Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 56:2-4.

My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are attacking me. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

This psalm of David speaks to the fear we suffer when attacked. While the situation in this passage is one of physical combat, we can suffer emotional fear as well. No matter what causes it, God can handle our distress if we let Him.

David writes “In God I trust and am not afraid.” When we give God the things that frighten or upset us, He can calm and reassure us. As the Psalm says “What can mere mortals do to me?” This reminds us that while we inhabit these physical bodies, Heaven is our true and eternal home.

In Matthew 10:28 Jesus tells us “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” Yes, we can suffer injury and even death in our mortal bodies. However, God created us out of love and our spirits belong to Him.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for our physical existence in the world You created for us. Keep us mindful of Your protection and the fact that our spirits are Yours forever. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Romans 8:31-34.

What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

God created the world, gave it to us and we messed up! God gave us His son to release us from our sin – let’s not mess this up! God wants us back so badly He is willing to do anything for us. All we need do is accept the love and forgiveness Jesus bought for us on the cross.

Evil will still whisper in our ear “It can’t be that easy!” This is why we must rebuke evil as Jesus did (Matthew 4:10), following the path He has set for us. Paul tells us “If God is for us, who is against us?” and we know nothing can stand against the Lord Almighty.

Later in this chapter Paul writes “Nothing can separate us from God’s love” (Romans 8:39). However, we can separate ourselves by allowing the world to influence us. This has been our challenge since the very beginning. God has justified us through the sacrifice of Jesus and His resurrection. Now we are His representatives, called to share His love everywhere.

Gracious God, You have blessed and redeemed us through the gift of Your son. Help us to bring this sacrificial love to all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 John 3:1-2.

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.

In Genesis 1:27 we read we are made in God’s image, so we are like Jesus as well. Because of this we are called to be more like Him in the lives we lead here, sharing the gift we have been given. This is how we show our love for Him and each other.

Since the world did not recognize Jesus, it will likely not recognize His followers. He told us it would be difficult but that doesn’t change the task He gives us. He reminds us “If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me first” (John 15:18).

The apostle Paul tells us “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as children by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15). What He gives us is not just the name “Children of God” but the blessing and the promise that go with it. 

Heavenly Father, we are amazed that You call us Your children. Forgive us for our disobedience and strengthen us in faith, that we may go to the world in Your name. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 1:10-13.

He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

The Gospel of John opens by introducing us to Jesus, the creating Word of God, His son who came to save us. The Messiah was promised, but sadly when He appeared much of the sinful world didn’t know or accept its creator. However, many believed and to those “He gave the right to become children of God.”

Jesus explains later that “unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3). This is a spiritual action, returning in repentance to God and receiving the forgiveness He offers us. As His children, we then have kingdom responsibilities.

In Deuteronomy 14:1 we read “You are the people of the LORD your God.” We are God’s children through faith, not by heritage or any action we perform. When we accept Christ’s sacrifice and the plan God has for us, our response is to share that joy with everyone.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You made a way for us to be saved from our sin through the gift of Your son. Bless us to be the children of faith, going in Your name to all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Peter 2:9-10.

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.

Peter writes to believers everywhere using language that was once reserved for the children of Israel, “a chosen people.” In Christ all believers are unified as “royal priests, a holy nation.” Accepting Jesus as our Lord and savior makes us people of God.

In Hosea 2:23 we read “And I will say to those who were not My people, ‘You are My people!’ and they will say, ‘You are my God!’ ” God had a plan for all His children from the beginning, no matter who we are. The apostle John tells us ”But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). 

While our relationship with God is an amazing blessing, there is more – He has work for us to do!  Peter tells us “you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” Jesus entrusted His ministry to us as the children of God and we must share the Good News with the world.

Loving Lord, thank You for loving us so much and making us Your people. Send us to tell everyone the joy of a connection with You, that all may know Your love. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Zechariah 14:6-9.

On that day the sources of light will no longer shine, yet there will be continuous day! Only the Lord knows how this could happen. There will be no normal day and night, for at evening time it will still be light. On that day life-giving waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half toward the Dead Sea and half toward the Mediterranean, flowing continuously in both summer and winter. And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day there will be one Lord—his name alone will be worshiped.

