16 Nov This is Love (2 Jn 9) by Shane Kapler
Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Leaders. Guest Authors.
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“Anyone who is so ‘progressive’ as not to remain in the teachings of Christ does not have God.” ~ 2 Jn 9 (full readings)
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Shane’s Reflections: The early Church faced danger. St. John wrote to warn them, “many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh” (2 Jn 7). He referred to the Docetists, a group that distorted the Gospel by teaching that God never really took flesh, never truly became a human being. God was far too “spiritual” to become one of us, to become a man inside of a woman’s womb. The Docetists styled themselves as enlightened, progressive. We have a parallel situation today where a large number of people who identify themselves as Christians have moved beyond such “fleshly” issues as one man and one woman united together in a lifelong marriage and gladly welcoming, even celebrating, each new life they bring into the world. These progressive believers have moved beyond those sorts of “1950’s social policies” to the more enlightened “truly spiritual” view that sees no connection between how we express ourselves in the body, sexually, and our love of God. St. John sets all of us straight today, “THIS is love, that we walk according to [God’s] commandments” – those commandments meant to reveal what true love looks like!
* Shane Kapler is the author of “The God Who is Love: Explaining Christianity From Its Center” and co-author of “Tending the Temple”. He works as a speech therapist in St. Louis, but his favorite “job” is being a Dad. Visit www.explainingchristianity.com.
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Faith Challenge: Appreciate the presence of God in your family and loved ones. Recognize how magnificently spiritual it is to come home from a busy day and get dinner ready, to hold your kids and wipe their noses. Don’t bemoan the demands of family life in front of others, but give a witness of joy and thankfulness to how God is present in the “messiness” of family life. God became one of us.
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Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, LifeNews, American Family, Vatican, Project Rachel.
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Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion. LIFE Runners Creed. Add Prayers. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.
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Feast Day: St. Margaret of Scotland.
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Faith Quote: “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.” ~ Mt 10:42
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Through Christ our Lord,
Shane
* Pray/Fast: Prayer connects us with God’s will and 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 (and families): Abortion (images) is #1 death cause (22% pregnancies). Prov 24:11 and 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 and re-evangelization of self, by way of prayer (relationship) and following Christ’s example of love (service/sacrifice/mercy). Matt 28:19.