Quote from Forum Archives on December 28, 2001, 9:02 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

I was given Stuart Briscoe's One Year Devotions for Men. Typical of
things for men these days, this devotional came with a twist - a CD
containing an eBook - a way to read the messages from a computer!

So I thought I'd try it out today, and I'd also try experimenting with a
different text editor to compose and arrange the text of the message.
So far, it looks good. This particular message is all about devotion.
I am personally devoted to several things. I am devoted to my family.
I am devoted to my friends. I am devoted to my passion for technology.
And of course, as I write this, you know that I am devoted to my God.

Speaking of family, my family calls, so I hope you enjoy this!

It is now several hours later. Two of my children have been ill,
and I had to take care of some urgent needs. I have been
occupied with my family for the past five hours or so. It is now
9 PM and I am taking a few moments to send this out before
spending the rest of the evening with my wife.

I pray that each of you will find appropriate ways to prioritize
God, family, friends, work, and other matters in your life. Put
God first, and He will guide you in all other things.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

December 28
TO READ: Romans 15:1-13
DEVOTION

So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and
full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with hope
through the power of the Holy Spirit. ROMANS 15:13

The man who is devoted to fishing knows that if he wants the
delights of catching fish he must accept the demands of getting
up before dawn, braving the elements, and spending long hours
catching nothing. But the devoted fisherman regards it all as
worthwhile.

There are untold delights in being devoted to Christ. Those who
believe in him can anticipate God keeping them happy and full
of peace and can overflow with hope through the power of the
Holy Spirit (15:13). But devotion to Christ has its own
demands.

Christ was so devoted to the Fathers will that he didnt please
himself (15:3). The Fathers will was intensely challenging at
timesthe Garden of Gethsemane comes immediately to mind. There
Jesus shrank from the horror of his assignment, but he devoted
himself to the Father and did his will nevertheless.

Jesus also devoted himself to the needs of those around him. Even
the outcasts of society found in him a friend and support. His
arms were open wide to those who responded to his invitation, and
he turned no truly repentant person away (Matt. 11:28- 30). So
Paul could say, Christ has accepted you (Rom. 15:7), and he
stressed that the Lord Jesus came as a servant (15:8).

Devotion to the Lord requires that the devotee have the attitude
of Christ Jesus (15:5). We demonstrate this attitude most
clearly when we are devoted to the well-being of otherseven
those with whom we disagree! We should reach out to those who
dont know Christ so that they might also give glory to God for
his mercies to them (15:9).

If the believer becomes nervous about the demands of devotion, he
should remember that among the delights of devotion is the
experience of being kept happy and full of peace! Serving others,
reaching out, accepting people, and not pleasing yourself
certainly does not sound like a recipe for happiness to secular
man. But for the one who has studied the life of Christ and has
devoted himself to his cause, there is assurance enough that this
is the way to fullness of life.

The devoted fisherman who reels in his fish counts the demands of
fishing as nothing. The believer who finds his happiness in
bringing glory to God and blessings to mankind regards the
demands of devotion to Christ a delight.

373

Visit Tyndales exciting Web site at www.tyndale.com The One Year
Book of Devotions for Men copyright 2000 by Stuart Briscoe. All
rights reserved. The One Year is a registered trademark of
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Cover photograph copyright 2000
by Fuste Raga/The Stock Market. All rights reserved. Eagle cover
photograph copyright 2000 by Pictor, International. All rights
reserved. Edited by S. A. Harrison Designed by Dean H. Renninger
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living
Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale
House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights
reserved. Material in this book was previously published in The
Daily Study Bible for Men 1999 by Tyndale House Publishers.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Printed in the
United States of America

=====
--
Brian Masinick, "The Mas", mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

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