Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is John 15:9-13.

I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Jesus is preparing the disciples for His return to heaven. He says that they are loved “as the Father has loved me”. Then He gives this commandment: “love each other in the same way I have loved you”.

Jesus doesn’t mean just love our own family or group or nationality, He means everyone, everywhere. If we see each other as God’s beloved children, made in His image, all the other designations we use to divide and separate fall away.

Jesus calls us to do as He has done. While we may not be asked to die for our friends, we might. However, Jesus also calls us to lay down our lives in service to God for our friends. If we don’t bring the world to Him, who will?

Gracious God, we ask Your forgiveness for our sins and Your blessing as we go in Your name. May we love one another as Jesus taught and showed us, ready to give our lives for the Gospel. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Romans 10:9-13.

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Paul gives us the most important instruction for salvation – “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”. God sent His son for us and we know from His own testimony “no one comes to the Father except by me” – John 14:6. Jesus has shown us the way, we must choose to follow Him.

Paul quotes scripture from two prophets in this passage. “Anyone who trusts Him will never be disgraced” is found in Isaiah 45:17. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” comes from Joel 2:32. Both of these verses teach us that only a relationship with God can bring us to eternal life.

We know we can’t save ourselves. It is only through the free gift of Jesus our savior that we can be forgiven and made right with God. Consider how you can be in closer connection with Him today and always.

Loving Lord, You are the maker of all things. Help us to be faithful workers for the kingdom and share Your love with all of Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Ephesians 3:14-18.

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

Paul always prayed for his congregations, that God would keep them safe from physical and spiritual trials. His letters to them are full of his joy at their success and pain when they stumbled. He knew that only God’s love and care could protect them.

Paul prays “that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit”. We all need God’s spirit with us to stand against the evil that waits for a weak moment in our lives. We can’t do it on our own.

We hear that when our hearts are right “your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong”. This is the only way for us to be saved. Choosing a relationship with Him is the most important thing we will ever do.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for our willful disobedience. Bless us to be Your children, strong in Your love, and send us to share it with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Peter 5:6-9.

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.

Peter reminds us that the enemy is always waiting for an opportunity to distract us and divert us from the work we are called to do. He encourages us to “stand firm against him and be strong in your faith”. Only by repenting and putting our trust in the Lord can we be saved.

We read “give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you”, a promise we can always count on. Jesus told us of this care in Matthew 6:31-33 and it is also spoken of in Psalms 55:22. God is always there for us, ready to forgive and refresh us when we come to Him.

Finally we hear that the “family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are”. This shared burden of the world’s opposition should make our faith stronger, remembering Christ’s statement “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first” – John 15:18. Jesus called us to follow Him even when the way is difficult. We know we can rely on His love and strength to sustain us.

Gracious God, we are thankful for all Your many gifts to us. Help us to be the people we are called to be, sharing Your love and the joy of redemption with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 105:1-4.

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord. Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.

This passage is the opening of a longer song of praise. It encourages us to “let the whole world know what he has done”, remembering God’s gifts and mercy to us. Singing praise and thanks was an essential part of their worship and should be part of ours as well.

It says we are to “tell everyone about his wonderful deeds”. This will lead to the Great Commission Jesus gives us in Matthew 28:19-20 to “go and make disciples of all the world”. If we truly love God, we are compelled to share what He has done for us.

Worship should be part of our lives, not just something we do at church. The psalmist invites us to “continually seek Him”, that God and His plan for us should be central to everything we do. God is always waiting for us, ready to forgive us and send us into His world that all may know His love.

Heavenly Father, we are grateful for all Your many gifts. Help us to use them to the fullest, sharing the Good News with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Romans 8:26-28.

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Paul writes to believers in Rome, saying “the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness”. After Jesus returned to heaven, God sent the Holy Spirit to be His presence with us. Through this we are guided and strengthened to know and do God’s will.

Jesus promised that when He was no longer here God would send “another comforter” (John 14:16-17). This is part of God’s plan for us to continue the ministry Jesus began. We are all commissioned to bring the Gospel to the world by telling everyone of His amazing love for us.

Paul tells us we are “called according to His purpose”. He has a plan for each of us, that we might use our gifts in His service, sharing the Good News of salvation everywhere. The Holy Spirit prays for us and with us, so that we can go in confidence that God is with us.

Gracious God, we are amazed to be included in the work of Your kingdom. Bless us to go in Your name to prepare the way. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Ephesians 5:1-2.

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

Paul writes that we are to “imitate God in everything you do”. This isn’t always easy but it is the example of Jesus we are called to follow. We are blessed to be God’s dear children, made in His image and invited to be part of His plan for salvation.

We can’t do it alone. We must accept the forgiveness He offers and “live a life filled with love”. He charges us to share that love with everyone, that they might know, love and follow Him as well.

All of this is because of His love for us, sending His son as a sacrifice for our sins. Jesus was obedient, even unto death. May we follow the path He has shown us, loving one another as He first loved us.

Heavenly Father, we are ashamed of our willful disobedience and ask Your forgiveness. Help us to live in the light of Your love, sharing the Good News with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is James 1:12-15.

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

Jesus told us that those who follow Him would face adversity from the world. This passage reminds us that we are blessed when we “patiently endure testing and temptation”. The important part is that we realize the weakness is in ourselves and go to God for strength.

James writes “God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else”. God is the source of all good things and He wants only good for His children. He has given us the ability to choose for ourselves and sometimes we mess it up. However, He is always ready to welcome us back when we ask forgiveness.

We hear that when we are faithful we will “receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him”. God wants all of us to live together with Him and each other. By His love we can all be saved.

Patient God, we know You are always there for us. Help us to turn away from sin and choose the eternal life You offer us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 John 4:9-12.

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

John reiterates from his gospel in this passage, specifically John 3:16. He reminds us that “this is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins”. God has already given us life itself, but through this gift of love we are forgiven.

The lesson here is because God loves us this much, we must love each other in return. We can see the image of our Creator in everyone, and love them just as we do Him. By this we demonstrate that we are true followers of Christ.

John writes that “no one has ever seen God” but when we see His creation, especially each other, we know Him and His love. Jesus taught us that this is the eternal connection between us, loving God and each other. Nothing else is as important as this.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Your son to redeem us. Bless us to go in Your name to share this gift with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Philippians 2:13-15.

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

Paul writes to encourage us to “live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people”. We are called to share God’s love and light in a dark world. Our lives can be an example to others of what God is doing in creation.

Paul tells us “God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him”, a reminder that He is always with us. If we accept His offer of salvation, we can be made new, ready to share His love with the world. We are called to spread the Good News everywhere.

The choice is ours, but we can’t do it by ourselves. Only by repenting of our selfishness and living obediently can we be saved. Listen to God’s invitation to return to the relationship for which we were created.

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for the times we have failed to do Your will. Forgive us and send us in Your name. Amen.