Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬-‭21.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

Paul sends his prayer to the church in Ephesus that they might know his love for them and the blessing they have been given. He prays that they “may be filled up to all the fullness of God”, living in and for Him. Paul often had to write letters of correction to the churches he planted, but this prayer shows how much he cares for his brothers and sisters in Christ.

He tells us “I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name”, reminding us we are all connected as God’s children. While God loves us each individually, it covers us all as a family. Through this relationship we feel His love and hear His call for us to share it with everyone. 

Think about the wonderful gifts we have been given, and how they enable us to go in His name to all the world. Know that “according to the power that works within us” His spirit is always with us for guidance and strength. May we be the disciples of today, bearing the Good News everywhere.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to show us Your love and teach us to love one another. Bless us to treat each other as part of Your family. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 2:1‭-‬12.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?” “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote: ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’” Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!” After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord, commemorating the visit of the Wise Men (or magi or kings) to worship Jesus. They came to Jerusalem from “eastern lands”, meaning they were not Hebrews. God sent the angels to invite the lowly Jewish shepherds, but He also sent the star to invite wealthy and learned folk from far away. All are called to witness the miracle of God with us.

They went first to Jerusalem to meet King Herod, following the protocol of that time. He sent them to Bethlehem with the instruction to inform him when they found the newborn king, but he had no intention of worshiping Jesus. God protected His only son by warning them not to report back to Herod.

Jesus has come to bring salvation to all the world, no matter who we are or where we are from. He calls us all to follow the example He teaches of love for God and one another. As His brothers and sisters, we are sent to share the Good News with the world, ensuring that all people of every class and nation hear of the joy that has come among us.

Loving Lord, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to be our savior and model. May we be eager servants, carrying the Gospel everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Colossians 1:15-20.

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

Paul writes to the Colossians regarding Jesus, that “through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth”. John 1:3 echoes this truth, stating “God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.” Paul wants us all to understand Jesus isn’t an afterthought, He was with God always and was given the task of coming to earth to show us how much God loves His children.

History tells us that this letter was written around 61 AD during Paul’s imprisonment  in Rome. Even in this difficult situation, Paul continues to uphold his faith, teaching that our connection to Jesus is essential in everything we do. Paul saw Jesus not only as the divine Lamb of God, but as a personal friend, present in his time of trouble.

How do you see Jesus? He is indeed our Savior, but also our brother with knowledge of what it is to be human and frail. Jesus feels everything we do and knows all our joys and sorrows. In Him we see our example of full humanity and the promise of eternal life.

Gracious God, we are grateful for the gift of Jesus Christ who came to save us. May we be more like Him as we go in Your name to share Your love in the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭6‬.

Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

God can use most anything to get our attention. The burning bush was an unusual event and when Moses paused to examine it, God spoke to him. There he was, out in the desert, minding his own business when the God of all things inserted Himself into the situation.

Moses listened, but not without some reservations. Later in this chapter we read that he says “what if the Israelites won’t believe me, what if Pharaoh says no, I’m not really a public speaker”, a whole list of reasons he’s not qualified for the job. It shows us again that God picks whomever He chooses, not necessarily a person humans would deem fit for the work.

Does God need a burning bush to get our attention? What objections do we raise to avoid God’s call on our lives? The Lord has a task for every one of us, we must overcome our own excuses and allow Him to work through us to accomplish His purpose in the world.

Gracious God, while we are certainly not fit partners and You need no help from us, You still call us to be part of Your plan. Bless us to be energetic workers for Your kingdom, sharing Your love always and everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭7‬-‭13.

Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.

Paul writes from his personal experience of holy discipline. Jesus appeared and appealed to him on the road to Damascus while he was still a persecutor of the church, and he was struck blind (Acts 9:1-19). He tells us “discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

When we endure trials in our lives our choices are to grumble and bemoan the situation, or to rely on our relationship with God to see it through and learn from the experience. Paul compares our human parents and our Heavenly Father, explaining that “He disciplines us in order that we may share His holiness.” God made us in His own image and wants us to be true to His original intent for us and that sometimes involves correcting us as needed.

Jesus warned that taking up our own cross to follow Him would not be easy. He told us that we may face the same rejection He did because of our faith. However, He also taught us through His life, death and resurrection that God is with us and the reward of eternity is worth whatever temporary issues we experience here.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we have sinned and required Your discipline to put us back on track. Help us to see that following Christ’s example is the only way to be saved. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭8‬.

