Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is Romans 3:21‭-‬26.

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Paul reminds us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (v. 23). We can’t be righteous by our own strength or actions, only by God’s grace and forgiveness. Christ’s sacrifice has redeemed us to God.

Now that we have this precious gift of redemption, it is up to us to share the joy of our reconnection with all the world. Paul travelled widely to proclaim the Good News and we are called to do the same. There are people near and far who need to hear the message of God’s love.

Our faith enables us and compels us to reach out to the world, telling everyone of the blessing of forgiveness Jesus gives. All can be saved through belief in Him. Share the love and peace you have received with everyone.

Gracious God, we are sorry for our selfish acts and ask Your forgiveness. Make us strong in our faith and may we spread Your light and love everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Acts‬ ‭17:24-27‬.

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.

In this passage Paul speaks to the people of Athens of God’s omnipotent power and how all things flow from Him. He warns them against the worship of idols, that only the one true God is worthy of our praise and that He wants to be connected to us. God waits for each of us to return to Him in repentance that we might be forgiven and renewed.

We know this teaching, but do we live it? Down through history God has sent faithful messengers to remind us of His love, but we have not always listened. Yet God continues to be present, “not far from any one of us” (v. 27).

God has made a way for all to be saved through the sacrifice of Christ. All we need to do is give up our sad human striving for things and live as Jesus taught, loving God and one another. He has offered us eternal life, it is up to us to accept His gift and be willing to share that joy with the world.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for our selfish ways, wanting worthless temporary things. Help us to know the way You intend for us and to help others walk in the light with us. Amen. 

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:1-6.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

Discipline is a difficult thing for humans. We need correction to be able to follow the right path but we don’t readily accept it. Paul reminds us that God gives discipline because He loves us and wants to keep us from evil.

Too often we don’t understand the difference between punishment and discipline. God wants us to do better and guides us away from the things that will harm us. God wants our attention so we might hear Him and do what He intends.

God wouldn’t bother to offer correction if He didn’t love us. He calls us to be part of His plan for creation, using His gifts to care for all His children. Accept the loving guidance He gives to keep us safe and lead us to salvation.

Wise and wonderful God, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to help us hear and understand Your call on our lives. May we be the face of Your love to everyone. Amen. 

Our scripture today is ‭‭Mark‬ ‭13:1-8‬.

As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.”

With characteristic human pride, a disciple points out the “massive stones and magnificent buildings”. Jesus replies that like all human efforts, it will eventually disappear due to time or as is the case for the temple, be destroyed by other humans. He wants us to remember that everything here is temporary.

When we become too wrapped up in the things of earth, we can be distracted from the eternal plan God has for us. Jesus says to take care not to be deceived by false teachers and to be ready for the trials that will precede the end time. If we focus on His teachings, we will not be caught unaware.

Jesus tells us that all can be saved, but we must share the Good News for everyone to hear. People must make their own choice but we have a responsibility to ensure that God’s love is spread everywhere. Nothing else we do will last eternally.

Gracious God, we are grateful that You call us to be part of Your plan, connected to You and each other. Help us to be the people You intend, caring for all Your creation. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Mark‬ ‭12:1-12‬.

Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed. “He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ “But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. “What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture: “ ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’ ?” Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.

Jesus tells those listening (and us) that like the vineyard in the parable we have been given responsibility for that which is not ours. The prophets were sent to Israel to bring them God’s message but they didn’t listen. Sadly, Jesus the Son was rejected by many as well.

The story sounds almost ridiculous – how many times would the landowner actually put up with that? Then we must ask ourselves “how are we different from those tenants? How many times will God forgive us and continue to reach out?” 

Thankfully, God loves us still and He still waits for us to give Him the fruits of the gifts we have received. While He is patient, the time grows ever shorter until Christ will return. Come to Him with repentance, ready to give back what is expected of us and we can be saved.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we have rejected Your messengers and not heard Your word. Forgive us and may we go in Your strength to share these blessings with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Luke‬ ‭4:16-30‬.

He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked. Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’ ” “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.” All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.

