Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is John 14:1-3.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God ; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

In this passage Jesus instructs His disciples regarding the time that He will return to the Father. It is a difficult thing for them to think they will have to go on without their teacher and friend, but He tells them “I am going there to prepare a place for you”. This promise is as true for all of us today as it was for them two thousand years ago.

Jesus knows that the next step in God’s plan of salvation is about to unfold. His arrest and crucifixion stand as the ultimate sacrifice to redeem us from sin and reconcile us with God. He has told His disciples that this is according to scripture (Luke 18:31-34). This is hard for us to understand but Jesus has said to God “not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).

He tells us “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me”. He offers us comfort for the present and hope for the future. We know that He sits at God’s right hand and at the time determined, He will return to take us home.

Loving Lord, we are amazed at what You are willing to do and endure for us. Bless us to go in Your name that everyone may know Your love for us all. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Acts 1:6-11.

Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

In this passage we read Luke’s account of the Great Commission and Christ’s ascension. Unfortunately, the disciples still have an earthly mindset, asking “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” Jesus sets them straight, saying that is up to God the Father to decide, but He has something else amazing for them.

Jesus tells them “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”. This is the fulfillment of His promise that God would send “another advocate” (John 14:16) to guide them in what they are called to do. It is also a job description and a territory assignment, “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”.

At the end of this passage Jesus ascends to heaven, but two “men” have another promise to share: “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven”. Jesus may be leaving us a task, but He is not leaving us alone, and He will be back!

Loving Lord, we are grateful for Your Holy Spirit present with us for guidance and protection. May we go in Your name to bring the Good News to everyone. Amen.

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

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

James writes that “the testing of your faith produces perseverance”, the ability to continue in faith even under difficult circumstances. We must expect to face challenges because we claim the name of Jesus. The world opposed Him and His message of love, and it will oppose us when we bring the Good News.

We mustn’t let this keep us from fulfilling the Great Commission we have been given to make disciples of all nations. Jesus tells us “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Denying ourselves means not taking the easy way out. To be His followers, we must be willing to live by His example.

This passage closes with an admonition to ask God for wisdom that we may know what is required of us. With this knowledge we can stand strong in faith, ready to do what Christ asks of us. The path is not easy, but it is the only way to salvation and eternal life with Him.

Loving Lord, bless us to be wise in Your ways, loving one another as You first loved us. May we tell the world how to be reconnected with You. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 119:9-16.

How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

This passage teaches how important it is to be connected to God through His word. The psalmist tells us “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you”. Making His word part of us and using it correctly helps us to know His plan for us. It is a tool in the fight against evil.

While it is important that we know God’s word, it is essential that we live by His word. In Matthew 4:6 we hear Satan quote Psalm 91 in an attempt to lure Jesus into sin. Even the enemy knows scripture but that is obviously not enough. We must know the Lord and His love, not just repeat the phrases.

Spending time in the word alone can’t save us. Memorizing verses but failing to live by them doesn’t bring us closer to God. Like any other tool, it can be used incorrectly, harming both the user and those around them. We are called to be the living representatives of our Heavenly Father, knowing His word, making it part of us, and sharing it with all the world.

Gracious God, You speak to us through the scriptures and prayer. Help us to hear Your word and bring the Good News to everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Ephesians 1:15-18.

Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

Paul tells the Ephesians of his prayers for them and his request that they receive “spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God”. In order to know God we need to spend time studying His word and in prayer, learning of His love and His plan for us. However, knowing Him means more than just knowing about Him.

God wants us in a close and constant relationship as we live our earthly lives. He wants us to accept the covenant He has made with us, salvation through Christ’s sacrifice. Paul tells us we are God’s “holy people who are His rich and glorious inheritance”.

We are called to lift each other up to God and use our gifts in service to His people. Our connection to Him requires us to share His love with everyone. Paul prays for us all that “your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope He has given to those He called”.

Loving Lord, we are grateful that You call us to be Your people. Help us to go to all our brothers and sisters with the Good News of eternal life with You. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Proverbs 31:25-26.

