Thessalonians 4:13 ("you snooze, you lose!"

Let's welcome God this 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. 3:17

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you many not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: "All of us, believers or not, dwell in the same reality of life and death. But in this same landscape, we who have hope, as Paul says, think differently about the apparent sadness of death. It is the same place, but knowing that this place and all within belong to God, we are reoriented and live, not in cold grief and fear, but at home in hope." by Amy Welborn

Pat nugget: My high school english teacher would often say during class, "you snooze, you lose!" Regarding our faith lives, this is eternally True! Today's image shows a fisherman snoozing...Jesus has called us to be fishers of men (Matt 4:19)...

Faith Challenge:

* NEW: Let's all invite just one person each week to join our LIFE Group (>215 ProLife Christians)...let's get fishing!

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 (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!
* NEW: At 13 wks after conception, a fetus' vocal cords and auditory sense are present.

* NEW: Dr. Alveda King Remembers Sen. Edward Kennedy - "he stopped supporting the civil rights of those in the womb."

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, Rich Reich (friend Carolyn battling cancer), Peters family (JP in hospital), Stephanie Spader (healthy pregnancy), Steve/Tina Castle (sell their home), Kay Castle (Sr. Joan Luke, breast cancer)

* NEW: Pray for Chinese and India believers as they continue to serve the Lord despite harassment and arrest. The Voice of the Martyrs

Faith Quote: "Just say grace."

Through Christ our Lord,

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, 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.