Quote from Forum Archives on March 9, 2001, 9:06 am

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

I'm almost positive that all of you, at one time or another, have
wondered what life is all about, and what your own role is - how
you fit into the world. I have certainly wondered those things,
and even today, I ask myself how I can best fit into the world.

But today, my perspective is much different than the first time
that I asked those questions, because my life has been eternally
changed. The message today from Neil Anderson's devotional
matches well what I personally believe.

- lyrics to two songs from Vineyard Music that echoes the
thoughts of my heart right now -

I want to be closer to You
To be a delight in Your eyes
My greatest desire is to humbly obey
And to worship, worship You

the second:

Draw me close to You
Never let me go
I'd lay it all down again
To hear You say that I'm Your friend

You are my desire
No one else will do
'Cause nothing else can take Your place
To feel the warmth of Your embrace
Help me find a way to bring me back to You

You're all I want
You're all I've ever needed
You're all I want
Help me know You are near
Help me know You are here

My friends, I believe with all of my heart that God wants an
intimate relationship with each of us, just as we desire intimate
personal relationships with one another. God, being all
powerful, could MAKE anything happen that He wants. But His real
joy comes when people realize the enormity (HUGENESS) of God's
capacity to love and forgive, and come running to Him, finally
recognizing the wonder of their wonderful Creator.

Do you accept your own responsibility to seek God today? He is
right there, but He is not going to push Himself upon you. Yet
He is ever present, always eager to see another one of His
children remember Him and return to experience His abundant love.
Do you want to be a part of that today? Personally, I would not,
and cannot, have it any other way. May God bless you abundantly
as you seek and find Him today.

Brother Brian

Subject: Neil Anderson Devotional for Thursday, March 8, 2001
To: <masinick@yahoo.com>
From: Crosswalk.com <listreplies@crosswalk.com>

N E I L A N D E R S O N D A I L Y D E V O T I O N A L
from Freedom in Christ Ministries

March 8

CONFORMING TO THE IMAGE OF GOD

For this is the will of God, your sanctification (1 Thessalonians
4:3).

In a personal sense, God's will for our lives is that we conform
to the image of God, something the apostle Paul makes clear in 1
Thessalonians 4:3: "For this is the will of God, your
sanctification." In his letter to Roman Christians, Paul writes,
"For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to
the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29) and adds in 1 Timothy 1:5,
"The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good
conscience and a sincere faith." Divine guidance will never come
to those whose primary goal is not first and foremost conforming
to the image of God.

There is no instruction in the Bible concerning career choice,
where we live, or who we should marry. There is, however, an
abundance of instruction on how we're to relate to our employer
and behave on the job we already have (Colossians 3:22-25). And
there is much about how to relate with one another (Colossians
3:10-14) and live with our families (Colossians 3:18-21).

The Bible overwhelmingly instructs that to do God's will means
living in harmony with God and man: "'You shall love the LORD
your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with
all your mind.' This is the great and foremost commandment. And a
second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On
these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets"
(Matthew 22:37-40).

The whole purpose of the Bible is to teach us how to have a
relationship with God and live in harmony with one another. We do
this by assuming our responsibilities for today and trusting God
for tomorrow.

I'm not sure the Lord cares primarily whether you are a
carpenter, teacher or doctor. But He does care what kind of
carpenter, teacher or doctor you are. Determine to be the person
He has called you to be. No one can prevent you from being God's
person except you.

Lord, I want to be Your person today, to live in harmony with You
and with those around me.

-----------
This daily devotional is published and distributed by
Crosswalk.com. It is written by Neil Anderson at
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You can purchase "Daily in Christ" and other titles by Neil
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CBD). < shopping.crosswalk.com/bye/devo_na >

Additional devotionals are available from Crosswalk.com:
< devotionals.crosswalk.com >.
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