Verse for the week:
It was to prove at the present time that God himself is righteous and
that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3.26
Prayer for the week:
“Almighty God, gracious Lord, pour out your Holy Spirit upon your
faithful people. Keep us steadfast in
your word, protect and comfort us in all temptations, defend us against all our
enemies, and bestow on the church your saving peace; through your Son, Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen” (Lutheran Book of Worship, p.36)
Bible reading for the day: Jeremiah 31.31-34 (note: In the late 7th century BC, our forebears in Judah had
turned away from God and played the whore, chasing after false gods and practicing
evil in their daily life while they used the temple and institutional religion
to cover their backsides. They stubbornly
rejected God’s word and his prophet Jeremiah. The days are coming when his
people will change… and this will be the Lord’s doing.)
31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the
Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of
Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on
the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my
covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after
those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write
it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34
And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother,
saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to
the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will
remember their sin no more.”
Prayer (based on
T.R.I.P. method**): Gracious and almighty Father, you have
written your will large and deep on my heart in Jesus Christ, crucified and
raised for the forgiveness of sinners like me. Thank you! Repent me and your whole church of breaking faith
with you…chasing after other gods… using religion. Carve afresh on our hearts
and minds each day with your living word…that we may indeed know you and live
accordingly. I ask this in Jesus’ name,
amen.
“I believe in the Holy Spirit…”
What does this mean?
I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe
in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him; but the Holy Spirit has called me
through the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, and sanctified and preserved
me in the true faith. In the same way, he calls, gathers, enlightens, and
sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and preserves it in unity with
Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church, he daily forgives
abundantly all my sins and the sins of all believers. At the last day, he will
raise me and all the dead and will grant everlasting life to me and to all who
believe in Christ. This is most certainly true! (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther ©Reclaim
Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)
Benediction: The
God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in
hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen. (Romans 15.13)
*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
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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