Jesus went to His own town and spoke to those who knew Him best, but they were unwilling to hear the Good News. He used scripture from earlier prophets to open their eyes but they refused to see. They became so angry they planned to kill Him.

No one likes to hear their faults exposed, to be told we are going the wrong way. However, that is why Jesus came – to show us a better way than the one we’ve made for ourselves, and that only by God’s love can we be saved. The people in Nazareth rejected Jesus because He told them a hard truth.

What hard truths are we refusing to hear? Jesus tells us the same thing He said to them “No one comes to the Father except by me” (John 14:6). He loves and cares for us all and waits eagerly for us to choose Him. 

Loving Lord, we are willful and stubborn, not wanting to hear the truth because it hurts. Help us to overcome our selfish pride and accept the gift of life You offer. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:32-36.

Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

Paul writes in this passage of perseverance, being able to hold fast in the midst of trouble by our faith. We are reminded that Christ suffered the same and worse, and we are called to endure with Him. ‬God’s promise is not that it will be easy, but that He will be with us through whatever we face.

Trusting in His promise gives us the hope to continue the work. Paul tells us “do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded” (v. 35), reminding us that there is a goal, eternal life with Christ. By hearing and obeying God’s word we are guided and strengthened.

What are you enduring right now? God is there for you. In Romans 8:18 Paul tells us to “consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” God has plans for every one of us, we must persevere in His strength.

Loving Lord, we are grateful to be able to call on You when we face opposition. Help us to be thankful at all times, good and bad. Bless us to share Your love with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Hebrews 10:19‭-‬25.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Knowing of Christ’s sacrifice for us and living in that blessing are two different things. Our awareness of His gift is the first step, but we must also use what He has given us. Paul says we must be “encouraging one another”, an indicator of what God wants of His forgiven children.

Especially during these difficult times we need to lift each other up, through prayer and by our words and actions. It is easy to be frustrated by our world situation, to pull back from interaction with others due to fear or anger. God wants us to remember that we were made for Him and each other, intended for connection.

Look for ways to build and maintain relationships, watching over each other in love. We must have faith, and we must also practice it. Jesus calls us to a living ministry, forgiving each other as He forgave us, and sharing the Good News with all the world.

Gracious God, You sent Jesus to redeem Your fallen children. Help us to live in the light of that renewal and show the world the joy of a relationship with You. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Colossians 2:6‭-‬15.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Paul gives us a firm reminder of where we stand – by our own strength we are dead in sin, but by the power of God we are made alive with Christ (v. 13). We have no chance to save ourselves, only through God’s mercy can we be raised to eternal life. By accepting the sacrifice Jesus made for us, we join ourselves to Him forever.

The Resurrection is God’s answer to evil, His promise to us that by faith, death is not the end. Death is the world’s worst threat, its ultimate weapon. Through His obedience, Jesus “disarmed the powers and authorities” (v. 15), declaring God’s victory over all.

The old hymn A Mighty Fortress is Our God states “the body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still”, exactly what Paul tells us in this passage. Through Christ’s redemptive act we need not fear death as a threat to do the world’s bidding. Our hope is in Him and our salvation is assured.

Loving Lord, we are often afraid, coerced by threats of earthly harm. Help us to calm our fear with faith, secure in the knowledge that You have made a way for us to be saved. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭16:1-8‬.

Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.” Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips. Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

This psalm speaks of God’s blessings to the faithful and the danger of letting idols lead us away. In the days of the psalmist there were many “gods” worshiped by other nations and people. The Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and other groups all believed in many deities.

The children of Israel had been saved many times by the one true God, our maker and protector. They knew that idol worship was a sin, that these “gods” made by human hands were worthless. Their hope was in the Lord.

What idols draw us away from God today? We may say there are no idols as in the past, but if we are honest we have created new idols to follow – money, prestige, power and many others. Today let’s think about the things of the world that separate us from God and pray for strength to avoid them, keeping Him first in our thoughts and lives.

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for the many things that we allow to interfere with our connection to You. May our faith be stronger than any earthly attraction and may we go to share Your love with everyone. Amen.