Prayers of the Church, Ash Wednesday, February 14, 2018

written by Cathy Ammlung | February 14, 2018

Ash Wednesday, Cycle B (February 14, 2018)

THE PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH

Let us humbly beseech God for his mercy upon the Church, the world, and one another.

A brief silence

Have mercy on your Church, O Lord. Cleanse it from false teaching, feigned holiness, and fake discipleship. Form it in the likeness of your dear Son, fill it with your Holy Spirit, and use it to draw all people to yourself.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Have mercy on your persecuted servants, O Lord. Cleanse them from bitterness, hatred, or thirst for revenge. Form them into the likeness of your dear Son, fill them with your Holy Spirit, and use them to lead the enemies of Christ to repentance and salvation.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Have mercy on this congregation, O Lord. Cleanse us from apathy, inattention, and contention. Form us into the likeness of your dear Son, fill us with your Holy Spirit, and use us to draw our families, friends, and communities to the foot of Jesus’ Cross.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Have mercy on all who doubt your existence or your goodness, O Lord. Cleanse them from spiritual darkness, intellectual pride, or emotional despair. Form them into the likeness of your dear Son, fill them with your Holy Spirit, and bless them with faith and trust in you, their Savior, Lord, and Friend.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Have mercy upon all who are entrusted with power and authority in this sin-shadowed world, O Lord. Cleanse them from cruelty, lust for power, and worship of self. Form them into the likeness of your dear Son, fill them with your Holy Spirit, and use them to bring your blessings of peace, prosperity, and concord to all people.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Have mercy upon all who stand in harm’s way on behalf of others, O Lord. Cleanse them from wrong judgment or base motives in the execution of their duties. Form them into the likeness of your dear Son, fill them with your Holy Spirit, and use them to bring a measure of safety, justice, and freedom in places of chaos and danger.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Have mercy on all whose lives are shadowed by suffering, sorrow, or any kind of evil, O Lord. Cleanse them from all that troubles them and prevents them from turning to you, their Strength and their Redeemer. Form them into the likeness of your dear Son, fill them with your Holy Spirit, and restore them to wholeness and hope, in the company of all who love them.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Most holy and gracious Father, we commend into your mercy all our beloved dead. We who are but ashes and dust humbly beseech you for your mercy upon us as well. Cleanse us from every sin which separates us from you and from one another. Form us into the likeness of your dear Son, fill us with your Holy Spirit, and use us to help lighten our neighbor’s burdens throughout our earthly pilgrimage. Lead us, with all whom you have redeemed by the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus, into your Kingdom, where, untroubled by sin, evil, or death, we may rejoice in your goodness and gaze upon your glory forever.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For these things, and for whatever else is needful, dear Father, we pray in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns, one God, now and forever. Amen.

The Blood of Christ

written by Steven Gjerde | February 14, 2018

“And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people.” (Exodus 24:8)

It sounds like the start to a really bad day, but it was, in fact, a glimmer of the Best Day to come: the day when Christ would redeem the world by His blood, shed on the cross for sinners. That blood was made for throwing.

What good is the blood of Christ if it never touches you, on your skin, in your ears, up to your lips? Even as the sacrifices of Israel preached God’s pleasure to that nation, so does the touch of this blood, cast onto you in the ministry of His Church, carry the promise that God has taken pleasure in you.

Washed in the blood, secured in that same blood by its preaching, and nourished with it by the Lord’s own command, we live in the freedom of canceled sin. Better, we live in the freedom of our Father’s good pleasure. “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased”—He spoke those words for Jesus, and now this Jesus has touched you, making those words yours.

