SVLC DEVOTION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2023

by | Oct 24, 2023 | Daily Devotions

SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH

DEVOTION, READINGS and PRAYERS

WE#DNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2023

 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. James 1:22-24 ESV

 NEWS: You are invited to participate in the Botanical Community Development Initiatives (BCDI) Community Yard Sale.  BCDI is a non-profit organization that works with four preschools in North County, located in low-income neighborhoods. Children learn about farm supplies, sustainably-grown vegetables, and are able to enjoy a safe place to enjoy outdoors. BCDI has a community farm located on our property. Check it out if you haven’t already!

If you would like to reserve a space, please register at www.svlchurch.org/community.  There are 22 spaces available (first registered, first reserved). LAST day to register is Wednesday, November 8th. The sale will be held in our parking lot on Saturday, November11th from 

8 am to noon.

  Guidelines: 

 This sale is a fundraiser for BDCI. The cost to register is $20.00 per space. Or, you can donate the proceeds of your sale to BCDI for a free spot!  There are 22 spaces available and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.  Please sign up for a space on the form provided at www.svlchurch.org/community. We will also be advertising on Facebook and on our church website: www.svlchurch.org.

  1. Set-up time is between 6:30-7:30 am.  Breakdown is between Noon-1:00 pm.
  2.   Please bring your own tables, shade, and “stuff”.
  3.   A restroom will be onsite for sellers only.
  4.   All trash and leftover merchandise are YOUR responsibility; please clean your area and leave it as you found it as we have church services the following day. The church dumpster is not availableto use and we are not providing any post-sale pickup services!  
  5.   Cost of a space is $20.00, which goes towards helping Botanical Community Development Initiatives’fundraiser. (to be paid on the day of the event).

 Questions? Refer general questions about the sale to Desiree Tuttle @ desiree@plantspeoplecommunity.org.

Any questions about registering, contact Rick at daddams@hotmail.com.

 PRAYERS: Today we remember the Terrill family in our prayers: Amy, Abby, Lot and Asha.

 READINGS: Ezra 4:1-16;, Psalm 109:1-20; James 1:19-27

 DEVOTION:

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

“What Is the Law For, Anyway?”
October 25, 2023

 

Romans 3:19-24 – Now we know that whatever the Law says it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the Law no human being will be justified in His sight, since through the Law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the Law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

I recently heard a terrifying story of someone married to an abuser. She needed to leave before she and her children were killed. Yet, she was afraid to—because her church leader told her that the Bible lay down certain rules about divorce, and abuse didn’t fit into them. To keep the Law, she had to put everyone’s lives at risk. Otherwise God wouldn’t love her anymore.

I hope I don’t have to explain to you why this is unspeakable wrongness. But there’s another problem with it, too. The people in this story were misusing God’s Law.

The Law does not exist to show us how to earn and keep God’s love. It doesn’t exist to give us a pathway to heaven. It’s not even there primarily to show us how to live a good life, although it can function that way if you’re looking for ideas. No, the primary purpose of the Law is the one Paul identifies for us today: “that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.”

The Law does one thing, and it does it superbly well: It makes it crystal clear that we are all sinners, and we desperately need Jesus Christ above all things. Do you feel complacent, like you’ve got it all together, and have no need for a Savior? Then read God’s Law. It won’t take long before that attitude vanishes and you find yourself on your knees reaching for Jesus.

Jesus, and not the Law, is God’s answer to the question: “What must I do to be saved?” To be saved, to have life, to have peace, wholeness, purity, blessedness—all the things our hearts yearn for, because we know God made us for something better than what we now have—all those things we now find in Jesus. He is the One who took the Law upon Himself, carrying all our brokenness, all our guilt and shame to the cross, into death—where it remains forever. The charges against us—past, present, and future—are dead. They will never rise again.

But Jesus has risen! And with Him, we too will rise—because His Spirit lives in us as a free gift, giving us life and trust in Jesus every day of our lives. Every day our sins are washed away and Jesus takes us by the hand as we step out into a bright new morning, filled with the love of God and His eternal peace for us. And on that Last Day, when Jesus comes again to bring us into His kingdom, we will rise from our graves physically—body and soul, together in perfect harmony at last, with all the sins and evils of this life nothing but memories—of how Jesus, our Savior, brought us out of them and into His everlasting life forever.

WE PRAY: Dear Savior, keep my hope in You, not the Law, forever. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Reflection Questions:

1. How do you feel about the Law, emotionally?

2. How do you feel about Jesus?

3. Why the difference, if there is one?

 

Today’s Bible in a Year Reading: Jeremiah 20, 35-36; Colossians 4

 

Luther’s Morning Prayer

In the morning, as soon as you get out of bed, you are to make the Sign of the Cross and say:

“God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit watch over me. Amen.”

Then, kneeling or standing, say the Apostles’ Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. In addition recite this prayer as well:

“I give thanks to you, my heavenly Father through Jesus Christ your dear son, that you have protected me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you that you would also protect me today from sin and all evil, so that my life and actions may please you completely. For into your hands I commend myself: my body, my soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel be with me, so that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen.”

After singing a hymn or whatever else may serve your devotion, you can go about your day joyfully!

Luther’s Evening Prayer

In the evening, when you go to bed, you are to make the Sign of the Cross and say:

“God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit watch over me. Amen.”

Then, kneeling or standing, say the Apostles’ Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. In addition recite this prayer as well:

“I give thanks to you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have graciously protected me today, and I ask you to forgive me all my sins, where I have done wrong, and graciously to protect me tonight. For into your hands I commend myself: my body, my soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel be with me, so that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen.”

You can now go to bed quickly and cheerfully.

 OTHER RESOURCES:

 Our church website is: https://www.svlchurch.org/

 Below is our Facebook page:

www.facebook.com/shepherdofthevalleyoceanside

 Here is the website for Lutherans for Life: https://lutheransforlife.org/

 Here is the website for Lutheran Hour Ministries: https://www.lhm.org/

 Lutheran Public Radio is listener supported and has two channels, one for sacred music and the other for talk, including news, current issues, politics and spiritual matters from a Lutheran perspective. Hosted by Pastor Todd Wilken, Issues, Etc. airs live Monday thru Friday from 1 to 3 pm Pacific, with the “Best Of” running at other hour  s: https://lutheranpublicradio.org/

KFUO is the listener supported radio station owned and operated by the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Based in St. Louis, their format consists of teaching, preaching, ministry and sacred music: https://www.kfuo.org/

 A very blessed Wednesday to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us

 Pastor Joel, pastor@svlcchurch.org