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. 3:17As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. Wisdom 3:6 (full readings)
Living Faith snippets: "Is it not heroic to endure yet another surgery, make one more courteous phone call, help another shoulder a burden, avoid one more quarrel with a contentious customer and through all of this to keep your faith and trust in God alive? It is how we endure all these situations that determines who we become through them all." by Sr. Charleen Hug, S.N.D.
Rich's comments: During military training, the Air Force tests its officers to see how they perform under stress. As Christians, I feel that we are also being trained to live an authentic Christian life and to follow Jesus. Through our trials and tribulations, we build endurance to live out the Gospel even during times of stress and to be a model of Jesus Christ for others. Lord, give me the grace not to shrink from the chalice of suffering and tribulation, but patiently to accept whatever the hand of God may present to me, whether agreeable or disagreeable, and thereby to become worthy one day to be inebriated with the streams of heavenly joy. 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: View your struggles, pain, and suffering as experiences that will bring you closer to Jesus.
* 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, ProLife politicians, illnesses/injuries, jobs, natural disasters, refugees, addictions, persecuted believers, Peters family (JP in hospital), Joe Hourigan (for brother Mike), Doug Young (special intention), Pat Castle (victims/families at Ft. Hood, health care reform bill), Joe Levisky (daughter's pregnancy), that people care for all creation.
* NEW: Stephanie Spader (daughter Rebekah in ICU for pneumonia/H1N1, for 24 wk pregnancy check up) , Brenda Alvine (for her father, Dennis Rolfson, in the ICU)
Feast Day: St. Leo the Great
Faith Quote: "Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies." - Mother Teresa
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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