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Day 107, or April the 17th. Your idea, or God's?

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Our thought today comes from 1 Chronicles chapter 17 verse 2. Nathan replied to David,

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Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you.

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First, the big picture surrounding this verse. As part of getting Israel back on God's

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back, David finally gets the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, and all is ready for the

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forthcoming temple. He continues to conquer the surrounding nations as he unites the tribes

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to which God has long ago promised the land. He is joyfully resigned to not building the

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temple. His son Solomon will get that honor. The chronicler wrote this long after the temple

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had been destroyed. There must have been a tear in his eye, as he wrote.

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And now today's action step. Now that's a good idea. Well, this is how I see it. This

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is what I think. These are phrases we have all used many times. I know I have. When the

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chronicler wrote, Whatever you have in mind, do it, this sounds a similar notion. Put into

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practice what you have worked out in your head could be a paraphrase of it. However,

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if we look a little closer, it becomes clear that it is not what is in our thinking mind,

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but what is in our spiritual heart that matters. Our heads are very important, and God-given

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intellect should not be disregarded, but unless your scheme is from God, and He has laid it

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on your heart, then it is doomed to failure. What plans do you have for your future? Do

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you have a great idea, or has God inspired your heart? Or is the picture not as clear

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as you would like it to be? Ask God to make it clear, and then proceed, even if you are

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still not totally certain. I have to say that most of my life has been taken up going ahead

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with some doubts and questions in my mind. Nevertheless, the heartfelt yearning to do

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what God wanted always won the day. God will forgive our mistakes and work out His purposes

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in our lives, despite us sometimes. Our inactivity is another matter, so get moving.