Verse for the week:
Behold, the kingdom
of God
Prayer for the week:
“Lord, you have promised to grant what we pray in the name of your
Son. Teach us to pray aright and to laud
and praise you with all your saints in the fullness of life everlasting;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (K.B. Ritter, Gebete
fur das jahr der Kirched, 2nd ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p. 152).
Bible reading for the day: Colossians 2.6-15
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the
Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established
in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by
philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the
elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For
in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have
been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In
him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by
putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having
been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through
faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And
you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God
made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by
canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This
he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and
authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
Prayer (based on
T.R.I.P. method**): Gracious and almighty Father thank you for putting
my roots in the best soil, the only one who gives life: Jesus Christ. Guard me
and my brothers and sisters from being taken captive by philosophy, “karma,”
syncretism, universalism, horoscopes, scientology and their like… these all
only lead to death. Each day through
your word pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and keep our steps in Christ that
our households may be built up in him… for then we will have abundant freedom
and plenty reason to give you thanks. In
Jesus’ name I ask this, amen.
For Bono’s confession that Jesus’ grace triumphs over karma,
see here: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/augustweb-only/bono-0805.html
“I believe in Jesus
Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord…”
What does this
mean?
I believe that Jesus Christ — true God, begotten of the
Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary — is my Lord.
He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, and has freed me from sin, death,
and the power of the devil, not with silver and gold, but with his holy and
precious blood and his innocent suffering and death. He has done all this in
order that I might be his own, live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in
everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, even as he is risen from
the dead and lives and reigns for all eternity. This is most certainly true! (from
The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola
Publishing, 2011)
Hymn: follow this
link to a beloved, classic hymn which gives further voice to today’s
conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDdvReNKKuk
Benediction: The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the
Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen. II
Cor 13.14
*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
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.
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