Our Champion

Verse for the week:  “May you be strengthened… according to his glorious might, giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” Colossians 1.12

Prayer for the week:  “Almighty God, draw our hearts to you, guide our minds, fill our imaginations, control our wills, so that we may be wholly yours. Use us as you will, always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen” (Lutheran Book of Worship)

Bible reading for the day:  Psalm 149

 ¹ Praise the LORD.

   Sing to the LORD a new song,
   his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.

 ² Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
   let the people of Zion be glad in their King.
³ Let them praise his name with dancing
   and make music to him with timbrel and harp.
⁴ For the LORD takes delight in his people;
   he crowns the humble with victory.
⁵ Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor
   and sing for joy on their beds.

 ⁶ May the praise of God be in their mouths
   and a double-edged sword in their hands,
⁷ to inflict vengeance on the nations
   and punishment on the peoples,
⁸ to bind their kings with fetters,
   their nobles with shackles of iron,
⁹ to carry out the sentence written against them—
   this is the glory of all his faithful people.

   Praise the LORD.

Prayer (based on T.R.I.P. method**): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you that you are sovereign and we are not…that you have made Christ our king and us your servants.  Deliver me and your church from the idyllic, convenient myth that there is not good and evil in this world.  Give me and my congregation courage and confidence to engage in spiritual warfare – against the devil, the world, and our sinful selves – with the two-edged sword of your word, and grant us the victory Christ has already won. I ask this in his name, amen.

Hymn: follow this link to a beloved, classic hymn that connects with today’s conversation with the Lord:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6k8DFb8fWs

“Thy kingdom come…”

What does this mean?

The kingdom of God comes indeed by itself, without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may also come to us.

How is this done?

God's kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us his Holy Spirit, so that by his grace we believe his holy Word and live a godly life now and in eternity. (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)

Benediction:  May the God of peace himself grow you in his will entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.  Amen.  I Thess 5.23

*There are many patterns for devotions.  This pattern has been followed by God’s people for centuries.

**The T.R.I.P. approach to prayer is based on the way Martin Luther prayed and taught others to pray.  It was later developed by Walter and Ingrid Trobisch and then adapted by Mount Carmel Ministries (Alexandria, MN www.dailytext.com).  The method is founded on scripture and easy to remember:

T: thanksgiving

                                                          R: regret (repentance)

                                                          I: intercession (asking God to take a specific action)

                                                          P: plan or purpose

Reading a biblical text and then applying this method gives one a sound, simple way to form one’s prayers...not to mention that it helps one learn how to faithfully reflect on God’s Word and talk to God.