Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is Titus 2:11-14.

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. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

Paul writes to his fellow missionary Titus with uplifting words for his ministry. He tells him (and us) that if we “live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God” we can ask forgiveness and reconnect with Him. God made us in His own image to be in relationship with Him and each other.

Jesus lived, died and rose again that if we put our faith in Him, we can be made new and go in His name to share God’s love with the world. Paul says He came “to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds”. What might the world look like if we all were committed to sharing His teaching and His care?

God sent His Son to change our hearts and minds, that through His sacrifice we could be free of the sin that distracts us from the work of the kingdom. God wants all His children to know His love, and while He needs no help from us, He calls us to be part of His plan for our salvation. When we go in faith, we prepare ourselves and the world for Christ’s return.

Loving Lord, we ask forgiveness for the times we choose our own way instead of the path You have shown us. Help us to focus on what is truly important, our connection to You, and to love our brothers and sisters as You first loved us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 24:1-5.

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers. Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully. They will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of their salvation.

God created everything and everything belongs to Him, including us. That would be the end of the story, but God loves us and gave us free will that we might love Him in return. It’s not love if there is no choice.

This psalm reminds us of the requirements in order to be connected with God. We read that only “those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully” can be blessed. However, we can’t become clean on our own, we need to go to Him in repentance, washed by the blood of Jesus.

God wants us to love Him and each other in order to live in peace during our earthly life. Those who turn to Him in faith and live according to His law are redeemed by Christ’s sacrifice and will follow Him to eternity. It’s not within our power to get there alone, but it is up to us to choose.

Loving Lord, we are sorrow for our foolish pride, thinking our wisdom and strength will save us. Only You can make us whole again, and we turn to You for forgiveness. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 11:17-27.

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”

The story of the raising of Lazarus shows us Jesus’ power over death, even before His crucifixion. There are other examples in scripture as well, as when He raised the synagogue leader’s daughter (Matthew 9, Mark 5, Luke 8). These passages illustrate His compassion for those He loves, which extends to every one of us. Later in this story, Jesus weeps as they gather at the tomb of His friend.

While all we can do is mourn, Jesus is not bound by our human limitations. However, He has come not just to raise Lazarus but to show us the miraculous love God has for each of us. He tells Martha “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die”. This is a more marvelous thing than raising someone who has died back to mortal life. This is the promise of eternal life with Him.

Jesus wants us to know that there is more for us than the life we lead here on earth. How we care for each other and show our love for Him here is important, because it prepares us for glory that is to come. Jesus wants all of us raised with Him on the last day to be with Him forever.

Gracious God, in Your mercy Jesus came to love and save and free us. Bless us to be the bearers of the Good News of His return to bring us all home. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 10:7-10.

So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

Jesus teaches us that He is the way in John 14. In this passage He tells us He is the “gate for the sheep”, the only path to enter the safety of salvation. When we listen to His voice and follow Him, we can “come in and go out and find pasture”.

Jesus wants us to choose Him as our Good Shepherd, living in peace and safety. Unlike a real flock of sheep, we are called to call others to follow Him. However, each one must make that choice for themselves.

He ends the lesson saying ” I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly”, reminding us that He is the only solution for sin. When we repent and seek God’s forgiveness, we can be made new, and live new lives in Him. Accept the abundant life He offers us when we follow in faith.

Loving Lord, You sent Your Son to lead us back into the saving relationship for which we were created. Help us to go in Your name to share this blessing with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 14:1-7.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Jesus has told His followers that He is returning to the Father to “prepare a place for you”. They are sad and confused about what the future will hold. Thomas voices their concern asking “how can we know the way?”

Jesus reassures them, saying “I am the way and the truth and the life”, everything we need in order to be saved. As the way, we follow Him; as the truth, we believe in Him; and as the life we live in Him and He in us. By knowing Jesus, we know the Father and are reconciled to Him.

We hear the truth that “no one comes to the Father except through me”, a warning that while there are many paths, Jesus is the only way to know God and be in relationship with Him. Through Jesus we can be made new, and as God’s beloved children, love each other as He first loved us. When we make His way our way, we can be forgiven and follow Him to the place He has prepared for us.

