14 Feb 2025
There must be a better version of me. I am not perfect. Am I willing to trust God to make me better? Am I brave enough to see the better version of myself and not dwell in remorse. Do I have the patience to allow God to work on me? 1 Corinthians 15:45-49.
Daily Prayer for February 14
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:1-5, NIV Lord our God, keep us in the grace that is ours through Jesus Christ. Uphold others also in this grace. Reveal yourself everywhere to those who trust in you and who await your kingdom. May your blessing be on our household. We thank you for helping us, and with your help we want to be faithful to you. Then when hardships come, we can be certain of your presence. We know and trust you. We know and trust the Savior, and we know and trust the Holy Spirit, in whom we can have community and be strengthened to serve your glory. Amen. Recent articles on Plough For the Love of Public School Teaching Anthony Garces-Foley An immigrant educator tells why he chose to teach underprivileged children. Read now Things Literature and Art Help Us See Joshua Hren As Dostoyevsky learned firsthand, a firing squad can make you think about what really matters. Can a novel or a painting? Read now With the Zabbaleens of Mokattam Village Martin Mosebach and Alta L. Price A visitor finds Christianity thriving on a garbage dump outside of Cairo. Read now Feeding a Community Using Regenerative Agriculture Jeff King A Bruderhof farmer grows vegetables using sustainable practices. Read now Edward Hicks: Pacifist Patriot Cody Cook An early American artist reconciled his Quaker convictions with the promising ideals of a new nation. Read now
Today’s Verse – 1 John 4:20
If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. —1 John 4:20 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Singing “O how I love Jesus!” and “I love you, Lord, and I lift my voice to worship you, O my soul rejoice…” sounds great. However, Jesus responds to us singing these words by asking us a simple and clear question: How well are you doing with loving your brothers and sisters? We can’t love God, we can’t appreciate Jesus, and we can’t be filled with the Holy Spirit if we won’t love those around us. My Prayer… Forgive me, dear Father, for the times I have harbored pettiness in my heart or been unforgiving to those who needed my grace. I recognize that when I am unloving to my brothers and sisters in Christ or even unloving to my neighbors, I am unloving to you. Please bless me as I work to reconcile some recent unresolved Christian relationships, remove long-held bitterness, and offered genuine love toward those who have wounded me. Help these mended friendships bring glory to you and vitality to your Church. 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.
13 Feb 2025
I’m sure the Lord is pleased when we die to self. It takes a decision, commitment, and His power. It causes His name to be glorified and, therefore, causes Him to delight in us. May He show us how we can bring glory to His name. And may He increase in us as we die to self. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44.
Daily Prayer for February 13
Take all that shall be brought upon thee: and in thy sorrow endure, and in thy humiliation keep patience. For gold and silver are tried in the fire, but acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation. Sirach 2:4-5, DRA Lord our God, we thank you for helping us again and again. Praised be your name for all you do for us and for all your help in many dangers and hardships! We trust you completely and have faith in you through Jesus Christ, the Savior. He reveals your grace everywhere, in every hardship, giving us the courage and freedom to look toward your kingdom. Help us remain courageous when we have to face suffering, for we want to be your disciples in Jesus Christ, the Crucified One. He has made suffering holy, that our suffering too may bear fruit for you in time and in eternity. Amen. Recent articles on Plough Things Literature and Art Help Us See Joshua Hren As Dostoyevsky learned firsthand, a firing squad can make you think about what really matters. Can a novel or a painting? Read now With the Zabbaleens of Mokattam Village Martin Mosebach and Alta L. Price A visitor finds Christianity thriving on a garbage dump outside of Cairo. Read now Feeding a Community Using Regenerative Agriculture Jeff King A Bruderhof farmer grows vegetables using sustainable practices. Read now Edward Hicks: Pacifist Patriot Cody Cook An early American artist reconciled his Quaker convictions with the promising ideals of a new nation. Read now My Own Personal Desert Jeannie Rose Barksdale Should I pull an Antony: drop my kids off with the nuns and head to a desert to seek sanctification in solitude? Read now
Today’s Verse – 1 John 4:19
We love because he first loved us. —1 John 4:19 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… As human beings, we like to think of ourselves as the center of our universe. We determine the greatness or validity of most things around us based on their impact on us. Some of us even consider ourselves great adventurers, inventors, and investigators. However, in our most important quest, we did not act first; God did. He loved us sacrificially. He loved us personally. God loved us first. Our love is a response to his grace of going first with love. Our love is simply sharing with others what has been lavished upon us. We love because he loved us first. My Prayer… Almighty God and Abba Father, I know that I don’t fully understand the fullness of your love, but I know that you have blessed me with it in ways I could not have imagined. So please, dear Father, help me remember your great love for me when I am faced with temptation, led to doubt your grace, or wonder about my worthiness. I want your love to be reflected in my daily life. Thank you for loving me so completely. Thank you for loving me sacrificially. Thank you for loving me when I was a sinner and alienated from you. Most of all, thanks for loving first! In Jesus’ name, I praise 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.
