Quote from Forum Archives on May 8, 2003, 7:32 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Today I'd like to share with you a message from a message from a
devotional series that carries the same name as our message
series: WORD FOR TODAY by Bob Gass. This message is about
being exploited.

When we feel that someone has taken advantage of us, we often
feel exploited. In this present day, we hear an awful lot about
our "rights", things that we can supposedly do, and ways in which
this thing or that is closely guarded and protected.

As Christians, one right we always must closely guard is our
freedom of worship. As God's creation, we were designed and
intended to seek Him as our primary source for all things,
including our satisfaction.

Where we've gone wrong is that we search for significance, we
search for love, we search for power, influence, comfort, and
pleasures, and other things, but we've done so without seeking
God first in those things.

I believe that God wants us to have the best possible life
experience, which includes plenty of comfort, pleasure,
fulfillment, and the things we crave. I believe that such things
are what God intended, otherwise God would not have created such
strong urges within us for such things. But God has also created
a vacuum within us, a void that only He can fill and satisfy. We
go wrong because we seek to fill our voids in other ways besides
seeking God first.

In the evangelical church, we're often taught to go out and make
disciples of all nations, all people groups. That's good, it's
biblical, and it is the right thing to do. However, before we
can do so effectively, we must first seek the One who gave us
that so-called Great Commission, and get His Great Commandment
right before we chase any other commission.

The Great Commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your
heart, all your mind, and all your strength, and the second great
command is to love your neighbor as yourself. I've written about
this many times. I need to remind myself many times, and I still
don't always get it.

Get right with God first, then get right with others, then we
needn't concern ourselves about being exploited.

Dear Lord,

Help me through each day, and enable me to be a disciple who is
not only willing to follow You, but one who is willing to serve,
to obey, to give, following Your wonderful humble example. Teach
me and help me to seek You first and love You with all of my
being, then help me to tap into the power of Your love. I
believe that once I appreciate You, the choices that I make will
flow out of a response to Your amazing love.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian
____________________________________________________________

WORD FOR TODAY by Bob Gass
07 May 2003

Are you feeling exploited?

" ABOVE ALL THINGS HAVE FERVENT LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER, FOR LOVE
WILL COVER A MULTITUDE OF SINS. " 1 PETER 4 : 8 (NKJ)

Are you feeling used and abused? You thought they liked you -
even loved you - but now you find out they were just 'using'
you. That's what happens when we put our life into the hands of
mere mortals. They're not creators; they can't make anything out
of us - they can only use us.

You snapped at the kids. You yelled at somebody in work. You
screamed at the driver who cut you off on the road. You fought
with your mate again. Now you're pouring all your frustrations
out on those whom you love - and anybody else who crosses your
path.

Ever think that perhaps your anger is just a by-product of the
bitterness and resentment you've allowed to invade your soul?

The answer is not to take it out on those around you, it's to
take it to the Lord in prayer and let Him heal you. It's got to
start on the inside before it shows on the outside. That means
spending time with God, allowing Him to forgive your
resentments, remove your pain, heal your memories and enable you
to love - as He loves. And that's a job for God - don't try it
without Him!

Why don't you pray this prayer? 'Father, I want to act in love,
not react in anger. Instead of being short-tempered, help me to
be patient and 'turn the other cheek'. Today let Your love rule
my life, for Christ's sake. Amen.'

Printed copies of "The Word for Today" are available free from UCB,
PO Box 255, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 8YY, England. <www.ucb.co.uk>

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
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and Christian organisations to copy up to a maximum of 52 daily
excerpts per year. Such excerpts must acknowledge: The Word for
Today as the source, give the UCB address and inform that free
issues of the daily devotional are available.

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

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