Acts 7:57-58 (Violence)

* Welcome God every morning before work by taking ~5 min to read this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion, which has snippets from Living Faith (http://www.livingfaith.com/).

But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, and rushed upon him together. They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. Acts 7:57-58

Living Faith snippets: "Some are sure that religion breeds hatred. The religious map is marked by bloody divisions. When someone is demonized, we lose sight of God and of ourselves. The crowd plugged up their ears in their rush to kill. Stephen, with his eyes on God, forgave them as he died. God, help us to keep our eyes on you when violence seems like the answer." by Jeanne Schuler

Rich's comments: The Sanhedrin stoned Stephen to death for what they felt was blasphemy. They probably believed that they were doing it "in the name of God." Violence cannot claim to be part of any religion. Our country has experienced this with September 11th -- a tragic instance of perverting religion to perpetrate hatred and violence against innocent people. May the excesses of the fanatically religious temper our own self-righteous impulses to abuse religion by using it as a wedge to drive people apart rather than a magnet drawing people together. Lord, may we not focus on our differences, but on You, who brings us together as one body of Christ. Amen.

Through Christ Our Lord,

Rich

Romans 12:12

* Today's Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml.
* Prayer: If you have a prayer request, simply send it to our distribution list at life-group-distro@googlegroups.com. Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others (so let's pray daily!). 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" (author unknown).
* Defend the unborn: Pro-Life websites at life-devotions.blogspot.com. '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.
* Other devotions: Sr. Francelle (sisterfrancelle.blogspot.com) and COUGARS daily (cougarsdaily.blogspot.com). Would you like to be added?
* Share the Good News: Let's joyfully live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!