Rom 7:21 (The Battle Within)

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

"So, then, I discover the principle that when I want to do right, evil is at hand." ~ Rom 7:21 (full readings)

Rosemary's Reflections: The moment we wake up, we begin the battle with ourselves. "Do I get out of bed or just sleep in instead?" Of course the choices can be more complex than that. In his letter, St. Paul discusses the frustration of falling into sin when he wants to do what is right. It's not easy to stay on the path of righteousness when another way looks easier or better. The outcome is shrouded by the shadows of darkness and if we could have seen the repercussions caused by our actions, we probably would have stayed on the straight and narrow. Some women who consider abortion argue with themselves, saying "It's just a bunch of cells," or "I can't have a baby because of...", but later feel remorse for their choice, wishing they had been more informed about the damage caused and the other options that are available. Life is the ultimate marathon--we cannot see the finish line, but we know we have to cross it sometime, somehow. There will be times when our bodies fail us and we fall to the wayside, but the Spirit within us gives us strength to keep moving forward. We could easily choose to give up or chose to endure until the end when we can tell our Lord, "I have finished the race. I have fought the good fight. I have kept the faith." To all the the LIFE Runners who ran at KC last weekend, congrats for finishing and fighting for the unborn!

Faith Challenge: When faced with a decision, take a few moments to pray to Our Father for guidance.

Sr. Francelle's Devotion: Patience

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: St. Hilarion - He battled many temptations with prayer and prayed harder when hopelessness was creeping upon him.

Faith Quote: "Take my life. Take my mind. Take my soul. Take my will. As I am yours and I give it all to You." ~ Jeremy Camp "Take My Life" (This song came up on my playlist around mile 20 when my leg was hurting pretty bad.)

Through Christ Our Lord,
Rosemary

2 Tim 4:7
.
* 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.

Matthew 24:42 (temptation)

Welcome God today with this LIFE Group Devotion (archive, Facebook).

Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Matthew 24:42 (full readings)

Rich's thoughts: Today's Gospel is about the unfaithful servant, who because his master was long delayed from returning, fell into temptation and went against his master's wishes. How many times are we tempted by something that we know that God doesn't want us to do? If God is always present in our life, why is this an issue? Lord, help me to not be led into temptation and protect me from evil. Amen.

Faith Challenge: Reflect on the temptations in your life. Would you proceed to give in to your temptations if you knew your master (Jesus Christ) was present?

Sr. Francelle's devotion: Learn how we as Christians can spiritually grow from our temptations.

Counter-Culture News: LSN, Vatican, AFA, Priests for Life.
* Virginia AG: State Can Force Abortion Clinics to Follow Same Standards as Hospitals

Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion. Peters family (JP), Rich Reich (cousin Tom cancer).
* Rich Reich (Brother Knight Bob Kane passed away), Pam McGushin (Terry Reszel cancer), Molly Barber (her health), Joe Hourigan (Dad's health)

Faith Quote: "Lord, make me chaste, but not yet." - St. Augustine

Through Christ our Lord,
Rich
James 1:22

Wisdom 3:2-3 (chocolate milk...)

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. 3:17

Their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace. Wisdom 3:2-3 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: "All Souls Day [today] is the observance commemorating the faithful departed. When we recall those who have gone before us, our first emotion is one of sadness, not joy. While we believe wholeheartedly in the resurrection of the dead, we miss them terribly. We can hope and trust that our loved ones are now "in peace" with God." by Paul Pennick

Pat's nuggets: Certain experiences bring back memories of our faithful departed. When I am gone, daughter Grace (6) may remember me each time she reaches for a glass of chocolate milk at a restaurant. When we go out to dinner, Grace often finishes her chocolate milk before her meal arrives, and then she isn't very hungry. To avoid this, I slide the chocolate milk away from her until her meal arrives. Now, Grace slides it away on her own. What's your chocolate milk equivalent? Let's take deliberate action to avoid the next temptation to sin through established boundaries, routine prayer, nearby Bible verses or faith images, weekday church service, welcomed accountability, requested intercessory prayers from faithful departed, etc. For her religion class, Grace was asked, "What is the first thing you are going to do when you get to heaven?" Grace said, "Go find Grandma Mary!" Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for our dear faithful departed...we look forward to the eternal days of reunion with them.

Faith Challenges: Let's all invite one person each week (John 14:6) to join our LIFE Group (~250 of God's children). NEW members include Wade & Ashlee Sundermann...welcome!

* NEW: Let's offer a thanksgiving prayer for our own faithful departed. Let's consider a battle plan to defend our temple against the next temptation to sin (see nuggets above).

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 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, Peters family (JP in hospital), Lynn Bishara (for son Alex), Joe Hourigan (for brother Mike)

* NEW: Doug Young (special intention)

Faith Quote: "We focus on our scarcity instead of our abundance. We focus on what isn't being done for us, instead of what has been done for us! Jesus went to the cross, in obedience to God, and died for us so that we may be able to experience the fullness of life and joy with Him!" Pastor Don Bird

In His Grip,

Pat
Phil 4:13

* 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).