Tuesday, March 19, 2024

FULL SERVICE GOD

DEUTERONOMY 33:27 (NLT)
The eternal God is your refuge...

JOHN 14:1-2 (CEV)
Jesus said to his disciples, “Don't be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me. There are many rooms in my Father's house."

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Don't worry; God's operation is big enough to take care of whatever you need.

DAILY FODDER
What seems overwhelming to you now? Tell God about it.

PRAYER
Great God, your resources are greater than I can imagine. I confess that I worry about security issues related to health, the environment, and the political situation. Help me to let go of the worry to make room for you to work. I'm going to trust you. Amen. 

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.
Give us enough food for today.
Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you would protect us from all forms of evil. 
Amen.

Monday, March 18, 2024

TREATING OTHERS RIGHT

ISAIAH 10:1-2 (ABP)
Damn those who write oppressive laws that keep the needy from receiving justice and rob the poor of their rights.

MATTHEW 7:12 (CEV)
Treat others as you want them to treat you.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
To escape judgment treat others right.

DAILY FODDER
Who are the mistreated people in the world today? Do you in some indirect way benefit from their mistreatment? What is God calling you to do about the situation? 

PRAYER
God of the downtrodden, thank you for showing me life in your kingdom. You have helped me shift the focus of my life away from myself and toward others. Give me compassion for my vulnerable neighbors. Empower me to be an advocate for those who are treated unjustly in our society. Lord, let me see others through your eyes today. Amen. (Daily TextsGround Up Grace edition)

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.
Give us enough food for today.
Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you would protect us from all forms of evil. 
Amen.

Sunday, March 17, 2024

THIRSTY?

The Fifth Sunday in Lent
The Feast of St Patrick

ISAIAH 44:3 (CEV)
I will bless the thirsty land
   by sending streams of water;
I will bless your descendants
   by giving them my Spirit.


JOHN 7:37 (CEV)
On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and shouted, “If you are thirsty, come to me and drink!

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Jesus quenches our thirst.

DAILY FODDER
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
—The Breastplate of St Patrick

PRAYER
Living Lord, when I hear your word, it falls upon my heart like a gentile rain on dry soil. Thank you for quenching my thirst for you. Your word grows in me and changes my life. May the joy of your spirit within me overflow as blessings upon my family and other people. Praise to you forever. Amen. (Daily TextsGround Up Grace edition)

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.
Give us enough food for today.
Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you would protect us from all forms of evil. 
Amen.

Saturday, March 16, 2024

GOD'S ACCOMPLIHMENTS

PSALM 105:1 (MSG)
Thank GOD! Pray to him by name!
      Tell everyone you meet what he has done!


ROMANS 10:17 (MSG)
The point is: Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ’s Word is preached, there’s nothing to listen to.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Faith starts with the word and deeds of God.

DAILY FODDER
What led you to begin trusting Christ? 

PRAYER
Thank you, God, for all that you have done for me and throgh me. I tend to glory in all that I have accomplished. Help me to refocus on the reality that ultimately they are your accomplishments. It's all about you and what you do. Amen. 

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.
Give us enough food for today.
Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you would protect us from all forms of evil. 
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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