Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is Jeremiah 31:23‭-‬25.

This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity, the people of Judah and its towns will again say, ‘The Lord bless you, O righteous home, O holy mountain!’ Townspeople and farmers and shepherds alike will live together in peace and happiness. For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.”

Jeremiah is sometimes known as the “weeping prophet” due to his sorrow over Israel not obeying God’s law. He told them of the coming wrath – an invasion from Babylon – which would destroy the Temple and their way of life. However, he also prophesied about God’s love and forgiveness for those who repent and their joyous return to their homeland to rebuild their society. We could learn much from Jeremiah’s teaching about life today. If we don’t heed the warnings we are given and turn to the Lord, Israel’s fate then could also be ours.

Heavenly Father, You hold all things in Your mighty hand. Help us to see the error of our ways and follow the path to salvation through Jesus Christ our savior. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 139:23‭-‬24.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

This plea from the psalmist asks God to be aware of the failings and challenges he faces and guide him through them. We all have issues in our lives that we must deal with, and God knows every single one. Asking Him to be mindful of us is unnecessary, He always has been. Everything that we do and everything that occurs in creation is known to Him, but when we ask for His help, He draws us closer and makes us part of His loving work.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the blessings You send, none more wonderful than our savior, Jesus Christ. Help us to see Your hand and Your plan in our lives every day. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Romans 12:9‭-‬13.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Paul writes to Christians in Rome with guidance on following Jesus and sharing the love He brings us. We are encouraged to “Honor one another above yourselves”, in order to honor our Father in heaven, who made us each in His image. By seeing the face of God in each other, we can serve Him. Our savior has called us to be His representatives, telling all the world the joy we have found in Him.

Gracious God, You need no help from anyone but You include us in Your plan to reach out to everyone with Your love. Help us to be joyful, patient and faithful as we go in Your name. Amen.

Friends, we are traveling for our daughter’s wedding this week, and while I do have a tablet with me, my posts will likely be shorter (and possibly later) than usual.  

Our scripture this morning is Proverbs 16:1-3.

The plans of the mind belong to mortals, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All one’s ways may be pure in one’s own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

Proverbs bring us practical wisdom from God through faithful writers. Many of these are said to be from King Solomon, who asked God not for riches or power, but wisdom. In 1 Kings 3:9 we read “Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” Solomon knew that wisdom and an understanding of the truth of God was necessary to be able to be the king the people needed. He committed his work to the Lord and God blessed his efforts.

Gracious God, we are grateful for the wisdom handed down to us through faithful followers. May we be wise and kind in our dealings with each other, looking to You for guidance. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Galatians 1:10-12.

Am I now seeking human approval, or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ. For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

Paul reminds us that it is God we strive to please, not other people. There is a difference in sharing God’s love and caring for others, rather than just giving them what they think they want. Our own human desires can lead us away from the relationship with God that is intended for us.

Pleasing God can often turn the world against us. Jesus warned that we would face opposition when we follow him. It isn’t easy being a disciple but that is the call He has placed on our lives. Rather than giving people what they want, we must share the love of God that is so desperately needed in our world.

Adam and Eve made a wrong choice in the very beginning (Genesis 3). The crowd at the trial of Jesus made a wrong choice in rejecting Him, crying “Give us Barabbas!” (John 18:40). We must guard against choosing human things over eternal things, and risking the salvation Jesus came to give us.

Heavenly Father, we come humbly to You, sorry for our sin and wanting the forgiveness You offer us. May we go in Your name to share the joy of Christ with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalm 139:7-12.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

In this passage we hear both a blessing and a caution. The psalmist asks “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” The answer is of course, nowhere. The Creator who made everything that exists knows where we are at all times.

Paul writes “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). Nothing other than our own choice can ever isolate us from the love and care of God, and even then, His love and care for us endures.

In Genesis 3:9 we read “But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” Adam and Eve are “hiding” because they are ashamed. God knows where they are and what they have done, but even in this betrayal, God’s love is there for them. We can’t find a place, time or situation in which to run away from God, He is always there and no matter what, He loves us all.

Gracious God, we are grateful for Your mercy, offered when we have fallen into sin. Help us to be close to You at all times through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Jude 1:20-23.

But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

History tells us that like James, Jude is a brother of Jesus. Not much else is known of his life or ministry, but this writing has survived. It contains similar teaching to that in 2 Peter, indicating that he and the disciples were telling people the same message about the risen savior.

In this short letter Jude covers several topics, but his primary focus is our faith and how we treat each other. He gives several instructions in this passage on guarding our faith and waiting for Christ’s return. We are encouraged to show mercy to others, but cautioned to avoid their sins ourselves.

Jude writes that we “must build each other up in your most holy faith”, following the Great Commission Jesus gave us to make disciples of all nations. It is essential that as the disciples of today we share our faith and live according to the example He has shown us. While God needs no help in bringing about His plan of salvation, He has called us to be part of what He is doing in the world.

 Gracious God, we are thankful for the Holy Spirit that inspired Your chosen ones to leave us these lessons. May we follow their teachings, knowing that it is Your word being shared with us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭29‬-‭32.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Paul asks us to look at how we speak about one another, reminding us of the example Jesus has given us. Perhaps we don’t use profanity, but words that demean others are never appropriate. He encourages us to say “only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen”. 

He reminds us of our obligation as followers of Christ to “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you”. We may be called to help correct improper interactions, but we must be careful not to fall into sin ourselves by using the same methods we intend to prevent. Shaming someone into better behavior is not acceptable or effective.

James 3:9 tells us “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.” God gave humans the gift of speech and reason; we must not use them to harm others. All people are God’s beloved children and we are called to love and care for each other, sharing the joy of fellowship and our connection to Him.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the way we treat each other and ask Your forgiveness. Help us to be strong in faith but gentle in our words and actions. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬-‭13.

There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Paul shares a very important truth in this passage, saying “the word of God is alive and active”. The blessing of scripture is a vital part of our lives, leading us to a deeper connection with Him and our brothers and sisters in Christ. In His word we find strength and guidance for the situations we face in our lives.

God didn’t just create us and leave us to go it alone. Even after sin entered the world through our disobedience, God still pursues us with an unimaginable love. We must make a conscious choice to accept His love and forgiveness and apply His gifts (like scripture) in all our actions.

In John 1:1 we read that “the word was with God and the word was God”. He has sent us that word in Christ our savior and through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit recorded in scripture. Worship, prayer, and searching the scriptures give us the strength we need to go in faith to serve one another as Jesus taught us.

Gracious God, we are grateful for Your word, sent to heal us and teach us. May we be alive and active in our faith, telling the world of Your love and salvation. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭5.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Paul tells us that when we go through a time of suffering, God can use the experience to deepen our faith and our relationship with Him. God doesn’t send hurting into our lives but He is with us through it, showing us that earthly emotional or physical pain can be endured, not by our own strength but His.

Jesus came to be our example, sharing God’s love with us and showing us that through a life in God’s grace, we can endure the world’s opposition to His message. Make no mistake, there will be resistance from the evil forces we face. However, Jesus said “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭11‬).

When we hurt, God hurts along with us. He is the source of all good things and wants only the very best for His children. Paul writes “God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” and through this we can endure whatever threat the world has for us.

Loving Lord, we are weak but You are strong. Help us to be ready to face worldly issues in faith, relying on Your love and mercy in all things. Amen.