The Crystal Ball

Written by Staci Stallings


Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to see intorepparttar future? Especially at those times in life whenrepparttar 126806 road forks, and you have no idea which fork isrepparttar 126807 best choice. You could choose X, and it could work out marvelously—or it could be a total flop. Or you could not choose X and wish forrepparttar 126808 rest of your life you had.

Recently I’ve found just such a crystal ball. No, it doesn’t literally allow us to see intorepparttar 126809 future, but it does allow forrepparttar 126810 best decision to be made at every fork inrepparttar 126811 road every single time. What is this crystal ball? Where can you get one?

Well, think for a moment. If I had this crystal ball, what would you be willing to pay for it? Would it be worth ten dollars? A hundred? A thousand? Remember, it will unerringly tell you exactly what isrepparttar 126812 best thing to do every single time. Surely that would be worth a few dollars in a trade.

Now, what would you say if I told you that this crystal ball is monetarily free. That’s right. It costs nothing at all… However, it does require something, and that something is giving uprepparttar 126813 control you think you have over a situation. It means giving uprepparttar 126814 notion that you know whatrepparttar 126815 best outcome in a situation is. Here is reality: You don’t. You can’t. You don’t have all ofrepparttar 126816 information to know what isrepparttar 126817 best outcome in a situation.

But if you don’t, then who does? One name: God.

Of course, God who is everywhere in all times and all moments knows. Why? Because unlike you, he can seerepparttar 126818 whole picture. He can see every ramification of every possible decision in any given situation that you can make. In short, He can see with perfect clarityrepparttar 126819 choice you should make.

While listening to Bruce Wilkenson’s excellent audio, “A Life God Rewards,” I heard one line that he really doesn’t go on to discuss and expand on. It’s more of a transition line pulling together two other thoughts. However, in that line, I realized a lesson that I had used but hadn’t put words to. He said:

“Asrepparttar 126820 only person to come from eternity to earth and then return to eternity, Jesus knowsrepparttar 126821 whole truth—past, present, and future—and can give you a one of a kind perspective,” Wilkenson says. “For example, he can see your present from a moment far out in your infinite future and tell you exactly how to prepare for what is to come.”

Wow! What an unbelievably crystal ball that is! Think about it. If Jesus loves you beyond measure and He wants only what is best for you inrepparttar 126822 long run (and that meansrepparttar 126823 really long run of eternity), doesn’t it make sense to allow Him to guide your life?

Unfortunately that’s not how most of us pray. We say things like, “God, if you’ll only let me get this job, then I’ll be happy.” “God, I just need a way to get to work. I’ll be perfectly happy with that 20-year-old Honda. Please, if I can just have that…” And God says, “Well, okay, I really wanted to give you this brand new Lexus, but I want to make you happy, so here’s your Honda.”

As

Written by Staci Stallings


“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” -- The Our Father

The most perfect prayer. The one Jesus told us, “When you pray, pray like this.” Ever since, we’ve been prayingrepparttar words He taught us. In fact, we’ve prayed it so often that many of us don’t even think about what we’re saying anymore. We run throughrepparttar 126805 words almost unconsciously – memorized torepparttar 126806 point that we no longer have to concentrate on what we’re saying.

But let me tell you saying this line without really thinking about what it means is a scary proposition. Why? Because you are asking for exactlyrepparttar 126807 same treatment you’ve been dishing out. Sorepparttar 126808 question becomes – what have you been dishing out?

Are you judgmental? Do you judge situations and people without really getting to know them? Do you practice quiet prejudice – boxing people in and labeling them because of some outward characteristic? Then when you say “as” you’ve just asked God to judge you onrepparttar 126809 same scale. Are you petty? Do you watch forrepparttar 126810 faults of others and then make sure to point those out to everyone within earshot? Then you’ve given God permission to pick out and point out each and everyone of your faults. Are you jealous? Do you judge actions without bothering to learnrepparttar 126811 whole story? Are you exacting? Harsh? Impossible to please? Do you brush by people because they haverepparttar 126812 wrong kind of jeans orrepparttar 126813 wrong accent orrepparttar 126814 wrong personality?

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