God created us to live in harmony with Him and each other. Our sin marred that relationship, but God loves us too much to leave us separated from Him. The prophet Zechariah tells of the coming of the Day of the Lord when that connection will be fully restored.

This end times vision states that only the Lord knows when and how this will occur, something Jesus taught us as well (Acts 1:7). The Lord will return and we must always be ready. Until then we must choose Him and live in His love every day.

This passage closes with the promise “the Lord will be king over all the earth.” It’s not that He isn’t – He has been, is and will always be the King! However, on that day all will realize His majesty and those who have chosen him in love will join Him in their eternal home.

Heavenly Father, we are amazed at Your love and care for us, even when we fall into sin. Help us to see that Your love and forgiveness overcome all our failures. Bless us to go in Your name to spread the Good News! Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Hebrews 13:14-16.

For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come. Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

This passage opens with the reminder that the world “is not our permanent home”. Jesus promised that His Father’s house has “more than enough room” and He was going to prepare a place for us (John 14:2). However, while we are here, we have work to do.

We give our praise and obedience to God to show our love for Him. We do good and share with those in need to show His love to others. This is the New Covenant way of offering “sacrifices that please God.”

Under the old system one had to be “ritually clean” to offer a sacrifice. Jesus washed us clean forever, doing away with the old rules. Through His sacrifice for us we can come to God continually, and go in His name to spread the Good News.

Loving Lord, in Your mercy You sent Your son to be the final and eternal sacrifice for our sin. Bless us to be a new creation, saved by Your love and ready to do the kingdom work we have been given. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 1:29-31.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

John was sent as the forerunner of Christ, telling people about repentance and forgiveness. He uses a concept that the people of that time would understand, that of the Passover lamb. In Exodus 12:23-36 we hear that the Angel of Death passed over the children of Israel because they had faith in God and the blood of a lamb on their doorposts was the sign.

God loves us so much that He sent His son that we might learn and understand. Through Christ’s teaching and example we learn this Old Covenant sacrifice is no longer needed now that He has come, bringing the New Covenant. Our faith in Him is now the sign. His sacrifice for us is the only thing we need to be saved. 

Like John the Baptist we are to be representatives for Jesus in the same way today. We are called to live new lives in Him, loving each other as He first loved us. Jesus is the Lamb of God, the only way for us to come to the Father to be forgiven.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You made a way for us to be saved from our sin and live with You forever. Bless us to be energetic disciples, sharing the truth and love Jesus gave us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Peter 3:15-18.

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

Peter writes that we must “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” Speaking about our faith and telling everyone what Jesus has done springs from the forgiveness we have received through His sacrifice. We want everyone to know Jesus and accept the salvation He bought for us.

Our testimony to the world is not done timidly but “with gentleness and respect”, as Jesus taught us. While Jesus always had the right answer, He was patient with us, especially with those who struggled to understand. We must share our faith in the same way, inviting and explaining, not arguing or condemning.

Jesus was “put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.” He was innocent but suffered for us willingly. We are called to bear the suffering of the world in patient perseverance as He did, knowing that He has prepared a place for us in His Father’s house.

Loving Lord, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to love and save and free us. Bless us to be the face of Your love, sharing the joy of redemption with all. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 3:16-17.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

God’s love is not static, He reaches out to us in amazing ways. Through His everlasting love we are not condemned as we deserve, but saved by the gift of His only Son. Through our faith, we are called to reach out with His love to the world.

Notice the inclusive love of “the world”, not just our own groups. We are all called to repentance and forgiveness through Christ. We hear that “everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.” God’s loving arms are open to all who accept Christ’s message of salvation.

God’s love is not limited, rather it is a gift to everyone who believes. When we come to Him in faith we are washed clean and gifted to go in His name so that all may hear the Good News. As God sent Jesus, Jesus sends us! 

Gracious God, we stand condemned by our failures. In Your mercy You gave Your son that we might be saved. Bless us to share Your love and forgiveness with all. Amen.