She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.

These words speak of a woman who relies on God and uses her gifts well. There are many passages in scripture that tell us of women who have made a difference to our faith. Two books of the Bible, Ruth and Esther, are named for women who displayed courage and compassion for people. 

We remember Mary, the mother of Jesus, who said yes without hesitation to God sending His Son. She responded “I am the Lord’s servant” (Luke 1:38) even though the task He gave her would cause shame in the beginning and anguish later as she watched her son die. When we say yes to God, we accept His plan and His path, not our own.

However, for every woman that is named in our history, there are millions who live lives of devotion to God and care for those around them with little fanfare. They have nurtured and taught generations, showing us how to love God and one another. Today, remember those women who have been the mothers of us all.

Gracious God, thank You for Your love, shown to us in many ways. Make us strong in our faith to share it with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 143:8-10.

Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. Rescue me from my enemies, Lord; I run to you to hide me. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.

This is a wonderful psalm passage to start the day. It speaks of God’s love for us and our trust in Him. We ask God to rescue and teach us, giving ourselves to Him that His will may be done.

If we begin every day with this kind of affirmation and connection to God, we are better equipped to deal with what we will face. Asking for His guidance and protection allows Him to work in our lives. God wants to be part of everything we do, but we must invite Him and accept the relationship He offers us.

God wants us to be His messengers, sharing His love with all our brothers and sisters. We must know what He asks of us and prepare ourselves to go in His name. God will give us strength and hope, and we know He will lead us forward on a firm footing.

Gracious God, we want You as part of our lives. We want to be part of Your plan for the world. Bless us to be energetic workers for Your kingdom. 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.

This passage starts with the sad truth that Jesus came for us but many didn’t see who He was and many rejected Him. When we were created, God gave us free will to make our own choices. This means we are not forced into a connection with Him, but invited.

Here we read that we must be reborn. In John 3:3 Jesus tells Nicodemus “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” God claims all of us as beloved children, but we must verify His claim by accepting the relationship He offers us.

Choosing to follow Jesus is a life changing decision. You can’t say yes to the Savior and go on living an unsaved existence. We are human, weak and prone to poor choices and we may fail again. However, Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would help strengthen us in faith, that we may see God’s plan for us and walk with Him.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we have chosen our own way rather than what You intend for us. Bless us to go in Your name, sharing the Good News everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Romans 8:1-4.

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

Paul tells us that because we belong to Jesus, we have received the Holy Spirit which frees us from “the power of sin that leads to death”. God had given us the law to teach us the right way to live but we needed more than instruction, we needed an example we could see and touch. Through Jesus, we are better able to relate to God.

Jesus knew what God wanted for us and demonstrated how we are intended to connect to Him and each other. He didn’t say the law was worthless, in fact He told us “I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose” (Matthew 5:17). The law was given to instruct us but we needed the Teacher in order to explain it to us.

Paul writes of the law “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate” (Romans 7:15). We have been rule breakers from the very beginning. Jesus came to show us what it means to live in connection with Him, “so now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus”.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to be the living example of Your law. Help us to follow our Savior, that we may be redeemed to eternal life. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Colossians 3:12-15.

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Paul’s lesson reminds us that since we have been forgiven, we must also forgive. He tells us “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you”. This is part of loving one another as God requires.

The parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18) warns of what is in store for us if we don’t forgive one another. In Matthew 6 Jesus tells us we can’t be forgiven if we don’t do so as well. He gave us the ultimate example when He asked God to forgive those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34). If He can forgive all of our sins for eternity, certainly we can forgive those who harm us here.

Being forgiven means we are free to live in the Holy Spirit that has been given to us, gifted to go tell others what Jesus has done for us. Forgiving means letting go of the hurt and allowing God’s love to work in us as well as in the life of the offender.  May we accept His forgiveness and forgive as He has taught us.

Gracious God, You sent Jesus as our savior and example that we might learn how to love You and each other. Send us to the world that they might know Your love through us. Amen.