12 Mar Jeremiah 17:9 (training run)
Posted on Thursday 12 March, 2009
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. All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 3:17
More tortuous than all else is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9 (full readings)
Living Faith snippets: “Why is my progress in holiness and love so almost imperceptibly slow? The causes are rooted deep in the heart. And the heart is tortuous; who can understand it? Who? Why, the One who has taken up residence in it. God is not a neutral observer of our lives. He has come to make his home in us.” by Kevin Perrotta
Rich’s comments: I view Lent as a training run for life. When you are going to run a marathon, you don’t just wake up one morning, put on your running gear, and start running 26.2 miles without any training. Marathon training usually takes about 18 weeks, and starts with shorter distances that gradually get longer. These training runs build the foundation of the endurance needed to complete a marathon. This Lent, view the challenges that you face as spiritual training runs. As with running, there will be good days and bad, but every day is a key element of your training. Keep running, and never lose sight of the goal, everlasting life with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faith Challenge: Let’s challenge each other to joyfully live out the Good News. Suggestions?
* NEW: Runners often keep a running journal to track their training, good days and bad. Try to keep a journal of your spiritual training. Write about the challenges that you face daily during Lent and then reflect on them in prayer.
Stations of the Cross (5): Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his cross. Consider attending a Stations of the Cross service (Friday evenings, nondenominational).
Culture War/ProLife News: LifeSiteNews, American Family Association, Priests for Life
* Let’s never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images). Abortion is #1 cause of death in America.
* NOW (25 Feb-5 Apr): Please be part of the 40 Days for Life campaign by praying in front of an abortion mill for one hour…defending the voiceless unborn.
* Let’s never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images). Abortion is #1 cause of death in America.
* NOW (25 Feb-5 Apr): Please be part of the 40 Days for Life campaign by praying in front of an abortion mill for one hour…defending the voiceless unborn.
* NEW: The other day I discovered a website called http://prolifeinternet.com/. This is a search page in which 100% of funds raised by advertisements go directly to Pro-Life efforts instead of corporate pockets. Use the internet to help build a culture of life. “Search the Internet–Save Babies!”
Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together. Fasting ideas below.
* Let’s pray for courage to share ProLife Truth to those around us (John 14:6)…rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16).
* Prayer to end abortion, abused children, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/ despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, lack of faith, illnesses/injuries, jobs, Sue Peters (Carrie), Rob Ouellette (Renato, Amy, Maryann, Mark, Elaine), Paul Cote (his sister Christine near the end of her holy battle with cancer)
* Let’s pray for courage to share ProLife Truth to those around us (John 14:6)…rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16).
* Prayer to end abortion, abused children, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/ despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, lack of faith, illnesses/injuries, jobs, Sue Peters (Carrie), Rob Ouellette (Renato, Amy, Maryann, Mark, Elaine), Paul Cote (his sister Christine near the end of her holy battle with cancer)
Faith Quote: “Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” by Mother Teresa
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)!
* 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)!