Category: Daily Prayer

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

And He was saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables.”

Jesus finished telling the parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1-9). Now He encourages us “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Many in the inner circle of His disciples and followers have questions however. Then Jesus explains the meaning inside the lesson in Mark 4:13-20.

Those who are open to the coming of God’s kingdom will be able to understand the message contained in the parable. They may need additional explanation but they are willing to ask and listen further. To those who oppose Christ these sound like silly folk tales and they are frustrated by their lack of comprehension.

This is lack of understanding is mentioned before in Isaiah 6:9-10: “When they see what I do, they will learn nothing. When they hear what I say, they will not understand.” Jesus came to show us God’s love and teach us to love one another. Those who accept Jesus and His message of salvation will truly hear and act, using the gifts God has given us to share His love with the world.

Heavenly Father, forgive us for being hard headed and hard hearted. Help us to hear, understand, and go in Your name to proclaim the coming of Your kingdom. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 18:12-14.

What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

Jesus uses this example to teach us how much God wants all His wayward children back in His flock. The parable of the lost sheep is also recorded in Luke 15:3-7, followed by the lost coin and prodigal son lessons. It teaches us about pastoral concern – as the Father cares for us, so we must care for others.

Those who have “gone astray” have left the safety of the path our Father has set for us and are in danger of being lost to sin. Jesus emphasizes that those who are restored to faith are not to be looked down on but celebrated. We must ensure we are not jealous of the attention they receive when “we’ve been here all along”, which is the response of the older brother from the prodigal son parable.

God has gifted us with skills but also with responsibility. We must watch over each other in love, caring for those in need as Jesus did. We are all recovering sinners, no one “better” than another. All of us require the Good Shepherd’s love and forgiveness.

Gracious God, in Your love You sent Your son to save us from ourselves. Help us to be the face of our savior to those in need, sharing the grace and mercy You first gave us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Mark 3:22-25.

The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.” And He called them to Himself and began speaking to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.”

Jesus responds to those who accuse Him of being an agent of Satan with the logic “if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” Jesus wasn’t being argumentative, He merely pointed out the truth. Casting out demons was a good work; how could the essence of evil engage in anything good?

Unfortunately we are often divided as well in what we believe are problems, how they should be solved and who should solve them. We’ve have come to the point it seems that loud voices accuse “the others” of acting as if they were demon possessed on a daily basis. Satan wants us divided because our anger makes us easy pickings for evil.

We will always have differences of opinion, but Jesus wants us to deal with them in love. He listened to those who accused Him and rather than simply point back and say “no, YOU’RE the demons!”, He offered an explanation that would make people think. We must follow the path of patience He taught us in order to be part of His kingdom.

Heavenly Father, in Your love and wisdom You created us with diverse attributes and gifts, and free will to choose our actions. Help us to see that our selfishness leads to sin and death, and choose to follow the way You have set for us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Luke 12:13-15.

Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” But He said to him, “Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”

Jesus isn’t interested in mediating arguments over possessions and wealth. He teaches us about letting greed divide us from God and each other. The Ten Commandments warn us against coveting and greed is a form of this!

In Proverbs 23:4-5 we read ”Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.“ Possessions and wealth are temporary, our souls are eternal. Jesus wants us to focus on that.

Bettering ourselves and being wealthy are not wrong in themselves, but how we go about it can be. Does our search for “more” interfere with our relationship to God and each other? If we have material wealth do we use it for the good of the kingdom or only for our own comfort? 

Gracious God, You have given us everything in love. Help us to be good stewards of Your gifts, sharing unselfishly with all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Mark 13:30-33.

Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.

Jesus tells us “my words will not pass away”, an indication that His teachings are eternal and for all people. He left us His ministry and the mission to share His love with the world. When will our task be complete? That is not for us to decide!

Jesus warns the disciples (and us) we must always be ready and not try to figure out for ourselves when the Day of the Lord will come, a statement also found in Matthew 24:42 and Acts 1:7. He tells us no one knows “but the Father alone.” If we spend time guessing at when He will return, we become like clock-watchers anticipating the end of our shift. We may not accomplish our mission and we may not be ready when He appears.

