Let's welcome God today by reflecting on this short Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which is based on Living Faith. All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 3:17Offer to God praise as your sacrifice... Psalm 50:14 (full readings)
Living Faith snippets: "How could praise be the equivalent of a concrete sacrifice? Compared to the first of your flock or harvest, your money or your time, it doesn't seem as if saying words of praise to God could require anything of me. Ah, but maybe it does. Perhaps putting aside my own desires, plans and conception of what life should be like does, indeed, require a sacrifice. A far greater sacrifice than anything concrete or material, in fact." by Amy Welborn
Rich's comments: Today's Living Faith author brought up an interesting question about how praising God could be a sacrifice, but I had a different answer. Upon reflection, I thought about my own struggles with pride and humility, and how I find it challenging and frequently forget to give God credit for what I often view as my own accomplishments. It is humbling to work really hard at something (blood, sweat, and tears) and then not feel the urge to toot your own horn and tell people "Hey, look what I did!" With this perspective in hand, I can really see how giving God praise is a sacrifice as well as a gift to God. Lord, teach me to be humble and to give You praise always, for You showed us the ultimate sign of humility by being born as a helpless child among us. Amen.
Faith Challenges: Let's all invite one person each week (John 14:6) to join our LIFE Group (~250 of God's children).
* NEW: Reflect on everything that God has given you and give Him praise.
* Let's never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images)...#1 cause of death in America. Let's courageously share ProLife Truth to create social tension for exposing abortion's unjust peace...rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16) and setting the unborn (and parents) free!
Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together. Fasting ideas in footnote below.
* Prayer to end abortion, abused children, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/despair, prisoners, politicians, illnesses/injuries, jobs, natural disasters, refugees, addictions, persecuted believers, Peters family (JP, Rebekah), Joe (brother Mike), Doug Young (special intention), Pat Castle (health care reform bill), Joe (daughter's pregnancy), Aaron Ferrie (special intention). Carol Nesbitt (Ron Hayes in ICU with H1N1 and pneumonia).
* NEW: Carol Nesbitt (Dody Gustaf has gone to be with our God).
Faith Quote: "God has landed on this enemy-occupied world in human form...The perfect surrender and humiliation was undergone by Christ: perfect because He was God, surrender and humiliation because He was man." - C.S. Lewis
Through Christ our Lord,
Rich
James 1:22
* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, changing us & helping others. 'If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn't, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead.'
* Fasting: Let's fast from things that take our eyes off Jesus (selfishness, pornography, bitterness, criticalness, impatience, gossip, excessive video games, etc) and take on things that fix our eyes on Jesus (selflessness, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, patience, understanding, caring, helping, listening).
* 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).
* Evangelization: Let's make room for unbelievers (be a friend, make a friend, lead a 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 (Matt 28:19).
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