Quote from Forum Archives on July 20, 2000, 1:10 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

This message, at first, seems to be geared specifically to women. But
I challenge each person to substitute whatever they struggle with in place
of the term PMS (unless, of course, that IS the thing you personally
struggle with).

I can apply this message, for example, to any unhealthy extreme, such as
using computer too much, sitting at home snacking incessantly, or whatever
it may be.

My prayer is that each one of us find ways of applying the scriptures
within this devotional to the events of our personal lives, and giving
them fully to God.

Brother Brian

--- PCCWeb Daily Devotional <[email protected]> wrote:
> Date: 20 Jul 2000 08:55:24 -0000
> Reply-to: Courtney Long <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>
> From: PCCWeb Daily Devotional <[email protected]>
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Daily Devotional for Thursday, July 20, 2000
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> PMS -- BLESSING OR CURSE?
>
> James 1:2-3 - Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face
> trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith
> develops perseverance. (NIV)
>
> Women endure the experience of pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) in the daily
> struggle with being female. It may be an irritation causing her to want
> to verbally kick someone through the nearest door, or the cravings for
> that chocolate ice cream that screams from her freezer. No matter how
> major or minor her experience may be, the fact remains that this time of
> month presents a spiritual challenge.
>
> Genesis 3:16 - To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains
> in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children." (NIV)
>
> Since near the beginning of time, the process of being fruitful and
> multiplying has been a difficult task. The process is painful in one
> form or another, starting with the first period through to the last days
> of menopause.
>
> I have always considered PMS to be the curse of womankind, (something
> I'd like to take up with Eve). I have endured all the mental and
> physical discomforts of PMS, so, when my feelings tell me to act a
> certain way, I have the license to act on them -- Right?
>
> Give this some thought: You are in the middle of a PMS fit. Your family
> is walking around the house on eggshells. Suddenly the doorbell rings!
> There stands your pastor! What do you do?
>
> A. Keep on having a fit, (after all, you should be true to your
> feelings), or
> B. Put on your "Happy Christian" face and act like nothing is wrong.
>
> I think I know what I would do! Which leads me to ask, if I am able to
> be self-controlled in front of the pastor, then why can't I do that for
> my family or simply for my God? Is the pastor's opinion of me any more
> important than God's opinion?
>
> Self-control: Fruit of the Spirit. Control of one's self or one's
> actions or feelings (*American College Dictionary*)
>
> We all go through hardships in our lives that seem like a curse at the
> time. (My husband always refers to them as part of spiritual boot camp.)
> They are unpleasant, difficult, and hard to deal with, but God is always
> faithful to turn these times around to benefit us and "grow us up" into
> his image.
>
> Deuteronomy 23:5 - However, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam
> but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God
> loves you. (NIV)
>
> Blessing: "To bestow good of any kind upon... Anything for our benefit
> and wellbeing, to bestow great favour upon, to protect from harm or
> evil." (*American College Dictionary*)
>
> Why then is PMS not considered a blessing? Not only is it part of the
> process of being fruitful, but it also gives us the opportunity to
> develop self-control. Developing this fruit of the Spirit benefits each
> of our lives. Therefore, I deduce that PMS is, in reality, a blessing.
>
> The next time we have to deal with the effects of PMS, let's smile to
> ourselves and say, "Here is my opportunity to win this battle and be
> queen of self-control."
>
> Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, thank you for PMS and please help me to
> see it (in myself or my spouse) as an opportunity to grow in
> self-control and perseverance. Amen.
>
> Courtney Long <[email protected]>
> Boone, Iowa, USA
>
> TODAY'S CANADIAN BIBLE SOCIETY SCRIPTURE READING:
> Psalm 89:38-52 <bible.gospelcom.net/bible?Psalm+89:38-52>
>
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> PRAYERLINE REQUESTS for Thursday, July 20, 2000:
> Jesus promised: If two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for,
> it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. (Matthew 18:19)
> ========================================================================
> Today's Presbyterian Prayer Partnership Prayer Request
> - posted by Grace-ann McIntyre <[email protected]>
>
> Pray for everyone in the Synod of Alberta and the Northwest, and for
> their clerk, Winona Haliburton.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Subject: Brokenhearted, 7/19/00
>
> Please pray for me. The man I have loved for many years, married another
> woman two weeks ago,and doesn't even acknowledge that I ever existed.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Subject: Praise Report, posted by William Markentell
> <[email protected]>, 7/19/00
>
> Calvin called; Bro. Hodges's Dad is doing well. He had 4 bypasses done.
> Praise the Lord.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Subject: MONIQUE & CALLIE STRYDOM - Phillipine Hostages, 7/19/00
>
> Hi everyone in the name of Jesus. God is SO faithful - all the time!
> Keep praying warriors for a speedy release for the hostages and for
> physical and emotional healing. Pray also that they will be able to
> forgive their captors as Father forgives us. Ask Father to instill in
> them His divine love for their captors. Pray that the captors feel
> Father's presence moving within them and hear His voice calling them.
