SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
DEVOTION, READINGS and PRAYERS
TUESDAY, JULY 11, 2023
O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear. Psalm 10:17 ESV
NEWS: We have a THURSDAY BIBLEV STUDY which begins this week on July 13th. It’s taking place at the home of Kay Berni. It meets starting at 6:30 PM and the title is, “How Happiness Happens.” For more information you can email Kay, kberni@aol.com Kay’s address is 1536 Peacock Blvd., Oceanside
Next Sunday we wish our church a HAPPY ANIVERSARY, our 50th to be exact. There is a celebration planned for right after our service. More to come in the next few days, but please plan to be there!
PRAYERS: Today we remember the Cerny family in prayer: Amanda, Josh, William and Daniel. In our Summer of Prayer, we pray for all pastors in Oceanside, that they would faithfully serve and love their congregations. Also, that they would be given wisdom, when to be gentle and when to be bold. Help them to rightly distinguish between God’s Law and Gospel when they preach the Word and may none of them grow ashamed of the Gospel. We pray that all may remain faithful to the Lord.
READINGS: Jeremiah 32:16-35; Psalm 10; Acts 19:21-41
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“Seed Bank”
Isaiah 55:10-11 – For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My Word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Do you know what a soil seed bank is? It’s the term that scientists use for all the millions of seeds that lie hidden in the soil. Those seeds come from trees and from grasses and bushes—from all sorts of plants, some of them living years or even centuries ago. There they lie, buried underground, until something exposes them to the light and rain—and up they come as fresh green shoots.
The seed bank is the reason gardeners never get rid of weeds. No matter how many you pull, there are always more seeds, waiting for their chance to grow. That sounds bad until you realize that the same is true for the plants we want. Even plants that we think are extinct may be hiding as seeds underground, waiting for conditions to be right—and then we get a joyful surprise.
God’s Word is like this. I’ve known cases where someone has heard the Gospel as a child—maybe been baptized then—and left the church for seventy years or more. Their faith looks dead, doesn’t it? But then, in old age—suddenly up it shoots, by the grace of God in answer to the prayers of those who love them.
And God is not least among those who love them! If you love someone who has left the faith, you are not alone in hoping for him or her to return. The God who died and rose for your loved one has not forgotten them; His Spirit is still calling them back, calling “Come home!” Jesus has given Himself into death for that person, laying down His very life to bring them home again. His Word may lie dormant in their lives for a long, long time; but it is not dead, anymore than Jesus Himself is. We must not give up hope.
So what is our part, then? Simply this—to love them; to pray for them; and to avoid behaving in ways that give them reason to stay far from Christianity. Don’t let your anxiety get the better of you! Instead of pushing, let Jesus shine through you in patience, gentleness, and love. And trust His Word; wait patiently with prayer.
WE PRAY: Dear Lord, I pray for [name of person here]. Please bring this person back to You. And help me to truly love him/her. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. Why is pushing someone to come to Jesus a bad idea?
2. How does God’s powerful Word give you hope for people you care about?
3. Do you know of people who have come to faith years after God’s Word was planted in their hearts? If so, tell the story.
Today’s Bible Readings: 2 Kings 13-14 James 5
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 Tuesday to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us
Pastor Joel, pastor@svlcchurch.org
