1 John 2:24 (Leaky Vessels)

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Guest Authors schedule. LIFE Minute radio.


"Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father." ~ 1 John 2:24 (full readings)


Rich's Reflections: When I experienced my metanoia (change of heart) in 2006, it was a powerful spiritual experience. I had a very strong craving for Jesus Christ, and I could not get enough of Him. Now it is 5 years later, and the feeling has slightly faded. I seek, but can no longer find the fire that once drew me so strongly. In the first reading today, St. John tells me not to let the memory fade with the feeling or doubt the reality of my first experience of faith. We are imperfect vessels (jars of clay, 2 Cor 4:7) and we leak; therefore, we need to be constantly re-filled with the Spirit. We must devote ourselves to the teachings of the Church and study the Scriptures daily, both of which helps us grow. Faith comes from hearing the Word of God. How can we expect to remain in Him if we do not increase our faith? Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ, and if we are ignorant of Him, we cannot remain in Him. Lord, let me know You better through the Scriptures. Draw me closer to You and deepen my faith. Amen.


Faith Challenge: Read God's Word daily and remain in Jesus.


Counter-Culture News: LSN, LifeNews, Priests for Life, Vatican, Project Rachel.

Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion. LIFE Runners Creed. Add Prayers. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now. 

Feast Day: St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen


Faith Quote: "Ignorance of Scriptures is ignorance of Christ." (Catechism, 133)


Through Christ our Lord,
Rich
James 1:22


* Pray/Fast: Prayer connects us with God’s will & His miracles, changing us & helping others. Fast from things that take your eyes off Jesus. Those who pray together stay together, and close to God!
* Save Unborn (& family): Abortion reality (images)…#1 death cause (22% pregnancies). Prov 24:11 & Jer 1:5. “A great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish.” Mother Teresa.
* Evangelize: Make room for unbelievers & re-evangelization of self, by way of prayer (relationship) and following Christ’s example of love (service/sacrifice/mercy). Mt 28:19.

Luke 8:18 (Hearing Aids)

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Guest Authors schedule. LIFE Minute radio.

"Take care, then, how you hear. To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away." ~ Luke 8:18 (full readings)

Rich's Reflections: Yesterday, you most likely heard the Word of God at church. Did you prepare yourself to receive God's Word? Today's Gospel says, "take care, then, how you hear." As Christians, we have the responsibility to prepare ourselves to hear the Word of God so that we may internalize it and become a light to others. Here are ten tips on how to prepare ourselves to listen to the Word of God. 1) Pray to God before church that He will grant you a receptive heart. 2) Meditate on the readings the night before church. 3) Purify your mind by turning away from worldly entertainment. 4) Trust in the truth that you already have. 5) Rest long enough Saturday night to be alert and hopeful Sunday morning. 6) Make peace with those around you and forgive them. 7) Be meek and teachable when you come to church. 8) Be still as you enter church and focus your mind's attention and heart's affection on God. 9) Think earnestly about what is sung, prayed, and preached. 10) Desire the Truth of God's Word more than you desire riches or food. Lord, prepare my heart to hear Your Word so that I may be a light to others. Amen.

Faith Challenge: Prepare yourself to hear God's Word for every Sabbath Day.

Counter-Culture News: LSN, LifeNews, Priests for Life,Vatican, Project Rachel

Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion, Spiritual Adoption,Alpha Center, Peters family (JP). Add Prayers on our website. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, LIFE Runners, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.

Feast Day: Saint Januarius.

Faith Quote: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" ~ Mark 4:9

Through Christ our Lord,
Rich
James 1:22

* Pray/Fast: Prayer connects us with God’s will & His miracles, changing us & helping others. Fast from things that take your eyes off Jesus. Those who pray together stay together, and close to God!
* Save Unborn (& family): Abortion reality (images)…#1 death cause (22% pregnancies). Prov 24:11 & Jer 1:5. “A great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish.” Mother Teresa.

* Evangelize: Make room for unbelievers & re-evangelization of self, by way of prayer (relationship) and following Christ’s example of love (service/sacrifice/mercy). Matt 28:19.

