John 11:27 (Do you believe this?)

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Guest Authors. LIFE Minute radio.

"Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world." ~ John 11:27 (full readings)

Steve's Reflections: Most will recognize Martha as the "busier" half of Mary and Martha, but today's Gospel brings the depth of her faith to light. Have you ever approached the Lord in crisis? Martha did just that in today's Gospel - her brother Lazarus had died. She sent for Jesus because she knew he would come. She also believed that the Father would hear Jesus. His words to Martha are some of the most comforting in all of scripture, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die." Today's scripture is her response to Jesus' question, "Do you believe this?" Due to her great faith that day Jesus raised Lazarus from the day.

Faith Challenge: Jesus' words echo for each one of us today, "Do you believe this?" Expect a "resurrection"!

Sr. Francelle's Devotion: Tom is still around!

Counter-Culture News: LSN, LifeNews, Priests for Life, AFA, Vatican, Project Rachel. &gt

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: Memorial of St. Martha

Faith Quote: "God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing." - C.S. Lewis

Through Christ Our Lord,
Steve
Romans 12:2 .

* 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 (22% 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.

Comments? To subscribe/unsubscribe to the emails, go to LIFE Group Devotions or LIFE Runners Updates.

John 6:11 (Eucharist)

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (website, Facebook). >

"Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted." John 6:11 (full readings)

Steve's Reflections: The Gospel of John chapter six is one of my favorite passages of scripture and has importance for all followers of Christ. The miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes is the only miracle found in all four Gospels. Most importantly this chapter stands alone as prefiguring one of the ultimate ends of Jesus' ministry - the Eucharist. In the Eucharist, Jesus is present body, blood, soul and divinity. Eucharist literally means thanksgiving, and we see Jesus model this Sacramental reality for the first time in today's verse. He would later repeat this sign for the Apostles at the last supper, and once again as the Risen Christ with the disciples he meets on the road to Emmaus (in the breaking of the bread they come to know Jesus). With the crowd swelling to over 15,000 men, women and children, Jesus wastes no time preparing them to receive His most important teaching; the teaching on the Eucharist. Jesus goes up to the mountain much like Moses (Numbers 11:13), and He also multiplies the loaves and fishes like the prophet Elisha (2Kings 4:42-44) with the barley bread. He is the new Moses, the new Elisha. It is no wonder the crowd knowing well the stories of the great prophets exclaim, "This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world." But Jesus is much more than the second coming of Elijah; He is preparing all of us to receive the truth that He is the Son of God. Jesus is the source of the bread from heaven (manna in the desert) that will never leave us hungry again.

Faith Challenge: Do you hunger to touch Jesus; to receive Him? You can! Jesus is present body, blood, soul and divinity for each one of us in the Eucharist. Eat and never be hungry again.

Sr. Francelle's Devotion: St. Margaret of Costello (May 4th)

Counter-Culture News: LSN, Vatican, AFA, Priests for Life, Live Action &gt

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: Blessed Gerard of Lunel (d. 13th Century)

Faith Quote: "He is The Bread sown in the virgin, leavened in the Flesh, molded in His Passion, baked in the furnace of the Sepulchre, placed in the Churches, and set upon the Altars, which daily supplies Heavenly Food to the faithful." ~ St. Peter Chrysologus (400-450)

Through Christ Our Lord,
Steve
Romans 12:2 .

* 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.

Comments? To subscribe/unsubscribe to the emails, go to LIFE Group Devotions or LIFE Runners Updates.

Luke 4:24 (Miracles)

Welcome God today with this LIFE Group Devotion (archive, Facebook).

And he said, "Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place." Luke 4:24 (full readings)

Rich's thoughts: In today's culture, it is difficult to recognize a miracle. We are always in search for the incredible, somewhere outside from ourselves. In today's Gospel, the Galileans were blind to see that one of their own could be capable of producing miracles. We ourselves doubt the true power of the Holy Spirit to work miracles through us. Look within; have faith; believe!

Faith Challenge: Reflect on the incredible moments in your life (the miracles) and how God was present to make them happen.

Counter-Culture News: LSN, Vatican, AFA, Priests for Life.

* Pro-Life Leaders Vow to Fight Iowa 'Telemed' Abortions

Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion. Peters family (JP), Rich Reich (cousin Tom cancer & Brother Knight Bob Kane passed away), Pam McGushin (Terry Reszel cancer), Molly Barber (her health).

* Joe Hourigan (Dad passed away); "Let us pray for the Hourigan family...for their sorrow (loss) and celebration (faith)." - Pat Castle

Faith Quote: "Where hope grows, miracles blossom." - Elna Rae

Through Christ our Lord,

Rich

James 1:22

Luke 5:8 (filling our nets)

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

Depart from me, Lord... Luke 5:8 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: "Jesus wants to work miracles for you - in your boat, where you live and work today - miracles that will help you see what he wants to do in your life, the mission he has given you." - Sr. Kathryn James Hermes, F.S.P.

