Donald Fehlauer posted on July 19, 2006 16:47
The Congregation at Prayer
Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:6-7, God’s Word)
Congregation Prayer Topics
Pray for the ministry of Peace Lutheran Church:
Ê That the LORD would help each disciple to be a faithful steward of the gift of life and faith.
Ê That the Holy Spirit would give faith to our catechumens.
Ê That each of us would gently tell about our hope in Jesus.
Ê That the outreach to people with disabilities would succeed.
Ê That the grant requests would be successful.
Ê That the new officers of the District would be blessed with wisdom and skill to perform their duties.
Pray for the members and friends of Peace.
Pray for people according to their needs:
Ê For protection of the men and women in the military:
Ê For those who mourn loved ones
Ê For those who need the LORD’s healing or consolation:
Verse of the Week
2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Psalm of the Week: Psalm 123
From the Smalcald Articles
[3:] Concerning Repentance
The New Testament retains this office of the law and teaches it, as Paul does and says, in Romans 1[:18]: “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all” people. Also Romans 3[:19–20]: “So that . . . the whole world may be held accountable to God” and “no human being will be justified in his sight”; and Christ says in John 16[:8]: the Holy Spirit “will convict the world of sin.”
Now this is the thunderbolt of God, by means of which he destroys both the open sinner and the false saint and allows no one to be right but drives the whole lot of them into terror and despair. This is the hammer of which Jeremiah speaks: “My word is a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces” [Jer. 23:29]. This is not “active contrition,” a contrived remorse, but “passive contrition,” true affliction of the heart, suffering, and the pain of death.
This is really what it means to begin true repentance. Here a person must listen to a judgment such as this: “You are all of no account—whether you appear publicly to be sinners or saints. You must all become something different from what you are now and act in a different way, no matter who you are now and what you do. You may be as great, wise, powerful, and holy as you could want, but here no one is righteous, etc.”
To this office of the law, however, the New Testament immediately adds the consoling promise of grace through the gospel. This we should believe. As Christ says in Mark 1[:15]: “Repent, and believe in the good news.” This is the same as, “Become and act otherwise, and believe my promise.” Even before Jesus, John the Baptizer was called a preacher of repentance—but for the purpose of the forgiveness of sins. That is, John was to convict them all and turn them into sinners, so that they would know how they stood before God and would recognize themselves as lost people. In this way they were to be prepared for the Lord to receive grace, to await and accept from him forgiveness of sins. Jesus himself says in Luke 24[:47]: “You must preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in my name to the whole world.”
Readings for the Week
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July 23 |
1 Sam 6:19—7:17 |
Acts 19:1–22 |
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July 24 |
1 Sam 8:1–22 |
Acts 21:15–36 |
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July 25 |
1 Sam 9:1–27 |
Acts 21:37—22:16 |
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July 26 |
1 Sam 10:1–27 |
Acts 22:17–29 |
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July 27 |
1 Sam 12:1–25 |
Acts 22:30—23:11 |
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July 28 |
1 Sam 13:1–18 |
Acts 23:12–35 |
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July 29 |
1 Sam 14:47—15:9 |
Acts 24:1–23 |
Looking Forward to Next Week: 8th Sunday after Pentecost
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Amos 7:7–15 |
Psalm 85:(1–7) 8–13 |
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Ephesians 1:3–14 |
Mark 6:7–13 |