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. 3:17The world must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has commanded me. John 14:31 (full readings)
Living Faith snippets: "Doing whatever the Father commanded led Jesus down a terrible path: separation from his family, desertion by his friends and followers, torture and a painful death on the cross. Whenever I start to throw myself a pity party for some little cross I'm bearing, I should think of Jesus." by Heather Wilson
Rich's comments: After reading all three readings today (full readings), I recognized an underlying theme: overcoming adversity. If we back up one verse (John 14:30) before today's highlighted Gospel verse, it quotes Jesus saying, "I will no longer speak much with you, for the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me, but the world must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has commanded me." I take great comfort in knowing that if I follow Jesus, I am doing what God has commanded and the ruler of the world will have no power over me. Sometimes we may feel that we are alone in following Christ. We are ridiculed, isolated, and humiliated. It would be so much easier to conform to the world view, but we must persevere in the faith for "it is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22). Whenever you are undergoing hardships in your life, remember Jesus who has gone before us to set us free.
Faith Challenge: Let's challenge each other to joyfully live out the Good News.
* NEW: Remind others that they are not alone in following Jesus. Be Christ to others and support them through their hardships.
* 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, Jason Peters (son JP), Kathy Castle (Michael Moon hand infection), Carla Neal (Harold Heard, Jamie, Joyce & all of you)
Feast Day: St. Nereus, St. Achilleus, St. Pancras
Faith Quote: "Often our work doesn't begin to bear fruit until, like grains of wheat, we fall to the earth and die." Jn 12:24
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)!
* 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)!
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