Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture today is John 10:1-10.

“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Jesus uses the illustration of the shepherd and sheep to explain to the Pharisees (and us) the relationship His followers have with Him. It is a lesson about those who are leaders for their own selfish purposes – Jesus calls them thieves and robbers. He has come for another purpose, “that they may have life, and have it to the full”.

Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd later in this passage to teach us that He has come to lead us home. He always tells us the truth, unlike human leaders who may take us down the wrong path. If we follow Him, we will always be on the path that leads to eternal life.

We are sometimes more foolish than sheep, following whatever voice calls to us. Jesus says “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭27‬). Following Jesus is the only way for us to be forgiven and saved. 

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Your son to gather us up and bring us back into a loving relationship with You. Send us to tell all our brothers and sisters about our Good Shepherd. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Peter‬ ‭5:6-10.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you.

Peter went from being a hothead, an on again-off again believer to a mature and confident leader and teacher because of what Jesus did for him. Jesus can change our lives in the same way if we let Him. In verse 7 we read “Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you”. We are called by the Master to give the things that worry us to Him and trust that His sacrifice for us has opened the way to eternal life.

Loving Lord, we are often overcome by what we face in this life. Help us to be the confident believers You call us to be, resting in God’s love. Amen.

Sorry to be short today and tomorrow. I’m traveling, so this is coming from my phone and my fat fingers have difficulty with tiny keys.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:3-5‬.

And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Jesus told us that because we follow Him, we can expect opposition from the world. Satan thrives on suffering  and chaos, the exact opposite of God’s love and plan for us. When we are up against evil, we can find comfort and strength from the example Christ has given us, and know that the Holy Spirit works within us to keep us on the narrow path.

Gracious God, thank You for being with us always. We press ahead in Your name to share the Good News everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭4‬-‭9.

Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is. Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.

Sin is a tough subject for us. Most people don’t want to sin, but it happens for a variety of reasons. Sometimes we are lazy in our faith, or selfish, perhaps we are faced with a difficult choice at work or in our relationships. No matter the cause, sin separates us from God.

Sin came into the world because humans chose what they wanted over what God had provided for them. God has a plan for all of us to be saved, but when we choose our way rather than His, the results are not good. It may seem that the wicked prosper and succeed in the world, but that is only temporary and they isolate themselves from what God has for them.

The Good News is that Jesus came to reclaim us all, the faithful and the fallen. No one is beyond God’s love and Jesus calls us to go to all the world with this message. Our task is to reach out to one another as God has commanded, sharing His truth and mercy with everyone.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we choose our path rather than Yours. Help us to remain steadfast in faith and show the world we are Christians by our love. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬-‭18.

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. 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.

The Letter of James is probably best known for teaching us that “faith without works is dead”, but in this short book, he has a lot more to tell us. In this passage we hear “temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away”. God may use our issue to test and strengthen us, but “God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else”.

We know that God is the source of all good things. The Apostle John writes “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all” (‭‭1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬). James echoes this, saying “whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father”.

Temptation and sin originate in us and it is up to us to ask for the strength we need to meet the challenge. God is always ready to help us, as are those He has given us as brothers and sisters in Christ. We are all called and equipped through His word to stand against the evil we face and be ready for Christ’s return.

Gracious God, we are sorry for the times we let sin control us. Bless us to follow Jesus as our example, accepting the salvation He has won for us, and go to share Your love with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Luke‬ ‭13‬:‭18‬-‭21.

Then Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? How can I illustrate it? It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches.” He also asked, “What else is the Kingdom of God like? It is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”

Jesus used many examples to teach us about how God’s kingdom works. Notice He doesn’t give us a physical description but rather how our actions as part of His plan are important. He uses these stories to make us think about what we are called to do in His name.

The mustard seed teaches us that even very small things have a purpose, and when they mature they may be much larger. Our faith may begin like the mustard seed but if we continue to nurture and grow our faith, it can be shared as a blessing to others. Jesus wants us all to be ready to testify to what God has done in our lives.

