* Welcome God every morning before work by taking ~5 min to read this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which has snippets from Living Faith (livingfaith.com).
It is too little [the Lord] says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. Isaiah 49:6
Living Faith snippets: "Prayer is meant to "grow us." Every divine encounter holds the possibility of transforming us. The changes within us are not just for our self. When we leave our place of prayer, the Spirit sends us forth to live as persons of great love. Our heart "knows"--has faith--that Someone greater than ourselves sends us onward." by Sr. Joyce Rupp, O.S.M.
Rich's comments: In celebrating the feast day of the Nativity of John the Baptist, we should reflect on John's humility. Before anyone had heard of Jesus of Nazareth, people were coming distances to see John the Baptist. Yet John pointed to Jesus and away from himself. “He must increase, I must decrease” (John 3:30). John actually encouraged his disciples to leave him and follow the Lamb of God.
Prayer is inseparable from faith, and is the key to increasing our faith, connecting us with God, and changing our hearts. But like the devotion says today, these changes within should not be kept to ourselves. We are called to follow the Lamb of God. At the end of Mass each day we are told to "go in peace to love and serve the Lord." Lord, through faith and prayer You have changed our hearts. May your Spirit guide us to love and serve others. Amen.
ProLife news: lifesitenews.com
Feast Day of the Nativity of John the Baptist: Today we celebrate the birth of Jesus' cousin, John the Baptist. John’s parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, were without children and both were beyond the age of child-bearing. The angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah and announced that he and his wife would give birth to a child, and that they should name him John. However, because Zechariah did not believe the message of Gabriel, he was rendered speechless until the time of the child's birth; at that time, his relatives wanted to name the child after his father, and Zechariah wrote, "His name is John" and could speak. Following Zechariah's obedience to the command of God, he was given the gift of prophecy, and foretold the future ministry of John. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nativity_of_St._John_the_Baptist)
Our Prayers: Abortion, our enemies, our troops, China earthquake, Myanmar cyclone, Midwest floods, depression/despair, prisoners, Vicki Miller (her cancer treatment), Devantae (11 yr old boy paralyzed)
Faith quote: "Faith grows by reading and meditating upon the Word of God. Most, and best of all, faith thrives in an atmosphere of prayer." taken from the book The Necessity of Prayer by Edward M. Bounds (http://www.pray-today.net/Pray/Prayer/Faith/prayerfaith.htm)
Through Christ Our Lord,
Rich
Romans 12:12
* Outreach: Let's gladly invite those near us to join our LIFE Devotions group (Mark 16:15), providing routine spiritual connection and strength (simply forward a devotion with an invitation).
* Today's Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml.
* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others. Wayne Watson lyrics, “When God's people pray, there is hope reborn, there is sin forgiven, and miracles you can't explain await!” "If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn’t, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead & see Him."
* Defend the unborn: 'Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don’t stand back and let them die' (Prov 24:11). 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you' (Jer 1:5). 'It is a great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish' Blessed Mother Teresa. Click for Prayer to End Abortion.
* Evangelization: Let's make room for non-believers (be a friend, make a friend, lead friend to Christ) and perpetual re-evangelization of self and those near us, by way of daily prayer (relationship) and following Christ's example of selfless love, mercy, and service.
Let's joyfully live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!
* Today's Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml.
* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others. Wayne Watson lyrics, “When God's people pray, there is hope reborn, there is sin forgiven, and miracles you can't explain await!” "If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn’t, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead & see Him."
* Defend the unborn: 'Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don’t stand back and let them die' (Prov 24:11). 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you' (Jer 1:5). 'It is a great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish' Blessed Mother Teresa. Click for Prayer to End Abortion.
* Evangelization: Let's make room for non-believers (be a friend, make a friend, lead friend to Christ) and perpetual re-evangelization of self and those near us, by way of daily prayer (relationship) and following Christ's example of selfless love, mercy, and service.
Let's joyfully live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!
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