Hebrews 3:7-8 (soften your heart)

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

Oh that today you would hear his voice, harden not your hearts… Hebrews 3:7-8

Living Faith snippets: “We hear God’s voice every day: in Scripture, in the voice of a beggar, in the tears of a child, in the clanging of the doors on death row, in the sighs of a spouse. What would happen, do you suppose, if we relaxed, if we melted into that voice, into all that God asks of us and offers us?” by Heather Wilson

Rich’s comments: When I hear the term “hardened hearts”, I imagine a person who wants to enter a seemingly cold swimming pool, but their body resists contact with the water and they tense up, and maybe they even avoid the pool altogether. If only they would allow their body to relax and immerse themselves in the body of water, or even allow themselves to have total trust and dive in head first, they would realize that the water is not so cold. In fact the water is life-giving and healing, and surrounds them with warmth like God’s love. Lord, may Your Spirit soften our hearts so that we may hear You calling us to Your life-giving water. Amen.

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

* Let’s never forget the horrific reality of abortion (click here for images).

* 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, Mike Castle (eye infection), Joe Levisky (medical issues), Dan Castle (for alcoholics), Peace in the Middle East (Iraq, Gaza), Lynn Bishara (Aunt Mary battling cancer), Papa Joe Castle (bleeding in brain), Joe Castle (medical issues), Lutz Ettrich (girlfriend’s Dad had stroke), Joe Hourigan (end contraception, Pres-elect Obama), Rob Ouellette (Mike and Bill)

* Update: Jason Peters (continued prayers for health of son JP)

* New: Kelley Boddicker (on Fri her Mom will have stents put in 3 arteries)

Faith Quote: “There is nothing that wastes the body like worry, and one who has faith in God should be ashamed to worry about anything whatsoever.” by Mahatma Gandhi

Through Christ Our Lord,

Rich

Romans 12:12

* 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)!