11 Dec 2025
There is also the group of people who may decide to make life difficult for you. Paul gives some very valuable advice: overcome evil with good. Do not avenge any wrongdoing. Allow the Lord to fight for you. Do good to them, where possible. Romans 12:17-21.
Today’s Verse – John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. —John 3:16 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… What else needs to be said? “For God so loved the world…” Ah, we should say, “Praise God!” We should say, “Thank you, Jesus!” We should say, “I believe!” We should say, “Let’s go share Jesus’ saving grace with the nations (Matthew 28:18-20). My Prayer… Thank you, Father, for loving us with everlasting love and for demonstrating that love in Jesus. We love you! We look forward to sharing the longest part of our lives with you in glory, enjoying your presence forever because you sent Jesus. Until then, loving Father, please use us to share this saving message -this message of your gracious and redeeming love -with others so they can believe and not perish. You sent Jesus so no one would perish. We commit to join you in sharing your love with the world. In Jesus’ mighty 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.
10 Dec 2025
One thing I am learning as I get older is to keep myself occupied. Idleness presents many complications. Even as we trust the Lord for this and the other, let us serve. In service, we bless others and keep our minds preoccupied. We also don’t keep track of time like one who is idle. Romans 12:11-16.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 3:8
From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people. —Psalm 3:8 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Deliverance does come from the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our spiritual fathers from previous generations. We can trust in this deliverance because of God’s faithfulness to his people under the Old Covenant (the Old Testament). We see God’s deliverance as the Father sends his Son, Jesus, as our Savior. We experience this deliverance in the outpouring of the Spirit by the resurrected Savior. So, as this verse suggests, we can confidently ask the LORD to bless us with his richest and greatest blessings as his people because we know that he has already given us the greatest gift of his Son. So, we believe with the apostle, Paul, that since God has done this to save us, “how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32) My Prayer… Thank you, O God, for the salvation you have given to us in Jesus. Use us, your people, to spread this blessing to others so that all nations – all peoples – will know your love and come to know your deliverance found in your Son, our Savior and LORD. In the name of our Deliverer, 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.
09 Dec 2025
To give our best, we need God’s guidance. May He grant us wisdom and courage to make the right decisions. Let us also not be anxious because the Lord is on our side. He is watching over us and ordering our steps. May we experience His peace and trust that He is taking care of us. Proverbs 3:21-26.
Today’s Verse – Philippians 2:9-11
Therefore God exalted him… that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. —Philippians 2:9-11 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… I love the fact that I do each day what everyone will one day do: bow before the majesty and proclaim the glorious Lordship of Jesus Christ to honor the Father’s glory. How wonderful it is to be able to make that proclamation because of grace rather than in fear at the end of a life that has been spent wasted in rebellion, denial, and selfishness. I gladly bow my knee, humble myself, and prostrate myself before the King of Glory, Jesus Christ my LORD! My Prayer… Father, I do praise you for the truth about Jesus. I believe that his greatness will one day be realized fully by everyone who has ever lived. Doubters, haters, hypocrites, and pretenders may have sway in our fallen world, but Jesus is coming. I can’t wait to see him in his glory! May my life display the truth of Jesus’ glory in sacrifice through the way I treat people today. May my lips suitably proclaim this truth so others can know Jesus is LORD, today. In the name of your Son and my Savior, 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.
08 Dec 2025
In Ephesians 4:17-32, Paul gives the the church in Ephesus instructions on how to live as Christians. In chapter 5:1, he explains why. We should emulate what God the Father did. He gave us His best, His Son, as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Are we giving our best as we live here on earth? Can our work, our relationships, our leadership, our life be considered as a worthy sacrifice? Jesus lived to the age of 33, but He did His best. His impact is still felt over 2000 years later. May the Lord help us and may we allow Him to do His will in us daily.
Daily Prayer for December 8
And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? Luke 18:7– 8, NIV Father in heaven, we surrender ourselves to your love, the love in which Christ comes to us. Like children we say every day to the Lord Jesus himself, “Lord Jesus, come, come! Even if we cannot see you today because times have changed, come into the world, come more and more into world history. Send more and more of your nature, your goodness, into all hearts. Come at last, come quickly to bring an end to the adversary, an end to world power with its sinister, hostile character. May bright day, clear light from the Father in heaven, dawn through you, Lord Jesus. Yes, come, Lord Jesus!” Amen. Recent articles on Plough Humans Aren’t the Only Pebble on the Cosmic Beach Alison Milbank and Joy Marie Clarkson Joy and Alison discuss the importance of angels and why parishes are good. Read now Seeing Our Way to Humanity Coretta Thomson Through the weeds, Frederick Franck’s sculpture park Pacem in Terris still speaks. Read now Unanswered Prayers in Ukraine Taras Dyatlik During another Advent in wartime, a Ukrainian pastor wrestles with the silence of heaven. Read now A Christmas Song for the Ages Chris Zimmerman With its tone of reverent awe, Max Bruch’s “In der Christnacht” captures the essence of Holy Night without mistletoe or even shepherds and kings. Read now Can Beauty and Justice Meet in Architecture? Kelly W. Foster An architect feels forced to choose between beauty for the rich and justice for the poor. A tuberculosis sanatorium shows him he doesn’t have to. Read now
Today’s Verse – Philippians 2:9
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name… —Philippians 2:9 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… For Jesus, the formula for saving grace was tough! graciousness + faithfulness + sacrifice + suffering = True Glory Yes, salvation’s math doesn’t make much human sense in our selfish, self-promoting world. However, from the perspective of faith, salvation’s math is powerful wisdom. Jesus came to our world because of God’s graciousness. Jesus was faithful and left heaven to face the hardships of humanity. The LORD was willing to sacrifice himself to serve all humanity, even though it required his suffering and humiliation on the cross. Because he faithfully lived salvation’s math, the Father crowned the Son with all glory and honor, which has been rightfully his since before creation. The apostle Paul reminds us in this passage (Philippians 2:5-11) that God doesn’t forget our sacrifices, hardships, persecutions, or service. He honors them with his pleasure and glory because people who choose this way walk the path of their LORD, Jesus, as they live with others. My Prayer… Holy Father and LORD God, I believe that Jesus Christ is your Son, my Savior and LORD. I surrender my heart and want to have no rival to the lordship of your Son in my life. I want to serve and bless his disciples as he served and blessed me. I want to live my life passionately, as I seek to reach the lost people of my world. Continue to mold my heart and mind to be more like Jesus. I pray this to honor him in thought, word, and deed. 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 – Philippians 2:5, 7-8
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who… made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross! —Philippians 2:5, 7-8 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Christianity is not for wimps or the faint-hearted. Our example, Jesus, “made himself nothing… taking the very nature of a servant… humbled himself… and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!” That’s tough stuff. What’s more, he is our example of how to live and sacrifice for others. The story of Jesus may begin with a sweet child, a tender virgin girl, and a loving, strong man who protected them. However, it also starts with his crib being the trough where animals ate their food, while an evil king was plotting to murder him. The birth stories of Jesus are precious and powerful. They are not, however, saccharine-sweet fake sentiment. Jesus’ way of life is about servants who are willing to pay the price to redeem the ungrateful and undeserving, and disciples who are different because they know their Redeemer and are determined to become like their Teacher, Savior, and Lord (Luke 6:40). My Prayer… Almighty God, loving Father, thank you for placing the gospel story in the real world where I live. Jesus, thank you for being a Savior who has come into my world and faced its toughest edges and worst ugliness. Help me, please, as I learn to be sacrificial, obedient, redemptive, and humble so that I can be used to help others find your grace. 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.