LET US PRAY: O Jesus Christ, Lamb of God: I praise and thank You for Your precious blood, shed for my sake, and the sake of the whole world. Enliven and keep me always in this saving flood, and bring me through its currents to the fullness of Your kingdom. Amen

Pastor Steven K. Gjerde

Zion, Wausau

Devotion for Wednesday, February 14, 2018

written by Jeffray Greene | February 14, 2018

“Pour out Your indignation on them, and may Your burning anger overtake them. May their camp be desolate; may none dwell in their tents.” (Psalm 69:24-25)

In this world we often think in eye-for-an-eye terms. People hurt us and we want them hurt. Yet the ways of the Lord are good and right and fitting always, and this world is filled with sin. Those who go their own way walk on the wide road to oblivion. The appearance of prosperity will turn to a vapor with the passing of time. Only in the Lord is there a hope and a future.

Lord, I see things in the moment and forget not only Your promises but all of the good You have done for me. Help me, Lord, to see as You see and to know that all things are in Your hands and that You will provide over time all that needs to be done. In love, not anger, do You deal with us; for I too have been, at times, one who walked the path of desolation. Cause me to dwell in Your tents.

Lord Jesus, You call us to Yourself that we would walk with You, learn from You and become like You. You went to the cross, and yet it was not anger, but your love that shone forth. Lead me, O Lord, in the way I should go and then help me go that way, Guide me according to Your goodness to be lifted up into the way of thinking that would let me see Your hand at all times and in all things. Amen.

Devotional for February 18, 2018

written by Dennis Nelson | February 14, 2018

FACE TO FACE WITH THE DEVIL
Devotional for February 18, 2018 based upon Mark 1: 9-15

Today is the First Sunday in Lent, that forty-day period that leads us to the cross and the empty tomb. Today we begin our journey in the wilderness, for that is where the Gospel writer Mark tells us the Spirit had driven Jesus.

Perhaps Jesus was seeking a time for self-examination. Perhaps He wanted to reflect on the ministry that He was about to begin. Perhaps He knew that this was going to be the last opportunity that He would have for a while to be truly alone. Whatever the reason – why ever He was there – it was in the wilderness that Jesus came face to face with the Devil.

When have you come face to face with the Devil, and how did it go? Yes, THERE COMES A TIME WHEN ALL OF US MUST CONFRONT SATAN. There comes a time when each one of us will be tempted. None of us ever totally escapes temptation. We all have to deal with some form of temptation, though some people seem to be tempted more often and more severely than others. There are some people who are facing temptations that many of us cannot even imagine.

After being out in the wilderness for forty days alone, Jesus was tempted like we all are tempted. Jesus confronted Satan head on. And Jesus shows us how we also can confront Satan head on.

There is something we need to understand about the power of the Tempter. The more we give in, the weaker we become. The more we resist, the stronger we become. WE BECOME STRONGER WHEN WE RESIST TEMPTATION.

Reminds me of something that happened when they were renovating the Queen Mary. That gracious old vessel was launched in 1936. Through four decades and a world war, this ocean liner served its owners and passengers well. Then it was retired to Long Beach, California, where it was anchored as a floating hotel and a museum.

During its conversion, its three massive smoke stacks were taken off to be scraped down and repainted. But as they were doing so, those three massive pieces of steel crumbled. Nothing was left of the three-quarter inch thick steel plates from which the smoke stacks had been formed. All that remained were the more than thirty coats of paint that had been applied over the years. The steel had been completely rusted away.

And the same thing can happen to people’s character. Some give in to temptation time and time again until their inner moral fiber is eaten away.

Fortunately, the opposite is also true. The more we give in to the Tempter, the weaker we become. The more we resist the Tempter, the weaker he becomes. Jesus nipped temptation in the bud. Jesus said No from the very beginning. We need to do the same.

Of course, JESUS WAS NOT ALONE in His confrontation with the Tempter and NEITHER ARE WE. The Psalmist proclaims, “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” The Gospel writer Matthew tells us that Jesus resisted Satan with words taken from the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy. “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.” Jesus was putting Satan on notice that Satan was dealing not just with human power, but with the very power of God.

And the same power is available to us today. Jesus was not left all alone in the wilderness, and neither are we. God the Father was with Him, and God the Father is also with us.

