[The Mayor]

March 27, 2006

Strength & Support

Read:
Job 4:1-11

Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have strengthened the feeble knees. —Job 4:4

Bible In One Year: Judges 1-3; Luke 4:1-30

The local newspaper reported that a mother is devastated because her 21-year-old son, who had always seemed like an upright young man, had been arrested for dealing drugs.

Also in our community, the parents and siblings of a 15-year-old are grieving because he was killed in a gun accident.

An aged friend is heartbroken because her only daughter, the person she depended on more than all others, died from cancer.

People who are hurting have a common need: the comfort that comes from trusting God. They need to be assured that tragedy and grief are not a mark of God's disfavor but that He weeps with them, He loves them, and He will never leave those who are His.

Eliphaz said to Job: "Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have strengthened feeble knees" (Job 4:4). Job earned this tribute despite his own deep suffering. And when we offer comfort to sorrowing and suffering people, we not only emulate Job—we emulate Jesus.

In the midst of a host of hurting people, each one of us can reach out to become a comforter like Job. Let's ask God to make our hearts tender enough to support and strengthen those who are hurting. —Herb Vander Lugt

Reach out and give your love to the loveless,
Reach out and make a home for the homeless;
Reach out and shed God's light in the darkness—
Reach out and let the smile of God touch through you. —Brown
© 1971 Word, Inc

God doesn't comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters.

FOR FURTHER STUDY
Where Can We Find Comfort?

March 27, 2006

Strength & Support

Read:
Job 4:1-11

Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have strengthened the feeble knees. —Job 4:4

Bible In One Year: Judges 1-3; Luke 4:1-30

The local newspaper reported that a mother is devastated because her 21-year-old son, who had always seemed like an upright young man, had been arrested for dealing drugs.

Also in our community, the parents and siblings of a 15-year-old are grieving because he was killed in a gun accident.

An aged friend is heartbroken because her only daughter, the person she depended on more than all others, died from cancer.

People who are hurting have a common need: the comfort that comes from trusting God. They need to be assured that tragedy and grief are not a mark of God's disfavor but that He weeps with them, He loves them, and He will never leave those who are His.

Eliphaz said to Job: "Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have strengthened feeble knees" (Job 4:4). Job earned this tribute despite his own deep suffering. And when we offer comfort to sorrowing and suffering people, we not only emulate Job—we emulate Jesus.

In the midst of a host of hurting people, each one of us can reach out to become a comforter like Job. Let's ask God to make our hearts tender enough to support and strengthen those who are hurting. —Herb Vander Lugt

Reach out and give your love to the loveless,
Reach out and make a home for the homeless;
Reach out and shed God's light in the darkness—
Reach out and let the smile of God touch through you. —Brown
© 1971 Word, Inc

God doesn't comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters.

FOR FURTHER STUDY
Where Can We Find Comfort?

[luvie]

...and here you are again! ;o)

And, thanks again for your beautiful lessons from God's Word.

[Dubya]

Good evening. Thanks for the post.

[Diver Dave]

Good Evening, Mr. Mayor.

Just finished writing another letter to the editor. Letter contains a sarcastic note to the Bush-Bashers over the past three years.

[Dubya]

North County's Vietnam memorial dedicated (CALIF)

[.30Carbine]

God doesn't comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters.

Quote of the Day! Thank you for the ping to another great devotional: indeed, the Lord our God does all things to help and guide us, to provide for and teach and humble and exalt us because He Is Love. Our pain is not 'punishment' from God, but rather opportunity...growing pain! This is why the word above is so good and true: when we have overcome, when we have taken the opportunity provided by our trials to grow and we have endured through the hurting to the joy at the other side of any particular 'cross,' we have the divine resources with which to walk alongside another journeyman with hope, amen.

[DollyCali]

Posted by La Enchiladita to DollyCali On News/Activism ^ 03/26/2006 10:38:56 PM EST · 275 of 277 ^

I liked '16 Blocks.' Did you see it?

You're more adventurous about movies than I am; don't feel drawn to V for Vendetta. I know you keep up with a lot of movies, are there any others you recommend for a traditionalist like me? Hehe.

O, so there are deer. Maybe jackrabbits too? The dogs would chase them.

I liked 16 blocks also and if you liked that you might like V.. there were some interesting elements ..actually intriguing. Politically there were points being made & like it or not it weaved into the story line well. Actually that was at the core of the movie.

If you liked 16 blocks, it seems not to "traditionalist"!!!

Trads like gone w/wind, sleepless in Seattle, dr Z etc..

Gentle recent movies I liked: Nanny McFee, pride & prejudice, Narnia, Pink Panther, Fun with dick & Jane, walk the line,Eight below,Memoirs of a Geisha, king Kong, cache --- (by gentle I mean NO gore/blood per se)

I do want to see Inside man..both it & V were highly rated by rotten tomatoes as new opens worth seeing.

some of the "heavy movies: I liked recently: Capote, harry potter (lots of dark elements), syriana, crash (just saw it again at theater), Matador, Munich,

[Billie]

Good morning, Rus. Thank you as always for your dedication in bringing us the Military Monday thread week in and week out. It means a lot, and it helps more than you may realize that it's the one day each week we know is constant and so very well taken care of. :)

Now where's that crown? :)

[PreviouslyA-Lurker]

Another good one, Mayor.

[Diver Dave]

Here's a little something that's attached to another niece's emails - an Army wife.

Figured y'all could make it look even nicer inserted onto a table.