Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is Romans 12:20-21 (NLT).

If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads. Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

In this passage Paul quotes directly from Proverbs 25:21-22: “If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you.” The teaching to treat those who oppose us better than they treat us has always been part of God’s plan. God loves His children no matter what and calls us to do the same.

This is part of the upside down kingdom Jesus taught, where the last become first, we lead by serving and enemies are loved. It is the complete opposite of worldly behavior that advocates getting there first and having the most of everything. God wants us to value each other and our relationships more than anything.

It is not an easy thing to love our enemies, but God commands it. We must listen with our hearts to find a way to reach them. Spiritual warfare is harder than physical combat, and it can only be won by sharing God’s love with those who stand against us. 

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for the times we allow our differences to separate us from each other and You. Forgive us and send us in Your name that all Your children may know Your love. Amen.

Our scripture this morning Titus 2:11-13 (NLT).

For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.

Paul writes to his partner Titus with with instructions and encouragement for his ministry. In this passage he speaks to the hope we have in Christ’s return, and the accountability expected of us as we go in His name. He reminds us that salvation is a gift intended for all God’s children and it is up to us to share the Good News.

As always, he warns against the ways of the world, “godless living and sinful pleasures.” The guidance to live righteously in spite of what we experience here is not easy, but it is what we are called to do. Knowing that Christ’s return will be a surprise to us means living in constant readiness.

We are called to bring the Gospel to all our brothers and sisters so that everyone has the chance to know Jesus through scripture and the example faithful Christians are to live out. All are invited, but it is up to each of us to accept this blessing and the responsibility it carries. The change Jesus brings to our lives can’t be ignored; His love compels us to be new people for Him.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You made a way for us to be saved from our sin, and be reconciled to You through Christ our Lord. Make us energetic disciples, bringing Your word and Your love to everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Proverbs 18:19-21 (NLT).

An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars. Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

This passage from Proverbs warns us about our words and the power they have over our relationships with others. What we say to and about each other can affect our lives, their lives and those around us. Words may not be the same as actions, but a verbal attack can hurt much longer than a physical assault.

Later in James 3:10 we read “And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!” When we shame one another with what we say, we damage our connection with them and with God. We need to be aware of how our words affect each other and ourselves.

Jesus teaches us about this issue in the Sermon on the Mount: “But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell” (Matthew 5:22). Obviously Jesus takes what we say very seriously and we must as well.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times our words damage Your creation. Help us to see everyone as Your beloved children and bring the joy of a connection with You to the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 2 Chronicles 15:7 (NLT).

But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.

We read the command “Be strong and courageous” several places in scripture. Sometimes it comes in those very words, as in Joshua 1:9 – “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Sometimes it is phrased differently, as in Romans 5:5 – “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” 

No matter how it is presented, this is a directive for us to go in the name of the Lord, knowing He is with us. We have been given a commission to carry the Good News of salvation to the world but He doesn’t send us without help. As Jesus promised, we have received “another Advocate” (John 14:16) to counsel and guide us.

All of this means God wants us to be bold in our discipleship, knowing that while there will be obstacles, nothing is too hard for Him. Paul writes “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). Ask God for courage today and every day as we go to make a difference.

Heavenly Father, help us when we are challenged by the ways of the world. Don’t let us draw back from what we face, but strengthen us through Your Spirit to carry the message of Your love everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Galatians 5:14-16 (NLT).

For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

Christian author Mark Norton writes “When we lose the motivation of love, we become critical of others. We stop looking for the good in them and see only their faults. Soon we lose our unity.” While this may sound like our current situation, Paul wrote to warn the church at Galatia of just this human problem nearly two thousand years ago.This is Christ’s command to us, second only to our duty to love God. When we disobey this, we are turning away from our connection to Him.

Jesus faced criticism and disagreement, and much more hate than we are ever likely to encounter, but He never stopped loving, forgiving even those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34). This is His example for us, that our love for God and our obedience must outweigh any human situation or reaction.

Paul reminds us if we let the Holy Spirit guide our lives, we can be protected from “what your sinful nature craves.” Jesus promised us His presence through “another Comforter” (John 14:15-17) and that we would be strengthened to go in His name (Acts 1:8). If we rely on His word, rather than our own selfish desires, we can bring the Good News to everyone.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we have let words and events interfere with Your instruction to love one another. May we let Your Spirit guard and guide us when we are tempted to react with anger rather than love. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Peter 3:9 (NLT).

Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.

In this verse Peter reminds us of Christ’s teaching from the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus tells us “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also” (Matthew 5:38-39). For many of us, this is probably the most difficult thing we are asked to do.

It doesn’t seem right (and it isn’t!) for people to mistreat each other. It offends our inner sense of justice. We want to see people get what’s coming to them. Unfortunately, our idea of justice is not what Jesus taught us. Our selfish “justice” is what has brought us to the need for Christ’s redeeming love.

Jesus commands us to “love your neighbor as yourself” and “love your enemies”. Until we get this right in our hearts, we will continue to have issues here on earth. We must surrender our will to His, believing that the way of Jesus is better than anything we have, and the only hope for our salvation.

Gracious God, forgive us for the times we try to “get back” at each other, living for retaliation rather than reconciliation. Bless us to have the mind that Christ had, and go in Your love to all people. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is James 1:16-18 (NLT).

So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.

James tells us that God is the Creator, the source of all good things. He reminds us that everything is a gift from God and that we are not to be misled into thinking we have created anything ourselves. We owe it all to our loving Father.

We read that God “created all the lights in the heavens”, but unlike their varying patterns, “He never changes.” This means we can always count on Him, that He is always the same, seeking only good for us. Our faith in Him must be constant as well, unaffected by human events.

God not only gave us physical birth, but a spiritual rebirth “by giving us His true word.” Jesus is the very word of God (John 1:1) and He teaches that we must be “born again” (John 3:3-8). Then we can truly reflect the image of God as we go to share His love.

Loving Lord, You have given us all things and the responsibility to care for them. Help us to live new lives through Christ’s sacrifice for us and bring the Good News to everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 6:9-13 (NRSV).

“Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.”

Jesus had warned His disciples about ineffective and showy prayer in the verses just prior to this. He gives us a model prayer that avoids all the issues He spoke about, a simple conversation with God that covers our faith in Him, our need for sustenance, and our need to be saved.

In Matthew 6:6 Jesus tells us “But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” This private prayer solves the problem of praying to be seen, as the Pharisees do. However, Jesus also instructed us to pray together as God’s church to strengthen our unity.

While Jesus may not have intended us to repeat His exact words, we still do this to honor Him and focus our prayers on His example for us. We ask forgiveness of Him and promise to offer forgiveness in the same way. This is how we can best show the world His love, by forgiving and caring for all our brothers and sisters.

Heavenly Father, we ask to make our Lord’s Prayer our own. Help us to see our need to be forgiven and to go in Your name to share that blessing with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Hebrews 4:14-16 (NLT).

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

God sent His Son to be our example, teacher, and ultimately the sacrifice for our sin. By coming to earth as one of us, Jesus can say to all we experience “been there, done that.” However, with regard to sin, He says “been there, didn’t do that” and through our faith in Him, we can be saved.

God wanted so much to bring His children back that He sent part of Himself to be with us. This is a High Priest who understands all we are challenged by, but never fell into its trap. He is also the only High Priest who can bring us salvation.

Knowing that Jesus came for us and is always there for us, why do we rely on our human strength and knowledge? We have been blessed by His word and His love, and called to go to share that blessing with everyone. He never promised it would be easy, but He said there is a place prepared in His Father’s house for all who trust and obey.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Your Son to save us. Help us to see Your truth and love and share it with a world in desperate need of both. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Romans 1:16-17 (NLT).

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

Paul quotes scripture from the prophet Habakkuk: “But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God” (Habakkuk 2:4). Later in this letter he writes “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith” (Romans 4:3). Paul is telling us plainly that our faith in God is the foundation of our salvation.

Martin Luther taught this vigorously later on, that we are saved by faith through grace. Christ’s sacrifice for us is a gift, but we must accept it in repentance and make it a part of our lives. Nothing we can do here on earth can save us.

Our works, as mentioned in James 2:17, are a response to the gift we have received, not labor that is counted toward eternity. Nothing we do “earns” us a way to salvation. However, the truest measure of faith is how we live it out in the world.

Loving Lord, help us to see Your face in all of Your children, and go in faith to do the work You have called us to accomplish. Amen.