> Pray that the hostages do not get discouraged and give in to fear, but
> let them remember that our Father has victory after victory and He will
> never leave them nor forsake them. They are His creation and He loves
> them. Thank you all for praying in the name of Jesus.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Subject: Please pray, posted by Judy <[email protected]>,
> 7/19/00
>
> Please pray that the Lord will show me a way that I can use my life to
> bless others.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Subject: Praise God, posted by Don Shuttleworth
> <[email protected]>, 7/19/00
>
> Thank you for saving the life of my friend Peter. He was traveling in
> his truck in Red Dear Alberta last weekend at the time the tornado was
> approaching. He was talking on his cell phone to his wife and his phone
> went dead. Thank you Jesus for protecting Peter. Pete was also saved
> from an oil well explosion that same day. Oh Lord thank you for saving
> Pete.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Subject: You shelter me .., posted by Julie Stace
> <[email protected]>, 7/19/00
>
> My close friend Marike lost her brother (39)in a motorbike accident last
> year has just phoned me and broke down. She is experiencing such loss
> and sorrow. Marike has been strong for everyone and she speaks to God
> daily but is still feeling complete emptiness. Her family has come
> under attack where their health is concerned. She is a divorcee and has
> a constant financial battle, where necessities like food and petrol to
> work is even a problem. I pray earnestly that you all will say a
> special prayer for her as she has been prone to thoughts of suicide and
> has even tried it. God is not ready to take her yet ....
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Subject: Prayer for healing, posted by Linda Hill <[email protected]>,
> 7/19/00
>
> Symptoms hair loss and discomfort itching, almost fainted several days
> ago. Strange symptoms. Blood test negative problems except high
> chlosterol which should not cause these problems. I need prayer for
> healing either supernaturally or in the doctor's office. Also, I need
> emotional help as well Emotionally unstable and need to let go of
> trying to orchestrate a relationship. Need God's help in my forgiving
> myself, God and those who wounded me.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Subject: Difficult Situation, 7/19/00
>
> Please pray for Management Committee of a small town church as they try
> to deal with a difficult situation between the church secretary and
> custodian. The outcome, either way, could cause a rift in the church
> unless all involved listen to God's leading.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Subject: Prayer for Tornado victims, posted by Laurie Smith
> <[email protected]>, 7/19/00
>
> Please pray for all those that were affected by the tornado in Pine Lake
> Alberta on July 14, 2000. Pray that they might still see the hand of
> God and know His mercy and grace, even through this terrible time.
> Please also give "Thanks" as my husband was just 7 km away, driving down
> the highway when the tornado touched down. By God's grace, he was not
> injured and arrived at his destination safely. All Praise and Glory to
> our Saviour!
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Subject: Pray for my friend, pray for me!, posted by Anthony Bullock
> <[email protected]>, 7/19/00
>
> I come here often to be lifted up in prayer as I believe in the power of
> prayer. I come here again this week asking that you pray for a friend
> of mine, Lynda Upchurch, in North Carolina. From kindergarten through
> high school, and church, we have been around each other all of our
> lives. She has recently been bound with a condition that are baffling
> doctors in which they cannot find the cause. She has severe fainting
> spells; one minute all is normal and then the next, she blacks out.
> Because of this, she is also in need of financial prayer -- the health
> bills are becoming enormous. She is a wife and a mother of two teenage
> sons and a Christian. For myself, I have a strong spirit and sometimes
> I feel that the spirit is tampering with a good soul! I am one of the
> kindest people that ever walked the face of the earth and will help
> anyone; I am freehearted, a kindred soul -- please pray for me
> financially, spiritually, mentally that I rise above this as I am embark
> on my relocation efforts from Washington, DC to New York City, and that
> my family understands that it is a move that is powerfully positive.
> God Bless all that understand and feel my emotion of what I am
> experiencing as well as my friend, Lynda.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Subject: Angry, depressed, estranged husband , posted by Myrtle
> Macdonald <[email protected]>, 7/19/00
>
> Walter has a had a very hard time coping with the inadequate treatment
> of his wife Linda, who has schizophrenia. He has been verbally abusive
> with Mental Health professionals, trying to get them to do more for his
> wife. They have lived apart for two years. She apparently is infested
> with head lice and the kitchen with bugs in the flour and on the fruit.
> She may even have bedbugs, but she denies all this to her worker and
> deceives them. Now her worker has been transferred. Pray that she will
> have a worker who will go into her apartment and help her learn and
> practice housekeeping skills. Pray that the nurse will treat her
> headlice repeatedly, and that there will be fumigation. Pray for
> Michael, 16 and Jennifer 14 who are caught in the middle living parttime
> with both parents. They love both, but know little about housework. I
> know them all well, but do not know how I can help. Their father is a
> good cook and obese, depressed and has much pain from fibromyalgia, he
> says.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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=====
--
Brian Masinick, "The Mas", mailto:[email protected]
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/
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