard. This is both a promise that things will be better and the energy for us to be part of the solution. God needs no help from us but when we work together for His purpose our relationship is strengthened as well.

God wants us all, individually and together, to know His love and to use His gifts well. We waste these gifts when we don’t follow His way. Only by connecting with Him personally and communally can we truly be His children.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we have squandered what You have given us on sin. Forgive us and send us to share the blessing of Your love with the world. Amen.

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

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. For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Paul reminds us that God has promised rest to all those who love Him and obey His commandments. This means a constant connection to our Creator. It also means we have responsibilities to fulfill.

Jesus said “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10). He wants us to begin that here on earth but the rest God promises is eternal. It is hard for us to fully appreciate what that gift provides.

God knows everything that happens to us and still expects us to live according to His covenant with us. God will never abandon His children or His part of the bargain. However, it is our choice to return His love and to share it with everyone.

Gracious God, You have blessed us with everything and promised that those who love and obey will be with You in eternity. Help us to go in Your name to share this blessing with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Luke 1:37-38.

“For the word of God will never fail.” Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

This passage ends the story of The Annunciation, the angel Gabriel coming to tell Mary of the blessing of a son to be born. While this may not be a memory verse for many of us, it is vitally important to our faith. Not only does it bring the promise of salvation through Jesus, it gives us an example of how our relationship should work in just two statements: “For the word of God will never fail” and “I am the Lord’s servant.”

God’s word is the force behind all of creation and as we read in John 1, Jesus is the very word of God. While His crucifixion might be seen by some as a failure, His resurrection is the ultimate example of God’s power and love. We can see that the word of God will never fail.

Mary had a choice of course. God never forces us, He invites us. Her response is how we all can become part of God’s unfailing word – “I am the Lord’s servant.” By offering our repentance and accepting His forgiveness, we are empowered to go in His name to all the world.

Loving Lord, we are thankful for the blessing of our Savior and the opportunity to be part of Your work. Bless us to be energetic disciples, sharing Your love with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 1:1-3.

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.

The opening of John is unique among the four Gospels. All of these writings report eye witness accounts of Christ’s life and ministry here on earth, testifying that He is the son of God, sent to save us. However, while the other gospels begin with Jesus coming to earth, John begins with a look at Christ’s eternal nature and connection to the Father.

Jesus wasn’t Plan B. God didn’t wake up one morning and say “guess I’ll try something else.” Our salvation through Jesus was always part of God’s plan. It’s hard for us to understand how we can have free will and yet God always knows what will happen. Suffice to say that we can make our own choices but He is never surprised.

These few sentences show the connection and continuation of our creation in Genesis. God made us through the Word and while “the Word was with God and the Word was God”, the Word is also with us. God has promised to be with us always if we turn to Him in repentance and faith.

Loving Lord, we are thankful to You for our very existence. Help us to see that no one is outside Your love and care, and that we all are part of Your family. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 113:1-3.

Praise the Lord! Yes, give praise, O servants of the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord now and forever. Everywhere—from east to west— praise the name of the Lord.

Most Psalms are known for the praise they offer our Creator. This passage encourages us all to be part of that. It reminds us of His eternal nature – “now and forever” and His omnipresence – “everywhere from east to west”. Nothing can keep us from being with Him…except us.

God made us in His own image and gave us free will that we might make our own decisions. We are not His slaves, forced to bow in subjugation but His children, loved and gifted. We must choose to be part of what God is doing in the world.

God wants us all to choose Him and His love. When we try do it on our own, we often fail. Only by our connection to Him can we share the blessing of salvation with all our brothers and sisters. God calls each of us to be part of His plan to bring the Good News to everyone.

Loving Lord, we offer You our thanks, praise and repentance. Help us to walk the path Jesus taught, loving You and each other, to make disciples of all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Revelation 3:19-20.

I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.

Revelation contains some of the most difficult material in all of scripture. However, sometimes the message is quite plain. John tells us in the first verse of this book “This is a revelation from Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:1). These are words from Jesus Himself to guide us until He returns for us.

Jesus says “I stand at the door and knock.” We are called to respond, to hear His voice and open the door. It is our choice to accept Jesus and let Him into our lives. When we do, He says He will come in “and we will share a meal together as friends.”

He also tells us “I correct and discipline everyone I love.” That means everyone, period. No one is unworthy or outside the love of Jesus. This is the hard part though – He wants us to “be diligent and turn from your indifference.” He is there for us, but we must say “yes Lord” to the salvation He offers. 

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Your son to save us from our sin. Forgive us and send us in Your name that all the world may know Your love. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Galatians 5:13-15.

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.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.

We have encountered this passage before not that long ago. I have been using the daily verse from The Bible App (bible.com) for several years now and while we sometimes roll our eyes at hearing the same message again, this warning is one we must heed if we are to be God’s children. Paul writes that we are to use our freedom “to serve one another in love.”

Some people in the first century expected a Messiah King who would free them from political oppression. Jesus didn’t come to lead us into battle against each other here on earth but to bring God’s kingdom to everyone. Some didn’t understand this and turned away from His teaching and His love because it wasn’t what they expected.

In 1 John 4:20 we read “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar.”  If we refuse to love one another, we refuse God’s love. Jesus says we must love God AND our neighbor as ourselves. It’s not one or the other, it’s not conditional. Our relationship with God is based on how we treat one another.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we fail to love each other as You have taught us. Bless us to go in Your name bringing Your love to everyone. Amen.