Daily Prayer for October 20
Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. Psalm 33:8–10, NIV Lord our God, we gather together in your presence and ask you to let your light shine in our hearts to strengthen us in times of need and trouble. May we come to know that through all the storms and distress of the world, you are mighty in protecting and sheltering those who trust in you. May we realize the power of your kingdom. Even if all the kingdoms of the world rise in rebellion, you are with us. You are with those who have set their hope on your kingdom and who go on hoping that even in evil days something must happen through your great and holy rule. Amen. Recent articles on Plough Angels in the Cellar Ian Barth A review of Peter Hahn’s Angels in the Cellar: Notes from a French Vineyard. Read now What I’d Give for the Pearl of Great Price Derek Furr When Alzheimer’s came for my mother, I turned to a medieval poem about a man who lost his pearl. Read now The Miracle of Simple Happiness Marianne Wright Music to touch the heart, to instill joy, to delight the ear. Read now The Quiet Faith of a Man Maureen Swinger Plough’s oldest staffer passes on a legacy. Read now Simone Weil and the Sacred Work of Doubt Stefani Ruper For Weil, doubt was not the opposite of faith. It was the most faithful posture she could imagine. Read now
Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:21
Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. —Psalm 34:21 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God has promised a closing time for everyone who has ever lived. It will be a reckoning where human power and influence cannot blot out the truth and where each person who has ever lived will have to face what they have done, whether good or evil. Evil will overtake those who have been partnered with evil. Their hatred and wickedness will come back upon them. God will not allow righteousness, truth, and justice to be short-circuited, perverted, or forgotten! “Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.” My Prayer… Father, thank you for making me clean and whole by the purifying work of your Holy Spirit. Please train me to live righteously. Help me develop a revulsion for what is sinful and evil. Use me, please, to help others caught in the evil one’s work to escape and find deliverance in the LORD Jesus. In the name of my Savior, the one who died for all people to be able to come to you, I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:19-20
A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. —Psalm 34:19-20 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We know that the righteous can have troubles, but how do we understand that God delivers us from them all? How do we know that he protects all our bones, especially in light of recent tragedies and the persecution of believers in many places in the world? Paul demonstrates the answer: he was confident that whatever happened to him would turn out for his deliverance. He would either be delivered THROUGH his death to be with God or delivered from FROM death through his release from prison to continue ministry (Philippians 1:19-23). Our deliverance, because of Jesus, is secure. We are conquerors in Christ. He’s coming back for us. If we die now, we go to be with Christ. So, nothing Satan can do to us will steal us away from God’s love, not even suffering and death (Romans 8:32-39). My Prayer… Father, please give me the faith I need to believe that whatever happens in my life will not steal me away from your love but will deliver me into your presence. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:18
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. —Psalm 34:18 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The LORD is near (Philippians 4:5). How do we know? He promised his people this long ago and kept his promise. He drew near to us in the manger with Jesus. He walked among us in ministry as Jesus touched, healed, blessed, raised, mended, and loved. He suffered with us, and for us, in Jesus’ Passion. Many of us have experienced his nearness in tragedy, trial, heartbreak, and brokenness as he drew near to us to save us. Others of us have experienced his presence as we sought to share the message of Jesus, as he gave us words through the Holy Spirit and strength and courage to stand up to those who opposed us. The bigger questions are these: Will our hearts be open to him and his presence? Will we seek him and ask him to draw near? Will we obey him and invite him to live in our daily lives? We must not let troubles and heartache lead us to pull away from God or doubt his nearness. Let’s believe the promise that as we draw near to God, he will draw near to us (James 4:8, 10). Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… O LORD, please be near me today. Make your presence known in my life. Father, I also ask that you bless those I know who are struggling with their faith and with broken and disappointed hearts. They feel so alone. Please be active in their lives and make your presence known in tangible ways to sustain them in their times of trial. In Jesus’ name, I ask you to fulfill this promise in people who are precious to me. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:17
