Category: Daily Prayer

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.”
Luke 12:32-33

Jesus continues His lesson about the difference between what we have here and what we are already promised in Heaven. He teaches that the earthly things we strive so hard for are nothing compared to the treasure that awaits us. We must look ahead to the coming of the kingdom and be ready, not being distracted by possessions here.

The difference is that what we have now can be stolen or wear out because earthly things are temporary. We are called to put our faith in eternal things that cannot be taken away because they are gifts from God. Jesus tells us “your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” This isn’t a trick or a simple motivational statement, it is a promise from God that He will care for us.

Today, think about how hard you work for everyday things and temporary benefits. Now consider how much more God’s gifts are worth. We can’t earn them by working, they are already ours. We show our love for God and His blessings by sharing the Good News with everyone.

Loving Lord, we are often led astray by the mindset that we must have things, that our worth is determined by what we own or control. Help us to see that Your gifts are the most important and we need only be faithful to receive them. Amen.

Our scripture for this week, Luke 12:13-21, often has the heading “The Rich Fool”. Jesus begins this lesson after being asked to referee a dispute between two brothers over their inheritance. He declines to become involved in their argument, and teaches about our heavenly inheritance and how our focus on earthly things can keep us from connecting with God as we should.

Jesus has often spoken about the danger of wanting what we don’t have. This is such a problem for humans that God made it part of the Ten Commandments, “Thou shalt not covet…” (Exodus 20:17). While there is nothing wrong with wanting to better ourselves, Jesus reminds us that a rich relationship with God is eternal while possessions and wealth are temporary.

Jesus warns us of becoming so concerned about what we own that we forget who we are – children of the Heavenly Father, made in His image to do His will. When we worry excessively about our finances we can neglect our relationship with God and others. Jesus wants us to know this loving connection with God that is the basis for our happiness and the very source of our lives. Don’t be a rich fool, concerned only with material goods! Love God first and foremost and your life will be changed!

Gracious God, we are distracted by the lure of wealth, thinking it can buy us happiness. Show us the true joy that only comes from a sincere and constant connection to You, and the blessing of being part of Your plan for all things. Amen.

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Luke 12:13-21

This is a story of paying attention to what we think, say, and do. It warns of putting ourselves first, and worrying about earthly things more than eternal things. God wants us to know His will for us, but if we are distracted by possessions and our own plans, we could miss His wonderful blessing.

This story isn’t necessarily a testimony against all rich people, but it is a call to beware of loving money and things more than God and others. British theologian John Wesley said “Earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can”, an indication that sharing with those in need is the goal of doing well in the world.

Jesus aims this lesson at all of us, regardless of our financial status. “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” Our focus is wrong and our lives will be incomplete unless we have a rich relationship with God and do the things He calls us to do with the gifts He gives.

Loving Lord, we confess that we are often selfish with what You give us, afraid that if we share, there may not be enough left. Help us to trust You, that Your gifts are multiplied when we use them to care for others. Amen.

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Luke 12:20-21

This is the hard part. This is the truth we hold at arm’s length as long as we can. Eventually our lives are demanded of all of us, and there will be a reckoning. While we are saved by God’s grace and not by our own actions, there will be an accounting of what we did with the gifts we were given.

We aren’t aware of the farmer in this parable causing harm to anyone. He isn’t reported using his wealth for evil, but neither is it said that he did good things for others. He spoke only of himself and his own comfort. Not being aware of the needs of others and using our gifts as we are called to do is the teaching against sin in this lesson.

A frequent statement in our world, “I didn’t do anything wrong”, is one that tries to absolve us of responsibility. God isn’t so much interested in what we do wrong but what we do right. If the answer is “not much”, our lack of wrongdoing is not much of an accomplishment. We must accept both the gifts and the responsibility God gives us to be ready for that day when our lives are demanded of us.

Heavenly Father, make us aware of our responsibility to do Your will, to love others as we love ourselves. Help us to use Your gifts for the good of the whole world. Amen.

Then he said, “This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”
Luke 12:18-19

Jesus tells the story of a wealthy farmer who has been blessed with a bumper crop. There is nothing to indicate that he is evil, that he obtained his wealth illegally, nor that he is particularly greedy. Why then is he the “bad example” in this parable?

Jesus makes the point in these two verses. How many times does the farmer say “I” in this passage? He is pretty self-centered, and makes no mention of giving thanks to God for the blessing, and no word of sharing his wealth with others. This focus on himself, rather than his relationship with God and his neighbors is his first failure.

However, the telling statement comes in verse 19: “And I’ll say to myself, You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” Here he goes completely off track by planning to live the good life without regard to the Good News! Not thanking God for everything and not sharing it with our brothers and sisters are what make him the example to be avoided in this story.

Loving Lord, help us to be more concerned for others and our connection to You than about ourselves and material things. May we live as Christ instructed, sharing our blessings and Your love with everyone. Amen.

And he told them this parable: ‘The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’’
Luke 12:16-17

Jesus opens His parable with a story of blessing – a man’s field has produced a record yield. He has a wonderful problem in that he doesn’t have room to store his harvest. It also indicates God has blessed him before, stating that he is a rich man. What is he to do?

