Walking Together in the Word

These devotional materials guide you through the Bible readings for the July 25, 2021 Sunday worship service. We pray they are a blessing to you and your family!

Why study God's Word and pray together?

• Bible study and prayer strengthens faith and brings you closer to God and to one another.
• Study of readings and hymns for the weekend prepares you for worship.
• The way parents express and model their faith helps shape young people’s faith lives.
• God's Word gives life!---new life now and eternal life with Jesus in heaven. (John 20:31)

• Five Days of devotional material. Catch up or review on the 6th day, worship on Sunday!
• Bible Readings are the LCMS 3-year lectionary readings for the upcoming Sunday.
• Talk about It and Dig Deeper guide discussion and meditation on the Bible passages.
• Kid Talk has questions and activities especially for kids and families.
• Prayer starters are given--add your own as well! Scroll to the bottom for the Lord's Prayer and Luther's Morning and Evening Prayers.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, bless our time together as we study Your Word. Amen.

• Why do you think that Jesus referred to Himself as the bread of life?

• Jesus’ “I am the bread of life” is one of the seven “I am” statements of Jesus. Look in John 8, 10, 11, 14, 15 and list the other six statements.

Read John 6:22-35.

What food do you go for when you’re really hungry? A hamburger? A big slice of bread with butter? A smoothie? God has given us so many good foods to satisfy our hunger! But we also need spiritual food. What’s spiritual food? God’s Word! God’s Word fills us up with His love, His forgiveness, and His joy. It’s the best kind of food!

• Talk about your favorite foods. Then talk about your favorite Bible verses. God's Word fills us up with His love!

Meditate on this section of Scripture, using these prompts:

• What thoughts come to mind as you read this passage?
• What is confusing or surprising about this passage?
• What does this passage teach you about God, His love for you, and His will for your life?

Then pray over the passage, talk about it with a friend or spiritual mentor, and explore further by reading the notes in a study Bible.

The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. Psalm 145:15-16

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Throughout the week, write prayers of praise, thanksgiving, and requests in a prayer journal or on a sheet of paper. Take turns praying when you gather for devotions.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, bless our time together as we study Your Word. Amen.

• What did Moses make the people see regarding their grumbling against him and Aaron?

• How did the people react to finding the “thin flakes like frost on the ground” when the dew burned off?

Read Exodus 16:2-15.

God’s people were hungry. God gave them food to eat. God’s people were thirsty. He gave them water to drink. God gave the Israelites everything they needed. He gives us all we need, too!

• What has God given you? Thank Him for all His good gifts!

Meditate on this section of Scripture, using these prompts:

• What thoughts come to mind as you read this passage?
• What is confusing or surprising about this passage?
• What does this passage teach you about God, His love for you, and His will for your life?

Then pray over the passage, talk about it with a friend or spiritual mentor, and explore further by reading the notes in a study Bible.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Pray the Lord's Prayer, Luther's Morning or Evening Prayers, and/or add your own prayers.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, bless our time together as we study Your Word. Amen.

“One body” is a metaphor Paul uses to picture the unity of Christians.

• Who is the Head of the body? Who are the body parts? What kinds of works do we do for each other? What drives all that we do?

• What are the two main goals that Christ enables and empowers us to pursue together? (see vs. 13)

Read Ephesians 4:1-16.

Think about how your body works. Your head, arms, and legs all work together, right? God calls all believers one “body.” We are all important. We all work together to share the love of Jesus with others!

• How can you use the gifts God has given you to love and serve others?

Meditate on this section of Scripture, using these prompts:

• What thoughts come to mind as you read this passage?
• What is confusing or surprising about this passage?
• What does this passage teach you about God, His love for you, and His will for your life?

Then pray over the passage, talk about it with a friend or spiritual mentor, and explore further by reading the notes in a study Bible.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Pray the Lord's Prayer, Luther's Morning or Evening Prayers, and/or add your own prayers.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, bless our time together as we study Your Word. Amen.

• Psalm 145 is a psalm of praise. It is also an acrostic psalm because each verse begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Take some time and write your own acrostic psalm of praise to God. Use “ABC…” or even the word like “PRAISE”

• The psalmist expresses the gracious faithfulness of God in this psalm. List ways that God has been faithful to you or your family. Using your list, pray a prayer of thanksgiving to God.

Read Psalm 145:10-21. Focus on verses 15 and 16.

This Psalm praises God and remembers all that He has done for us. Do verses 15 and 16 sound familar to you? These verses are often said as a prayer before or after meals to thank God for giving us all that we need.

• Work on memorizing Psalm 145:15-16. Pray these verses at mealtime this week!

Meditate on this section of Scripture, using these prompts:

• What thoughts come to mind as you read this passage?
• What is confusing or surprising about this passage?
• What does this passage teach you about God, His love for you, and His will for your life?

Then pray over the passage, talk about it with a friend or spiritual mentor, and explore further by reading the notes in a study Bible.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Pray the Lord's Prayer, Luther's Morning or Evening Prayers, and/or add your own prayers.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, bless our time together as we study Your Word. Amen.

O living Bread from heaven,

How well You feed your guest!

The gifts that You have given

Have filled my heart with rest.

Oh, wondrous food of blessing,

Oh, cup that heals our woes!

My heart, this gift possessing,

With praises overflows.

My Lord, You here have led me

To this most holy place

And with Yourself have fed me

The treasures of Your grace;

For You have freely given

What earth could never buy,

The bread of life from heaven,

That now I shall not die.

You gave me all I wanted;

This food can death destroy.

And You have freely granted

The cup of endless joy.

My Lord, I do not merit

The favor You have shown,

And all my soul and spirit

Bow down before Your throne.

Lord, grant me then, thus strengthened

With heav’nly food, while here

My course on earth is lengthened,

To serve with holy fear.

And when You call my spirit

To leave this world below,

I enter, through Your merit,

Where joys unmingled flow.

Public domain

• What do you think it means that Jesus is described as “Living Bread” especially in relation to the Lord’s Supper?

• Why is the word “living” important?

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Pray the Lord's Prayer, Luther's Morning or Evening Prayers, and/or add your own prayers.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

I thank you my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

I thank you my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ Your dear Son, that you have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Chapel of the Cross--Lutheran exists to show the love of Jesus to North County and beyond, so that all may have a living relationship with Christ.

Our Core Values:

• Empowered by the cross of Christ
• People working together
• Opening the Word to all people
• Showing the love of Jesus
• Warm and supportive environment

Email: pastorlaesch@chapelofthecross.org
Website: http://www.chapelofthecross.org/
Location: 11645 Benham Rd, St. Louis, MO, USA
Phone: (314) 741-3737
Facebook: facebook.com/ChapelSTL