www.fbcnt.org
By Pastor Anthony L. Scott
During the middle ages there was a farmer who had a great desire to be an evangelist. One day while working in the fields he stopped to take a break under a tree for shade. While resting, he noticed what appeared to be the letters P-C in the clouds, which he interpreted to mean Preach Christ! So off he went to fulfill his desire to be an evangelist. As time went on the man earned the reputation of being a horrible preacher. Finally, after one of his less than stellar sermons, a deacon approached and asked, “are you sure God wasn’t telling you to Plant Corn?”
There are many who feel as if life is so complex, they just may miss the will of God for their life. Others have reached the point where life seems so mixed up and complicated, they just don’t know what to do.
It seems to be increasingly difficult even for God’s people to make correct decisions, not because God has changed but because life has radically changed. The world we live in is intricately more complex than it was a generation ago. Even more so as high-tech, social, and spiritual revolutions continue to gather momentum.
So with all of this in mind, how do you and I even begin to look for God’s will in a given situation? In fact, your life today is the net result of decisions that have already been made. We make major decisions that direct and influence life in a great way, moderate decisions which we still have the opportunity to alter if needed, and minor decisions like what to wear or eat all through the day.
God has a Universal Will which encompasses those things He expects all of His children to do. In addition, God has a Specific Will for each individual believer which mandates we seek His guidance as we discover just what this is.
Much like the Global Positioning Systems we utilized through satellite technology to determine location and direction. God has a Positioning System to aid in our search for where He desires for us go and what He has designed for us do. He gives us a clear road map called the Word of God along with an internal compass in the person of the Holy Spirit who guides and confirms our direction.
The Apostle Paul speaks to this matter in Colossians 1:9-10, when he writes, “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and ask they you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
I read of a speedboat racer who miraculously survived a racing accident. While traveling at top speeds his boat unexpectedly veered to the right and hit a dangerous wave. The combination of speed, force of the wave, along with the angle of the wave sent the boast spiraling into the air. The racer was thrown from his seat and propelled into the water. Finding he was immersed in the sea he began to panic so sought ways to remain calm and get his bearings. Suddenly, he recalled something he learned long ago, “when you lose your direction while underwater, wait for the buoying of your life vest to begin pulling you up.”
Sometimes, we are surrounded by confusing options and too deeply immersed in our problems to know which way is up. In these situations, always remember to Look Up before you look out!
Be Encouraged!
