We had the opportunity to go see the new Indiana Jones movie. Now, we have been fans of the character and have seen all the movies. It was such a joy to watch a movie that told a story. Here is Indie, as some call him because of their long friendship, waking up in 1968 to The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour. Now I'm going to stop right here and just say it was a good movie. Go see it if you like chase scenes and visionary thoughts about things.
The movie though caused me to think about how life is not very predictable. Actually, it is quite the opposite. It is very unpredictable and can cause us all a lot of consternation. What would you do differently if you were able to go back? Well, one thing is for sure you would change history. Because history is what has happened and it is from it that all mankind learns what works and what doesn't. Some seem to have a problem with this and believe that things that have never worked before will work now. No, they won't and they never will.
We see this all over the world in country after country, business after business, and even in churches. You would think that as churches we should be doing the will of the Lord, although that is not always the case.
I had the privilege to lead some local Pastors today in a time of prayer. We had begun this particular group 8 years ago and I was asked to lead the group each month. These past 8 years have been a blessing for me and I hope for those who have been a part. So for the last one I went back to the first one and used the Scriptures that follow as our guide for the day.
Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
I believe that if we seek the will of God as His Son taught us to pray, that will be our delight. I know it is mine every day. Then the desires which He gives me are in perfect alignment with His will for my life.
1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
John is confirming what the Psalmist has declared. John refers to it as confidence toward Him. Not toward self, someone else, or anything else. It is confidence focused on Him. Then because of that reality when we ask it is within His will. It's not what I want but rather what He has placed as that priority for my life and for yours.
You know there are so many distractions and consequences that all of us face. In many ways, a distraction or consequence is the inevitable result of not living a focused life as a believer. Some of those distractions and consequences are from what is going on around us. Others are the result of what we have or have not done in our own life.
The truth is that there are consequences to our actions. We are inclined to often see them in a negative light. Actually, there can be good consequences, too.
When we follow God's direction in our life, we can navigate the issues, handle the distractions and deal with the consequences. Not in ourselves but in and through Him.
In God's Grace,
Elbert Nasworthy
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