Thursday - Because He Lives

Welcome to Daily Prayer. Normally my wife, Michelle, joins me, but she is currently spending

time with her grandmother who is in her final days of life. So this week I am joined by my

beautiful daughter, Bailey. This is Week 7 of the Because He Lives series — encounters with

the risen Jesus. Today Peter points the crowd directly to the death and resurrection of Christ.

Ask the Lord to bring you back to the center of the gospel. Let us quiet our hearts and minds

before the Lord, anticipating a special connection with him today. Father, we give everyone

and everything to you.

Acts 2:22–28 (ESV)

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty

works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know

— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified

and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it

was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him, “‘I saw the Lord always

before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my

tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let

your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of

gladness with your presence.’A Prayer of Worship

Jesus, I worship you because you died for me and rose again. You did not stay far away from

our pain or our sin. You came close, gave your life, and defeated death. You are stronger than

the grave. You are stronger than sin. You are stronger than fear, shame, and every dark thing

that tries to control us. Thank you for loving me enough to go to the cross. Thank you for not

giving up on people like me. Thank you that your resurrection means hope is real. Help me

never get used to the gospel. Help me remember that the cross shows how serious sin is, and

the empty tomb shows how powerful your love is.

A Prayer of Confession

Lord, I confess that my sin made the cross necessary. It is easy to think about the crowd, the

leaders, the soldiers, or the people who rejected you, but I must also acknowledge my own

need for mercy. My pride, selfishness, rebellion, unbelief, anger, lust, fear, bitterness, and

disobedience are not small things. They are sins that required a Savior. Jesus, let the cross

humble me without crushing me. Let it convict me without driving me into despair. Let it lead

me to repentance and deeper love. My sin is real, but your mercy is greater. I thank you for

your mercies that are new every morning.

A Prayer of Trust

Jesus, I trust your resurrection power. I trust that if death could not hold you, then nothing in

my life is too hard for you. I trust you with the places where I feel afraid, stuck, guilty,

confused, or discouraged. I trust you with the things I cannot fix and the things I do not

understand. Help me believe that you can bring life where things feel hopeless. Help me

remember that my mistakes do not get the final word when I bring them to you. When I feel

overwhelmed, remind me that you are alive. When I feel ashamed, remind me that you forgive.

When I feel afraid, remind me that you are with me.

Closing Prayer

During these last few moments, bring your attention back to the cross and the empty tomb.

Consider the sins, fears, burdens, or hopeless places that need to be brought under the

victory of Jesus. Be honest with Him about anything you have minimized, hidden, or carried

alone. Ask Jesus to let the reality of His death humble you, and the reality of His resurrection

strengthen your hope. Rest in the truth that death could not hold Him.