Feb 19, 2018
Day 6: Monday, February 19th, 2018
February 19th, 2018
 
1 Peter 5:6
 

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

 

Lent is that period running from Ash Wednesday and leading up to the celebration of Easter.  It is the time where we, as Christians, seek to prepare ourselves for the miracle of the Resurrection.  This preparation, both physical and mental, comes from many    different sources that have evolved over time.  Denying ourselves personal luxuries, fasting, and seeking through prayer and penance to purify our thoughts and body bring us into a stronger relationship with God.  Then and only then are we truly ready for the  celebration, for the rejoicing in the Resurrection of Christ.  But beyond our rejoicing,  this is also a time where we should reflect on the sacrifices and suffering of our Lord, 

seeking a more complete understanding of what that means to us and to the world, what it means to be a disciple of Christ, and what we need to do to truly transform our world and bring about His kingdom on earth.  As Peter notes in his letter, our immediate need this Lenten season is the humbling of ourselves to the will of the Father and, through that humility, be lifted up to become a true Christian, a true disciple of the Lord, an agent truly committed to transformation!

 

A Prayer from the Catholic Church for this Lenten season:

“Almighty and Everlasting God, You have given the human race Jesus Christ our    Savior as a model of humility.  He fulfilled Your will by becoming Man and giving His life on the cross.  Help us to bear witness to You by following His example of suffering and make us worthy to share in His resurrection.  We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son. Amen.

 

Contributed by Dave Hall

 

 
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  • Feb 19, 2018Day 6: Monday, February 19th, 2018
    Feb 19, 2018
    Day 6: Monday, February 19th, 2018
    February 19th, 2018
     
    1 Peter 5:6
     

    Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

     

    Lent is that period running from Ash Wednesday and leading up to the celebration of Easter.  It is the time where we, as Christians, seek to prepare ourselves for the miracle of the Resurrection.  This preparation, both physical and mental, comes from many    different sources that have evolved over time.  Denying ourselves personal luxuries, fasting, and seeking through prayer and penance to purify our thoughts and body bring us into a stronger relationship with God.  Then and only then are we truly ready for the  celebration, for the rejoicing in the Resurrection of Christ.  But beyond our rejoicing,  this is also a time where we should reflect on the sacrifices and suffering of our Lord, 

    seeking a more complete understanding of what that means to us and to the world, what it means to be a disciple of Christ, and what we need to do to truly transform our world and bring about His kingdom on earth.  As Peter notes in his letter, our immediate need this Lenten season is the humbling of ourselves to the will of the Father and, through that humility, be lifted up to become a true Christian, a true disciple of the Lord, an agent truly committed to transformation!

     

    A Prayer from the Catholic Church for this Lenten season:

    “Almighty and Everlasting God, You have given the human race Jesus Christ our    Savior as a model of humility.  He fulfilled Your will by becoming Man and giving His life on the cross.  Help us to bear witness to You by following His example of suffering and make us worthy to share in His resurrection.  We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son. Amen.

     

    Contributed by Dave Hall

     

     
  • Feb 18, 2018Day 5: Sunday, February 18th, 2018
    Feb 18, 2018
    Day 5: Sunday, February 18th, 2018

    Sunday, February 18, 2018  

    Jeremiah 29:11

    “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

     

    Our grandson Jack is 15 months old.  As many of you know, he was born with two very rare eye conditions leaving him blind. One of Jack’s eyes never formed, and the other eye was extremely underdeveloped. Both of his eye conditions were undetected prior to birth. Immediately after he was born, Jack was rushed to the neonatal ICU. Within hours of his birth, doctors told us that he would never see. I’ll never forget the moment the doctors told us those words. Jack will never see.  We were rejoicing over his birth and yet so overwhelmed with the raw emotion of learning about Jack’s conditions.

     

    We called our family and friends. One of our dear friends, a pastor and his wife, told us they were driving immediately in from Dallas to be with us. They wanted to pray over Jack and place their hands on him. Our friend told us, the Lord kept repeating to me Jeremiah 29:11 over and over the whole way here! He placed his hands on Jack and recited this beautiful verse. He declared this verse for Jack. We all cried and praised God! This is the verse we declare for Jack every day.  

     

    It is the most amazing thing! Complete strangers will come up to us, lay their hands on Jack and pray for him. Many times they recite Jeremiah 29:11. God has such wonderful things planned for our sweet Jack! We are so blessed to watch God’s works in his life. Praise be to God!

     

    Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding us all of your promises for our lives. May we be forever grateful for your love and devotion to each of us. May we always find comfort in the words you give us through scripture.  Amen.

     

    Contributed by Nancy McCullough

  • Feb 17, 2018Day 4: Saturday, February 17th, 2018
    Feb 17, 2018
    Day 4: Saturday, February 17th, 2018

    Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

     

    It is a tradition in my family that when a child reaches school age, he/she receives his/her own personal Bible.  My first Bible was a King James Bible that I received on February 17, 1947.

