SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
DEVOTION, READINGS and PRAYERS
SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2023
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
NEWS: We will be celebrating the Epiphany of our Lord in our service tomorrow. Our day in God’s house will start at 9 AM though as we start our five week study of the book, “Pray Now.” Pastor Joel is leading us and it’s not too late to pick up a copy, if you haven’t done so already. It includes five weeks’ worth of daily readings and it’s worth the investment of approximately ten minutes a day! See below if you missed earlier in the week some points Pastor Joel will be focusing on for this past week of study.
The title of Pastor Joel’s sermon in our 10 AM worship is, Fulfilling All Righteousness.” It’s based on our Gospel reading for the day, Matthew 3:13-17 Our other readings are Isaiah 42:1-9 and Romans 6:1-11 After we have celebrated the Lord’s Supper and our service is complete, pleas join us for fellowship time, with coffee and goodies. It could be outside or inside again, depending on the weather.
Also serving our Lord and congregation tomorrow are:
Fellowship: Carole Woodward
Techies: Ian Andrews
Reader: K Berni
Acolyte: Josephine Neemia
Greeter: OPEN
Ushers: Keith Neblett, OPEN
Flowers: The Neemia family
WHY PRAY: Pastor Joel would like to share this following DISCUSSION GUIDE AND POINTS:
What stood out to me in today’s reading?
Do I have a new way of seeing prayer?
Was there anything in the reading I didn’t like? (There is some bad theology in this book, not much, but some. And we can learn from that too.)
How am I going to apply this reading to my own prayer life with God?
How should I pray for my Church today?
Who comes to mind that could use prayer?
PRAYERS: Today we pray for the Doan family: Marika, Chad, Lucille and Lydia.
READINGS: Psalm 46:4-6, 8-11; Psalm 45; Ezekiel 1:1-14, 22-28; Romans 1:1-17
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“Life Beyond Sorrow”
Romans 8:28 – And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.
We live in a world of tumult and tension on all sides. Whatever we might think of as the “good ole days” seem to be further back than most of us can remember. Then again, the days of yesteryear weren’t always the best of years. We all have our own regrets and grief when we look back at the days of our lives gone by.
Whether we’re downtrodden by our own sins or by the vagaries of life working against us, there’s more than enough sadness to go around. Only in Christ can we find the true explanation for human sorrow. Tear Jesus away from the hearts and hopes of humankind, and you will leave them the haggard victims of their own sins, convulsively groping their way through a mist-covered world.
Only One can heal the spiritual wounds of mankind, rebuild broken spirits, feed famished souls—Christ, our blessed Savior. He has been down the road we’re traveling; He has experienced what it means to be human. He has “borne our griefs and carried our sorrows”; “He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4a, 5b).
In short, view the life that you live in Christ from whatever angle you may, and you will exult in the divine truth, “all things work together for good.” As the painter employs dark, somber hues to emphasize the presence of light, so the shadows in our lives serve to sharpen the illumination of God’s love for us. When we see the face of the finished and holy design created by Christ, the Master artist of our destiny, all doubt as to the wisdom and the love of God will vanish.
By Jesus’ blessed atonement, by His suffering, bleeding, dying, by His glorious resurrection, we have peace with God through faith in His Son as our Lord and Savior. You also have heaven’s pledge “that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18b).
In this knowledge, you can raise a hymn of thanksgiving to God even in the darkest night; you can rise from life’s knockdowns with a new and fresh hope; and you can even face death yourself, with the invincible courage that exults that you are “sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38b-39).
WE PRAY: Heavenly Father, life is full of sorrows; lift us up beyond them as we trust in Your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Taken from “Christ Solves the Mystery of Our Sorrow,” a sermon by Rev. Dr. Walter A. Maier, the first Speaker of The Lutheran Hour
Reflection Questions:
1. What do you think about when you look back to the “good old days”?
2. Is there a danger with looking back too much, especially if your view is that they were so much better than today?
3. Why is it we can be thankful to God no matter what period of life we’re in?
Today’s Bible Readings: Genesis 18-19 Matthew 6:1-18
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 Lutheran Hour Ministries: https://www.lhm.org/
Here is the website for Lutherans for Life: https://lutheransforlife.org/
A very blessed Saturday and weekend to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us
Pastor Joel at pastor@svlchurch.org
Allen and Margie Latall: aalatall@gmail.com OR mjlatall62@gmail.com
