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Live It! Today's best advice for practical Christian living Be Prepared to Comfort Others Chuck Swindoll Who can understand what it is like to sit alongside a friend or loved one who is dying from a terminal illness? Who knows the heartache of having a home split apart? What about someone to understand the loss of a child ... or the misery of a teenager on drugs ... or the anguish of living with an alcoholic mate ... or a failure in school ... or the loss of a business? Who on earth understands? I'll tell you who-the person who has been through it wrapped in the blanket of God's comfort. Better than anybody else you, who have endured the stinging experiences, are the choicest counselors God can use. * * * * * * * * * * * * ADVERTISEMENT * * * * * * * * * * * How can you change the world? Help save a child through World Vision's child sponsorship program. For just $26 a month, you'll provide clean water, regular medical care, a secure food supply, and access to education. Request your no obligation packet today! http://l.salemweb.net/worldvision0604/li/082404/ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * This is one of the reasons why we suffer-to be prepared to bring encouragement and comfort to others who come across our path enduring a similar situation. Remember that! Look back at the chain reaction. We suffer ... God comes alongside to comfort ... others suffer ... we step alongside to comfort them. With God's arm firmly around my shoulders, I have the strength and stability to place my arm around the shoulder of another. Isn't this true? Similar experiences create mutual understanding. Because of this we can confidently say that our troubling circumstances are never in vain. The bruises may hurt, but they are not without reason. God is uniquely preparing us for the comfort others will need. In one sense, we are all "preparing for the ministry." Our Father is preparing us to meet the deep, inner needs of others by bringing us through the dark places first. Notice 2 Corinthians 1:8-10. For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us. We wish we knew more about Paul's experience in Asia. All we know is that the battered apostle was pushed to the very edge of his endurance. And then a little bit further. No walls left to lean on, no water left in the well, no fine phrases left to repeat in the face of crisis-the face of death. Paul said, "This is it. End of the rope, end of the line." Perhaps these words are your words. Maybe you are standing with Paul at the desperate point beyond your own strength. Hope has quietly slipped out the back door. The despair is beyond repair. Burdens push heavy on bruised inner tissue. The end has come! Unbelievable as it may seem, God has a reason even in this. Our Father is preparing us to meet the deep inner needs of others by bringing us through the dark places first. For more great articles and resources to help you grow in your faith, visit: http://link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.11.25631.1.1698058 For Copyright Terms go to http://link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.11.25631.2.1698058 ____________________SUBSCRIPTION INFO_______________________ * This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. To unsubscribe from this newsletter immediately, simply click on the link below. If this link is not clickable, simply cut and paste it into the address bar of your browser. http://www.salememail.com/unsub/11/1698058.aspx * Copyright C 2004 Salem Web Network and its Content Providers. All rights reserved. 1698058 ____________________________________________________________ Online predators know that more kids are online in the summer than at any other time of year. Research shows that 90% of children between 8-16 have viewed pornography on the internet. Not because they are looking for it but because porn is looking for them. Don't be a victim. Porn-proof your home with Bsafe.com http://l.salemweb.net/bsafe0604/ ____________________________________________________________ Questions or comments can be sent to [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/BCfwlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kumpulan/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
