Choose Life

Death surrounds us always, choose God and life.

Why do you seek my Son
nailed to a cross of wood?
He has torn Himself free.
Seek Him among my children,
His brothers and sisters.

1 Peter 5:8-9

Be calm and vigilant, because your enemy the devil is prowling round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to eat. Stand up to him, strong in faith.

I have been going through a time of darkness, a time of self pity.  The evil-one, the great deceiver is calling to me.  I must be strong and as St. Peter said, "Stand up to him, strong in faith."

Lord this I ask of You strength your Holy Spirit in me.

Consume me with your Love, fill me with your Holy Spirit. 

Give me the strength to do battle with the great deceiver.

Strength my resolve, increase my faith.

1 John 3:14-18

"Whoever does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. The way we came to know love was that he laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him?  Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth."

Love is the key; we must love ourselves before we can love others but our love of others must be greater than our love of self.  Jesus showed us the way; for he loved us all and He gave up His life nailed to a cross for our salvation.  As He died He asked forgiveness for those who nailed Him to the cross.

        Lord this day fill me with your love.

        Without your love I am nothing.

        Fill me with your love so that I can

        love others.

        Not just my friends and family but 

        those who would cause me harm.

        For it is easy to love those who

        love us.

        I pray that you give me the

       strength to love those who hate

        me.

        

[Philippians 2:2-4 ©]

Be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind. There must be no competition among you, no conceit; but everybody is to be self-effacing. Always consider the other person to be better than yourself, so that nobody thinks of his own interests first but everybody thinks of other people’s interests instead.

What a wonderful world this would be if we could do what Paul tells us to do, what he learned from our Lord Jesus Christ.  Be united in love, have a common purpose, do away with conceit, learn to cooperate instead of compete, consider the other person putting his or her interest first.  I wish I could be as Paul instructs me, but all too often I think of me first, last and always.  I  puff myself up with my own importance, what I fool I am. 

Lord, this day show me the Way.

Remove all self pity and pride-fullness from me,

Let me remember to put others before myself.

Deflate my ego, humble me O'Lord.

Let me see You in all the people 

I meet and see today.

Strengthen and renew me this day.

I pray,

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!

What Did Jesus Do?

A while back; a wrist band with the initials "WWJD" was very popular. It was to remind us when we acted to think first, " What Would Jesus Do." I believe we should now focus on "WDJD" or "What Did Jesus Do." Maybe we should focus on "What Jesus Did Not Do." He did not call down an army of angels to destroy His persecutors; instead He did say,"Father forgive them..." He told us to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, help the oppressed. I can see a world where people help one another, love one another and look for Jesus in one another. All we have to do is forget about material things and focus on "What Did Jesus Do."  He died on the Cross to save the whole world; you and me.  Lord I pray:

Fill me with your love so that I might love.

Cleanse me of my sins.
 Help me to forget about gaining more things and to remember others
 who are in need.

When I am full remind me of those who are hungry.

When I am warm remind me of those who are cold.

When I have a home remind me of those who are homeless.

When I am angry at someone teach me to forgive.

Lord teach me to look for you in my brothers and sister.
And let me always remember what You did.
                                                                                                Amen

Open Your Eyes

Look around, what do you see? Everywhere I look I see God’s handy work; His creative hand is all around us. We just have to open our eyes to Him. Look for Him; He is with us always.
Lord open my eyes!
So that I might see you;
In the sunrise and sunset
In the birds of the air, in all God's creation
But most of all in my brothers and sister.