Category: Daily Prayer

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

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Paul encourages the congregation at Philippi to rejoice in all circumstances. He tells them “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (v. 6). Paul knows from experience that prayer and praise are the best way to handle any situation, joyful or sad.

It is often difficult for us to put on a happy face when times are hard. The scriptures don’t tell us to be falsely pleasant. We have heard in Paul’s letter to the Romans “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). However, God wants us to know that no matter what we experience He is there.

When we face tough situations we can count on the support of God and our brothers and sisters in Christ. No one ever needs to be alone in joy or grief. We have “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (v. 7) to guide and protect us always.

Loving Lord, we are thankful for Your love, given to us without measure. Strengthen us through adversity and let us share the Gospel everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 2 Corinthians 9:6‭-‬15.

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

God has provided us with a variety of gifts and he expects us to share them generously. Our purpose is to love God and love our neighbor. God needs nothing from us, but our neighbors often do and He intends us to use our gifts to meet that need.

Paul writes that “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (v. 7). We are asked to help those in need not because we have to give but because we want to give. God wants us to love each other so much that we would rather share than see another suffer.

That’s the first step though, seeing the needs of our brothers and sisters. God wants us to be aware of other’s situations, and stand ready to help when needed. We follow Jesus’ example and commandment when we help (love) one another.

Gracious God, we are thankful for the many gifts You have given us. Help us to be good stewards of all You provide, that none are left in need. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 12:2‭-‬6.

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In that day you will say: “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”

The Book of Isaiah has lots of familiar and comforting verses. The prophet has many warnings for us, but it’s not all gloom and doom. Isaiah has much to tell us about God’s Messiah and the joy we know in Him.

In this passage we hear the assurance “the Lord himself is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation” (v. 2). God promises His eternal love and protection for those who obey His commandments. The Lord is always close to His people, but we’ve got to choose to be close to Him as well.

Praise and worship is one way to draw near to God, prayer is another. We have a variety of ways to reach out to Him. God is always listening to us, we just have to initiate a meaningful conversation and be ready to listen too.

Loving Lord, thank You for the gift of Jesus, our savior and example. Help us to be the bearers of the Good News to all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭1:8-15‬.

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

Peter encourages us to continue our growth in faith and in our knowledge and love of Jesus. He warns that those who do not are “nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins” (v. 9). God has given us a wonderful gift – Jesus is our savior and our example.

Peter also reminds us through his own example that this life is temporary and that we must be preparing for life eternal. He had difficulty growing in faith, even with Jesus as his teacher. This is why he tells us “I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body”, (v. 13), that faith is something we must grow in continually.

Who are the examples of faith in your life? Who looks to you as a faith example? Like Peter, we must ensure that the faith Christ leads us to is passed to everyone around us, that all may know God’s love.

Gracious God, thank You for our example and Savior, Jesus Christ. As we celebrate His coming to be one of us, may we follow where He leads, sharing the joy of salvation and our connection to You with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭1:2-7‬.

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.

Peter, the fisherman from Capernaum, has come a long way. From his time as the brash follower of Jesus, when he sometimes succeeded but more often failed, he has become a respected leader in the faith community. In this passage he offers sound guidance on making Christ part of our lives.

He mentions the promises we have received from Jesus, but tells us we have responsibilities in their fulfillment as well. He shares a process by which we may grow in faith through rejecting the ways of the world and living as Jesus taught us. This path of Christian growth may be slightly different, as we are each different, but the goal is the same: eternal life in the kingdom of God.

If Peter was able to change his life, we can and must as well. Our previous position and knowledge are not enough to save us, we must accept God’s offer of forgiveness for sin and salvation through Christ’s sacrifice for us. “No one comes to the father except by me” Jesus taught us, and it is the only way we can be made whole again.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of our Savior. We are sorry for the times we have failed. Forgive us and may our new lives testify to Your truth and love. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 126.

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.

This psalm reminds the people of Israel of the great things God has done for them throughout their history. He brought them out of slavery in Egypt, He returned them from captivity in Babylon and He has promised His son, the Messiah will come to save us all from sin and death. God has had a plan for us all along.

