Hence, I will also appoint you as light to the nations
so that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth. ~ Isaiah 49:6 (CEB)
Therefore, God highly honored him and gave him a name above all names... ~ Philippians 2:9 (CEB)
KEY THOUGHT:
Christ is the greatest because he lights the way for all.
PRAYER:
Lord God, when darkness surrounds me, grant light in my dwelling and my personal thoughts. Help me to see your purposes as larger than life itself, that I may walk in confidence and faith before you. Keep me from indulging any fearful thoughts, and teach me the power and security that is found in calling upon your name. Amen. (Daily Texts, Mount Carmel Ministries)
I will cleanse you of your filthy behavior. ~ Ezekiel 36:29 (NLT)
There is no condemnation now for those who live in union with Christ Jesus. ~ Romans 8:1 (GNT)
KEY THOUGHT:
Our connection with Christ Jesus saves us out of trashy living.
PRAYER:
Thank you, God, for sending Christ Jesus to rescue us. I don't live my life as close to him as I should. Help me to pay attention to that ongoing connection so that it's clear where I stand. Amen.
The 18th Sunday after Pentecost
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the scholars. ~ Daniel 2:21 (NLT)
Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. ~ James 3:17 (MSG)
KEY THOUGHT:
The kind of wisdom that will make you a real success in life is the wisdom that comes from God.
PRAYER:
Lord, thank you for your generosity. I admit that I think I am smarter than I am. I need some of the wisdom that you give to get my life grounded in the things which matter. Please send some my way so that I can become gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, steady and genuine. Amen.
Stronger than wild sea storms,
Mightier than sea-storm breakers,
Mighty God rules from High Heaven.
~ Psalm 93:4 (MSG)
Then Jesus asked the disciples, “Don’t you have any faith?”
But they were frightened and amazed. They said to each other, “Who is this? He can give orders to the wind and the waves, and they obey him!” ~ Luke 8:25 (CEV)
KEY THOUGHT:
Jesus is the mighty God. Trust him!
PRAYER:
Mighty God, I am grateful that someone has control over the forces of nature. I'm easily frightened by the things which happen around me -- things over which I have no control. Help me to accept that you really do exercise enough control and that you always have my best interests in mind. I'm going to calmly ride out the storms. Amen.
*ABOUT THE
DAILY TEXTS
The Daily Texts have been published by the Moravian Church since 1731. In 2011 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)
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)
