Quote from Forum Archives on June 10, 2002, 3:07 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

I think it is a wonderful thing for people to develop a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ. I sepnd a lot of my time in
these messages writing about that from various angles. I've
often made the claim that a personal relationship with Jesus
Christ is the most important thing you can ever deal with. I've
also made comments and various statements about how important
that relationship is in cultivating healthy relationships with
others and also in finding meaning and purpose to life.

But one thing I don't think you'll see or hear from me is any
kind of frustration or depression over that not happening. You
see, I cannot control the behavior of anyone else. Even the God
of the universe, though He knows precisely what we will do and
even what we are thinking, does not choose to manage and
micromanage the events of people's lives. Choice is one of the
gracious provisions that our loving God provides. How much more
sweet it is when we choose, of our own free will, to worship and
adore Him?

Is it wrong to desire others to know Christ? Absolutely not! Is
it wrong to share the things that have made us, as His people,
want to know Christ in an intimate way? Again, no. But is it
wrong to make it a goal to assume the RESPONSIBILITY for winning
people to Christ? I say, emphatically, YES, for that is the job
of the Holy Spirit. My job, and yours, if you love Christ and
want His Name praised in the hearts of people around you, is to
openly and freely share why Jesus Christ is so important --- He
is the hope of things that are hidden deep in our hearts, and He
holds the keys to unlock those missing treasures. Yet it is NOT
our job to attempt to unlock those places, either for ourselves
or anyone else. Our rightful role is to explain why we've chosen
to follow Him and introduce Him to those we love, and allow God
to handle the rest.

Neil Anderson takes a healthy look at this topic in his daily
message today.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

Reply-To: neilanderson.UM.A.3.39344@lists.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

June 9

THE GOALS YOU SHOULDN'T SET

The joy of the LORD is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

I was speaking at a church conference when a woman who was
attending invited me to her home for dinner with her family. The
woman had been a Christian for 20 years, but her husband was not
a Christian. After I arrived it didn't take me long to realize
that the real reason she had invited me to dinner was to win her
husband to Christ.

I discovered later that the woman had been severely depressed for
many years. Her psychiatrist insisted that her depression was
endogenous and she staunchly agreed. But I believe her depression
stemmed from a wrong goal. For 20 years she had based her success
as a Christian on winning her husband and children to Christ. She
had prayed for them, witnessed to them, and invited guest
preachers home to dinner. She had said everything she could say
and done everything she could do, but to no avail. As the
futility of her efforts loomed larger, her faith faltered, her
hope dimmed, and her depression grew.

Her husband adequately provided for the physical needs of his
family. He simply didn't see any need for God. I shared with him
about my life and ministry during our visit, but I didn't force
my faith on him. I trust that I was a positive witness. In the
meantime, his wife's increasing depression was destroying her
witness.

You should, of course, desire that your loved ones come to
Christ, and pray and work to that end. Your goal is to be a
positive witness by becoming the spouse or parent God has called
you to be. Then you must leave the results to God. Assuming
responsibility for the salvation of your loved ones is beyond
your ability. Every loved one can choose not to respond to
Christ. Depression often signals that you are desperately
clinging to a goal you have little or no chance of achieving, and
that's not a healthy goal.

Lord, help me discover the joy of letting You do Your work Your
way.

-----------
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< www.ficm.org >.

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

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