To the Praise of His Glorious Grace

Scripture: Proverbs 23-24, John 2. Gospel summary:  In his earthly life, Jesus revealed to us his true glory as God in human form. Even in our most valiant efforts at being religious, we are still sinners in desperate need of Jesus. All our glory is dark, but Jesus shines alone. Prayer:  Father, help me to be utterly astounded every time I consider the glory of your Son Jesus. Fill my heart, mind, and soul with an awareness of Jesus' majesty, so that I may not try to foolishly live by my own merit. Thank you that in Jesus you have brought a whole new thing: a new temple...access to God is now mine to enjoy because of his resurrection from the dead. I don't have to try to purify myself through religious effort, because Jesus alone is my source of righteousness before God. Help me to see the world from your eyes Jesus and to share with the lost your gospel, trusting you to open their eyes to see its beauty. May your glory fill the earth as waters cover the sea, Jesus. A...

Scripture: Proverbs 12-13, Mark 12. Gospel summary: Our hearts are bound up with a foolish hatred of God and his commands and it is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can love and worship him wholeheartedly. Aheart that loves God is a work of divine grace and is the fulfillment of all God's commands. Prayer: Father in heaven, you alone are most worthy of all worship and I'd be a fool to not render all things unto you. Thank you for opening my eyes to your glory and filling me with love to you. Help me to color everything I say and do with an adoration of you. From the way I use money to the way I live in the home to the way I work in the world; let it all be motivated by pure love unto you. I know the Pharisees wanted to kill you because they didn't love God and I know my hatred for you is what nailed Jesus to the cross too. O gracious God who gives his only Son for such enemies, this stirs me to love you all the more. Help me see unbelievers with compassion ...

Scripture: Proverbs 6-7, Mark 9. Gospel summary: We cannot hope to please God relying upon our own self-effort, for we are too weak and too prone to pride. Jesus marched his way to the cross to give us an Advocate with the Father, filling us with his righteousness and absorbing the just condembation we deserved for our sins. We must relinquish all self-trust and cling with whole-hearted desperation to Jesus if we wish to endure in this demon-haunted and snare-filled world. Prayer: Father in heaven, you alone are my source of strength in this world. Teach me the folly of relying on my own power to live the Christian life and help me find true power in the dust at the foot of the cross. Give me grace to humble myself each day and cling to the all-powerful Son of God. Left to myself, I would proudly march to my own destruction, but clinging to Christ will lead me to eternal life. For the glory of Christ I pray, amen. Key verse: "All things are possible for one who believes...

Scripture: Proverbs 4-5, Mark 8. Gospel summary: To "follow after" Jesus and be his disciple involves dying to ourselves and valuing him beyond all this world could offer us. Once we understand the great sacrifice Jesus made to save sinners like us, we can then joyfully sacrifice our earthly enjoyments to follow him. Prayer: Father in heaven, thank you for sending Jesus to this world to live in my place and die in my place. Christ, thank you for making the greatest sacrifice on my behalf and calling me to follow you. Spirit, thank you for drawing me to believe in Jesus and raising me from a spiritual grave to be his disciple unto death. God, help me die to myself each day and live valuing Jesus more than everything. I confess that I too often consider my selfish desires than I do the cross you bore and the one you call me to bear. When following Jesus means embracing persecution, help me to be faithful still. Show me what things I need to lay at your feet so that I may b...

Scripture: Proverbs 2-3, Mark 7. Gospel summary: Left to ourselves we would all follow the foolish paths of sin and consider ourselves wise, but true wisdom is found in a healthy fear of God and reverence for him. God has come in Christ to display his wisdom by means of the cross. Only the all-wise God could have thought up the wisdom of the gospel. We must come to see the folly of listening to ourselves and humbly submit to God's wisdom for true life. Prayer: All-wise God, you and you alone have unsearchable and infinite understanding. I am of dust and all my cleverness is folly before you. Help me to listen less to myself and more to you. May your word be my leader and teacher so that I may follow the path to true life. Thank you for giving me eyes to see the wisdom of the cross even though the world counts it folly. Help me live out my days with the gospel burned upon the eyes of my heart so that my every step my be in the good path of wisdom. In Jesus' name I pray, ame...

Scripture: Psalms 148-149, Mark 5. Gospel summary: Jesus, as God's Son, has authority over the demonic realm, and he releases us from bondage to them by means of a spoken word. Prayer: Father in heaven, you alone are infinitely worthy because you have power over even the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. I praise you for coming in Christ to destroy the work of the devil by means of the shedding of your own blood. Thank you for releasing me from Satan's tight grip and placing me safely in your protective and loving arms. Give me eyes to see unbelievers with compassion and to share Christ's gospel with them so they too can be delivered. As I go forth as a husband, father, pastor, and child of God, teach me how to lead as one who has come to grasp redeeming love. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. Key verse: "so he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered the pigs, and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the s...

Scripture: Psalms 146-147, Mark 4. Gospel summary: The God of all creation, who names the stars and sends the snow to earth by his spoken word has come in Jesus to redeem his people by means of his own suffering on the cross. Prayer: God of all creation, I am in awe as I stop to ponder all that you have made, but what leaves me in breathless wonder more than all this is that you have come in Christ to this earth to save rebellious sinners like me. Glory be to your great name O God! Give me eyes to see your majesty, power, and steadfast love written in the clouds, stars, moon, and thunder all around me. This world is a theater for your glory as one of your servants has put it, so help me to give you all the glory with my time, energy, and resources. I thank you that Christ, who sends the storms and rain has come to earth and displayed his power to rule them for the good of his people. I thank you for putting a storm of wonder in my heart that led me to ask who this Jesus is, and th...