SVLC DEVOTION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2023

SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH

DEVOTION, READINGS and PRAYERS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2023

 This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

 NEWS: Thank you to all who served before, during and after our service yesterday. We appreciate everyone’s work. Thanks also tom Pastor Joel for his teaching and sermon message as we celebrated All Saints Day.

 PRAYERS: Today we remember Darryl Finley in our prayers.

 READINGS: Ezra 10:18-44; Psalm 118; 1 Peter 3:1-7

 DEVOTION:

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

“Poor and Needy” November 6, 2023

 

Psalm 70:4-5 – May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You! May those who love Your salvation say evermore, “God is great!” But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay! The psalmist readily admits to being poor and needy, but we may have trouble admitting to the same condition. It would be nice to see a substantial increase in our financial status, but the psalmist has a different kind of poverty in mind. He is poor and needy because he is helpless against his enemies. They want to see him hurt; they hope to catch him in some kind of wrongdoing. He cannot deliver himself. He needs help, and so do we. Blinded by pride, we may refuse to recognize (or admit) the poverty of our sinful condition before God. The Christians in Laodicea were equally stubborn. Jesus revealed the truth of their fallen condition and called them to repentance: “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked” (Revelation 3:17). The psalmist speaks of that kind of poverty, the poverty that Jesus called “blessed.” It is the humble poverty of spirit of those who know that they are helpless in the face of sin, death, and Satan. Like the Laodiceans, we are called, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to recognize our pitiable, wretched condition as sinners. We repent of our sins and pray, “Hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay!” God did not delay His salvation. At the right time He sent His Son to save us. Through the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has delivered us. Humbly repenting of our sins, we receive the forgiveness that Jesus won for us on the cross. The Savior pronounces His blessing on us: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). The apostle Paul wrote of the blessed exchange through which our poverty was covered by God’s rich grace in Christ Jesus, who humbled Himself to save us: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). We are heirs of the kingdom of heaven. We are those whom the Savior calls “blessed,” the poor in spirit, the mourning, the meek, the persecuted, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. By God’s grace through faith in Jesus, we are blessed, clothed in the rich righteousness of Jesus. The poor and needy are welcomed into the kingdom of God and we rejoice to be among them. God is great! WE PRAY: Lord, You are my help and my deliverer. Amen. This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. Reflection Questions: 1. How can our pride lead us to think we’ve got all of life under control? 2. God has seen us in our need. What has He done to save us? 3. What could possibly be blessed about being poor, persecuted, hungry, and thirsty?

 

Today’s Bible in a Year Reading: Jeremiah 41-42; Hebrews 11:1-19

 

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 Monday and new week to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us

 Pastor Joel, pastor@svlcchurch.org