Let's welcome God every 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. 3:17Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home. Matthew 9:6 (full readings)
Living Faith snippets: "We have to have enough faith to stand up and walk out our healing. How would the paralyzed man know he had been healed if he never stood up and tried to walk? If we don't trust Jesus to forgive and heal us, we will never have the courage to rise up and take the next step. This may mean forgiving someone else, opening up to love again, pursuing a passion, taking steps in the direction of our dreams. We can pick up the stretchers of our brokenness and walk on." by Kristin Armstrong
Rich's comments: Society seems to place a greater concern on physical afflictions than it does on spiritual suffering, but ironically, the latter can have a more paralyzing effect. Someone with a broken arm would not hesitate to go to a hospital to have it treated, but a person who is burdened with sin could spend their entire life never knowing the healing power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, I pray that others come to recognize Your healing power and rise up to receive it. Amen.
Faith Challenge: Let's challenge each other to joyfully live out the Good News.
* NEW: Do not wallow in your suffering, have faith in Christ's healing.
* NEW: Do not wallow in your suffering, have faith in Christ's healing.
* 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, addictions, Carla Neal (Jonathan Barlow, Margaret Solms, Dan, Joe and Becky), Nana Suzie (prayer of thanksgiving for each "good day" that JP experiences).
Faith Quote: "To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you." by Lewis B. Smedes
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)!
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