People can become desperate when they are ill or stricken in some way. Several have said to me that they asked God for help and didn’t get an answer. So they went to shamans, occult healers or various pagan practices.
I tell them that it is not that God didn’t hear your prayer. Rather, God did not give you what you wanted, but he gave you what you needed. We need to trust.
The lame man in today’s Gospel was not healed by the local superstition that a stirring of the waters would heal the first person who waded in. Rather, he was healed because of his personal encounter with Jesus. Jesus then warns him to “not sin any more” so that “nothing worse may happen to you.”
I have often found that people who resort to occult or pagan practices for healing are worse off for it. Let us turn to Jesus and trust in him, whatever is sent our way.
What do you think “occult or pagan practices” may look like in today’s world/culture? *** My family used have a shrine in our house for our ancestors that we pray to with incense and food! We have a specific idol for healing! We have a specific idol for prosperity! We have a specific idol for a home! We have a specific idol for just about everything and anything! *** Who or what do you go to when you have a specific need? How about selling a house? How about being sick very sick? How about a lost cause? Do you go to someone or something when you have a specific need because someone told you or your parents did that? *** Do you have to do certain things in certain ways because you believe that otherwise bad things will happen? I was yelled at by a stranger because I opened an umbrella inside a store! My husband told me not to put a hat on the bed! (He doesn’t believe that any more :-) What else do you believe? ******* Exodus 20:4-5, “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject Me!” *** Psalm 135:15-18, “The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and mouths but cannot breathe. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them!” *** 1 John 5:21, “Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts!” What about not to take God’s place but in addition to God? The more the merrier, right? I don’t want to miss out on anyone or anything! *** Isaiah 44:20, “That’s as foolish as eating ashes! The mind of someone like that has led him astray. He can’t save himself. He can’t bring himself to say,“This thing I’m holding in my right hand isn’t really a god at all.” ******* I really don’t need anyone or anything but only Jesus ❤️✝️❤️ When I have a direct line and I don’t need a transfer line!
A 40-day prayer journal specifically for my daughter, Katie, the self proclaim agnostic to come back and walk with Jesus, her Savior and soon to be Lord ✝️ *** Day Twenty three - Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sitting here in awe of all that you have done to put this family back together from a six month separation and divorce court proceedings 24 years ago! Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, so we have life in the fullest! *** There is one more thing I want for this family to walk with You as a family…please bring Katie back into Your fold! Jeremiah 31:16-17, “The Lord says, “Do not weep anymore. Do not let tears fall from your eyes. I will reward you for your work, ”announces the Lord.“ Your children will return from the land of the enemy. So there is hope for your children, “announces the Lord.“Your children will return to their own land!” Amen ✝️ *** I am grateful for You in hearing and answering my plead according to the Holy Spirit and Your will! Romans 8:27, “And the Father Who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will!” Amen ✝️
Prayers for peace in this world, and for our Lord to touch all those who are suffering from alcoholism.
Good morning LFF. Asking for prayers for my brother Stephen who is having his second knee replacement today. I am hopeful that all goes well and his recovery is smooth as he had a mild stroke about 7 years ago.
Praying this evening for you and your brother, Marybeth. I second the words of Ken about taking PT very seriously.
Marybeth I will pray for you and Steven right now I had my knees replaced, he must rehab seriously. Praying for both of you right now Ken
MaryBeth...Yes, praying for a smooth, uneventful knee replacement surgery for Stephen. God Bless.
Marybeth, praying for your brother, Stephen, that the Lord will be with him and watch over him. Blessings to you too.
Trusting God: "The best thing for us is not what we consider best, but what the Lord wants of us." St. Josephine Bakhita
"Lord Jesus, put within my heart a burning desire to be changed and transformed in your way of holiness. Let your Holy Spirit purify my heart and renew in me a fervent love and desire to do whatever is pleasing to you and to refuse whatever is contrary to your will." Alleluia
Amen.
Amen!
AMEN!
Thank you Msgr Rossetti for those words of encouragement. It's so very hard to be patient and trusting these days. Blessings to all the LFF. May God hold and guide all those going through hard times right now and make their road smoother to follow. May the God and the Holy Spirit guide our world leaders to lead this world into a heavenly earth.
Stormi, Miguel and Frank thank you for your pray requests. Living faith family sharing this. Living faith family note the prayer requests inside the " " are mine Father in Heaven, have mercy on us and on the whole world! You sent Your Son, the Prince of Peace, for the salvation of the world. We pray that the Peace of Christ will reign in Ukraine, the middle east, countries in Africa and for the conversion of Mr Putin. Please protect and send aid to those in Ukraine, Gaza and all who are at-risk. We pray for peace – we who are working towards it and for all who are in danger from this conflict. We pray for an end to violence and war – we pray for wisdom for all leaders who have a hand in this. Lord God please help those in most need of thy mercy. "" We pray for the souls in purgatory We also pray for those who have no one to pray for them, and the families of the tragic shootings, Pray for the first responders, and the essential workers, nurses, doctors and medical professionals, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and their families of all the above, and all those who have suffered from the: floods, heat, fires, earthquakes, tornadoes and mud slides, and, those who have no clean water, victims and survivors of climate changes, and rising of the sea's. Please pray for those recovering from any surgeries or medical procedures. Please pray for Kevin, Debbie and her daughter Anna, Stephanie and her daughter Christine, Please pray ESPECIALLY FOR THE NEEDS OF OUR LIVING FAITH FAMILY "" Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us! Saint Joseph, Protector of Mary, Jesus and the Church, pray for us! Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, may your kingdom reign in Ukraine and all the world. Ken
Amen.
Amen!
Praying for the Pope. Praying for immigrants, for workers losing their jobs, and for the poor, hungry and sick across the world who are in need of food and medical aid. Praying for Ukraine and its people.
Amen.
Amen.
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My way never works out, it’s always better to follow His way, the true Way. LFF thank you all for your prayers for my healing. Feeling so much better today, we actually went out tonight. God Bless you all and praying for your intentions and healings needed.