“John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins” (Mark 1:4-5).

The beginning of the Gospel starts with repentance.  Unless we confess that we have a problem, we cannot see the need for salvation.  If we think we can do it, or should do it on our own, we miss the point that Jesus has come to save us.  In order to repent, one must be aware of the need.  In order to repent perfectly, it takes a perfect man, but then, a perfect man does not need to repent.  Christ alone is the perfect man who leads us towards perfect repentance.

Lord God, help me to see that daily I sin and daily I need to repent.  Rather than playing games with You, thinking I am okay, help me to see my complete dependance upon You.  Guide me by Your Spirit so that I am quick to repent, humble in submission and willing to follow where You lead.  These words are easy to say, but they are so hard to accomplish.  Lead me so that I learn to obey all that You direct.

Lord Jesus, You alone who is perfect leads the way.  You sent John the Baptist before You to prepare the way and You have come preparing the way so that I may know the way of right living.  Help me today to do those things which are needed in order that I may humbly walk in the right and narrow way of the Gospel.  Guide me into Your goodness, helping me each step of the way, and teach me to be faithful.  Amen.

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight’” (Mark 1:3)

From the passage in Isaiah 40, we are reminded that our time here is short.  The message comes that salvation is made available by grace and through faith. Behold, the Savior has come.  Some will follow and others will not.  We should not stop preparing the way of the Lord.  Every person needs help to make the way of the Lord become the way of living.  We live in a wilderness and the Lord is calling us home.

Lord, help me so that I am not content with the wilderness in which I find myself.  You have put into me a longing for my true home, which is in and with You.  Help me by deepening in me the eternal desire You have planted in me so that I help by making ready the way You have established.  Guide me in Your grace to live on the straight and narrow path, speaking Your word of truth.

Thank You, Savior of my soul, for coming into the wilderness of this world.  You have given me the words of life.  Help me to walk the straight and narrow path that You have set before me.  When I err, let me repent and set me again on Your path.  When I stray, lead me back to safety.  May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my mind be upon what is right and true.  Guide me ever deeper into the salvation You have given me.  Amen.

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, Who will prepare Your way” (Mark 1:1-2)

The Lord, who knows the beginning from the end, has prepared us in order that we may receive the Good News of salvation which comes through the only begotten and anointed Son, Jesus.  We too are a part of preparing the way for others to receive the good news of the Gospel.  Everyone is a messenger.  The question is, what is the message that is being shared?  Share the Gospel with others that they may receive what You have received.

Lord, I come to You because messengers have come to me.  Prepare me to be a messenger of the Gospel so that others will have the opportunity to receive salvation as I have received it from You.  Guide me ever deeper into the mystery of the revelation of the Good News which You have brought for all.  Lead all the faithful through this world to humbly come into Your presence now and forever.

Lord Jesus, Son of God and Eternal Savior, the way was prepared before me, first by You and then by others.  Help me to be a part of Your kingdom and continue to prepare the way so that others may receive what You have given me.  You have given the words of eternal life.  Help me to speak those words, live those words, and abide in the truth of Your eternal presence now and forever.  Amen.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Through others you have come to faith.  By your faith others will come to faith.  A part of what the Lord is doing in us is having us be a part of community building.  We do not do this alone.  To be a disciple is to follow Jesus.  Be steeped in Trinity, sharing with others the promise of salvation and learning how to be obedient.  It is the journey for all of us and our belief shows through our action.  If we believe, we do.

Lord, help me to see things as they are.  In our time, folks believe in specialization, compartmentalization and isolation.  You call us together to be community, helping one another and doing as You instruct us.  Teach me to follow Your ways and not just the ways of the world.  Guide me to live according to Your word and not by the false words of this world.  You are always with us.  Help me to always be with You.

Lord Jesus, even amid miracles, You know how easily I can become distracted.  Help me to be Your disciple at all times in all places.  Help me to be immersed in You, abiding with You and knowing You are with me.  Help me to learn obedience.  Help me to share these things with others I meet that they too may have the opportunity to live into the eternal life You grant by faith and through grace.  Amen.

“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18).

All authority belongs to Jesus.  No one has authority except what is granted from above.  The Lord has His reasons, even with the tyrants and despots who exercise authority.  Those who have faith are directly connected to the One who has all authority.  Learn from the Centurion, or others who have understood, that when Jesus speaks, that is all that is needed.  People of faith, we are under the direct authority of Jesus who is above all.

Lord, help me to understand that only under You am I in the right place.  You have guided me thus far and You have set before me the promise of eternal life.  Guide me so that I live according to Your will and under Your authority.  Keep me from all danger and help me live this life which You have given me by faith and in Your grace.  Keep me from straying from the path You have set before me.

Lord Jesus, You who hold all authority, teach me to walk with You as my authority.  If you tell me to speak to a mountain to be moved, let me so speak.  If You tell me to lay hands on another and tell them they are healed, let me so speak.  If You give me any task, or words to speak, help me to do all things knowing that it is under Your authority that I live this life of faith which You have given me.  Amen.

“But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated.  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful” (Matthew 28:16-17).