Rich's comments: Do you leave Jesus at the doors of the church, or do you take Him with you to your home or workplace? Is Jesus truly a part of your life, or is He someone you keep hidden and only reveal when other believers are present? Simon welcomed Jesus in his home and workplace, allowing Him free reign over his life. When we allow Jesus to be Lord of our life, His power will shine through us.

Faith Challenge: Let's invite one person each week (John 14:6) to join our LIFE Group (>215 ProLife Christians).

* NEW: Don't be ashamed to say the name of Jesus. His name has power.

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 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, refugees, addictions, persecuted believers, Peters family (JP in hospital), Stephanie Spader (healthy pregnancy), Adrian Hermosillo (sister Angelica battling cancer), Lisa Riess (Susie Blanchet surgery).

Feast Day: St. Gregory the Great

Faith Quote: "Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls." - Mother Teresa

Through Christ our Lord,

Rich

James 1:22

* 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 (Matt 28:19).

Psalm 25:9 (God sightings)

Welcome God every morning before your 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). All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 3:17

He guides the humble to justice, He teaches the humble His way. Psalm 25:9

Living Faith snippets: "I'm reluctant to say, or even think, that God speaks to me. But there have been times when a voice that does not sound like my own does speak. Dear Lord, teach me your ways." by Aileen O'Donoghue (physics teacher at St. Lawrence University, author of "The Sky Is Not a Ceiling: An Astronomer's Faith")

God sightings: Today's snippets (above and below) inspired me to start this new thread for us to share our "God sightings" and share ways for us to encounter God acting in our lives.

Pastor Don's devotion: Read his devotion titled "Advent miracles" at http://pastordonbird.blogspot.com/. A few snippets: "I am reminded this week of the greatness of our God and the miraculous way He enters into our lives. My prayer is that through this Advent season, each of us is able to experience a miracle. For some it may be one of incredible magnitude that changes our lives drastically. For others it may be in a simple encounter that alters our perspective and catches a glimpse of the holy in our lives. And still for others it may be in the ordinary routine of life as we look deeper into the hearts of those we surround ourselves with everyday. This is a season of miracles - not just on 34th Street...but in the paved roads and dirt roads of our lives. May the Miracle of the World reveal Himself to you this Christmas season!"

Jesus' Christmas list: This is how we give Jesus a Christmas (birthday) gift..."whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (Matt 25:40). The true meaning of Christmas is to share our gifts (time, talent, treasure, faith, hope, love) with those lacking in "daily bread" and love. Who is in dire need of our Christmas gifts?

* (NEW) Scott Casmer shared: "There is a subdivision of the [C. Springs] Catholic Charities called "Life Connections" that does all the things this group is about [click here]. Making donations is nearly painless. On the following link, they show how $1000 donation ends up costing the donator only $187. I plan to donate this week. Others may want to consider it. [click here]."
* (NEW) My family received this wonderful Christmas gift from Rich & Erica Reich. "In your honor, a gift has been made to Heifer International to help struggling people around the world become self-reliant for food and income. May this gift bring you joy as it brings hope to families in need (a sheep, three rabbits, a flock of chicks, and a hive of honeybees)."

ProLife news: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ & http://www.priestsforlife.org/

* Let's pray for courage to communicate the ProLife message through Christ to those around us (John 14:6)...rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16).

Our Prayers: Prayer to End Abortion, chastity, our enemies, our troops, natural disasters, depression/ despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, loss of loved ones, lack of faith, illnesses/injuries, John Peak (parent's health & his deployment), Rich Reich (Grandma with health problems), Pat Castle (Kathy Ayers recovering from brain surgery, Mike Castle eye infection), Liz Curry (friend Bill recovering from heart surgery)

* NEW: Jason Peters (health of son JP, http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jppeters), Carolyn McKissack (granddaughter Bailee with Crohn's), Rob Ouellette (Sally, Jim, Kevin, Joe, Carla & two Mary's)

Faith quote: Angi Castle shared this quote. "We should not live in the clouds, on a superficial level. We should dedicate ourselves to understanding our brothers and sisters." Mother Theresa

Through Christ for ProLife,
Pat

Phil 4:13

* Today's Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml. Reflection on readings at http://www.daily-meditations.org/index2.html

* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others. Wayne Watson lyrics, “When God's people pray, there is hope reborn, there is sin forgiven, and miracles you can't explain await!” 'If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn’t, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead & see Him.'

* Fasting: Let's fast from things that takes our eyes off Jesus (selfishness, bitterness, being so critical, impatience, judgment, 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 lie 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 live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!