13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats[b]; do not be frightened.”[c] 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an…

Heavenly father
give us grace to rejoice in humble circumstances

⁹ But let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position; 
¹⁰ and the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the grass, he will pass away. 
¹¹ For the sun arises with the scorching wind and withers the grass, and the flower in it falls,
and the beauty of its appearance perishes…

⁵ By awesome deeds of righteousness, you answer us,
    God of our salvation.
You who are the hope of all the ends of the earth,
    of those who are far away on the sea.
⁶ By your power, you form the mountains,
    ⁷ You still the roaring of the seas.    
⁸ They also who dwell in faraway places are afraid at your…

Heavenly Father, our maker
give us grace to trust in your saving power, even when you are hidden from us

¹¹ Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel
    and his Maker says:
“You ask me about the things that are to come, concerning my sons,
    and you command me concerning the work of my hands!
¹² I have made the earth, and created man on it.
¹³ I have raised him up in righteousness…

Heavenly father
give us grace to express our deep longing to be with you, even when we don’t know what that would look like

¹¹ But Mary was standing outside at the tomb weeping.
So as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb, 
¹² and she saw two angels in white sitting,
one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 
¹³ …

Heavenly father
give us grace to see evidence of the kingdom and believe it.

The other disciple outran Peter, and came to the tomb first. 
⁵ Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying, yet he didn’t enter in. 
⁶ Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb.
He saw the linen cloths lying, ⁷ and the cloth that had been on his…

Heavenly Father
give us grace to trust you as our father to bring forth righteousness and salvation in us and for us in your own ways 

⁸ Rain, you heavens, from above,
    and let the skies pour down righteousness.
Let the earth open, that it may produce salvation,
    and let it cause righteousness to spring up with it.
I, Yahweh, have created it.

^9 …

¹ Praise waits for you, God, in Zion.
    Vows shall be performed to you.
² You who hear prayer,
    all men will come to you.
³ Sins overwhelmed me,
    but you atoned for our transgressions.
⁴ Blessed is the one whom you choose and cause to come near,
    that he may live in your courts…

Heavenly father
give us grace to refrain from doing what is wrong, whatever the consequences are,
and open our eyes to see your grace whatever our circumstances

⁶ Joseph was well-built and handsome. 
⁷ His master’s wife set her eyes on Joseph; and she said, “Lie with me.”
⁸ But he refused, and said to his master’s wife,
“Behold, my master has put all that he has into my hand. 
⁹ How then…

13 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4…

Heavenly father
give us grace to ask for wisdom in faith without doubting

⁵ But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God,
who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 
⁶ But let him ask in faith, without any doubting,
for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed. 
⁷ For that man shouldn’t think that he…

⁷ But God will shoot at them.
    They will be suddenly struck down with an arrow.
⁸ Their own tongues shall ruin them.
    All who see them will shake their heads.
⁹ All mankind shall be afraid.
    They shall declare the work of God,
    and shall wisely ponder what he has done.
¹⁰ The righteous shall be glad in…

Heavenly Father
give us grace to know and trust your nature which permeates everything, both light and darkness

¹ Yahweh says to his anointed, to Cyrus,
whose right hand I have held, to subdue nations before him,
and strip kings of their armour;
to open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut:

² “I will go before you
    and make the rough places smooth.
I will break the doors of bronze…

Heavenly father
give us grace to see you at work, particularly in bad circumstances (such as slavery)

¹Joseph was brought down to Egypt by the Ishmaelites and sold as a slave to an officer of Pharaoh called Potiphar. 
² Yahweh was with Joseph, who then prospered in the house of the Egyptian. 
³ His master saw that Yahweh was with him, and that Yahweh made all that…

Living as Those Made Alive in Christ

3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death, therefore,…

Heavenly father
give us grace to be joyful and faithful when various temptations come our way 

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion: Greetings.

² Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, 
³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 
⁴ Let endurance have its…

¹ Hear my voice, God, in my complaint.
    Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
² Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
    from the noisy crowd of the ones doing evil;
³ who sharpen their tongue like a sword,
    and aim their arrows, deadly words,
⁴    …

Heavenly Father
give us grace to trust in you, our creator -our source of knowledge and hope

²⁴ Yahweh, your Redeemer,
    and he who formed you from the womb says:
“I am Yahweh, who makes all things;
    who alone stretches out the heavens;
    who spreads out the earth by myself;
²⁵ who frustrates the signs of the liars,
    …

Heavenly father
give us grace to do the right thing, particularly when we may be embarrassed to do so.

¹² After Judah’s wife died, Judah went up to his sheep shearers to Timnah. 
¹³ Tamar was told this. ¹⁴ She took off the garments of her widowhood, and covered herself with her veil, and sat on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she wasn’t given to him as a wife. 
^15…

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Heavenly father
give us grace to do your will and be well pleasing in your sight.

²⁰ Now may the God of peace,
who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep
with the blood of an eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus, 
²¹ make you complete in every good work to do his will,
working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight,
through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

^22…

⁵ My soul shall be satisfied as with the richest food.
    My mouth shall praise you with joyful lips,
⁶     when I remember you on my bed,
    and think about you in the night watches.
⁷ For you have been my help.
    I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings.
⁸ My soul stays close to you.
…

Heavenly Father
give us grace to rejoice in forgiveness today (both ours and others’)

²¹ Remember these things, Jacob and Israel;
    for you are my servant.
    I have formed you.
    You are my servant.
    Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
²² I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions,
…

Heavenly father
give us grace to see your glory of your love today and for your love to be in us. 

²⁴ Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am,
that they may see my glory, which you have given me,
for you loved me before the foundation of the world. 
²⁵ Righteous Father, the world hasn’t known you,
but I knew you; and these knew that you sent me. …

Heavenly father
give us grace to live life in all its fullness, and not be led into temptation of doing anything which is the opposite of life.

²  Judah took a Canaanite woman as his wife, . ³ who bore him sons named Er, ⁴  Onan. ⁵  and Shelah. ⁶ Judah took a wife for Er, and her name was Tamar. 
⁷ Er was wicked in Yahweh’s sight. So Yahweh killed him. …

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives & is arrested

39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from…

Heavenly father
give us grace to desire to live honourably in all things, to care for those entrusted to us with joy, and to submit to those in authority over us.

¹⁷ Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account,
that they may do this with joy, and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you.

¹⁸ Pray for us, for we are…

¹ God, you are my God.
    I will earnestly seek you.
My soul thirsts for you.
    My flesh longs for you,
    in a dry and weary land, where there is no water.
² So I have seen you in the sanctuary,
    watching your power and your glory.
³ Because your loving kindness is better than life,
    my lips shall praise…

Heavenly Father
give us grace to see in perspective all that we have made and all that we hold dear, so that they may not take your place. 

⁹ Everyone who makes a carved image is vain.
    The things that they delight in will not profit.
 ¹¹ Behold, all his fellows will be disappointed;
    and the workmen are mere men.
Let them all be gathered together.
 …

Heavenly father
give us grace so to live in you that we may be one with our brothers and sisters in you. 

²⁰ Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who will believe in me through their word, 
²¹ that they may all be one;
even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you,
that they also may be one in us;
that the world may believe that you sent me. 
²² The glory which you have given me, I have…

Heavenly father
give us grace not to lose hope in grief and mourning, thanking you that you are working your purposes out. 

²⁹ Reuben returned to the pit, and saw that Joseph wasn’t in the pit; and he tore his clothes. 
³⁰ He returned to his brothers, and said, “The child is no more; and I, where will I go?” 
³¹ They took Joseph’s tunic, and killed a male goat, and dipped the tunic in the blood. 
…

27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” 

28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 

29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” 

Heavenly father
give us grace to live with our eyes fixed on heaven, giving allegiance to you through being generous.

