SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
DEVOTION, READINGS and PRAYERS
FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2023
But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.6 I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me. Psalm 13:5-6 ESV
NEWS: Please refer to the Shepherd of The Valley Church Newsletterthat Allen Kolkman sent out yesterday. It contains great information on the history of our church and congregation!
PRAYERS: Today we remember Theodora Elias in prayer. In olur Summer of Prayer, we pray for parents in Oceanside to be faithful examples orf Christ’s love to their children. We pray that fathers would be Godly men and women would be Godly women.
READINGS: Jeremiah 33:14-26; Psalm 13; Acts 21:1-16
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“Mindset”
Romans 8:1 – There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
This devotion pairs with this weekend’s Lutheran Hour sermon, which can be found at lutheranhour.org.
A married couple, just married, just returning from their honeymoon, decided to visit each of their families. The first week, they stayed with the bride’s parents. The bride’s parents lived in a mansion, with a staff of maids and butlers, chefs and gardeners. The next week, they stayed with the husband’s parents, who lived in a small and simple house, on a farm in the country. After dinner, at the end of the first day, when they were sitting by themselves on the old porch swing, the young bride broke into tears. “What’s wrong?” her husband asked her. She answered, “With my family, when they’re nice to you, you feel like you’ve passed their test. With your family, there is no test.”
I don’t remember where I heard that story, but it captures a key difference between two mindsets described in Paul’s letter to the Christ-followers in Rome. One is the mindset of the “flesh.” The other is the mindset of the “Spirit.” The mindset of the flesh is our natural pattern of thinking, stuck with two facts of life. The first is that we are constantly judged by others (human judgment is harsh enough, so we can leave God’s judgment out of it for a moment). The second fact is that we are going to die. These two facts constantly test us. Am I living up to their standards? Will I accomplish something worthy or become someone worthy before I die? This life comes at you like a severe set of in-laws, trying to decide how much they like you. And we naturally respond with the mindset of the flesh. Our thoughts center on ourselves—on our performance or our improvement. We try to pass the test.
The mindset of the Spirit is different. It’s not natural. It comes from outside of us, given as a gift, through God’s promise in Jesus. This promise has been carried to us in the account recorded in the Bible. The Bible narrates how this test has been put to us by God Himself. God tests us, not to see if He likes us, but because He likes us, because He loves us. The test is God’s judgment on the lives we try to lead in rebellion against Him, independent from Him. God gives the test, not so that we will give it our best shot, but so that we would give up on our self-reliance and rely on Him instead. So, He sent His Son, Jesus, into the test with us, and to take it further—to suffer the ultimate separation from God we would all choose, left to ourselves. On the cross, God put this warped form of life to death forever. And when Jesus rose from the dead, He opened a new way for us, a new life, a new mindset.
The flesh’s way of thinking tells you that you’ll be worthy if you pass the test. But God’s Spirit shows you that you already bombed it (worse than you thought!), but also that you’re loved better than you ever imagined. When you were baptized, you died with Jesus. The old way of thinking is dead. You are God’s child now. Nothing will change how He feels about you. There is no more condemnation, no more test.
WE PRAY: Dear Father, thank You for making me Your own beloved child. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour.
Reflection Questions:
1. When are you tempted to believe that your worth is dependent on your current performance?
2. When are you tempted to believe that your worth is dependent on your future, personal growth?
3. Since your worth is in Christ, where is God giving you more freedom to grow in Christ-likeness?
Today’s Bible Readings: Amos 4-6 Galatians 1
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 Friday to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us
Pastor Joel, pastor@svlcchurch.org