1 Thessalonians 5:5 (Do the Word)

Let's welcome God this morning 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. 3:17

All of you are children of the light. 1 Thessalonians 5:5 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: "The townsfolk of Capernaum are filled with awe and wonder as Jesus casts out the unclean demon. His words accomplish things! In the midst of all our problems, whatever they may be, this gives us hope: Jesus cares for each of us as if we were his very own self. God cannot but love us." - Sr. Kathryn James Hermes

OBOB snippets: "Knowing God's word demands doing His word. On Judgment Day, the Lord will not ask us what we know of His word, but how we've lived it. "For it is not those who hear the law who are just in the sight of God; it is those who keep it who will be declared just" (Rm 2:13). Jesus promised: "Anyone who hears My words and puts them into practice is like the wise man who built his house on rock" (Mt 7:24). "He is no forgetful listener, but one who carries out the law in practice. Blest will this man be in whatever he does" (Jas 1:25). Jesus also promised: "My mother and My brothers are those who hear the word of God and act upon it"
(Lk 8:21)." So to put it simply, do the word.

Faith Challenge: Let's invite others to join our LIFE Group (>215 Christians).

* NEW: It is useful to know God's words by heart, but it is powerful to put them into practice. "Do the word."

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, American Family Association, Priests for Life

* Let's never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images)...#1 cause of death in America. Let's courageously share ProLife Truth (John 14:6) to create social tension for exposing abortion's unjust peace...rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16) and setting the unborn 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, Rich Reich (friend Carolyn battling cancer), Peters family (JP in hospital), Stephanie Spader (healthy pregnancy), Steve/Tina Castle (sell their home), Kay Castle (Sr. Joan Luke, breast cancer), persecuted Chinese and India believers.

* NEW: Adrian (sister Angelica battling cancer); Lisa (Susie Blanchet in hospital for gall bladder).

Faith Quote: "Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves." - James 1:22

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, bitterness, being so critical, 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 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.

Acts 8:36 (Feed your spirit)

Let's 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. All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 3:17

As they traveled along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look, there is water. What is to prevent my being baptized?" Acts 8:36 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: "What, indeed, prevents me? Not from being baptized (since that happened long ago), but from really opening myself to the grace of that baptism and growing in my faith? The Ethiopian eunuch was moved by the Spirit. He didn't push that nudge aside, ignore it or try to argue it away. I have to wonder about the nudges I have felt today. What is to prevent me from listening and acting on them?" by Amy Welborn

Rich's comments: Just like our bodies, our spirit needs nourishment as well. It's too bad our spirit doesn't grumble loudly like our stomach when it's hungry. Regardless, we need to feed our spirits daily so that our faith may grow. The daily spiritual nutrients include reading God's Word (knowing God), prayer (speaking to God), and quiet reflection (listening to God). Like our bodies, we should avoid unhealthy foods (Worldly things that oppose God's will), and we should exercise often (strengthen our discipline through spiritual exercises such as fasting). These things should lead to a healthy spirit-filled life that will allow us to grow in Faith with a deeper relationship with God.

Faith Challenge: Let's challenge each other to joyfully live out the Good News.
* NEW: The body is a good servant, but a poor master. Don't let your body bully your spirit. Develop spiritual discipline by denying your body things it does not need.

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, American Family Association, Priests for Life
* Let's never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images)...#1 cause of death in America. Let's courageously share ProLife Truth (John 14:6) to create social tension for exposing abortion's unjust peace...rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16) and setting the unborn free!

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together. Fasting ideas below.
* Prayer to end abortion, abused children, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/ despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, illnesses/injuries, jobs, natural disasters, addictions, Mike Castle (Nelda Alford cancer treatment), Bobby Aborn (wife Christi with medical issues), Carol Nesbitt (special intention), Stephanie Spader (special intention)

Feast Day: St. Pius V

Faith Quote: "Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you. " - Saint Augustine

Through Christ our Lord,

Rich

Romans 12:12

* 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, bitterness, being so critical, 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 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 invite others to join our LIFE Group...Rich or Pat will gladly add them to the devotions distribution list (Mark 16:15)!