Saturday, April 1, 2023

FAITHFUL GOD

1 SAMUEL 12:22 (ABP)
GOD's reputation is at stake. He's not going to abandon his people -- those whom he has chosen to be his people.

2 TIMOTHY 2:13 (ABP)
If we give up on Christ, he won't give up on us. He remains his steady steadfast self no matter what we do.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
God is faithful, no matter what.

DAILY FODDER
How does it make you feel knowing that you have a steady steadfast protector watching your back? How does it change the way you live your life?

PRAYER
Faithful God, I'm grateful that you stick with me even when I'm a flakey believer drifting off in unhealthy directions. Raise my awareness of your faithfulness so that I can grow in my faithfulness. I'm going to imitate you and trust you no matter what is happening. I'm confident that you'll be there 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.

Friday, March 31, 2023

SAVIOR

JUDGES 3:9 (ABP)
When the people of Israel needed help they called on GOD, who then sent someone to rescue them.

LUKE 1:68 (ABP)
Give honor and praise to Israel's God! The Lord has come to save his people.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Jesus is God's rescue team sent into the world to save all his people.

DAILY FODDER
Why are people so reluctant to admit that they need a savior? And even after they admit it formally they still live as though they're pulling it off on their own. Why is that?

PRAYER
Lord, in ages past you listened to the cries of your people and sent them a rescuer. Because of your great love you also sent your Son to redeem your children. I am thankful, Lord, that you give life and salvation through the power of the cross. Praise be to you, O God, for your gift of grace. Alleluia! Amen. (Daily Texts, Ground Up Grace edition)

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 30, 2023

PERFECT TIMING

ECCLESIASTES 3:1 (MSG)
There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth...

LUKE 18:31 (ABP)
Jesus pulled aside his twelve apprentices and said, "Pay attention! This is one of those moments. We're on our way to Jerusalem where everything that the prophets wrote about the Uber Man is going to happen."

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Jesus saw that the time was right to complete his mission of saving the world.

DAILY FODDER
How is it that something so well-timed as Jesus' mission could become the utterly horrible events we commemorate during Holy Week?

PRAYER
God, your timing is always perfect. I admit that I can't always see it or understand why things happen when they do. Help me to trust your timing even as I trust in the timing of Jesus' rescue moment for the world. This week as I prepare for Holy Week I'm going to spend time thinking about your perfect timing. 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 29, 2023

EVERYONE!

PSALM 117:1 (ABP)
Whoever you are, wherever you're from, join us in praising GOD. Come on, everyone, praise him!

ACTS 2:11 (ABP)
The Jewish people from all over the world who were gathered in Jerusalem for Pentecost exclaimed, "We're hearing in our own languages everything that these preachers are saying about all the wonderful things God has done!”

SUMMARY SENTENCE
God's invitation to experience what he is doing is open to everyone -- regardless of who they are or where they're from.

DAILY FODDER
How do I participate in God's priority of global inclusivity while living in a world which is prioritizing tribal and national identity?

PRAYER
God, it's been clear from the beginning that your vision for renewing the world is greater than what we can fathom. It sometimes makes me uncomfortable to have to consider the needs of people who don't fit neatly into my personal world. I can barely keep things together as it is, let alone have to deal with people who don't speak English or who dress so differently. Send your Spirit to empower us -- me -- for global living. I want to be a part of the worldwide choir singing your praises every day from now through eternity. 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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