Thursday, September 8, 2022

TRAILBLAZER

MALACHI 3:1 (CEB)
Look, I am sending my messenger who will clear the path before me...

MARK 1:12-13 (CEB)

At once the Spirit forced Jesus out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among the wild animals, and the angels took care of him.

SUMMARY SENTENCE

Jesus trailblazes the way through the wilderness for us.

PRAYER
Thank you, Father God, for sending your Son Jesus into the world to save us from wandering endlessly in the wilderness. He beat out the tempter that we can't ever seem to overcome on our own. Forgive us for thinking that we can do it through stoic determination and proper management. Help us to trust in your pioneering excursion on our behalf. I'm praising you our Savior. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

GOD PRESENT

PSALM 84:1 (ABP)
O GOD, Commander and Chief over all the Heavenly Forces, you live in a lovely home.


MATTHEW 18:20 (ABP)
Jesus says, "If even two or three people come together to attend to my affairs I'm present there with them."

SUMMARY SENTENCE
God is with us.

PRAYER
God, you are powerful and glorious, yet you choose to live among us. That's mind-boggling and radical. Forgive us for trashing the neighborhood, indifferent to your presence. Show us what it means to come together to enjoy your company and attend to your business. I'm not especially important but I am honored to be with you. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

ACCEPTANCE

DANIEL 9:9 (ABP)
Our GOD owns mercy and forgiveness.

LUKE 15:1 (CEB)
All the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around Jesus to listen to him.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Since God owns forgiveness sinners of all types can feel welcome in his presence.

PRAYER
God, I'm impressed by your ability to welcome those whose lives are contrary to who you are and what you're about. I know that not everything in my life lines up with your expectations. Help me to turn to you without hesitation. I know I can find genuine acceptance with you through the gateway Christ has opened for me. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

Monday, September 5, 2022

GOD IS HERE

ISAIAH 49:15 (MSG)
Can a mother forget the infant at her breast,
walk away from the baby she bore?
But even if mothers forget,
I’d never forget you—never.


HEBREWS 13:6 (CEB)
This is why we can confidently say,
     The Lord is my helper,
     and I won’t be afraid.


SUMMARY SENTENCE
The Lord is consistently and reliably here for us.

PRAYER
Thank you, Lord, for being here for me -- even though I'm flakey and unreliable in my devotion to you. I can't imagine how you do it but I'm guessing that it has to do with the type of love that characterizes your being. Help me to remember your love and to allow it to shape the way that I relate to you and others. I'm going to celebrate your presence and your salvation. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

DAILYTEXTS.ORG

*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 -- a 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)

EEB = EasyEnglish Bible (©2015, MissionAssist)

ERV = Easy-To-Read Version (©2006, World Bible Translation Center)

GNT = Good News Translation (©1992, American Bible Society)

MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)

NCB = New Catholic Bible (©2019 by Catholic Book Publishing Corp.)

NCV = New Century Version (©2005, Thomas Nelson Inc)

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)

NRSV = New Revised Standard Version (© 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.)

NTE = New Testament for Everyone (©2011 Nicolas Thomas Wright.)

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