SVLC DEVOTION SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 2023

by | Apr 28, 2023 | Daily Devotions

SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH

DEVOTION, READINGS and PRAYERS

SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 2023

 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 1 1 Peter 2:24 ESV

 NEWS: We’ll be returning to God’s house for the last day in April tomorrow to hear and learn God’s word. Bible study begins at 9 AM as Pastor Joel continues to lead us in studying the book of Genesis. In our 10 AM service the title of Pastor Joel’s sermon is, “The Gospel Voice.” It’s based on the Gospel lesson for the day, John 10:1-11 Our first reading is taken from Acts 2:42-47 Our second reading comes from 1 Peter 2:19-25 We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper, as we do every Sunday. After that is finished and our service is complete, please join us for fellowship time with coffee and goodies. Then we’ll continue fellowship by going to the Pit Stop Diner. I’m sure we all know where that is!

 PRAYERS: Today we lift up Darryl Finley in prayer. He asks prayers for the voiceover training that he is in now, that all may go well. Prayers are also requested for a renter of theirs, Coral, who sustained injuries after being knocked over by a bicyclist.

 READINGS: 2 Chronicles 33:10-34:7; Psalm 108; Luke 17:20-37

 DEVOTION:

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

“No Selfie Needed”

April 29, 2023

 

Philippians 3:12-14 – Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

In Philip Yancey’s book, What’s So Amazing About Grace?, he defines one of the big words of the Christian faith: “grace.” Grace is often described as “undeserved love.” Some have said grace is “God’s Righteousness At Christ’s Expense.” I like how Yancey defined it when he said, “Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more, and grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us less.”

In other words, your works don’t matter when it comes to God’s grace for you. Your resume, your list of accomplishments and, thankfully, your sins as well—they don’t matter because God loves you by grace in Jesus Christ. His unconditional love is a complete gift, repentantly received by faith alone. A selfie, even the best one you can muster, won’t cut it. But thank God it doesn’t have to.

One of the blessings and, unfortunately, one of the curses of our age has been the spread of social media. At its best, it allows us to catch up with friends we haven’t seen or heard from in years and share valuable information with others quickly. Sadly, it also trots out the worst of our impulses: the bullying, the lies and the seediness of life and, in general, the foolishness we are so capable of.

Today, we live in a world saturated with online tools that allow us to create whatever kind of “best life” we want to pitch to the public. Still, behind the camera and the posed selfies, many hope no one sees the whole picture of what is really going on in their lives.

St. Paul, in God’s Word, rescues us from this sort of flimsy reality. He tells us that Christ’s people can be honest with themselves. Paul even gives us a glimpse of his sinful life—warts and all. He is interested in the truth that Jesus died for our sins and rose from the grave to save us. This is no caricature of life in some clever post, no retooled image to mask all the blemishes. Why? Because nothing we can do can change who we are before God: sinners, one and all, in desperate need of a Savior who is Christ the Lord.

This, of course, is not a Facebook reality; it’s a faith-book reality: an offer of grace to you and me, “written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His Name” (John 20:31). To that end, may God keep you in that grace!

WE PRAY: Heavenly Father, keep us consumed with Your Book because it is there we find the words of eternal life. Amen.

From “No Selfies Needed When God Offers His Grace,” a devotional message from Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz, former Speaker of The Lutheran Hour

Reflection Questions:

1. What do you like most about social media? Least?

2. Why is forgetting the past and leaning into the future so difficult? Do we make it harder than it needs to be?

3. Name three ways you can use social media for good, for building others up?

 

Today’s Bible in a Year Reading: 1 Samuel 17-18; Luke 20:27-47

 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 hours: 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 Saturday and weekend to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us

 Pastor Joel, pastor@svlcchurch.org