The yeast parable tells us that if we take our faith out into the world, it can spread to everyone. We are all sent to proclaim Jesus, loving and caring for others as He did. We may only be a small part of His work individually but as the body of Christ we can make a big difference.

Gracious God, thank You for the gift of Your son, that through Him we might be saved. Help us to use our gifts to tell everyone the joy we know in You. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭1‬-‭9‬.

Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither. Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.

The Psalms speak of all our human emotions and encourage us to express our feelings in a positive way, asking God to guide us. In this passage we hear not to “worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong”. Comparing ourselves to others never works well; we either feel cheated because we don’t have what they do or we are proud because we have more.

The psalmist tells us to “trust in the Lord and do good”, a much better choice than pride or envy. We all are given the ability to choose what we do, and when those who choose wrong succeed anyway it can lead us to question our faith. The apostle Paul writes “Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant”(‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6‬:‭7‬).

Here we are taught not to let what others say or do interfere with our relationship with God. We read the good advice “Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm”. The temporary things of earth will be replaced by the eternal things we are promised when Jesus returns to take us home.

Loving Lord, help us to be more aware of our brothers and sisters and less concerned with things. May we bring Your light and love to everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬-‭17.

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. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Paul voices a wonderful truth, that “God chose you to be the holy people He loves”. In order to return this love, we must believe the Good News and “remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others”. While it isn’t always easy, it is the example Jesus gave us in order to follow Him.

Peter asks Jesus about how often we are to forgive someone who wrongs us and He answers “not seven times, but seventy times seven” (Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭22‬). Notice that Jesus doesn’t say “after they apologize and make it up to you” or anything about their behavior. Our response as Christians is not based on how others treat us but how Jesus taught us to treat them.

The important part of Christ’s message is repeated by Paul in this passage: “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony”. Jesus showed love to everyone, including those who didn’t listen, and even those who brought about His Crucifixion. We must be willing to forgive the most unrepentant among us because Christ has forgiven us.

Loving Lord, it is hard to forgive as You do, but You call us to let go of the earthly acts committed against us and focus on the heavenly promise we have been given. Bless us to go in Your name, sharing love and forgiveness with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭20‬-‭25.

By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Paul shares the truth and joy of our salvation, that by Christ’s blood we are washed clean and reconnected to God. He encourages us to “go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him”. This is the greatest blessing we can receive, to be made right with God through the sacrifice Jesus has made for us.

Paul continues that our strength is in our fellowship with Christ and one another. Certainly we can stand alone as Christians through the power of the Holy Spirit, but we are so much more effective in our discipleship when we work together in His name. He writes “and let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another”, reminding us we are responsible to and for each other.

The most important point of this passage is “that the day of His return is drawing near”. We don’t know when that will be but we know without a doubt that it is coming. We are called to share the Good News with the world until Jesus comes to take us home.

Heavenly Father, we are amazed that You offer us forgiveness for our sins and invite us to be part of the work of Your kingdom. Bless us to go as the disciples of today to bring the world to You. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬-‭9.

I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Paul rejoices over the spiritual growth of the church in Corinth, praising God for the gifts they have been given. He tells them God “will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns”. This is our goal as well, to remain strong in our faith through whatever trials we face, knowing that God goes with us.

He speaks of spiritual gifts that we need in order to remain firm against evil and share the Good News. He further explains in 1 Corinthians 12 about different gifts and how we must work together for God’s kingdom. All gifts are necessary for the task to which we have been called and every follower of Jesus is given a part in this ministry.

This is the wonderful truth – we have been forgiven and “He has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord”. Jesus came to show us the way to be saved. Now it is our turn to go into the world, sharing the love God has sent to all His children. 

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to love and save and free us. Help us to tell everyone of Your amazing gift, that through Christ the world might be saved. Amen.