Quote from Forum Archives on February 21, 2006, 9:45 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Over the years, I have added myself to a number of mailing lists. Most
of the mailing lists fall into one of two categories: either they are
computer industry related (and mostly concerning the free and open
software movements) or they are Christian devotional series mailing lists.

From time to time, I get added to lists that I have not requested to be
added to. Some of them are useful, most of them are not.

I do not remember subscribing to the material that I have attached to
today's Word for Today, but it does contain some thought provoking
material, enough so, in fact, that I decided to share it with you for
the first message this week.

This message deals with abuse, oppression, and matters of the mind that
I strongly identify with myself. In fact, I would go so far as to say
that my second great spiritual awakening came when I realized that no
matter how I was treated or what was said or done to me, I could exhibit
the mind and attitude of Christ. At first, it seemed far fetched, but I
read and reread the scriptures, and sure enough, putting on the mind of
Christ turned out to be the antidote to just about any ailment.

Having developed a very deep depression that needed much more than just
a bunch of drugs and a regular dose of psycho babble, I decided and
purposed in my heart that, yes, I did believe the Word of God and took
it for what it said. Moreover, I felt conviction in my heart for having
not grabbed onto this truth much sooner, but I thanked God profusely for
being patient enough with me to finally have this principle sink in.

Oh yes, that brings about another related topic - developing patience
with others. My children really test my patience, and God is teaching
me to really work on setting different personal expectations - wanting
the best for my children, but learning not to expect too much too soon.
I need A LOT OF WORK in this area, and I am grateful that my God is
willing to love and accept "works in progress".

Remember to keep short accounts with others, be slow to anger, quick to
forgive, abounding in love, and extracting what you lack of any of these
attributes from the One who created all things - the One who wants to
bring you New Life - a deep change of heart and attitude.

Those of us who think of ourselves as "basically good" are among those
who may need the most refinement of all - again, I know myself to be in
that category!

O God, how good it is to know that You have a plan for our lives, that
Your plans are always good, right, and true, and that your patience with
us is broader than the broadest stretch of land, sea, or sky. Remind us
to read your Word each day, so that we can know you much more than we do
today, that your ways will become engrained in the deepest recesses of
our minds, and that our attitudes and ways may be continually
transformed, more and more into the likeness of Jesus Christ. I know
for myself I have so far to come, but I also know for certain that I am
within your grasp and sheltered by Your wings of love.

Yours in Christ,

--

Brian Masinick
mailto:masinick@comcast.net

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject:
A Note of Encouragement for February 20, 2006
From:
Chuck Graham <ChuckGraham@ciloa.org>
Date:
Sun, 19 Feb 2006 23:37:59 -0500

To:
"A Note of Encouragement":;

*/May God bless you this day...to receive and give His grace!

/**/Deep within a shattered life
Of hopes and dreams torn apart
Come faint words born from strife
"Please love me"...cries the heart

/*
*Abuse....*/an act by which one inflicts physical or emotional
mistreatment or injury on another, purposely or through negligence or
neglect and often on a regular basis.

/Each week we hear from an ever-growing number of people crying out for
help...any help...as they endure lives afflicted with abuse and
oppression. Tears flow through words of fear, anxiety and depression.
Some have been physically beaten or sexually molested. Others driven
down emotionally by words that cut like a knife. Deep psychological and
spiritual scars remain. And their pleas are always the same, Please
give us hope, give us encouragement.

*Oppression....*/an arbitrary, unjust or cruel exercise of power over a
person, creating in that person a sense of having a tremendous burden or
of being kept down, and resulting in a severe test of physical,
emotional, psychological or spiritual strength.

/Often the purpose of abuse is oppression. One person, through unfair,
mean, and even cruel actions, deliberately seeks to control another. It
may be expressed physically...a father dictating every aspect of a
child's life...or emotionally...a woman demanding someone respond to
every 'crisis of the moment' as proof of friendship. It may be
psychological...a wife telling her husband of things important to her,
only to have him turn away when someone else speaks or the TV is on...or
even spiritual...a church leader telling someone that hardships are
always due to being out of fellowship with God.

Abuse. Oppression. How can we survive? Where is the hope? Where is
the encouragement?

A few weeks ago one of our readers mentioned an interesting quote. /The
greatest weapon the oppressor ever has is the mind of the oppressed./
It is similar to one by Florynce R. Kennedy: /There can be no really
pervasive system of oppression ... without the consent of the
oppressed./ Both center on what we allow ourselves to believe. And
that's where things should be different in the lives of Christians.

Abuse is something that is imposed or forced on another, but oppression
is different. No one can actually give us that sense of overwhelming
burden or that feeling we are being kept down. We have to accept that
sensation and that feeling. Oppression is the conclusion _we_ reach as
the result of the actions of others toward us. But what can we do about
it? We must remember that we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians
2:16)...and that is equally important for those who are oppressed and
for those who aren't.

For those who are oppressed...make every effort not to give in to the
abuse. Oppression is a test of your physical, emotional, psychological
and spiritual strength. While you can, remember to use the divine
strength that lives in you for it is greater than anything this world
can throw in your path. But what if you are beaten down so far you
can't focus, you can't pull yourself up? Is there hope? Yes.

For those who are not oppressed...you, too, have the mind of Christ
_and_ a more powerful word.

/An act of kindness and compassion; mercy; benign good will; a favor
rendered by one who need not do so; an immunity, exemption, a
reprieve/*....Grace

*You, who are children of the Father and friends of His Son, who hear
His voice and follow His path...You are the light for the world. Bring
the light of the Son into the darkness of the abused and oppressed. God
has made it clear that when we act against the burden of oppression and
satisfy the needs of the oppressed, our light will rise in the darkness
and night will become like the noonday. (Isaiah 58:9-10)

Hope is found in the grace of God expressed through the Body of Christ.
Encouragement rests in our daily commitment to remember to call out for
help and to heed that call from others.

*/Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father
of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our
troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort
we ourselves have received from God./* (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Take care and be God's,

/Chuck

/
Ciloa */.../**/ /Encouraging one another as long as it is called Today!
*To learn more about this ministry, please visit us at _www.Ciloa.org_
<www.ciloa.org/> . */Ciloa/* is a registered trademark of Ciloa,
Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. *A Note of Encouragement* is
a copyright interest held by Ciloa, Inc.

If you wish to unsubscribe, just let us know at _TheNote@ciloa.org

_

--
Brian Masinick
mailto:masinick@yahoo.com

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