Opening Prayer

Dear Lord, help us to know You – to know Your unconditional love, mercy, kindness, forgiveness and grace. Help us to know that our identity, value and worth comes from You and only You. Free us from finding our identity in other things: work, education, gifting and help us to know You intimately in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Scripture

Devotion

There is so much in today’s passage but today I would like to focus on verses 15-16 when Jesus asked, “But who do you say that I am?” [and] Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

There are many distractions in life, so knowing who Jesus is – is critical. He asks this question just after they had witnessed Him feed the 5000, walk on water, heal, set captives free from demons and raised the dead. It’s almost as if He is saying, “Just so we are clear, ‘who do you say that I am?’ And fortunately they got it, You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.

The phrase “I Am” should not be missed here. Jesus makes it clear “I Am:”
I Am the Bread of Life – John 6:35
I Am the Light of the World – John 8:12
I Am the Door of the Sheep – John 10:7
I Am the Good Shepherd – John 10:11
I Am the Resurrection and the Life – John 11:25
I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life – John 14:6
I Am the True Vine – John 15:1

Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. If Jesus were to ask you “who do you say He is?” How would you respond?

Intercessory Prayer

Heavenly Father, we want to commit all the foreign workers who are working in our countries into Your Loving Hands. Lord, help us be a witness. We pray that the Gospel will reach them in all the nations. Lord give us Your Heart of Compassion, so we can love them like You do. For those filled with anxiety, worry and those going through a crisis, we pray for Your Peace upon their hearts. For those trapped in addictions, may they know the truth and be set free. We pray for an open heaven, that when they cry out to You, You will show Yourself to them. Many foreign workers never heard the Gospel in their own countries. We pray that many will come to the Salvation of Christ, and we pray for local churches to connect with these workers and share the Love of Christ. May the churches disciple them so that when they return to their homeland, they will spread the Gospel and even plant churches. Lord, we pray Christian companies will find ways to evangelize their workers. We also pray that their bosses will not discriminate against these workers and that they will be treated fairly according to the law. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.