There are always doubts.  We each have our way of being confronted by truth and we are not sure what to do with it.  The truth sometimes feels either too awful or too good to be true, but truth is truth.  Go where the Lord directs and, from the story of the disciples, you will see truth revealed more and more such that your unbelief goes away.  The Lord promises to lead us into all truth.

Lord, help my doubts and fears so that I am not rendered useless.  Life is to be lived, and in the living, I discover more about this gift of life which You have given me.  Guide me so that I seek the truth that You will reveal as I journey on the path of faith.  You have given me the gift of faith.  Help me to walk by that faith, and not by the ways of this world, so that I may become ever more like Christ.

Lord Jesus, You give clear instructions for steps of the journey of faith.  The faith You give requires that I step out and go where You send me.  Help me, I pray, to live by faith, trusting You each step of the way.  Guide me into all truth, for You are the way, truth, and life.  Lead me so that I endure through all doubts, doing what You give me to do, and help me now and always to trust Your word above any words of this world.  Lead me in faith, dear Savior, and help me finish the course You have set before me.  Amen.

“And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.”  And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day” (Matthew 28:14-15).

The false story still goes forward.  Sinners prefer the lie over the truth.  If Jesus was raised from the dead, then what we hold onto in this world is false.  If He was not raised from the dead, then we die in our sin.  Everything else falls on one side or the other of this simple dividing line.  We all must make our choice as to what we will believe.  It is either this world’s lies, or else the hope that because Christ lives, we too shall live.

Lord, the equation is very simple.  You have been speaking over the ages through Your word of salvation.  Salvation is before all.  You took our iniquities and buried them in Your death.  But death cannot contain You.  You rose and gave us the promise that if we are united with You, we shall be raised with You.  Help me make the right choices and walk on the side of what is true.

Lord Jesus, the lies continue in our time.  There are lies all around me.  Help me to see truth.  Guide me in the way of hope.  Teach me to take Your hand of grace and follow You wherever You lead.  Guide me, Lord Jesus, for You have spoken the words of truth and have demonstrated them with the resurrection.  You live and because You live, I am filled with hope, not for this world, but for eternity.  Guide me into all truth.  Amen.

“And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep’” (Matthew 28:12-13).

Liars lie.  Those who have what they think is power will lie, cheat, and steal to retain their power.  There are those whose god is money.  They will take money and do whatever is requested for a few coins in their pocket.  And so the story which still moves forward to our day, is that somehow Jesus being raised from the dead is a hoax.  They sell the lie that these feeble disciples were able to overcome the authorities and make this up.

Lord, the truth always has that little something that reminds us that it is the truth.  The message of the resurrection has gone out into the whole world and nothing has stopped it.  Through faith, You have resurrected me to see and believe.  Help me to not focus upon what the world does, but to continue to look to You, through whom all worlds exist and continue a life which believes in and prepares for eternity.

Lord Jesus, what You encountered in this faithless world continues.  It hammers at me all the time.  Help me to shed myself of the unbelief that surrounds me, the false gods that tug at me, and live into the life You have set before me.  Guide me, Jesus, in the way and truth of eternal life and help me so that nothing gets in the way of living the faith You have planted in my heart.  Lead me through all of the lies and liars that I meet in this world to hold fast to the faith You have given me.  Amen. 

“Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened” (Matthew 28:11).

There are always those who are opposed to what the Lord is doing.  Count on it.  Some seed falls on rocky soil.  Go ahead anyway and share what the Lord has given you.  The only One to fear is the Lord.  Though some may seek to take Your life, they can never take what Jesus has given you, for you have the promise of the resurrection, having been eternally connected with Jesus.

Lord, You know that I do fear in this age. I fear those who can destroy my body.  I also know that this body will wear out.  Lead me so that I do not fear what may come.  Grant me prudence to not be reckless, but help me so that I remain bold in the faith You have given me.  Others will report all kinds of things, but You have shown me the truth and spoken the words of eternal life.

Guide me, Lord Jesus, in the steps that are needed.  As You instructed the first witnesses to share love with others, help me to love those around me.  Grant that I not fear those who give other messages in this world who mean You harm.  Lead me where You would have me share the good news.  Guard my mouth and actions so that I am consistent in the message You would have me give.  Grant me boldness to be firm in conviction.  Amen.

“And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples.  And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.  Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me” (Matthew 28:8-10).

He is not dead but risen!  This message has resonated since that day when, as Jesus said He would, rose from the dead.  We are not to be afraid of the message of truth.  Because Jesus lives, we too shall live.  There are sisters and brothers everywhere and you and I must go and tell them so that they may hear the voice of the Master and awaken from the curse of this age to follow where He leads.

Lord, I was awakened by those who came and spoke the message of truth which You have revealed through Your death and resurrection.  You send us into an unbelieving world so that those who will hear Your voice may do so through the words You give us to speak.  Teach me to speak that others may hear and then see that You have risen and conquered the grave.  In awe for what You have done, but with joy, equip me as You intend.

Lord Jesus, I shall never fully comprehend all that this means.  The task You undertook or the cost You bore for our sake is more than I can fathom.  But You have conquered the grave and offered to me and through me to others the truth of eternal life.  Lead me in this life You have made possible so that I may walk in Your way, going where You send me, and living the life You intend.  Grant me the words to speak that others may hear the good news of great joy.  Amen.