Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (website, Facebook)."These are the words that I spoke to you while I was still with you...You are witnesses of these things." Luke 24:44-48 (full readings)
Pastor Don's Reflections: Resurrection Sunday is filled with high energy, excitement, stress, and incredible spiritual investment that often leaves me exhausted. Through Lent we prepare to receive the power of the resurrection. Through Lent we repent of our sins, and we invite God to restore us to a new relationship with Him. Easter is a celebration of this new life that only Jesus Christ can bring! But, when the Easter Sunday celebration is over, there is often a let down in spirit and focus. The power of Easter comes in the way we live our lives after the resurrection! Today's Bible story gives us a glimpse into this challenge that faced the disciples after the resurrection. On the road to Emmaus, they actually met the risen Christ! As they spoke of this experience, Jesus came to them again. Jesus challenged the doubts in their hearts by showing them His hands and feet again...and by breaking bread with them. These disciples had an Easter let down. Then, Jesus opened their hearts that they may come to know the Scriptures. Jesus reminds them that they were witnesses. Being a witness held certain responsibilities...to testify and continue to witness to the fact that Jesus was to suffer, rise from the dead, call others to repentance and remission of sins, and to share it with all nations. If we embrace the reality of Easter, there is no let down. Easter gears us up, lifts us up, and strengthens us to share the good news of Jesus' life and message! It restores in us hope and courage to live our lives in such a way that we proclaim the power of Jesus' resurrection. We walk away from Easter with renewed peace, joy, hope and a firm sense of mission, which can affect our entire outlook on life. We become driven to win our world for Christ. Our whole image, how we appear and talk, our outlook and reaction to life are different. When people ask what happened to us, we answer, "Easter happened!"
* Pastor Don Bird is married to Mandy, and they have two children, Ethan and Haleigh. He is the Lead Pastor at First United Methodist Church in Canon City, CO.
Faith Challenge: "Every day you are witnessing. What are you witnessing to? Your witness is the total package of your attitudes, character, and actions. It does not lie." ~ Winkie Pratney
Counter-Culture News: LifeNews, Vatican, AFA, Priests for Life, Live Action
* Running for Life: Pro-Lifers Use Marathon to Fight Abortion: This article is about our LIFE Runners team! "LifeNews.com reaches more than 500,000 pro-life advocates each week."
Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion, Spiritual Adoption, Alpha Center, Peters family (JP). Add Prayers on our website. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, LIFE Runners, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.
Feast Day: St. Peter Chanel
Faith Quote: "Let others report bad news; we'll share the good news." ~ Woodrow Kroll
Through Christ our Lord,
Pastor Don
2 Cor 9:15
* Pray/Fast: Prayer connects us with God’s will & His miracles, changing us & helping others. Fast from things that take your eyes off Jesus. Those who pray together stay together, and close to God!
* Save Unborn (& family): Abortion reality (images)…#1 death cause (23% pregnancies). Prov 24:11 & Jer 1:5. “A great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish.” Mother Teresa.
* Evangelize: Make room for unbelievers & re-evangelization of self, by way of prayer (relationship) and following Christ’s example of love (service/sacrifice/mercy). Matt 28:19.
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