When we are blessed with abundance, what do we do? Hopefully we thank God and seek His will for the gift we have been given. We are quick to turn to God for help and comfort in hard times, but when we are successful and full, do we give Him the glory?

The children of Israel were warned ‘When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God’ (Deuteronomy 8:10-11). We must be careful not to fall into this trap either, thinking that we have accomplished something on our own. Scripture tells us ‘Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.’ (James 1:17). God is good all the time; we must recognize His generosity and give thanks.

Gracious God, we have been blessed beyond anything we deserve. Help us to use Your gifts for the good of everyone and to remember that everything comes from You. Amen.

And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”

Luke 12:15

Greed is a form of selfishness and selfishness separates us from God and our neighbors. It is the exact opposite of the behavior and relationship Jesus teaches us. This “me first” concern can place everyone in conflict as we try to grab things before others get them.

Jesus warns in this scripture that “life does not consist in the abundance of possessions”, that the things we have do not define us. Our scramble to own things is an example of our desire to be in control, which caused our fall in the first place. If we would trust God and allow Him to direct our lives, the urge to have anything else but an honest relationship with Him will disappear.

It is difficult to let go of our need for things, but things don’t love us and can’t give us the satisfaction that connecting with God and our brothers and sisters will give. Let’s look carefully at our needs and not allow the temptation of wanting useless possessions to distract us from God’s path. Our lives can be richer than we imagine!

Gracious God, help us to see the blessing of relationship with You and others over the lure of greed for things. May we be more concerned about the needs of the world than our own selfish desires. Amen.

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?”
Luke 12:13-14

We sometimes think that Jesus came to settle our differences and make everything right. While He is concerned with how we treat each other, He also makes it clear that we are responsible for our behavior. Jesus teaches us the lessons, we must learn and apply them in our lives. He has not come to judge us – yet!

In this week’s scripture (Luke 12:13-21), we will hear how our behavior toward each other affects our relationship with God. It deals specifically with our drive for possessions and financial success, warning that we can get so wrapped up in our “stuff” that we lose sight of what God calls us to do. The old hymn “God of Grace and God of Glory” tells us we must guard against “our wanton, selfish gladness, rich in things and poor in soul.”

Jesus isn’t saying money is bad, but that it is often a source of conflict among us, as in the two brothers mentioned in the opening verse. We often want what others have, and Jesus warns against that as well. So is Jesus being unfair by not stepping in on this disagreement? Not at all, He is teaching us that there are more important things for us to focus on than our money and our possessions. He calls us to look beyond our human desires and hear God’s plan for us.

Loving Lord, our struggle to obtain earthly success often overshadows Your offer of eternal life. Help us to see the truth that nothing we have now will matter later, and to place value on what is truly meaningful – our connection to You. Amen.

In our scripture this week (Luke 11:1-13), Jesus is teaching the disciples a variety of lessons. On the surface, it’s about their request that He teach them to pray. On a deeper level, He shares a way to grow closer to God through group and personal conversations.

He also teaches that prayer is a gift in itself, given that we might share with God, and hear His response. Prayer is a tool that allows us to be part of corporate worship with God’s people as well as speaking directly to Him alone. In those days, as in some cases still, it was necessary to go through “channels”, various levels of different representatives, before you could gain access to the one in charge…if you could speak to them at all!

Communication with God isn’t like that – Jesus taught us that we can go to Him without the need for anyone else to relay our message. As His children, He has given us the gift of speaking to Him about anything, anytime and anywhere. Paul writes we are to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), which sounds difficult but indicates the level of connection we are able to have with God. Use the direct line we have been given to be in relationship with Him always!

Gracious God, You not only allow but invite us to speak to You directly through prayer. Help us to use this wonderful gift effectively and often to maintain our relationship and share Your love among our brothers and sisters. Amen.

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’” Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Luke 11:1-13

Jesus has taught us many lessons about prayer throughout this passage. He gave His disciples (and us) a prayer that can be recited, but it is also a guide for our communication with God. While the wording of the version in Luke may not be as familiar as the version in Matthew 6:9-13, we can see the same intent in both.

Indeed it seems Jesus intended us to pray this differently according to our needs and situations. God wants us to share what we feel about ourselves and our cares, our concern for others and the world. He wants our prayers to be personal. Praise and adoration using old familiar terms are not wrong, but a heartfelt expression of our joy, our pain and our desire to be close to God are said best in our own words.

Consider starting or ending your time with Him using The Lord’s Prayer, but including your own conversation with God as the body of your prayer. We know God is never surprised by what we ask and share, but when it comes from our lips and our hearts, it draws us closer to Him and enables us to wait patiently for His answer. As we have learned, there is never a wrong way or wrong time to pray, but we can grow in our faith through honest, personal prayer.

Heavenly Father, we are thankful that Jesus gave us an example to follow, in prayer and in life. Help us to love You better through time spent together, and let us better love our neighbor in response. Amen.