Quote from Forum Archives on December 4, 2001, 11:34 am

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Yesterday I wrote about beginning a season of preparation.
Please remember that today has been marked as a day of
reconciliation (see yesterday's message for the details or write
to me if you discarded the information). I mentioned that I
would share some personal experiences about preparation. For me
this year, preparation takes on a somewhat different meaning.
Somehow, I have to continue to prepare myself for what God wants
me to do with my professional life. I have been unemployed since
June 29, 2001.

I've often wondered whether this extended hiatus from work is
simply a sign of the times, and I am part of it, or if God is
really saying more to me, personally. I have spent much time
examining my own heart, wondering if God wants me to continue
pursuing work in my field of software engineering, or if He has
some other design for my life?

I have not come up with any definitive answers, but one thing is
perfectly clear: no matter where I go or what I do, God wants to
be an integral part of it WITH ME! Who knows where that will
lead me? I certainly do not. I have wondered if I should pursue
some kind of full time ministry. Nothing has clearly emerged
from that. I have wondered if God wants me to do something
entirely different. Nothing has clearly emerged from that.

The one constant theme I do hear from within - every single day,
is that God wants a personal relationship with me. He wants me
to depend on Him, and He wants me to exercise patience and faith
in everything.

Well, those things aren't exactly easy, not for me, anyway. I
wouldn't characterize myself as critically weak in those areas,
but neither would I count myself as strong in them either -
cartainly not on my own! Through God, He has given me a steady
peace through my extended period of trial. One thing I CAN say
is that it has been as steady a period in my life as anything I
have experienced - not easy - you're not reading me say that -
but steady.

As this season continues, I will continue to invite you into a
time of reflection. I have to tell you that I understand what
Neil is writing about in his message today. I've had to deal
with humility, and I've had to deal with issues of control. This
job situation is not the first, nor the last, time that these
issues have surfaced. The Bible writes a lot about this topic,
enough so that I've finally taken it to heart. I invite you to
consider these matters in your own personal reflections of who
God is and what He has done for you. In the days to come, I will
be sharing more of the things God has done for me, personally.

I pray that God is doing a work in each of our hearts at this
very moment, preparing us for His coming!

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

Reply-to: Neil Anderson <neilanderson@lists.crosswalk.com>
Subject: Neil Anderson Devotional for Tuesday, December 4, 2001
Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2001 04:01:09 -0500

If you are looking to feed and challenge your faith, visit
Crosswalk.com's Spiritual Life Channel at:
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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

December 4

BEATING THE SYSTEM

Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles
himself shall be exalted (Luke 14:11).

A small percentage of people defend against rejection by buying
into the dog-eat-dog system of the world and learning to compete
and scheme to get ahead of the pack. These are the movers and
shakers, people who earn acceptance and strive for significance
through their performance. They feel driven to get on top of
every situation because winning is their passport to acceptance.
They are characterized by perfectionism and emotional insulation
and they struggle with anxiety and stress.

Spiritually, the beat-the-system individual refuses to come under
God's authority and has little fellowship with God. This person
is committed to controlling and manipulating people and
circumstances for his own ends, so it is difficult for him to
yield control in his life to God. In our churches this person
jockeys to be chairman of the ruling board or the most
influential member on a committee. His motivation is not to serve
God in this position, however, but to control his world because
his self-worth is dependent on it. Beat-the-system controllers
are some of the most insecure people you will meet.

Sadly, the controlling individual's defensive strategy only
delays inevitable rejection. Eventually his ability to control
his family, his employees, and his church diminishes and he is
replaced by a younger, stronger controller. Some survive this
mid-life crisis, but many who make it to retirement don't enjoy
much of it. Studies show that high-powered executives live an
average of nine months after they retire. They base their lives
in the world system they seek to conquer, but inevitably the
world claims its own. "See to it that no one takes you captive
through philosophy and empty deception, according to the
tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the
world, rather than according to Christ" (Colossians 2:8).

Gracious Lord, teach me to be in this world but not of it. I
choose Your kingdom to be my standard.

-----------
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CBD). < shopping.crosswalk.com/bye/devo_na >

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< devotionals.crosswalk.com >.
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--
Brian Masinick, "The Mas", mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

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