     

    One of my first Bible verses I remember learning was Psalm 119:105 in the King James version.  Mrs. Anderson was her name and she encouraged all the children in her Sunday school classroom to memorize Bible verses.  Today we have many versions of the Bible, but my favorite one is the New International Version (NIV).

     

    I no longer carry a heavy Bible with me.  I use a smartphone.  The site I use is Bible Gateway.  On that site I can pull up 49 versions of the Bible as well as audio, Bible maps, commentaries, devotionals, and Bible dictionaries.  God’s word is there to give us hope and guidance and to help us grow spiritually and to share with others so they may come to know God.

     

    The Bible for me is a life-long journey.  I hope it is for all of us.
     
     

    Prayer:

    Oh God, help us build on our relationship with You through the scriptures. Amen.

     

       Contributed by Elaine Passman

     

  • Feb 16, 2018Day 3: Friday, February 16th, 2018
    Feb 16, 2018
    Day 3: Friday, February 16th, 2018

    Friday, February 16, 2018                                                                          

    James 5:16

     “Pray for one another, that you may be healed.”

     

    Several years ago, my best friend Mike Quinn called me one Sunday after church and told me that he was on his was up to Baylor Scott & White in Dallas because his wife Tina was experiencing liver failure, and the hospital here had exhausted all possible avenues for her treatment. I immediately began to pray for her healing and made my way up to Dallas to be with him. The week was long with so many ups and downs. By Friday evening the doctors informed Mike that unless she had a liver donor, she wasn’t going to make it through the weekend, and he needed to gather the family members together so they could say their last goodbyes. Mike had called me when he received the news, and we cried on the phone. I tried to find the right words to say, but was at a loss. What do you say to someone that has just been told that someone they love so dearly is not going to make it through the weekend unless a miracle happens?? I told him I would continue to pray for Tina and lift her up to the Lord for healing. Exhausted, I arrived home late that Friday night but was so restless I could not sleep. I usually sit on the side of our bed and say my daily prayers before I go to sleep, but this night I walked into our den and got down on my knees and prayed for a miracle of some kind to happen. No sooner had I finished my prayer than my phone rang, and it was Mike. A long pause ensued, and in a broken and tearful voice he said, “We have a donor!” Four years have passed this past October, and Tina has fully recovered with no side effects and lives a normal healthy life.

     

    Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray for Your healing hands to cure the sick and comfort those who are in need. In your holy name I pray, Amen.

     

    Contributed by Dave McCullough

     

  • Feb 15, 2018Day 2: Thursday, February 15th, 2018
    Feb 15, 2018
    Day 2: Thursday, February 15th, 2018

    Teach a child to choose the right path, and when he is older he will remain upon it." (Proverbs 22:6)

    FAMILY

    My parents were dedicated to family and demonstrated and lived worldly Christian values.  They took us to church to establish the basic fundamentals of life.  They ensured we were educated to meet the challenges of the community.  They set the   standards for the future.  We were led by our good deeds and strong faith in the Church and Jesus Christ.  My brother, sister, and I were guided to success in life.  Our success spilled over to the church, school, on the job, and family.  Today, all family members are successful, educated, and accept responsibilities associated with growing up and raising families.  They are loving, supporting, caring people who are thankful for the past and continue to reach for a better future.  The benefits of growing up in the church and a growing family continue to demonstrate strong and productive families.  Today, our families worship together and strive for a more fruitful future.  We have learned to appreciate and support each other in all aspects of life.  Our children, grandchildren, and great-grandson are living examples of the grace of God, and we continue to follow the teachings of the Bible to reach the mountaintop.

     

    Prayer:

    Dear God, thank You for family.  Thank You for the continued life and living teachings of the Bible, inward peace, and prosperity.  We pray for the Church, its leaders, and its families.  We ask for Your forgiveness and continued blessings on the Church, the    community, and its members. Amen.

     

                                                                                              Contributed by Jos Portmann

     

  • Feb 14, 2018Day 1, Ash Wednesday, February 14th, 2018
    Feb 14, 2018
    Day 1, Ash Wednesday, February 14th, 2018

    Do everything in love.”  (Corinthians 16:14)

    “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that  whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

     

    When I chose my devotional for Valentine’s Day/Ash Wednesday, I really hadn’t     considered their connection.  We mortals celebrate Valentine’s Day for lovers, those who are in love, and maybe those who are looking for love.  I’ve been fortunate to be married to my best friend for nearly 38 years (tomorrow), and in love with him all these years.  Then it dawned on me that if you consider the most important love of all times, it comes to us from God, who sacrificed His only Son so that we might have everlasting life.  I can only imagine the enormity of that gift, as losing a child, for whatever reason, is the most painful type of love that I know.  Losing my oldest daughter 20 years ago last August has allowed me to experience some of the pain that our Lord must have felt.

    I hope during this 40 days of Lent you will be able to experience the love that our Lord showers on us daily in our walk with Him, and that you will be able to experience both the joy in giving love as well as receiving it.

     

    Prayer:

    Thank you, Lord, for the love you have put in my life.  I hope that  I can be the person that You want me to be, showing love to all I meet. Amen.

     

    Contributed by Marty Portmann

     

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