SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION
SATURDAY, MAY 14
NEWS: This morning is the Men’s Bible study/breakfast. It starts at 9 AM in the Community building. Afterwards, the monthly Work Party goes from 10 AM to Noon. If you are able, please pitch in to help tidy up our church and property.
Tomorrow is the Fifth Sunday of Easter and it’s time to be in God’s house! At 9 AM Pastor Joel will continue the study on the miracles of Jesus and how they apply to our lives. Our worship happens at 10 and Pastor Joel’s sermon is titled, “A Little While.” It’s based on John 6:12-22 That is also our Gospel reading for the day. Our other readings are Acts 11:1-18 and Revelation 21:1-7 After the Lord’s supper and the conclusion of our service, it’s Potluck time! Proceed to the Fellowship Hall to engage in fellowship and good food! If you can, please bring a main dish, salad or dessert to share with everyone. Anyone can volunteer to help with clean-up if they so desire. Thanks in advance to anyone participating. Also swerving the Lord and our congregation are:
Fellowship: None this week due to the potluck
Flowers: Terry and Alba Reilly
Techies: Bruce Woodward, open
Reader: Allen Kolkman
Acolyte: Open
Greeter: Open
Ushers: Rick Adams, Victor Dille
Please let us know asap if you cannot serve as scheduled or to volunteer for one of the openings. Thanks!
Our Sunday readings are these: Acts 11:1-18 Revelation 21:1-7
PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for Terry and Alba Reilly. They ask the Lord for continued good health. Also for safe travels as Alba returns from Mexico.
READINGS: Psalm 36:7-12; Psalm 39; Leviticus 19:9-18, 26-37; Luke 11:14-36
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“The Confidence We Have”
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 – For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that One has died for all, therefore all have died; and He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised.
You need no experiment and research to prove the power of Christ. As soon as you are His, as soon as you kneel before Him and pray this ancient prayer, “Lord, if You will, You can make me clean” (Luke 5:12b), and immediately, as if in echo, the answer comes, “I will; be clean” (Luke 5:13b), you have the testimony of His power in your own life. You can know that before the bar of justice your Savior points to you and pleads with divine power: “Father, I was wounded for his transgressions; I was bruised for her iniquities.”
At this heavenly declaration, you can then exult: “But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1b-2). Now you know that with the burden of your sin removed, Jesus answers every prayer for the strengthening of your faith, guiding your life according to His divine and higher knowledge.
When the Savior calls you to follow Him, He leads His children in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake (see Matthew 4:19, Psalm 23:3). If you try to lead a cleaner, better, truer life, if you want to break the chains of drunkenness, escape the slavery of hidden sins and gnawing vices, ask Him for strength. It was He who said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5b).
And this is the confidence you can have—that believers everywhere lay hold of by the Holy Spirit’s faith-giving love at work in their lives—that one day when you face that dark specter which disrupts all human happiness—the death of a loved one or the pending demise of your own life—you can know by faith in the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29b) that you will be saved.
Reader, listener, I have laid before you the great love of Jesus Christ. God will not force this salvation upon you. You can resist the Savior and repel His love. You can reject Him and forfeit the blessings that could be purchased only by His holy blood. But you cannot, from this moment on, say that you have never heard of the love of Christ and the invitation to come unto Him for forgiveness, for eternal life, and for true happiness.
May God’s Spirit of grace and mercy lead you into all truth.
WE PRAY: Heavenly Father, may we embrace—and not resist—Your Son You sent to save us. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
From “Clear-Cut Conviction,” a sermon from Rev. Dr. Walter A. Maier, founder and first Speaker of The Lutheran Hour
Reflection Questions:
1. Have you ever had someone be your advocate when you really needed it? Care to share?
2. How does the love of Christ control us?
3. Is there someone you know who could use you as an advocate?
Today’s Bible Readings: 2 Samuel 13-14 John 4:1-26
To Download Devotion MP3 to your computer, right click here and select “Save Link As” or “Save Target As” or “Download Linked File As”
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:
www.facebook.com/shepherdofthevalleyoceanside
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.
