“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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

My Daily Prayers and Readings for 2/24/2011

< >< My Prayer >< >

Buried under the busyness under the sun and the human frailty of me and mine I reach out looking up waiting for you to take my hand and pull me above my weakness and setting my feet back on solid ground.

Abba Father in the name of Christ Jesus who lives within me through the Holy Spirit I pray that You create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me, for my one walk in and with Jesus today. Asking that You bless me and mine in fulfillment of Your will and keep us from evil and pain; and if we get nothing else done this day, let us spend it loving You and others as You love us. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

< >< My Utmost for His Highest >< >

THE DELIGHT OF SACRIFICE

“I will very gladly spend and be spent for you;” 2 Corinthians 12:15

When the Spirit of God has shed abroad the love of God in our hearts, we begin deliberately to identify ourselves with Jesus Christ’s interests in other people, and Jesus Christ is interested in every kind of man there is. We have no right in Christian work to be guided by our affinities; this is one of the biggest tests of our relationship to Jesus Christ. The delight of sacrifice is that I lay down my life for my Friend, not fling it away, but deliberately lay my life out for Him and His interests in other people, not for a cause. Paul spent himself for one purpose only – that he might win men to Jesus Christ. Paul attracted to Jesus all the time, never to himself. “I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” When a man says he must develop a holy life alone with God, he is of no more use to his fellow men: he puts himself on a pedestal, away from the common run of men. Paul became a sacramental personality; wherever he went, Jesus Christ helped Himself to his life. Many of us are after our own ends, and Jesus Christ cannot help Himself to our lives. If we are abandoned to Jesus, we have no ends of our own to serve. Paul said he knew how to be a “door-mat” without resenting it, because the mainspring of his life was devotion to Jesus. We are apt to be devoted, not to Jesus Christ, but to the things which emancipate us spiritually. That was not Paul’s motive. “I could wish my self were accursed from Christ for my brethren” – wild, extravagant – is it? When a man is in love it is not an exaggeration to talk in that way, and Paul is in love with Jesus Christ.

< >< Today in the Word Devotion >< >

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13

As believers we are united and interconnected in Christ. Because of that, our actions take on immense significance. Who we are individually reflects on the entire group. This isn’t meant to be a guilt trip but rather an opportunity for encouragement. We have a responsibility to each other that includes the profound privilege to help each other in faith. In doing so, we honor those who have gone before us and leave a legacy of love.

< >< Today in the Word >< >

Old Testament Survey: ExodusListen now

We begin our study of the book of Exodus with Moody Bible Professor John McMath – Program Notes & Quotes

< >< Today’s Mass Readings >< >

Sirach 5:1-8
Psalm 1:1-4, 6
Mark 9:41-50
< >< Today’s Video Reflection >< >

If only mortals would learn how great it is to possess divine grace, how beautiful, how noble, how precious. How many riches it hides within itself, how many joys and delights! No one would complain about his cross or about troubles that may happen to him, if he would come to know the scales on which they are weighed when they are distributed to men. — St. Rose of Lima

< >< Online Sources for Devotion Scripture References & Daily Mass Readings >< >

Link to Devotion Scriptures unless noted from New International Version BibleGateway.com

Links for today’s readings from USCCB using the New American Bible or

Links for today’s readings from EWTN using the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

For audio link to today’s readings from USCCB using the New American Bible click:

http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/11_02_01.mp3

For link to today’s video Reflection http://www.usccb.org/video/reflections.shtml

< >< Bible Online >< >

BibleGateway.com

< >< Other sources of inspiration on God’s Word >< >

Christianity – Faith in God and Jesus Christ

EWTN

Light Source – Christian Video Broadcasts and Ministry Television Online

Moody Ministries – From the Word to Life

Moody Radio Online

Sermon Index

Today in the Word Radio Online

Today in the Word

Today in the Word Devotional

< >< One Walk – Continuity in Change >< >

See what I’m thinking, listening and reading visit www.RichardAngulo.com follow me on Twitter @richardangulo

See what I’m doing, visit www.raagroup.com follow me on Twitter @raagroup

 

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