SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION
SUNDAY, JULY 3
Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord!
NEWS: Today we return to God’s house to be with our fellow brothers/sisters in Christ. The day starts with Bible study at 9 AM and Pastor Joel is leading us in the study of the Lord’s Prayer. Our worship service is at 10 AM and the title of Pastor Joel’s sermon is, “Never Alone! Never Without!” The text is based on Luke 10:1-20 Our other readings for this Fourth Sunday after Pentecost are Isaiah 66:10-14 and Galatians 6:1-10, 14-18 When we’ve finished the Lord’s Supper and our service is complete, please join us outside for fellowship time with coffee and goodies. Then, for those hungry for lunch, we will be meeting up at The Great Wok of China/Albertos. They are next to each other at 4635 Frazee Rd., by 76. There is common outdoor seating so everyone can socialize, whatever cuisine one chooses.
We pray all can join us for part of their Sunday but for those unable to worship in person, we stream our service live. The link is here: www.facebook.com/shepherdofthevalleyoceanside Click on that, then click on the More dropdown arrow, then click Live. If you have a moment, please “Like” us and leave a brief comment about your online worship experience. Thank you! Also serving the Lord and our congregation today are:
Fellowship: Open
Flowers: The Neemia family
Techies:
Reader: Allen Latall
Acolyte: Josphine Neemia
Greeter: Margaret Paton
Ushers: Rick Adams, Victor Dille
PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for Darrly Finley. Darryl requests prayers for the classes he is taking, especially in math, that his tests go well.
COLLECT OF THE DAY: Gracious God, our Heavenly Father, Your mercy attends us all our days. Be our strength and support amid the worrisome changes of the world, and at life’s end grant us Your promised rest and the full joys of Your salvation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
READINGS: Psalm 84:5-8; Psalm 45; Joshua 8:1-28; Acts 11:1-18
DIGGING DEEPER: Zecharia 9:9-12; Psalm 145:1-14; Romans 7:14-25; Matthew 11:25-30
Alleluia. Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Alleluia.
“Lord, to You I Make Confession”
“For Your Son has suffered for me, Giv’n Himself to rescue me, Died to save me and restore me, Reconciled and set me free.
“Lord, on You I cast my burden—Sink it in the deepest sea! Let me know Your gracious pardon, Cleanse me from iniquity. Let Your Spirit leave me never; Make me only Yours forever.”
According to our hymn, so much has been done for us. We have been rescued, saved, restored, reconciled, set free, and cleansed. From what (or from whom?) have we been rescued, saved and set free? From what have we been cleansed? With whom have we been reconciled? To what have we been restored? The image of God, the righteousness lost in the fall into sin, is restored through faith in Christ. We have “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator” (Colossians 3:10). “In Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19a). We, who were once lost in sin and enemies of God, have been brought into a right relationship with Him. We are cleansed from sin “by the washing of water with the Word” that is Holy Baptism (Ephesians 5:26b). We have been rescued, saved, and set free from sin, death, and Satan.
All of this was accomplished through a single act of sacrificial love. We have been rescued, saved, set free, reconciled, and cleansed because Jesus “offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins” (Hebrews 10:12b). His saving work complete, the Son of God cried out from the cross, “It is finished!” and bowed His head and died (John 19:30b). On the first Easter morning, Jesus was raised to life in triumph over all that held us captive, over everything that separated us from God. Jesus died to destroy “one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery” (Hebrews 2:14b-15).
Saved and set free, we cast the burden of our sins on the Lord, praying in our hymn that God would take that burden and “sink it in the deepest sea.” That is exactly what He has promised to do: “He will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19b). Our sins are removed forever from His sight. “As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). Our sins are cast away from the sight of God, but we will not be sent away. We pray, “Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11). God has answered our prayer. He has made us His own, and we are His forever.
WE PRAY: Lord and Savior, sink my sins in the deepest sea and keep me in Your care forever. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn “Lord, to You I Make Confession,” which is number 608 in the Lutheran Service Book.
Reflection Questions:
1. What is it that God has saved us from?
2. What does it mean to you to hear that God sinks our sins into the deepest sea?
3. What was it that Jesus did to make our forgiveness possible?
Today’s Bible Readings: 1 Kings 14-15 Acts 12
;DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
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 you 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.”
Now you can 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 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 Lord’s Day and Sunday to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us.
Pastor Joel at pastor@svlchurch.org