¹⁰ We have an altar from which those who serve the holy tabernacle have no right to eat. 
¹¹ For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin,
are burned outside of the camp.
¹² Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the…

⁹ Surely men of low degree are just a breath,
    and men of high degree are a lie.
In the balances they will go up.
    They are together lighter than a breath.
¹⁰ Don’t trust in oppression.
    Don’t become vain in robbery.
If riches increase,
    don’t set your heart on them.
¹¹ God has spoken once;
 …

Heavenly Father
give us grace to stand firm on you as our Rock so that we will not be afraid of anything today

⁶ This is what Yahweh, the King of Israel,
    and his Redeemer, Yahweh of Armies, says:
“I am the first, and I am the last;
    and besides me there is no God.
⁷ Who is like me?
    Who will call,
    and will declare it,
 …

Heavenly father
give us grace to live truthfully today

¹⁶ They are not of the world even as I am not of the world. 
¹⁷ Sanctify them in your truth.
Your word is truth.
¹⁸ As you sent me into the world,
even so I have sent them into the world. 
¹⁹ For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. 

Heavenly father
give us grace not to lose hope, giving thanks for your provision through people going about their business (ishmaelites)

 ²³ When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped Joseph of his tunic of many colours ; 
²⁴ and they took him, and threw him into the pit which was empty.
²⁵ They sat down to eat bread, and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites
bearing spices…

21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God…

Heavenly father
give us grace to look to Jesus who is the same yesterday, today and forever  and to consider the faith of those who have told us about him in their words and their deeds

⁷ Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God,
and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith. 
⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. …

⁵ My soul, wait in silence for God alone,
    for my expectation is from him.
⁶ He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress.
    I will not be shaken.
⁷ My salvation and my honour is with God.
    The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
⁸ Trust in him at all times, you people.
  …

Heavenly Father
give us grace to receive the living water of your Spirit, so that we would bring glory to you today 

1 Yet listen now, Jacob my servant,
    and Israel, whom I have chosen.
² This is what Yahweh who made you,
    and formed you from the womb,
    who will help you says:
“Don’t be…

Heavenly father
give us grace to have your joy made full in us today, particularly in the face of temptation
and keep us safe from the evil one

¹² While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name.
I have kept those whom you have given me.
None of them is lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 
¹³ But now I come to you, and I say these things in the world,
that they may…

Heavenly Father
give us grace to do what is good particularly when others are not (like Reuben)

¹² His brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. 
¹³ Israel said to Joseph, “Aren’t your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.”
He said to him, “Here I am.”
¹⁴ He said to him, “Go now, see whether it is well with your brothers, and well with the flock; and bring me word…

19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

Heavenly father
give us grace to be free from the love of money and to be content with what we have

⁵ Be free from the love of money,
content with such things as you have, for he has said,
“I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.”
⁶ So that with good courage we say,
“The Lord is my helper. I will not fear.  What can man do to me…

¹ My soul rests in God alone.
    My salvation is from him.
² He alone is my rock, my salvation, and my fortress.
    I will never be greatly shaken.
³ How long will you assault a man?
    Would all of you throw him down,
    like a leaning wall, like a…

Heavenly father
give us grace to acknowledge our sins so that they may be blotted out and forgiven. 

²⁵ I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake;
    and I will not remember your sins.
²⁶ Put me in remembrance.
    Let us plead together.
Declare your case,
    that you may be justified.

[and…

Heavenly father
give us grace to live as those who belong to you, giving glory to you through the power of your name

⁹ I pray for them. I don’t pray for the world,
but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 
¹⁰ All things that are mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 
¹¹ I am no more in the world, but these are in the world,
and I…

Heavenly Father
give us grace to hear what you are saying to us, even in our dreams
give us grace to be careful how we communicate this to others.

⁵ Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him all the more. 
⁶ He said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 
⁷ for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold,
my sheaf arose and also stood upright;…

1 I will extol the Lord at all times;
    his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the Lord;
    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the Lord with me;
    let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
    he delivered me from all my…