I WILL (Part II)

I WILL (Part II)

Let’s recap Kingdom Principle Number One: being too willful can get you into trouble, and having no will at all can have the same result.  Both conditions create difficulty since both could abort God-ordained destiny and cancel God-ordered benefits, which are designed exclusively for Word-Based and Right-Willing believers.  To illustrate this truth, consider the amusing story of “Toad and Frog.”

One fine day in August, Toad baked some delicious chocolate chip cookies.  “These cookies smell great,” Toad said aloud to himself.  “And they taste even better,” he proudly exclaimed.  So Toad hurried over to Frog’s house.  “Frog, Frog!” cried Toad, “Taste these amphibi-delicious cookies I baked just for us!”

Frog ate one right away.  “These are the best cookies I’ve ever eaten!” declared the hungry Frog.

Frog and Toad devoured those mouthwatering cookies, one after another.  “You know, Toad,” said Frog with his mouth quite full, “I think we better stop eating.  We’re gonna’ get sick!”

“You are right of course,” agreed Toad.  “Let’s eat one last cookie, and then we will stop.”  Frog and Toad ate one last cookie as agreed, but there were many delectable cookies left in the bowl.

“Hey Frog,” said Toad, “let’s eat one very last cookie, and then we will stop.”  So Frog and Toad ate one very last cookie as agreed, but there were many tasty cookies left in the bowl.

“We simply must stop eating!” cried Toad as he reached for one more desert delicacy.

“Yes,” said Frog as he chomped on yet another, “We need willpower!”

“What is willpower anyway?” asked Toad with a puzzled look.

“Willpower is trying hard not to do something you really want to do,” instructed Frog.

“You mean like trying hard not to eat all these scrumptious cookies?” asked Toad.

“Right!” said Frog.  So Frog placed all remaining cookies in a beautiful box.

“There,” he said.  “Now we will not eat any more of these savory cookies.”

“But we can still open the box,” cautiously observed Toad.

“That is true,” agreed Frog.

So Frog tied some string around the box.  “There,” he said.  “Now we will certainly not eat any more cookies.”

“But we can still cut the string and open the box,” Toad whispered, though no one was nearby.

“That is true,” said Frog.  So Frog retrieved his ladder.  Putting the box up on a very high shelf, he proclaimed with a flourish, “There…now we will definitely not eat any more cookies!”

But Toad had his hand up…waiting to offer another insight.  “But Frog, we can climb the ladder, take down the box, cut the strong, open the box…and it will be ‘cookie time’ up in here,” shouted Toad!

“This is true,” sadly conceded Frog.  Then he climbed the ladder, took down the box, cut the string, opened the box and raced out the door with it.  In his loudest voice Frog trumpeted, “Hey birds…free cookies!”  As you might imagine, birds flew in from everywhere!  After pecking and picking up cookie crumbs with their beaks, they flew off, quite happy and full.

“Now we have no more cookies to eat,” concluded Toad sadly, “not even one.”

“Yes,” said Frog with a smile, “but we do have lots and lots of willpower!”

“You may keep it all for yourself, Mr. Frog!” exclaimed Toad.  “I’m going home to bake a cake!”

Kingdom Principle Number Two: Life presents challenging choices; we must navigate wisely through bends and forks in the road.  These decision points constitute the privileges, pleasures and problems of life.  So consider carefully.  Which direction should the African woman travel today…her way or God’s way?  What should pilot the Scottish man’s ship…his pride or God’s compass?  How many cookies should a young Frog eat…the number his flesh cries for or the number his Creator knows is best?  Stay tuned…more to come tomorrow!