Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭10‬-‭17.

When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. Then he slipped quietly away with them toward the town of Bethsaida. But the crowds found out where he was going, and they followed him. He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who were sick. Late in the afternoon the twelve disciples came to him and said, “Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place.” But Jesus said, “You feed them.” “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Or are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?” For there were about 5,000 men there. Jesus replied, “Tell them to sit down in groups of about fifty each.” So the people all sat down. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers!

‬This familiar story shows the love Jesus had for those who came to hear Him. The crowds had followed them to a “remote place” (v. 12), and it’s a long walk back to buy food. The disciples are aware of the problem but instead of dismissing the crowd, Jesus gives them a very short command in verse 13 – “You feed them”. Jesus calls His disciples to do the work He has been performing.

They are noticeably distressed by this instruction and respond out of their lack of resources, telling Him they have only 5 loaves and 2 fish for the entire crowd. Jesus knows they can’t do this by themselves, but He asks them just the same. He wants them to see that “without me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5). 

We are all called to continue Christ’s work of ministering to His people, physically and spiritually. He knows that we can’t do it alone, we must count on our faith in Him and each other to accomplish the task of sharing the Good News and caring for one another. Through this connection, we are blessed to serve Him. This fellowship with Him and our brothers and sisters is the only way to show our love for God and His children. 

Loving Lord, we thank You for the gift of Your son, the Messiah sent to save us. Help us to see the need, hear the call and go in faith to accomplish the mission we have been given. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭26‬-‭39‬.

So they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in the tombs outside the town. As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!” For Jesus had already commanded the evil spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power. Jesus demanded, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, for he was filled with many demons. The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit. There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs. So Jesus gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned. When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed. And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them. So Jesus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake. The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him home, saying, “No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.

This passage tells us of Christ’s power over demons, but there is more to learn from the story. First, the region of the Gerasenes is not a Jewish area. Jesus went to the Gentiles specifically to minister to them, that God’s love and plan of salvation would be known to them.

The demons recognize Jesus immediately, just as Satan did in the temptation passage (Luke 4). They don’t threaten Jesus because they hold no power over Him. In fact, they beg Him for mercy. Jesus sends them into a herd of pigs and they are not seen again. The man who was possessed is now calm and rational, which apparently frightens the people.

Why are the people frightened? Perhaps they realize that there are “demons” in their lives that they cannot get rid of themselves, just as we cannot. Only the power of Jesus can save us and we must give up these things that separate us from God. Also, if Satan and the demons recognize Jesus, why don’t we? The powers of evil have no choice but to obey Jesus. God gave us a choice and we must choose to submit our lives to Him. Finally, the restored man asks to follow Jesus, but He sends the man back home to “tell them everything God has done for you” (v. 39). This is the same call Jesus places on our lives, to go in faith, sharing the joy we have found in a renewed relationship with God.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for the coming of Jesus to teach us about You and ourselves. Help us to share the Good News that through Your love and mercy, we can all be saved to eternal life. Amen.

When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people, he returned to Capernaum. At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death. When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave. So they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. “If anyone deserves your help, he does,” they said, “for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.” So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.

This passage tells of the relationship between a Roman officer, his slave, and the Jewish community. The officer’s slave is dying and he engages the Jewish leaders to ask Jesus for healing. They go and tell Jesus that the officer is well liked and deserves help (v. 4).

It is interesting that an officer of the occupying army, a Gentile, cares so much for his slave that he is willing to ask Jesus to help him. He further displays his belief that Jesus has the power to heal by his statement “Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed” (v. 7). Jesus sends healing, but takes the opportunity to express to the crowd “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” (v. 9).

We see some important things here: faith in Jesus is already spreading outside the Jewish community, a precursor to the missionary journeys of Paul and others. Jesus came for everyone, not just those of a certain nationality or group. It also demonstrates the teaching “ask and you shall receive” (Luke 11:9-10). The Roman officer was confident that Jesus could and would do what he asked, even without being there. We must have this kind of faith, that even though Jesus may not be with us physically, His presence is with us always.

Gracious God, thank You for the gift of Your son to love and save and free us. May we see His face in all our brothers and sisters and may they experience His love through us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬-‭11‬.

On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching. The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” So the man came forward. Then Jesus said to his critics, “I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with him.

The religious leaders of that time had interpreted scripture into strict rules regarding what was allowed on the Sabbath. The commandment to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy was amplified in Exodus 20 to remind them to “do no work”, but the Pharisees had taken that to the extreme. Virtually any activity could be rationalized as work under this system.

Jesus had a way of teaching that makes us think, and it seems the religious leaders were afraid that people thinking for themselves might threaten their power and positions. He asks them quite pointedly “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil?” (v. 9). They have no answer for this and then Jesus performs a miraculous healing.

Luke records that the religious leaders “were wild with rage”, a response that should make us all pause. Why would people be upset that something wonderful had happened? Because it diverted attention from them and added to the credibility of Jesus. We must take care not to react as the Pharisees do and denigrate the good deeds of others simply because we disagree with them. Yes, there are those who sometimes do good with an ulterior motive, but God will judge them for that. We must continue our good works as God has gifted us and given us opportunities.

Heavenly Father, help us to remember the Sabbath but also to understand that loving and helping one another, no matter when, is the greatest commandment You have given us. Bless us to go in Your name to bless others. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Luke 5:27‭-‬32.

Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him. Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?” Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

Jesus called unexpected people to be His disciples, defying “conventional” wisdom and confounding the religious leaders of the time. His intent was not to anger or depose these leaders but to make them see that they had lost the meaning of God’s law, using it to punish and divide people rather than bring them together under His love. That is the reason Jesus came to be among us, to show us all that we have forgotten this.