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the hill country on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and invoked the name of the Lord.

God called Abram to leave all he knew and go to a place he had never been. God was literally asking Abram to give up what he had and trust that He had something better for him. This was a hard request, but God promised Abram much more.

God offers us His promise as well. No matter what our lineage or situation, God invites us to eternal life with Him. While He has different plans for each of our lives, the call to walk obediently with Him is the same for all His children. God has shown us His love through the gift of His Son and through Him we have been saved.

Abram accepted God’s love and followed in faith. God wants us to do the same. It may not be our task to pack up and move to a foreign land…but it might be. Let God speak into your life and learn of the wonderful gift He has for every one of us.

Loving Lord, we are ashamed of our failures and humbled that You love us anyway. Help us to walk by faith, sharing the love You have sent with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21‬:‭1‬-‭8.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, the murderers, the fornicators, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

The calendar tells us it is a new year. Often at this time we make plans for what we will accomplish and what we will leave behind. These New Year’s resolutions are usually made with good intentions, but with varying degrees of commitment and success.

In this passage we read of the time when not only a new day or year will come, but “a new heaven and a new earth”. Then God’s plan for humanity will reach its fulfillment and we will see Him face to face. While He is a loving God, He is also a just God and we will be called to account for what we have done with the gifts He has given us.

As we begin a new year according to human reckoning, let us devote ourselves more fully to what God calls us to do in this world. There are physical and spiritual needs to be met everywhere. May we seek His guidance and go in His name to share the Gospel with all people.

Loving Lord, as we mark a turning point in our world, may it also mark a change in how we see and treat one another. Help us to live together as You intend, loving one another as You first loved us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭29‬-‭34‬.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’ I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.” Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.”

John the Baptist is known as the forerunner of Christ, the one sent to tell the world of His coming. He is the first person to recognize Jesus – in Luke 1:44 we read that when Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth (John’s mother), he “leapt for joy” at their arrival while still in the womb. When Jesus comes to him to be baptized, John says “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him”.

John calls Jesus the Lamb of God, an indication both of His disposition and His role in God’s kingdom. Jesus is gentle and mild in His interaction with us, but He is much more than merely a patient teacher. John continues describing Him, saying He “takes away the sin of the world”. Jesus is the only sacrifice that can save us.

Hear the joy and awe in the way John speaks of our savior! We must cultivate the same relationship and we too may know this excitement. Jesus has come to love and save and free us, but we must be willing to accept His teaching and take up our own cross to follow Him in faith.

Gracious God, in Your immense love You sent Your only Son that we might be saved. Bless us to go to all the world sharing the Good News of His coming. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬-‭18‬.

We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Paul has sound teaching for us in this passage. It sounds a little gloomy when he says “our bodies are dying” but he reminds us “our spirits are being renewed every day”. God has created us to live with Him eternally, so that must be our focus, not the temporary things we face.

He doesn’t say that our earthly existence doesn’t matter and to ignore everything, but we must not let it interfere in our relationship with God. Jesus calls us all to be His representatives, sharing God’s love with everyone. We have a vital role in His ministry here, passing on the Good News. While He certainly doesn’t need our help, He wants us to be part of what He is doing in the world.

Do you face trouble in your life? Jesus said it wouldn’t be easy to follow Him but it is the only way to life everlasting. We look forward to the things we cannot see and His return in glory.

Loving Lord, we sometimes encounter things we can’t handle on our own, but You call us to give them to You. Bless us to let go of earthly things and allow You to guide and protect us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭25‬-‭30‬.

At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way! My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Jesus thanks God for the task He has been given and the way God has set His plan in motion. He calls us to “Take my yoke upon you” (v. 29), because He wants us to be part of what He is doing in the world. We are not just hired labor, but valued partners in this effort.

Jesus gives us many reasons to choose to follow Him. He tells us “my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (v. 30), but most importantly “you will find rest for your souls”. Jesus is saying the only way we can be at peace is a relationship with God through Him.

He asks us to learn from Him the lessons necessary for an eternal connection to our Heavenly Father and to go share this blessing with everyone. Those who “think themselves wise and clever” (v. 25) will not understand or accept His teachings, but those who are humble and gentle as He is will receive understanding. Jesus promises us a place He has prepared for us when we follow Him in faith.

Gracious God,we are grateful for the gift of Your Son to love and lead us. Help us to be the disciples of today, sharing the joy we have found in You with the world. Amen.