debbiekay429

1. Paul knew the power of prayer, and asked for his brothers and sisters in the Lord to pray for him. It surely would have helped heal the rift between him and the church there too...its hard to stay emotionally distant from someone you are praying for. Like when we obey god's command to Pray for our enemies, after a time they don't seem like enemies anymore. We see them for what they are....others created by God with needs too. Maybe even with the biggest need of all....Christ. 2. Prayers of others effect us because it releases good things from God. He says we lack because we do not ask. Also it helps just to know that there are people praying for you. 3. I am sorry to say that prayer is my weak point but I tend to be best at intercessary prayer after having a personal encounter with someone who is really in need of prayer and God's help. When we open up to each other and stop hiding behind the masks we wear and risk showing others we don't "have it all together" its then that we can really relate and feel empathy for each other. We also have a better understanding of how best to pray for them. This has happened through retreats I have been on where several of us girls go to a conference together and share a hotel room. After listening to godly speakers all day the sharing begins and when we all start to get real with each other we gain a better understanding or the stuggles we are each going through and how best to pray for each other.

1. Facing a harrowing crisis helps us grow by causing a crisis of faith. We have to look at the situation and realize we can't do it on our own power then we have to decide if we are going to put our trust in God to help us in the situation. We have to look at it from God's point of view instead of ours in the midst of the storm. God can see the whole situation and then outcome that will bring him glory. We have to then decide if we are going to keep trying to fix it ourselves or trust God and join him in what he wants to accomplish through this trial. The more we decide to put our trust in him the stonger our failth grows. 2. I have had several crisis to go through and each time it has driven me into God's word and into his loving presence. Sometimes it has even taken me to God's "woodshed" so to speak and it was the sweetest discipline I have ever known. In fact it is indescribable unless you have been there yourself. 3. There is great value in learning NOT to depend on ourselves. It takes a weight off our shoulders. It seems to me that is mostly less about relying on ourselves as it is giving up control to God. 4. This giving up of control and self reliance puts our pride out of the picture where it belongs. 5. This makes us better servants becasue it frees us up to experience the true power of God and then we can in turn share our experience of that with others who are struggling in the same areas that we have. We also can approach them with more love, and compassion having been there ourselves. We are much less apt to judge others falsely once we have been through a rough experience ourself.

1. It is my faith in God that gets me through the tough times. Knowing that God is in control of everthing even when things look very out of control gives me great comfort. 2. So often the Lord speaks directly to me and my needs when I am in a close personal relationship with him. the best way to maintaine that closeness is being in daily contact with him through prayer,bible reading & study. 3. I have the perfect oppurtunity to give comfort to someone who is sufferin right now....just today my husband and I received a letter from a childhood friend of our sons who has made some bad choices the last few years and is now serving 6 months in prison. I was so thankful to learn that while he spent 45 days in confinement with nothing to do but eat, sleep and read, that he chose to read the bible. Which brought him closer to the Lord and allowed him to show him that there is more to life than the way he had been living it and that there is still a chance for him to turn his life around. Now he is in a differnt facility and in an answer to his prayers he is closer to his home so his family may visit him. He also has things to do to occupy himself and keep fit and said there is a library and church services where he attends twice a week. He also is going to AA meetings every week. He is still reading his bible and along with that the Left Behind series. So I hope to share comfort with him by writing to him and encouraging him in his closer walk with the Lord. I also intend to share things I learn in this very study with him. 4. The very first words of comfort I thouht of when I read this part of the question was..."Casting all your cares upon Him because he cares for you. "

Hi Everyone! I am very excited to try out my first bible study on this site. I have done one other online study about a year ago on another site and really enjoyed it. I am hoping that by joining the forum it will be easier to stick with the bible study. I just wish I had jumped in right at the beginning. Can't wait to see what God has in store for me to learn.