Don’t Let Others Dig Up Your Past

“as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
Psalm 103:12

First game of the season and you blew it.
You messed up.
You failed miserably.
Now, the coach tells you to go sit on the bench.
“You can plan on warming it for the rest of the season”; he says to you.
Worse still, his words are heard by everyone in the stands – all the fans – including family and friends. Pretty sad scenario, isn’t it? It’s enough to make you appreciate deeply the grace and mercy of God. When we blow it in our walk with God, He doesn’t sideline us. Oh sure, there may be a “time-out” called for. But, as we discussed yesterday, my past, with all its’ successes and all its failures need not disqualify me from a future with God. Despite what others may say or do it need not take me out of the race. You see, I face a tough enough time understanding this myself but when those close to me have a habit of reminding me about my past I must make a conscious decision to agree with God and not with man. You will always have naysayers in your life who feel it is their ‘ministry’ to remind you of where you have failed in the past instead of encouraging you about where God wants to take you. Graciously shut down their influence. You may not be able to eliminate them from your life but you can, and should, eliminate the influence they have. As we learned yesterday, God will not disqualify you based on your past. Don’t let others do what He will not do.

Disqualified?

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”
Psalm 51:1-2

Can my past disqualify my future with God?
The short answer is yes.
The short answer is no.
The short answer is maybe.
How is that for multiple choices?
Before you think I am indecisive let me offer some clarification.
The yes answer applies to the question when we allow the past to disqualify us.
The no answer applies to the question in view of God’s word.
The maybe answers the question when we understand it is ultimately our choice to make.

God will not disqualify me from a future where I am used to bring Him glory in many, many ways. Aside from Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, name for me a flawless bible character that lived a perfect, sinless life.
Having a tough time? You should be, because you can’t.
Now; name for me a flawed individual that had a sordid past and yet was used by God despite that past.
Is it a little bit easier to come up with some names? It is for me too.
Think about the past of Rahab, Peter and Judas. As we learned this past Sunday each of them had a past – just like you have a past – which if allowed to, can keep you from moving forward with God. Some people in the bible let go of their past while some held on tightly.
David offers a remarkable way of dealing with a past that is less than stellar in Psalm 51. In it you find the ‘P.A.S.T.’ principle we learned about on Sunday.
He Presented his past to God, he Acknowledged it, Surrendered it and then Trusted God with it.
We can argue that David was confronted by the prophet and that is why he dealt with his past. I can’t disagree. But, when confronted he didn’t run. He dealt with it.
As God confronts each of us in this area, deal with your past so it does not paralyze your future.

Eyes Front!

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Isaiah 43:18-19

Dwelling on our past – whether as an individual or as a church –
keeps our eyes firmly fixed behind us.
Twice, in the verse above, God admonishes us.
First to say: “Forget the former things…”
but then He adds: “…do not dwell on the past.”
God does not speak idle words. It is important that we take note of all He says, but particularly when He repeats Himself. Too often, we want to do more than just remember the past; we want to memorialize the “good old days” or the “glory days”. Those are just a couple of terms we use to fondly frame our past. Of course, tradition is not always a bad thing, except when it keeps you from moving forward with what God has for you.
If you are carrying your past around with you, whether as a trophy or as a war wound, and it is all that seems relevant in the present, I guarantee you, it will rob the heritage God has for you.
I can change my present and I can impact my future but I must leave behind my past. Jesus told us how fruitless worrying is. Worrying about what has already taken place, or even continued reveling in the triumphs of yesterday, is unfruitful to me and for me.
For the sake of the Kingdom of God advancing in your life and His plans being brought to fruition in you; surrender what has been, to the one who is doing a new thing.
He will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
Do you see the new thing?
Do you perceive it?
In which direction are you looking?

Fire, Lions and Submission

“He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
Daniel 6:27

God’s timing seems to often come at the most inopportune times.
He could have directed Joshua to lead the children of Israel across the Jordan River in any one of the majority of months when it was just a trickle. Instead His timing was such that they found themselves being led across while it was at flood stage.
God’s “fullness of time” moments come so often is when it is impossible for man to take credit or come up with accurate solutions. The natural man doesn’t like being rescued at the last minute. We want an answer NOW, not later. We expect the new job a day after we lose the old one and the healing miracle moments after the doctor’s troubling report. Shadrach., Meshach and Abednego’s story is told in Daniel chapter three. We find their rescue came after they were thrown into the fiery furnace. Listen to the evidence of their submission to God in verses 17 and 18:
“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able
to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.
But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty,
that we will not serve your gods or worship
the image of gold you have set up.”
The same is true of Daniels’ rescue from the Lion’s
den documented in Daniel chapter six.
God often seems to rescue us at the eleventh hour.
When all other options are exhausted and we have no ‘arm of man’ left to rescue us God shows up and receives the Glory that is due only to Him. The three Hebrew children and Daniel both evidenced a clear submission to God whether or not He delivered them. Their obedience and love for Him was not predicated on His performance on their behalf. True submission does likewise. True submission to the will of God follows through even when it seems God may or may not show up to bring us the answer or solution we need!

