SVLC DEVOTION WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2023

by | Sep 5, 2023 | Daily Devotions

SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH

DEVOTION, READINGS and PRAYERS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2023

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

 NEWS: This Thursday the Board of Directors have their monthly meeting, online via Zoom, at 6:00 PM. Bruce sent the link out by email on September 2nd. If anyone still needs it, email me and I will forward it to you.

On the second Saturday of the month we usually have our Mens Bible Study/Breakfast at 9am and the Work Party at 10. It has been postponed this month to the third Saturday, September 16th.

 PRAYERS: Today we remember the Neemia family in ur prayers: Fale, Mike, Easter, Penny, JoJo and Jeremiah. We continue to pray for Eric Woodward, along with Bruce and Carole. We also lift up Linda Johnson, who has a port installed tomorrow before beginning chemotherapy with radiation treatment. We also pray for Tom Morofski, revovering from hip replacement surgery.

In our Summer of Prayer series, we pray for Mexico and it’s citizens to our south and Canada with it’s citizens to our north, that their respective governments may be influenced by God’s faithful church.

 READINGS: Ezekiel 3; Psalm 65; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18

 DEVOTION:

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

“Hard Every Day”
September 6, 2023

 

Romans 13:1-7 – Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

In my experience, every time this Bible passage comes up for discussion, people focus right away on the extreme cases, like the Nazis. But I think the passage is harder to take when we look at the ordinary cases—the ones that happen to us every day.

Take taxes, for instance. I knew a man who just automatically assumed I wanted him to fudge my taxes for me. It never occurred to him that anyone would choose to be honest. That’s a temptation I didn’t need.

Or take respect. We all know authorities who don’t deserve to be respected, but Paul calls us to behave respectfully anyway—and how hard it is, especially when the person has mistreated us!

What can we do when we’re facing these situations? We turn to Jesus for help.

Jesus understands what it’s like to be mistreated—after all, He had to deal with Caiaphas, Herod, and Pilate, all of them doing the worst they could with the authority God had given them. And I trust that He will give me His Holy Spirit to help me when I’m tempted to answer evil for evil.

But best of all, we can turn to Him for forgiveness when we get it wrong—because Jesus is the one Authority who has shown His love for us by giving His own life to rescue us from evil. Although He is Judge of the universe, He submitted to coming into our world as a human being, subject to good and bad authorities alike. He did more than that, He used the actions of those authorities in arresting Him, trying Him, and crucifying Him as part of His plan to rescue all of us from sin, death, and the devil. Now we who trust in Him will not come under judgment—because the Judge of all has made Himself the Servant of all, and has taken away the blame that lay against us. We are in His mercy forever.

WE PRAY: Lord Jesus, when I’m in trouble with the authorities over me, come and help me! Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Reflection Questions:

1. Why is it so hard to submit to a boss who annoys or mistreats us?

2. Do you pray for leaders you can’t stand? If so, how?

3. In Christ, what legitimate things could you do when you’re dealing with a wrong-headed authority?

 

Today’s Bible in a Year Reading: 2 Chronicles 24-26; 2 Corinthians 11:1-15

 

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 Wednesday to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us

 Pastor Joel, pastor@svlcchurch.org