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(08/24/2000) is suffering necessary?


Hello prayer warriors, 1. Prayer note: is suffering necessary? [Matthew 5:48] Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Isn't it interesting that what God wants us to pursue in this world now is not happiness, but maturity in Him? Paul also demonstrates this desire of his to follow after God's perfection in [Philippians 3:10-12] 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. How do we attain this maturity and this perfection? One of the key points here is fellowship of His sufferings. Jesus suffered many trials including rejection, loneliness and hardship. Is it necessary for us to experience suffering? [Romans 5:3-4] 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. (NIV) Yes, it is necessary because suffering produces perseverance and perseverance character and character hope. God wants us not just to be happy but to mature and be perfect in Him. And the steps to perfection require that we obtain perseverance and endurance. In order to obtain perseverance and endurance, we need to go through trials and be able to persevere and triumph. If we can triumph over our sufferings, we will obtain an increase in our character and with that character, we will learn to live in a constant state of hope. What is this hope? It is the knowledge that things can only get better because God is with us. I remember something that my pastor said that has really touched me: You only become bitter when you believe that things cannot get better. Do you believe that God can make things better? If that is the case, let us rejoice in our sufferings because we are going one step up the ladder of perfection and things can only get better if only we learn to believe and persevere. 2. New prayer requests: i. Daughter -- guest Please pray for my teenage daughter who is pregnant. I don't seem to get the support from her dad and the church. Pray for a healthy baby which comes in December. For me to be strong for herand also for the baby's father & his mother to be understanding, also for my husband to be supportive & understanding. Things happen in life that we never expect but when it comes we have to pull together. Right now I am facing a really tough time. -Yvette http://mydevotion.com/logos/asp/viewpyrrep.asp?forumid=5&forumtype=2&topicid=322&table=prayer ii. Friend needing prayers -- joyce My friend, Linda, has been battling cancer for several years. She's had so much chemo & radiation that now there is fluid build up around her heart & lungs. Because of this she is scheduled for 3 different surgeries over the next week or so. Please pray for her & her family. It has been quite a struggle & she has been so courageous. Thanks! http://mydevotion.com/logos/asp/viewpyrrep.asp?forumid=5&forumtype=2&topicid=324&table=prayer iii. Healing -- missaudrey My doctor has told me I have a large cyst on my left ovary (which has grown to the size of a softball). The cyst is fluid filled & he feels it is not cancerous. I was given an injection today in hopes that the cyst will shrink & go away on its own. If the cyst is not fully gone in 6 wks, or has increased in size, they will have to do surgery & remove it. I am young, & any surgery on a woman's reproductive organs can lead to future complications. Please pray that the cyst will diminish & I will be spared the surgery. I have been to several doctors (my former gynecologist & ER docs) for the past 8 mos. and this doctor (my new gyn.) is the first to accurately diagnose the severe pain that I have been having. God bless you all & I thank you for your prayers. http://mydevotion.com/logos/asp/viewpyrrep.asp?forumid=5&forumtype=2&topicid=325&table=prayer iv. new baby -- hearts Please pray for my friend Jeanette. She is 6 months pregnant. She is on her way to the doctor to have a sonogram. They say the baby may have a cyst on the brain, which could cause "spina bifida". She's so worried. She's a wonderful friend & fellow Christian. thanks to all the prayer warriors. God bless you all. http://mydevotion.com/logos/asp/viewpyrrep.asp?forumid=5&forumtype=2&topicid=326&table=prayer v. please pray for my Uncle Scottie -- woodchuck My husband's uncle had a heart attack I believe yesterday, & they found out that he has major blockages in his main arteries in his heart. They are getting him ready for surgery right now. Please pray that the Lord will guide the doctor's hands & that His anointing will cover Scottie & the whole situation. Scottie is also in the middle of a seperation from his wife Rhonda, please pray that the Lord would use this situation to bring the two of them back together. They have been married for almost 20 years. Thank you so much prayer warriors for standing in the gap for our family! I pray for you all as well. God bless http://mydevotion.com/logos/asp/viewpyrrep.asp?forumid=5&forumtype=2&topicid=331&table=prayer 3. Number of prayer warriors: 389 We welcome 3213, apostle13, tjm9, eagles, kayeblue, melody, paris, stine and cttoh into our prayer group. One has unsubscribed & two emails have become invalid. in Christ alone, waihun
Thursday, August 24, 2000 1:28:32 PM waihun

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