12 Feb 2025
The glory of our inheritance in Christ is awesome. When we die to self in Christ, He raises us better. May we entrust our lives to Him and may He keep blessing us so that we shine brighter and brighter ✨️ for His glory. 1 Corinthians 15:35-38.
Daily Prayer for February 12
Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:20, RSV Dear Father in heaven, we thank you with all our hearts for showing your power in us and for overcoming so much that is hostile and that threatens to harm our life. We thank you for the countless wonders you do for our sake. We rejoice and thank you most of all for allowing us to know that you are writing our names in heaven. Where our names are, there we are too. Where our Lord Jesus Christ is, there we want to be too, and our words and our actions should come from him. Keep us faithful in this, and let us serve you with gladness on every path we tread. Amen. Recent articles on Plough With the Zabbaleens of Mokattam Village Martin Mosebach A visitor finds Christianity thriving on a garbage dump outside of Cairo. Read now Feeding a Community Using Regenerative Agriculture Jeff King A Bruderhof farmer grows vegetables using sustainable practices. Read now Edward Hicks: Pacifist Patriot Cody Cook An early American artist reconciled his Quaker convictions with the promising ideals of a new nation. Read now My Own Personal Desert Jeannie Rose Barksdale Should I pull an Antony: drop my kids off with the nuns and head to a desert to seek sanctification in solitude? Read now The End of the World Is Joy Nikolai Berdyaev The thought of the end must be grasped not in a passive and negative attitude of mind but creatively and positively. Read now
11 Feb 2025
Jesus put everything under His feet. He conquered everything, even death. Hence, the hope every Christian should cling to. Now I see why those without this hope live recklessly. Let us avoid anything that would lead us away from this hope. 1 Corinthians 15:25-34.
Daily Prayer for February 11
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. John 16:13, NIV Dear Father in heaven, grant your Spirit to us, your children. May something from you be revealed on earth so that divine strength and divine truth, not what is only human, are with us in all we do. Keep courage alive in our hearts even when things look dark. May powers of peace and healing be revealed through us because you are near and your kingdom is all around us. You can do all things, also things beyond our understanding. With your help we do what we are able, but we cannot do what you do. We trust in you, and we believe that through your power and your Spirit you will take possession of our whole lives and the lives of the many who sigh in their hearts for absolute truth. Amen. Recent articles on Plough Feeding a Community Using Regenerative Agricultural Jeff King A Bruderhof farmer grows vegetables using sustainable practices. Read now Edward Hicks: Pacifist Patriot Cody Cook An early American artist reconciled his Quaker convictions with the promising ideals of a new nation. Read now My Own Personal Desert Jeannie Rose Barksdale Should I pull an Antony: drop my kids off with the nuns and head to a desert to seek sanctification in solitude? Read now The End of the World Is Joy Nikolai Berdyaev The thought of the end must be grasped not in a passive and negative attitude of mind but creatively and positively. Read now Timber Framing with Teenagers Clem Robertshaw Why a history teacher believes in training students to use hand tools. Read now