A Christian camp counselor was questioning a teenage girl about her faith. Trying to help her prepare for the temptation that she would surely face once she was back home, the counselor asked, “What if the Devil comes knocking on your door and tries to lead you astray?” The young lady replied, “I will ask Jesus to answer the door for me.”

God promises each one of us that, no matter what, HE WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR US. We have a God who loves us unconditionally. He will never give up on us. He will pick us up when we fall. And if we ask for His strength, He will give it to us.

We will be tempted. Everyone of us will be tempted. We need to respond as Jesus responded. We can respond as Jesus responded. We need to confront the Tempter head on and reject without hesitation all that would weaken and destroy us.

We have the promise that God will be with us. If we ask, He will surely help us to overcome.

Dennis D. Nelson
President of the Board and Director of Lutheran CORE

Devotion for Tuesday, February 13, 2018

written by Jeffray Greene | February 14, 2018

“May their table before them become a snare; and when they are in peace, may it become a trap. May their eyes grow dim so that they cannot see, and make their loins shake continually.” Psalm 69:22-23)

When people are harsh and turn against us we want them to learn a lesson. But vengeance belongs to the Lord. What He does with others He will do with us. See that the Lord uses every circumstance to reach out to us that we may know that He is good and gracious. He will use whatever comes into our lives to lift us up and teach us His ways if we are willing.

Lord I do want vengeance, but You command that I love my enemies. Teach me Your ways; for the ways of this world only lead to destruction. Grant grace and mercy that I would love those who hate and care for those who are mean. Teach me the eternal ways and help me practice them here and increase my capabilities that I may be as You intend. Guide me through the morass of this world that I may keep my eyes upon You.

Lord Jesus, You have come to lead the way for as many as would follow. You show the way through all of the difficulties of this life, preparing us to be with You forever. Guide me, O Lord, that I would forever hold fast to what You teach me, knowing that only in You is there hope. Lead me through the difficult times that will come, and help me look to You now and always that I may follow Your way. Amen.

Devotion for Monday, February 12, 2018

written by Jeffray Greene | February 14, 2018

“Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick. And I looked for sympathy, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. They also gave me gall for my food and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” (Psalm 69:20-21)

In this world, as long as you are doing what is right in the sight of others, they will leave you alone. But do something, even something very small, and there are those who will heap reproach upon you. Salt will be added to the wound. But the Lord is not this way. He knows our lament and knows the difficulties we have. Turn to Him and feel the sweet salve of His grace and mercy.

I do not understand myself, Lord. Others will beat me down and then I transfer this experience to You as if You were the same. Yes, there are bitter times in life, but You lift us up to be faithful to You alone, who will never gall our spirits. This world is impossible to figure out, but Your ways, O Lord, are simple to understand. Guide me, even in times of reproach to turn to You and be lifted up.

Lord Jesus, it could be You who spoke these words with what You experienced with those around You who were a constant reproach. Yet through the difficulty, You pressed on to accomplish the Father’s will. You do understand, Jesus. Lead me in Your way that following You I would know the comfort You give to all through the grace You purchased and the Holy Spirit You have sent. Amen.

Devotion for Sunday, February 11, 2018

written by Jeffray Greene | February 14, 2018

“Oh draw near to my soul and redeem it; ransom me because of my enemies! You know my reproach and my shame and my dishonor; all my adversaries are before You.” (Psalm 69:28-19)

The world pulls us in and our spirit laments at the wickedness that is within. Those who pull on us to join them are our enemies, for they who live a life going down into the pit pull others down with them. Sometimes we are they. Turn to the Lord that He may redeem you from going down into the pit and lift you up and away from those who do not know the Lord. Draw near to the Lord and He will draw near to you.

Lord, You know everything about me. You know where I have been and what I have thought. I need the redemption You offer and I need to be lifted up. Sometimes I need this more than once in a day. Let me not be caught up in the ways of this world, but grow in me a mind after Your heart that I would think as You would have me think and see as You give me sight to see.

