Mark 9:38 (spirtual battle)‏

* Welcome God every morning before 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).

Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us. Mark 9:38

Living Faith snippets: “The apostles didn’t get it right, but Jesus takes a broader view and sets the apostles straight. “Do not prevent him,” he says. “Whoever is not against us is for us.” We don’t always get things right the first time either. We should not be dismayed with how many takes we might need to become a more patient, generous, forgiving and faithful person.”

Pat nuggets: Today’s verse talked about driving out demons and reminded me of Eph 6:10-18…”Put on the the armor of God that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil.” Does this still apply today (spiritual battle)? Are demons still in the world today? Is it possible to drive them out (deliverance prayers)? About one year ago, a group of us worked through these questions with a book called “Unbound” by Neal Lozano. The author brought to light how evil has been normalized in areas throughout our culture and virtually eliminated from our vocabulary…making it easier for evil to work (also addressed in “The Screwtape Letters” by C.S. Lewis). When is the last time you heard someone talk about someone possibly under demonic influence? Yet we still ask God to “deliver us from evil” every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer. Times in history have used potential evil influence (demons) to invoke fear and manipulate (burning witches, etc), but today most people have never even considered the possibility of demonic influence. On a retreat, I witnessed what appeared to be the classic manifestation of a demonic possession (like the Exorcist movie). Is it possible that some addictions and types of mental illness could also be manifestations of evil, even demonic influence? Is it a coincidence that experts in the field recognize that God is often the only solution for many addictions and mental illness? For a reasonable explanation for why God allows evil in the world (gift of Free Will, greatest love), read “Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis.

* My brother Steve forwarded an advertisement for a speaker whose personal experiences uncover the New Age movement as a true spiritual battlefield…”Ransomed from Darkness: The New Age, Christian Faith, and the Battle for Souls…witchcraft, magic, ouija boards, fortune telling, palm reading, ‘A Course in Miracles,’ crystal balls, reiki, tarot, astrology. Moira Noonan left Catholicism for the New Age in the early 1970s after suffering a crippling accident for which her faith seemed to have no answers. She went on to serve as a minister in the Church of Religious Science for 25 years, mastering such disciplines as past-life regression, hypnotherapy, astrology, Reiki, channeling, crystals, clairvoyance, goddess spirituality and other occult practices. In 1993, after a series of powerful conversion experiences (including a 16 hour exorcism in Medjugorje), she was finally ransomed completely from darkness and returned to the Catholic Church. She is now a popular speaker in the Christian community witnessing and evangelizing, and explaining the deeper meaning, influences and dangers of the New Age movement. New Age philosophy is all around us and has filtered into many Christian faiths. [Christians] across the country are alarmed at the increasing popularity of a New Age phenomenon known as ‘A Course in Miracles’. Join us as Moira shares her story, and pulls back the curtain on the contemporary Wizards of Oz.”

* Please share your experiences with manifestations of evil. “Our Father…deliver us from evil. Amen.”

ProLife: According to Steve Jalsevac (writer for lifesitenews.com), the new movie Prince Caspian was “a lot better than the first one.” He wrote that, “There is a message there for the defenders of life and family. I strongly encourage you to see it. All the disturbing news in many of today’s stories is better seen in the light of the message in Prince Caspian. The bottom line is that victory is ultimately ours, no matter how dark things seem – provided we do not depend mostly on ourselves and therefore end up unnecessarily and foolishly cowering in fear.”

Our Prayers: Abortion, our enemies, our troops, China earthquake, Myanmar cyclone, depression/despair, Vicki Miller (her cancer treatment), Pam McGushin (Cindy’s cancer treatment), Tom Tenpenny (sister in law Anna’s cancer treatment), Dale Sundermann (strength for his Mom), Jenny Senour (ProLife job interview), Pat Castle (free niece Shantelle from world’s grip)
* New: Kelly Benson (son Emeric premature birth), Kathy-jo Peterson (aunt Peggy’s brain cancer), Kay Castle (friend Betty’s back pain)

Faith Quote: “God whispers in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains; It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” – C.S. Lewis

* If you have an inspiring faith quote, please send it to me for sharing in the devotion.

Through Christ for ProLife,

Pat

Phil 4:13

* Outreach: Please consider making a commitment each week to invite at least one friend or family member to join the LIFE Devotions group, providing routine spiritual connection and strength.
* Today’s Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml.

* Prayer: If you have a prayer request, simply send it to our distribution list at life-group-distro@googlegroups.com. Prayer connects us with God’s will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others. Wayne Watson, “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.”

* Defend the unborn: ProLife websites at life-devotions.blogspot.com. ‘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. Click for Prayer to End Abortion.

* Share the Good News: Let’s joyfully live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)! Let’s make room to share with non-believers (be a friend, make a friend, lead your friend to Christ)…and work on perpetual re-evangelization of ourselves and those close to us (Western culture), drawing closer to God’s will by way of daily prayer (relationship) and following Christ’s example of selfless love, mercy, and service…