John 12:47 (Forgiveness)

* 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 (livingfaith.com).

I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. John 12:47

Living Faith snippets: "Would Christ recognize us as His followers? It can seem that Christians line up to condemn people, making the forgiveness He preached very rare among His followers. Christians are often counted among those calling for children who commit crimes to be tried as adults in order to subject them to harsher punishments. Jesus called us to an extraordinary forgiveness...[like] shown by the Amish community of Nickel Mines, PA, who comforted the family of the man who shot their daughters." by Aileen O'Donoghue

Pat nuggets: Today's devotion reminded me of two statements. First, if we were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict us? Second, like the song, "they will know we are Christians by our love." Kristi McClintock, part of Steubenville outreach ministry, has this verse below her signature block: "We love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Reflecting on the Christ-like love and forgiveness of the Amish community that comforted the family of the man who shot their daughters, I recalled the Christ-like example of Pope John Paul II when he visited the man who shot him (in prison)...to let that man know he was forgiven (picture attached). Let us pray that Pope Benedict XVI reflects this same extraordinary Christ-inspired love and forgiveness during his visit to America this week...bringing the entire Body of Christ (throughout the world) into deeper unity and building up a culture of ProLife...

Through Christ for ProLife,
Pat
Phil 4:13

* Today's Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml.
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* 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.
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