Friday, March 24, 2023

LISTEN AND DO

JEREMIAH 35:13-14 (ABP)
This is what Israel's GOD, the commander over all of Heaven’s Armies, says, "...I've spoken to you again and again, and yet you refuse to obey me."

LUKE 11:28 (ABP)
Jesus replied, “The happiest and most blessed people are those who listen to what God is saying and then act accordingly.”

SUMMARY SENTENCE
God says, "Listen and do."

PRAYER
Loving God, thank you for continuing to speak to us through both ancient and contemporary messengers. Yet, we tune you out so that we can listen to the voices in our own heads. We want to be in charge of our own destinies. Help me to tune out all voices but yours. I want to be a doer of your word. 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, March 23, 2023

CHILL

PSALM 65:7 (ABP)
As you calm the wild stormy seas, calm the wild and stormy people.

LUKE 1:73-75 (ABP)
Zechariah said, "Israel's God promised our founding father Abraham that he would rescue us from our enemies so that we can fearlessly serve him... for as long as we live."

SUMMARY SENTENCE
God is the shock absorber for his people.

PRAYER
Sovereign God, these are wild and crazy times. I admit to entertaining the fear and panic that our common enemies are trying to generate. Just as you calm the stormy waves I'm looking for your calm to rescue me from the crazies. Help me to trust you so much that I don't host their ungodly chaos in my heart and mind. I'm going to chill knowing that you're ultimately in charge and that everything is going to be all right. 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, March 22, 2023

THE LOST

EZEKIEL 34:16 (NLT)
I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice!

LUKE 15:6 (CEB)
When he arrives home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Celebrate with me because I’ve found my lost sheep.’

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Jesus' joyous mission is to seek out the lost and return them to where they belong.

PRAYER
Good Shepherd, I'm grateful that you found me. Forgive my wandering ways and resettle me into a healthy, safe, and lush pasture. I'm going to actively receive your care. 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, March 21, 2023

WORDS OF LIFE

DEUTERONOMY 8:3 (CEV)
The LORD was teaching you that people need more than food to live—they need every word that the LORD has spoken.

JOHN 6:68 (ABP)
Simon Peter replied to Jesus, "Boss, we wouldn't presume to listen to anyone else. You've got the words that draw us into the forever-enduring life."

SUMMARY SENTENCE
We look to the teaching of Jesus as the gateway to real life.

PRAYER
Thank you, God, for Jesus-the-living word and for his instruction which leads us into the forever-enduring eternally-satisfying life. Forgive me for allowing myself to be distracted by the false propaganda of those who oppose you. Yes, they've repeated their fake news so often that they've begun to believe it. Keep me from getting sucked into their alternative reality. Gound me in your word so that your eternal life becomes evident to all within my realm of influence. 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 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)

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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