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. —Psalm 34:17 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Deliverance! The great theme of deliverance runs throughout the Bible. This theme is built on the LORD being the God of deliverance, the Covenant God who keeps his promises, and the faithful Sovereign Creator who shares his grace, mercy, and justice. May knowing God as our Great Deliverer stir us to righteous living and a boldness to cry out honestly to God in all of our troubles. One way we can rely on our LORD for his deliverance is by reading through the Psalms regularly, letting these inspired words from so long ago offer us a rich guide to call to God while seeking his deliverance through the varied tapestry of life’s events. As we cry out to God, we can ask honest questions as we share the wounds that life has brought upon us. As we do, we can know God’s attentive presence is real as we open our hearts to him and long to receive his deliverance. My Prayer… Father, your people around the world need your deliverance from persecution, hardship, hostility, martyrdom, and the discouraging and withering cynicism that goes with these trials. In your majesty and power, please destroy the plans of the wicked. In your mercy and grace, please deliver your people as they face hardships and troubles. In Jesus’ name, we pray to you, the God who has promised to deliver us from all of our troubles. We believe you are the God of deliverance! Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
16 Oct 2025
Our trust in God should cause us to be desperate for the change we want to see. Blind Bartimaeus believed Jesus could heal him. Despite being reprimanded to shut up, his desperation made him call out to God harder. And that led to his healing. Let us not get tired calling out to our God, and let us believe that God can help us. Mark 10:46-52
Daily Prayer for October 16
I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way – with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge. 1 Corinthians 1:4–5, NIV Lord our God, we thank you that you are so near to us that we may feel and know we are your children, your children who are in your hands with all that belongs to our earthly life, all our needs and temptations, all our efforts and pain. We come together to thank you, and our thanksgiving wins a victory over everything that makes life difficult for us. In this thanksgiving the harshness, crookedness, and injustice on earth cannot harm us. Protect us with your light, which gives us wisdom for all situations and which lifts us above everything that is base and meaningless and must pass away. Amen. Recent articles on Plough Simone Weil and the Sacred Work of Doubt Stefani Ruper For Weil, doubt was not the opposite of faith. It was the most faithful posture she could imagine. Read now Lord, Teach Me to Pray Dorothy Day If you have to force yourself to pray, those prayers are of far more account with God than prayers which bring comfort. Read now Down There by the Train Brandon McNeice Tom Waits’s outlaw hymn reminds us that there will be a place at the wedding feast for some unlikely characters – and for each of us sinners. Read now Introducing Another Life Podcast Joy Marie Clarkson, Peter Mommsen and Maureen Swinger To live better we have to begin with the conviction that another life is possible. That is what this podcast aims to explore. Read now Mind Your Own Scapegoats Frank Mulder René Girard has influenced both conservative and liberal thinkers, yet few have been as sharp in dissecting the violent tendencies in each of us. Read now
Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:16
The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. —Psalm 34:16 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God hates violence and demands that we not admire those who are violent or share in their violent lifestyles (Proverbs 3:31). God abhors those who do evil. God not only opposes them when they are alive, but he also mitigates their influence and poisons any memory of them after they are gone. God helps us see “those who do evil” for who and what they really are and what they have done. Far from being viewed as heroes, their legacy of hate and wickedness is spurned, shunned, disdained, and forgotten. God will “cut off the memory of them from the earth.” My Prayer… In our own time, dear Father, help us see the wickedness done by “those who do evil” for who they are. O LORD, please render their threats impotent and ensure that any remembrance of them is a foul stench in the nostrils of those who come after them. Please, don’t let them deceive and co-opt others into doing their evil will after they are gone. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
15 Oct 2025
We also have to learn to trust God, for He knows us better than we know ourselves. If I were Moses, I would also have doubted that I would become the deliverer of Israel from Egypt. After a long discussion, Moses decided to trust God. May the Lord show us what to do, and may we trust Him. May this bring hope and victory to the glory of His name. Exodus 4:10-17.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:15
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry… —Psalm 34:15 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We are righteous because of God’s mercy and grace (Ephesians 2:1-10). These were given to us in Jesus! We received them because of our faith in him. We are remembered because of God’s faithfulness. We are heard because of God’s lovingkindness. We are blessed because God is good. Let’s choose to live in righteous ways, seeking to live up to who Christ has declared us to be (Colossians 1:22). As we do, let’s know that God, our loving Father, keeps us in his sight and watches over us with loving care. My Prayer… Thank you, Father, for seeing our needs, hearing our cries, answering our prayers, and coming down to save, comfort, and bless us with your grace. In Jesus’ name, we thank you. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.