Thanksgiving - An Act of Submission

“Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:20

I know, I know – in the United States it is the Thanksgiving Holiday – a day traditionally set aside to remember the Pilgrims act of giving thanks to God for the harvest they enjoyed and to celebrate with our own friends and families with a bountiful feast. That also means this blog must do the obligatory message on giving thanks. My prayer is that you receive today’s message as so much more than
just what is traditionally written about.
We have been looking at submission in the life of a Christ follower. The act of submission and the heart of thankfulness are linked in very important ways. Our love for God and obedience to His will in our lives is not something we are to present with a grudging attitude or “let’s-get-this-over-with” mindset. Rather, we are to embrace even the trials and afflictions as opportunities to grow in our love, service and knowledge of Him. Let me give you just a few examples of how important giving of thanks is as revealed in scriptures through the lives of others (if you really want to see an example of submission and thankfulness linked together make sure to
check out the last example below!):

Infusing your prayers with thanksgiving –
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6-7
Singing songs of thanksgiving –
“For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for
the musicians and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.” Nehemiah 12:46
Sunrise and sunset thanksgiving –
“They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD. They were to do the same in the evening” II Chronicles 23:30
“Worthy of suffering disgrace” thanksgiving –
“The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” Acts 5:41

Let your submission to God flow out of a thankful heart not one
day a year but each moment of your life!

Who is in the Details of Your Life?

“And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him.
Colossians 3:17 (Amplified Bible)

We have been looking at what submission to the Lordship of Christ should look like in the life of a believer. Yesterday we learned how important it is to receive correction from the Lord and to repent of sin now, not later. In other words we don’t let sin fester.
How interested is God in my complete surrender and submission?
Our verse for today answers that question.
The phrases “…whatever you do…” and “…do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus…” leave room for nothing to be done or said that is not done or said in His name. We all have heard the expression: “The devil is in the details.” Well, that should not be true in the life of a Christ follower because every detail of our lives should be submitted to Him. I know I am taking a little liberty with what that saying is meant to convey be but I hope you get my point. Our submission to the Lordship of Christ rests on us doing and saying EVERYTHING in His name. Of course, we sometimes don’t and that was discussed in yesterday’s blog.
But really, does God care about where I live, what my occupation is or who I marry?
Yes, yes and yes!
This thought makes some people afraid to actually do anything but if you cultivate that relationship with Him in your life where He is able to commune with you He will deliver your soul from death, your eyes from tears and your feet from stumbling in order that you may walk before Him in the land of the living (Psalm 116:8-9 paraphrase).

Repent Now or Repent Later?

“Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.”
Matthew 5:25

On Sunday, Pastor Tim gave us five areas in a person’s life that
would give evidence of the Lordship of Christ.

They were:
Seeks daily direction from God
Seeks daily correction from God
Seeks daily protection from God
Seeks daily guidance from God
Seeks daily companionship from God

Let’s look a little more closely at daily correction.
What do you do when somewhere offers you some corrective counsel?
What if they offered that counsel to you every day?
Would you value it or would you start going out of your way to avoid that person?
God can bring that correction to our walk on a “real-time” basis. In other words, He can bring the conviction of His Spirit into our lives at the moment we need that correction. Why does it not seem to work that way some times?
Maybe it’s because we are so determined in that moment
to do things our way or to bring our opinions to bear on a matter.
If that is the case, then we are usually not truly prepared to receive the correction that we most need to hear. They say that “hindsight is 20/20” and there is certainly biblical instruction for self-examination, but what if we were so hungry to make Him Lord of our lives that we could receive on-the-spot correction and move on with what He has for us. The blessing of receiving immediate correction can be viewed as two-fold.
First, we have repented when the situation has occurred, not allowing the rebellion against God (aka SIN) to incubate. Second, the more immediate our response to God and correct what needs to be corrected, the less “collateral damage” (as the military likes to say) can occur. In other words, the impact of that sin to ourselves
and others can be reduced.
Maybe you think today’s scripture verse is a stretch to apply in this situation since we are washed in the blood of the Lamb as believers.
But why let sin linger before dealing with it?
Why not receive the correction of God when it is offered and move on in His purposes. It beats the alternative of letting it grieve the Spirit of God when He has already provided the solution for it!