The psalmist speaks of the rains that come to water the desert and how God’s streams of mercy will restore our lives. The psalm ends with “Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them” (v. 6). God will provide for our needs when we obey, becoming part of the process.

God needs no help from us, but wants us to partner with Him and all the faithful to spread His love. Sharing the joy we know in Him and the gift of salvation He offers is our calling in this life. May we be good stewards of the Gospel until Christ returns for us.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for all Your gifts to us. Bless us to be a blessing to others, showing the world the way You would have us live together. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Luke‬ ‭3:1-6‬.

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight. Every ravine will be filled, And every mountain and hill will be brought low; The crooked will become straight, And the rough roads smooth; And all flesh will see the salvation of God.’ ”

The Gospel of Luke gives us insight into the ministry of John the Baptist and how his call to service is the same for us all. His objective is to tell everyone of the coming Messiah and our need to repent. He teaches us “all flesh will see the salvation of God” (v. 6), the promise from the Father that all may be saved.

John the Baptist is often considered the last prophet to the children of Israel. He issues a call for them to seek God’s forgiveness and live new lives in the light of His love. He tells those gathered that he will baptize them with water but the Messiah will “baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (‭‭Luke‬ ‭3:16).

He also humbles himself, telling everyone he is only the messenger, and the message is that the kingdom of God has come near to us. We are all called to be messengers like John, to spread the Gospel to the world. God’s love for us has come to be with us as one of us, Christ the Lord.

Gracious God, You have offered us forgiveness and salvation through the life, death and resurrection of Your son, Jesus. Make us strong in our faith and send us to share Your love everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:3-11.

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Scholars tell us that Paul most likely wrote this letter while imprisoned in Rome, awaiting his trial before the emperor. Although his situation is hard, he shares joy with the church at Philippi for their faith. He reminds them of the gift they have received in Jesus and that they must wait in confidence for Christ’s return.

Have you ever received joyful support from someone undergoing hard times? It makes me ashamed of my complaining over small things to be encouraged by one who is suffering. Paul tells the congregation that he is uplifted by the demonstration of faith they are living out, even as he is denied liberty and justice.

There is little the Philippians can do to help Paul physically or in his defense regarding the charges brought against him. However, they lift him up in prayer, which is sometimes all we can do for others in difficult circumstances. Never underestimate the power of prayer in our lives, while it may be “all” we can do, it is the most powerful aid we can give.

Heavenly Father, we know You hear our prayers for each other and that You are always aware of our needs. Help us to be strong in faith and continue to pray for each other until Jesus returns for us all. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Luke 9:1‭-‬6.

And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city. And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Jesus sent out His disciples to do the things He was doing – healing and sharing the Good News. We hear the same call from Jesus today, to spread God’s love and the Gospel everywhere. He reminds us all of our responsibility once more as He ascends to Heaven, telling us “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

Notice His instructions about what to take with us (virtually nothing) and what to do – rely on God’s power and grace to sustain us. All who claim Him as Lord bear the responsibility to proclaim God’s kingdom. Whether we realize or not, we have been given the gifts we need to accomplish this charge.

It may be difficult for us to accept that we are the ones called to speak into the lives of others about God’s blessings for all. Christ commissioned each of us to be stewards of God’s word and His love for all. May we be energetic in our task, forgiven and made whole, to share the Good News with the world.

Gracious God, You have blessed us and called us as part of Your plan of salvation. Help us to reach others with the joy of Your love. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Luke 1:68‭-‬79.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins. By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

The priest Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, shares these words at his son’s birth, blessing God and offering thanks for the promise of the coming Messiah. He knows the prophecy from ages past and recognizes that God is fulfilling His promise. As John and Jesus will both tell the people “the kingdom of God has come near”.

As we continue our Advent journey, think about the coming of the Messiah and the kingdom we are promised. How are we sharing God’s love and light in a world that disagrees on so many things? How can we make a difference?

We have been blessed with the truth of Christ and that gives us a responsibility to spread the Gospel everywhere we can. We don’t need to be clever orators or skilled theologians, just tell others what God has done for you. An honest sharing is what God requires of us, simply telling our story as part of His plan for salvation.

Loving Lord, we are thankful for the gift of Your son coming to save us from sin. Bless us to go into the world and tell everyone of Your love and care. Amen.