Lord Jesus, You are the light that shines in the darkness. You have come that as many as are given the ability to see would be lifted up and away from the wickedness of this world. Guide me, O Lord, to see in You the only hope to overcome this world of wickedness. Lead me into the right way of thinking and acting that I may walk humbly with You, my Savior and Lord. Amen.

Devotion for Saturday, February 10, 2018

written by Jeffray Greene | February 14, 2018

“Answer me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is good; according to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me, and do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress; answer me quickly.” (Psalm 69:16-17)

It seems to us that the Lord is far off when it is us who are far from the Lord. We do not think He hears because we do not listen. When we blame the Lord, it is our fault, not His, for what we are blaming Him. Come into the presence of the Lord. Do not stand far off, but near, and know that the Lord is quick to answer and ever present in every time of need. Turn to the Lord and live.

Lord, I am distant and far off. I do stand away and expect You to come to me. You have come to me and then I backed away. Lead me, O Lord, according to Your grace to await You. You have asked that I follow You. Help me to follow, and lift me up from this pit that I may be one who walks with You. Lead me, O Lord, in the way of life and help me to follow You always.

Lord Jesus, You indeed have come to us, but then there is our part to receive You. Guide me, O Lord, according to Your goodness that I would live in the life You give by grace. Help me now and always not to stand off or far away, but simply to humbly submit and live the life You give. Guide me, O Lord, through this life of difficulty to see You always. Amen.

Devotion for Friday, February 9, 2018

written by Jeffray Greene | February 14, 2018

“Deliver me from the mire and do not let me sink; may I be delivered from my foes and from the deep waters. May the flood of water not overflow me nor the deep swallow me up, nor the pit shut its mouth on me.” (Psalm 69:14-15)

The swamp gets filled and it is dangerous to be there. In the mire of this world there are those who prey upon others. The world is filled with evil; and especially in our day we are told over and over again that it is not there. It is. Look to the Lord who is able to rescue. Look to the Lord who will keep you for being enveloped by the mire of this world. He has come to save.

Lord sometimes I am the evil person I lament; but all around me I see people calling evil good and good evil. I become confused and do not know where to turn. Help me, O Lord, to look to You, the One who knows me better than I know myself, and the only One who can rescue me from the pit. Lift me up, O Lord, that I would come into Your salvation and know Your goodness.

Lord Jesus, You are the Way, Truth and Life, and You have come to rescue all who turn to You from going down into the miry pit. Lead me this day by Your grace to go where You lead and be delivered according to the Father’s will. Help me now and always to be covered by Your grace and mercy that I would not be swallowed up by this world and its wickedness. Amen.

Devotion for Thursday, February 8, 2018

written by Jeffray Greene | February 14, 2018

“Those who sit in the gate talk about me, and I am the song of the drunkards. But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord, at an acceptable time; O God, in the greatness of Your lovingkindness, Answer me with Your saving truth.” (Psalm 69:12-13)

Does it really matter when others speak of you words that are not true? Does it matter that lies are spoken when your heart is turned to the Lord? Do not be mistaken by the twists of the heart which seek acceptance in this world, but instead look to the Lord and seek His goodness and presence always. Seek the Lord and know His goodness and mercy all the days of your life.

Lord, I am influenced by what others think of me. I am fearful of their expectations and thoughts. Help me to remain sensitive, but not to the point where the truth of Your salvation is drowned out by the evil thoughts of others. Guide me, O Lord, according to Your goodness to walk in the ways You have established from old. Lead me through every valley of gossip to stand on the hilltop of truth.

Lord Jesus, You know the derision of those who hate You. You know what it is like to be talked about and lies spread against You. You know, yet graciously walked boldly in the will of the Father. By Your example, help me to walk with You now and always that I would not succumb to the derision of others, but stand boldly in the grace You freely give to those whom You call. Amen.