We must remain strong in our faith, connected to Him and doing the work He has appointed to us. God has gifted each of us with a means to show the world how much He loves us. We must  be persistent in our efforts until He calls us home.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You forgave our sin and tasked us to tell the world about You. Bless us to go in Your name, sharing the love You have for all. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 7:1-5.

Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.

This teaching from Jesus is not an abandonment of moral living or opposition to sin, but a call to love. We are to warn others of sin because they are children of God, not to control them. The original Greek text uses the term “krinete” which means forming a condemning opinion without proper knowledge. We must know what goes on in the lives of others before deciding.

If we judge fairly and with love, we will be judged in the same way, not necessarily by the world but by our Heavenly Father. This reminds us to be right with God before going to the world. While we are not perfect as Jesus is, we are commissioned to go in His name and that includes speaking against wrong.

In Matthew 18:15 Jesus says “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.” We are taught to call out sin, but in love and not judgement. Jesus also warns against hypocrisy, using judgement as a tool or weapon. God is in charge, not us and we stand against wrong by His command.

Loving Lord, we know we have all sinned and fallen short of what You intend for us. Help us to see our own failure and be reconciled with You that we may share Your love with the world. Amen.

Our scripture today is Luke 18:1-8.

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’ For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’ ” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

This parable is a little difficult to understand without some thought. It revolves around a widow who represents those who have no power in society, her only weapon was persistence. The unjust judge lacked fear of God and respect for people, two essential qualities for anyone in a position of responsibility. However, because she is persistent in her pleas he eventually grants her justice.

This is similar to the teaching about good gifts. In Matthew 7:11 Jesus says ”If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!“ If the unjust judge was compelled to render justice, how much more will our Heavenly Father readily give to us?

Jesus says we should be like this in our prayers. Continual prayer isn’t pestering God but a sign of our trust in Him. Unlike the unjust judge, God wants justice for us; however our idea of justice and His are often different. God grants what we need, not necessarily what we want.

Gracious God, thank You for being available to us through prayer. Help us to be like the persistent widow in our faith, focused on justice not just for ourselves but for all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Romans 8:26-28.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

A devotional I read recently said “You don’t have to be confident in yourself to be confident in God.” Paul tells us “the Spirit helps us in our weakness”, the assurance that God is always with us to guide and protect us. God wants only the best for all his children.

Jesus promised His disciples (and us) ”And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever“ (John 14:16). He came as our Savior and example, but He knew we couldn’t follow Him without help. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us ”Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.“ 

The prophet Isaiah wrote ”Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear“ (Isaiah 65:24). The Holy Spirit is our constant connection to the Lord. We “who have been called according to His purpose” can rely on His love and care.

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for the times we follow our own way instead of the path of salvation You have for us. Help us to listen, obey and share Your love with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Samuel 3:7-10.

Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed. And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

Scripture records many instances where people were called directly by God. In Genesis 22:11 Abraham is called by name twice. Exodus 3:4 records God calling “Moses! Moses!” from the burning bush. Acts 9:4 tells of the Lord saying “Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” In each case God had a special purpose for them.

Samuel’s response coached by the priest Eli is a model prayer for those who want to do God’s will. Samuel had been dedicated to the Lord’s service at birth but had never experienced His call directly. Now he accepts the Lord’s will with the response “Speak, Your servant is listening.”

We may not discern God’s call as an audible voice, but we are all called just the same. The Lord has tasks for each of us and the gifts necessary to accomplish them. If we listen carefully and learn His will for us, we may each reply in faith “Speak, Your servant is listening!”

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for the times we ignore the call You have placed on our lives. Help us to hear Your voice and respond in love. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Philippians 4:5-7.

Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

We often become anxious about things we can’t control. Paul offers comfort and guidance: don’t worry, pray instead! Talk to the one who can do something about any situation, our Father in heaven.

We must petition God about the things that trouble us, praise Him for His love and care, and peace will follow. Peter echos this teaching in his first letter – “Cast all your worries on Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). God is ready to hear our concerns and give us peace of mind.

Prayer, praise and peace lead to the patience we need to await Christ’s return for us. Patience doesn’t mean we just sit back and do nothing. Jesus taught us an active patience, going to the world in His name that all may know His saving love.

Gracious God, we are amazed that You want to be in contact with us through prayer. Help us to give up our issues to You and share the joy of salvation with all. Amen.