SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2022
NEWS: THANKFEAST is happening today! For all those bringing food, please drop, it off in the Community/Fellowship Hall kitchen before 2 PM. Our volunteers there will be getting everything set up while the rest of us proceed to the sanctuary for a brief Worship service, lasting about 30 minutes. We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Then all will return to the Community Building where we will be enjoying great food and fellowship.
Tomorrow we are in God’s house again. It is the last Sunday of the church year and is known as Christ The King Sunday. The morning will start with our Bible study at 9 AM. Pastor Joel will lead. Our service takes place at 10 AM. Our Old Testament reading for the day is Malachi 3:13-18 The second reading is Colossians 1:13-20 Our Gospel lesson comes from Luke 23:26-43 After we’ve celebrated the Lord’s Supper and our service is complete, please take the opportunity to join us for fellowship time, with coffee and goodies. We ask you stay then for an IMPORTANT, “ALL MEMBER MEETING.” We’ll be voting on the Budget Proposal for 2023 and your Board of Directors will inform you on the work they have been doing to help keep our congregation and church functioning. We all need to support each other and the board members need everyone’s support too.
PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for the Zarnesky family: Heather, Jeff, Jack, Siari, Angel and Aria. We pray for Sheryl, Margie’s sister, who is dealing with a sinus infection and back issues. Also, for her brother Roger and his wife Barb. Barb has been in a nursing facility for 11 years with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
READINGS: Psalm 20; Psalm 18:25-34; Jeremiah 38:1-28; Matthew 27:57-66
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“God Help Us!”
Proverbs 14:34 – Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
The important process of governing a democratic nation—with its many promises and challenges—is a concern shared by all its citizens.
When the campaigning and slogan shouting have subsided, God’s message for the upbuilding of our nation must be proclaimed with bold determination. For national blessing depends not upon political parties or some charismatic leader—be they altruistic or self-serving—but upon God Almighty. Without Him, sooner or later, a nation’s cracks and fissures will appear; divisions will widen, and the nation will greatly suffer on account of it.
But by what means, then—and this is the crisis question of the hour—can we secure for ourselves and for our nation this exalting, uplifting righteousness? How can we curb sin and selfishness when the present scene resembles nothing more than a jungle desperate with snarling, snapping creatures, slinking in suspicious circles, ready to spring at each other’s throats?
We survey the best of what our nation’s leaders have to offer and what they lack is glaringly obvious. They possess no divine power to penetrate the soul, to purify our corrupt nature, or to defeat the dominion of sin that saturates our entire being. And where that leaves us is the message you will hear in one form or another, week after week, through the mission and outreach of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
To overcome sin for you and me, to break the curse of death in our lives, to free us from the horrors of hell, our Heavenly Father did not simply overlook our sin. Instead, our all-loving, all-compassionate God sent His only Son, the divine Christ, to live His life of mercy among men that hated Him, to bless those who cursed Him, to bleed for those who crucified Him, and to bear on the cross the weight of my sins and yours.
This is the most vital message in all of mankind’s long history. In this is life; in this is hope; in this is heaven and our eternal blessing. Receive it, believe it, cherish it, though the earth quake around you and the skies above collapse. This is the endless grace God calls His “gift.” It is available to each of us—not as a thing for us to earn and not attainable at any price. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
This is what our country needs above every program or proposed panacea. This is what God has done for us through Jesus Christ.
WE PRAY: O Heavenly Father, as the One who makes and breaks the nations of history, be with us in these trying times. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.
From “Building a Better Nation,” a sermon excerpt from Rev. Dr. Walter A. Maier, the first Speaker of The Lutheran Hour
Reflection Questions:
1. Have you ever ran for public office? What was the position and how did that go?
2. How can righteousness exalt a nation?
3. Why is it important to pray for those who work in government?
Today’s Bible Readings: Ezekiel 11-13 1 Timothy 6
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 Saturday and weekend to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us
Pastor Joel at pastor@svlchurch.org