Jesus invited all to be part of this fellowship, excluding no one. His lessons were meant to teach that we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s kingdom. When we admit we are “those who know they are sinners and need to repent” (v. 32), we are able to receive God’s forgiveness and share the joy of a new connection to Him with others.

Jesus put it plainly – “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do” (v. 31). We have all suffered from our own sin and that of others. We must be “well” in order to help those who still suffer to know the mercy of our Lord and the healing He brings us.

Gracious God, we are sorry for the times we have ignored Your will for us. Forgive us and send us to be part of Your healing love to be shared with everyone. Amen.

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

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect and guard you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’” Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’” When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.

Satan is always ready to tempt us away from our faith, and while Jesus was fasting in the desert, the devil thought there was an opportunity. However, Jesus was stronger than any temptation the world could offer. God had already promised everything to Him (Matthew 28:18) and to us as His beloved children if we confess Him as Lord.

We see a very important lesson here: Satan knows scripture, but rather than using it as God intended, the devil twists it to trick us into sin. He quotes Psalm 91:11-12 to Jesus in an attempt to lure Him into obeying to prove who He is. Jesus knows this is wrong and responds with scripture used correctly (Deuteronomy 6:16), to trust God, not to test Him.

We are faced with a variety of temptations every day here on earth, things to distract and draw us away from our faith and our relationship with God and one another. As Jesus proved, knowing God’s word and applying it as we have been taught is our shield against evil. We can stand confidently as Jesus did, secure in God’s love.

Heavenly Father, You have defeated the powers of this world by sending Your son to save us. Help us to be strong in our faith that we may share the Good News everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Luke 3:7‭-‬18.

When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said, “You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.” The crowds asked, “What should we do?” John replied, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.” Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked, “Teacher, what should we do?” He replied, “Collect no more taxes than the government requires.” “What should we do?” asked some soldiers. John replied, “Don’t extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay.” Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah. John answered their questions by saying, “I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.” John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people.

John the Baptist was called to be the herald of Christ, proclaiming the Messiah’s coming and preparing people for the kingdom of God. He didn’t mince words, warning them that their status as descendants of Abraham will not save them. He teaches that each of us must “prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God” (v. 8 ).

John alerted people to the presence of Jesus in their time that they might be open to His lessons. He also has some very specific instructions when the people ask what they should do. Jesus would teach these things and more, that we must love God and one another, treating each other as we would want to be treated.

Like Jesus, John was humble about his position, giving the glory to God and teaching the way to be saved. He tells us “I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am” and “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (v. 16). John wants us all to know who Jesus is and why He has come. May we hear and heed his call.

Loving Lord, we are amazed that You are willing to become one of us that we might know Your love and be saved. Help us to share this blessing with all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭20.

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

God wanted people to know that hope had entered the world. The angels were sent to announce the holy birth to shepherds in the area, who along with fishermen and craftsmen (like carpenters) were at the bottom of the social and economic ladder of that time. However, God sent them an invitation to come and see the miracle of salvation that had come to be with us.

God didn’t ignore the rich and powerful, He loves them as well but He had other means of alerting them. Matthew 2 tells of wise men coming to King Herod with the news. Unfortunately, like many with power or wealth, Herod was threatened by this and lied to the wise men about his motives. He was unwilling to accept that God had a different plan to save His people.

Being rich or poor doesn’t change God’s love for us, but it often affects our response to the coming of His kingdom. What do we hold so dear that we are unwilling to let it go in order to be saved? May we hear His call to life and come humbly to see the miracle and confess Jesus as Lord.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You came to change our lives and our world. Help us to be part of the ministry Christ has left for us, to be ready for the great day when He returns to take us home. Amen.

I’m trying a new thing this year – beginning today (December 1) I plan to read a chapter of the Gospel of Luke each day until Christmas Eve as it is 24 chapters long. I hope you’ll join me in reading one follower’s witness to the life of Jesus this month. I’ll have a commentary on a portion of each chapter. Some are quite long, chapter 1 alone is 80 verses. Be blessed during this Advent season by this account of God with us.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭26‬-‭38.

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For the word of God will never fail.” Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

God’s plan was for Jesus to be born as a human child so that people might better see and understand the eternal love He has for us. He called a girl from Galilee to be the mother of the holy child. God came to be with us as part of a family to show us the joy of a relationship with Him and each other.

This passage tells us that she will be overshadowed by the power of the Holy Spirit, God sending a part of Himself to be carried, born and nurtured by Mary and Joseph. God wants the world to know Him as the Almighty, Creator of everything that is, but also as one of us.

Mary was the first to say yes to Jesus. While she is surprised by the angel’s visit and the message she is given, she responds without hesitation “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true” (v. 38). May we all be willing to say “yes Lord” to the call He places on our lives.

Heavenly Father, we are amazed at Your love for us, shown best by the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Help us to be faithful followers on the path He shows us, carrying the Gospel to all the earth. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1‬:‭18‬-‭25‬.

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

God’s plan to save us was fulfilled by the coming of Jesus. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit to Mary and her fiancé Joseph and born as a human child, but a very special one. This miraculous birth had implications for His human parents that required them to put their faith above societal issues.

In this passage Joseph becomes aware of Mary’s pregnancy. In that time and culture there were harsh consequences for this, but rather than making her a public spectacle, he reacted with compassion. However, he is called to do more than that when an angel of the Lord brings him a message.

God called Joseph and Mary to a ministry of caring that is an example for all God’s children. They had a choice and they chose to obey God, and their acceptance of that responsibility has allowed us to make a choice as well. May we all choose to let Jesus into our hearts as they did, during this season of Advent and always.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to save us from our sin. Bless us to go in Your name to tell the world the Good News that our Messiah has come. Amen.