“Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”
Matthew 20:17-19
Father, as we march onward to Zion and uphold the Biblical view of righteous living, we are often mocked or dismissed as a radical bunch of Jesus followers. But we know that it is the righteous remnant who restrain Your wrath in the midst of the flood of evildoers. You are not willing that any should perish, but that all should turn to salvation. You didn’t send Jesus to earth to condemn the world but to provide redemption for all who believe upon Your name. We do believe and respond by walking in the ways of righteousness. It is by grace that we are saved, so we give You thanks through Christ Jesus our Lord in whose name we pray.
Amen.
Father, we thank You for the shepherds whose hearts are fashioned in Your likeness, who lead us with knowledge and understanding. Protect them from the evil one. We look to our shepherds for example, guidance, and clarity and affirmation of the teachings from the Word of God. It is Your wisdom given to wise men and Your knowledge given to those of understanding who illumine our way in these days of confusion where wrong is upheld and right is disdained by the current philosophies and mindset of the world. We will persevere even if the foundations are destroyed, living for Jesus drawing others to Him in whom the light dwells.
Amen.
“Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.”
Ephesians 6:24
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”
Philemon 1:25
Father, there are so many gray areas in life where we may differ with our own family or even the best of friends. We may vary in our preferences of personality styles, giftings, and tastes. But when it comes to the eternal truths, unchanging principles and commands of Scripture it is not for us to pick and choose. We must give full attention to the words of Scripture and build a godly heritage that we can pass on to our children and our children’s children. We must uphold and teach the Scriptures that are able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. We want to remain steadfast and faint not as we seek to be people of deep conviction with growing faith and sterling character, making a positive difference in our sphere of influence. In the name of Jesus we pray.
Amen.
Father, we thank You for the godly people who have taught us unchanging eternal truths of Scripture. Not only did they teach us by instruction but they taught us by example. Like Timothy, we want to continue in what we have learned and become convinced of, because we know those from whom we learned the Holy Scriptures which are able to make us wise for salvation through our faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. It is in His name that we pray.
Amen.
“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men — the testimony given in its proper time.”
1 Timothy 2:5-6
“My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.”
1 Corinthians 16:24
Father, we thank You for the living hope we have through Jesus who did not die in vain, but instead He conquered sin and death. You raised Christ’s body from the dead, because death could not hold Him.  The certainty of Christ’s resurrection is taught and reinforced throughout the New Testament writings and is the cornerstone of our faith. Biblical perspective makes the reality of the grave not a finality, but a springboard from which we will enter into glorious, eternal life. With deep conviction we choose to earnestly, faithfully, and vigorously contend for this essential truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Amen.