21 Jan Mark 3:4-5 (“stretch out your hand”)
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
[Jesus] said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil…? But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” Mark 3:4-5
Living Faith snippets: “Jesus’ simple question calls them back. It’s painful to recognize how easily our hearts harden. On these grounds, the Pharisees are our brothers. Jesus welcomes sinners and grieves when they turn away. He did not huddle with the respectable or like-minded but crossed lines to reach out to withered hearts and bodies. God, enlarge my vision to hold law and love together.” by Jeanne Schuler
LIFE Group nuggets:
* Kerry Tragesser shared this 40 sec ProLife inauguration video http://www.4marks.com/videos/details.html?video_id=987 and a few thoughts. “On NPR they said, “There will be 1-5 million people here in DC this day and over the week…that is a number we would expect if there was a tragedy in the country.” There is a tragedy about to occur [with Pres Obama’s pro-abortion leadership]. Please fast and pray today for the babies, mothers and fathers affected by abortion.”
* Stephanie Kemp shard this Pro-life music video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA-1LVjug30 and the following stats. “Since the Roe v Wade decision in 1973…55 million preborn babies have been aborted…3688 babies killed each day…a preborn baby dies by abortion every 23 seconds” [in our one nation under God].
* Pastor Don Bird shared his devotion on Christians being called to be salt of the earth: http://pastordonbird.blogspot.com/.
* Steve and Tina Castle shared today’s devotion image, a 4D ultrasound picture of their youngest daughter!
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).
* NEW: “Thursday marks the 36th anniversary of the brutal and unjust Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that imposed abortion on all 50 American states.” David Bereit, 40 Days for Life
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), Peace in the Middle East (Iraq, Gaza), Lynn McAleece Bishara (Aunt Mary battling cancer), Papa Joe Castle (brain bleed resolution), Lutz Ettrich (girlfriend’s Dad had stroke), Jason Peters (health of son JP), Joe Levisky (pancreatitis)
* NEW: Maureen Morgan (reconciliation for Sue Peterson and son), Rob Ouellette (Libby, Juel, Fr. Whelan, Mike)
Feast Day (St. Agnes): http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=106
Faith Quote: Sharon Carlson shared this one. “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
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)!