Loving Lord, we are thankful for the gift of Your Son who came to free us from the chains of sin and lead us to eternal life with You. Bless us to go in Your name, telling the world of Your love for us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 15:5-7.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

Jesus gives us a lesson on what our connection to Him is like. The vine is the source of life and the branches depend on it for their sustenance. One who is not connected “is thrown away like a branch and withers”, a stark commentary on what awaits us when we try to do life apart from God.

Without this connection, we miss the vital elements for growth and progress toward eternal life.  Jesus as the vine is the only way we can be nurtured and become a useful part of the kingdom. He warns us however “apart from me you can do nothing”.

Scripture gives us many examples of those who thought they could “do it themselves” but the ultimate result is always failure. Only by admitting our weakness and connecting to God’s love can we lead truly happy and successful lives. When we seek Him in repentance, His mercy can restore us, making us fruitful again.

Gracious God, we want to be part of what You are doing in creation. Help us to be aware of the needs of others, sharing the joy of our relationship with You everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 8:12-16.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Then the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid.” Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.”

We have heard Jesus described as the bread of life who sustains us. Today we read that He is the light which leads us from the darkness of sin back to connection with God. John used this to help us understand that the difference between our selfish human behavior and God’s will for us is like the difference between darkness and light.

The first words of creation God speaks are “let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). God brings His light of order into the chaos. Later He made us and all things for our benefit. When the time was right, He sent Jesus, the light of the world to show us life in the light of His love.

In his first letter John tells us “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). In the opening of his Gospel we read “in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:4-5). Jesus is a beacon of hope in a dark world, drawing us closer to Him and showing us the way to eternal life.

Heavenly Father, we want to live in Your light and show it to the world. Help us to be energetic in our faith and share the love You have sent with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 6:35-40.

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.”

The term “bread of life” is one of many ways we understand the mission Christ came to accomplish. God sent His Son to redeem us but first He must break through our desire for worldly things and focus our attention on what is truly important, our relationship with Him.

Jesus tells us that He is as essential to our eternal lives as food and drink are to our mortal lives. If we don’t eat and drink, our bodies waste away. If we are not in connection with Him, our spirits waste away. 

He came in obedience to God’s will and tells us that in order to rise to eternal life with Him we must obey God’s will as well. We must give up our selfish ways. Following Jesus and being nourished by what He teaches is the only way to be saved.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Jesus as our savior. Help us to follow in faith, that all the world may be reconciled to You. Amen.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.”

Jesus teaches that He has come to guard and guide us as a shepherd cares for the sheep. He will protect us from evil if we stay close to Him. We are His flock and He is willing to lay down His life that we might be saved.

Unfortunately, comparing us to sheep is accurate but not very complimentary, although He isn’t insulting us. Sheep tend to be self absorbed, worrying only about themselves and this lack of attention sometimes gets them in trouble. Sadly, this sounds like a description of us much of the time.

If we give up our selfish ways and look to Jesus in faith, we can be redeemed and restored. We are called to be an active part of God’s plan for us, caring for each other as Jesus taught. As members of His flock, He will lead us to our eternal home which He has prepared for us.

Loving Lord, we are thankful for Your gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. May we follow Him through this life that we may be together with You forever. Amen.

Alleluia, Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Our scripture this morning is Mark 16:1-7.

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.”

The story of the women who followed Jesus going to the tomb that morning is one of the most inspiring testimonies of our faith. Matthew 28:1-10, Luke 24:1-12, and John 20:1-10 all tell of the resurrection of our Lord and how these women carried the news back. It is still amazing to hear the news two thousand years later.

Jesus had told His followers what was to happen, but even for the most faithful it was difficult to believe. Many thought that Jesus had given up and He would be yet another martyr for the faith. While Jesus gave Himself as a sacrifice for us, His resurrection shattered the power of sin and death for all time.

As we celebrate, in fellowship or alone, we know the risen Savior is with us. He promised to send “another comforter” (John 14:16) and the Holy Spirit comes upon us when we accept the gift of redemption Jesus bought for us. Christ the Lord is risen today! May we live in the love He came to share and bring the Good News to all the world.

Heavenly Father, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to be the only acceptable sacrifice for our sin. Help us to rise with Him and go in faith to make disciples of all people. Amen.