The First Sunday after Epiphany
DEUTERONOMY 15:10 (ABP)
Happily and generously give to the needy. Such an approach ignites GOD's blessing in your own life.
LUKE 6:38 (CEB)
Give, and it will be given to you.
SUMMARY SENTENCE
Live generously if you want to experience God's blessings.
PRAYER
Generous God, we continue to experience your undeserved gifts on a daily basis. It's just the way you are. Yet, I confess that I look for ways to get excused from generosity. For me, it's not that I'm afraid I'll run out of money but of the energy needed to responsibly give to those in need. Reenergize me for generosity; for it is more blessed to give than to receive. And I need to receive your energy so that I can share in the blessing of giving. 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.
Since 2015, I've been modeling one way of using the MORAVIAN DAILY TEXTS* to maintain a daily conversation with God.
– Brad Boydston
Sunday, January 8, 2023
Saturday, January 7, 2023
LIVES THAT PRAISE GOD
PSALM 113:3 (MSG)
From east to west, from dawn to dusk,
keep lifting all your praises to GOD!
ROMANS 15:5-6 (MSG)
May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we’ll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus!
SUMMARY SENTENCE
As we live into the grace of God we become a harmonious choir and our lives become the voices singing praises to God.
PRAYER
Loving and approachable God, you are worthy of all the praise we can collectively muster -- and then some. Unfortunately, we are not a harmonious choir. We have allowed our egos to hinder harmony as we project annoying off-key notes. Help me to become an encouraging presence in the choir -- lifting up others even when it means that I need to slip to the back. I'm excited about the potential of our choir. 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.
From east to west, from dawn to dusk,
keep lifting all your praises to GOD!
ROMANS 15:5-6 (MSG)
May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we’ll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus!
SUMMARY SENTENCE
As we live into the grace of God we become a harmonious choir and our lives become the voices singing praises to God.
PRAYER
Loving and approachable God, you are worthy of all the praise we can collectively muster -- and then some. Unfortunately, we are not a harmonious choir. We have allowed our egos to hinder harmony as we project annoying off-key notes. Help me to become an encouraging presence in the choir -- lifting up others even when it means that I need to slip to the back. I'm excited about the potential of our choir. 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.
Friday, January 6, 2023
PURSUE HUMILITY
Epiphany
2 CHRONICLES 32:24-25 (CEB)
...Hezekiah became deathly ill and prayed to the LORD, who answered him with a miraculous sign. But Hezekiah was too proud to respond appropriately to the kindness he had received...
1 PETER 5:5 (ABP)
God foils the proud while favoring the humble.
SUMMARY SENTENCE
Serious humility is the only healthy way forward.
PRAYER
Thank you, God, for lifting up the humble -- for honoring the least important people over the most powerful. Yet, even though I know your preferences I still find myself drawn into the pursuit of power and doing whatever I can to advance myself over others. Reinforce your framework of humility until it becomes second nature in my life. Like my master Jesus, I'm going to set aside my ambitions to care for the least and the lost. 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.
2 CHRONICLES 32:24-25 (CEB)
...Hezekiah became deathly ill and prayed to the LORD, who answered him with a miraculous sign. But Hezekiah was too proud to respond appropriately to the kindness he had received...
1 PETER 5:5 (ABP)
God foils the proud while favoring the humble.
SUMMARY SENTENCE
Serious humility is the only healthy way forward.
PRAYER
Thank you, God, for lifting up the humble -- for honoring the least important people over the most powerful. Yet, even though I know your preferences I still find myself drawn into the pursuit of power and doing whatever I can to advance myself over others. Reinforce your framework of humility until it becomes second nature in my life. Like my master Jesus, I'm going to set aside my ambitions to care for the least and the lost. 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.
Thursday, January 5, 2023
OLD WITNESSES
PSALM 71:17-18 (MSG)
LUKE 2:29-31 (CEV)
SUMMARY SENTENCE
Even the old folk are witnesses to God's faithfulness.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for the faithful witness of old people -- people who have been acknowledging you year after year. Forgive me for my ageist thinking which assigns significance only to youthfulness. I aspire to be a faithful witness of your faithfulness until I'm old and gray. Help me to be that. 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.
You got me when I was an unformed youth,
God, and taught me everything I know.
Now I’m telling the world your wonders;
I’ll keep at it until I’m old and gray.
LUKE 2:29-31 (CEV)
Simeon said,
"Lord, I am your servant,
and now I can die in peace,
because you have kept
your promise to me.
With my own eyes I have seen
what you have done
to save your people,
and foreign nations
will also see this."
SUMMARY SENTENCE
Even the old folk are witnesses to God's faithfulness.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for the faithful witness of old people -- people who have been acknowledging you year after year. Forgive me for my ageist thinking which assigns significance only to youthfulness. I aspire to be a faithful witness of your faithfulness until I'm old and gray. Help me to be that. 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.
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