At God's command amazing things happen,
wonderful things that we can't understand. ~ Job 37:5 (GNT)
For all things were created by him, and all things exist through him and for him. To God be the glory forever! Amen. ~ Romans 11:36 (GNT)
KEY THOUGHT:
Everything revolves around God and his agenda.
PRAYER:
Glory to you, God. Everything revolves around you and your agenda. But I'm still some what deluded enough to function as though it's all about me. Reshape my outlook. There is so much I'll never understand. It's best that I leave reality in your hands. Amen.
You sent war chariots.
We traveled through fire
and through floods,
but you brought us
to a land of plenty.
~ Psalm 66:12 (CEV)
Every child of God can defeat the world, and our faith is what gives us this victory. ~ 1 John 5:4 (CEV)
KEY THOUGHT:
When we trust God we are victorious over our enemies.
PRAYER:
Powerful Father, thank you for including me in the victory that Christ wins over the ungodly things of the world. Forgive me for my defeatist mindset -- the willingness to give up so early in the battle. Strengthen my resolve so that I can trust you for even greater victories. I'm going to have a long list of battle victories to celebrate with you. Amen.
So return to your God.
Patiently trust him,
and show love and justice. ~ Hosea 12:6 (CEV)
You must stop doing anything immoral or evil. Instead be humble and accept the message that is planted in you to save you. ~ James 1:21 (CEV)
KEY THOUGHT:
Turn away from everything that is wrong and turn toward God -- embracing his message of love and justice.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, you have planted your message in my life. For that, I'm eternally grateful. I have not turned away from all that is wrong as thoroughly or as quickly as I should. Help me to accelerate the pace of repentance so that I can be fully aligned with the message that you've implanted in me. Amen.
Elijah told everyone to gather around him while he repaired the Lord’s altar. ~ 1 Kings 18:30 (CEV)
So let’s strive for the things that bring peace and the things that build each other up. ~ Romans 14:19 (CEB)
KEY THOUHGT:
Strive to pull people together rather than assisting them in tearing each other apart.
PRAYER:
You, Lord Jesus, are the Prince of Peace. I don't understand how it is that I'm still so eager to tear down those with whom I disagree. Help me to shift gears so that my default approach to every situation is to serve as a hotspot for your peace. In your name I'm going to become a peacemaker. Amen.
*ABOUT THE
DAILY TEXTS
The Daily Texts have been published by the Moravian Church since 1731. In 2015 I started posting these Bible verses for my spiritual formation students at Pacific Islands University. In the process of responding to the verses, I found the rhythm of looking for a common thread and writing a prayer based on that key idea to be helpful for my own soul. The prayers are more or less modeled on the TRIP method, which is what I ask my students to do in their journaling. ~ Brad Boydston
TRANSLATIONS
ABP = Authorized Boydston Paraphrase — my own freestyle biblical adaptation — somewhere between paraphrase, commentary, and sermon
CEB = Common English Bible (©2011, the Common English Bible)
CEV = Contemporary English Version (©1995, American Bible Society)
MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)
NIRV = New International Reader's Version (©1996, 1998, Biblica)
NIV = New International Version (©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica)
NLT = New Living Translation (©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, Tyndale House Foundation)
