1 / 48

Forgetting the Past

Forgetting the Past. Do You Live in the Past?. Should a Christian live in the past?. Contemplation of the past can be valuable if we seek to learn from it and gain wisdom (Eph. 2:11-12).

wilona
Download Presentation

Forgetting the Past

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Forgetting the Past

  2. Do You Live in the Past?

  3. Should a Christian live in the past? • Contemplation of the past can be valuable if we seek to learn from it and gain wisdom (Eph. 2:11-12). • It can be a blessing for a Christian to look at the past mercies that God has shown (1 Tim. 1:12-14). • Yet, there is a big difference between learning from our past and “living in the past.”

  4. Philippians 3:12-14 (NASB) 12 Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

  5. What’s wrong with Living in the Past? • Living in the past hinders our ability to run the race of faith (Phil. 3:12-14). • Holding on to the past weighs us down and holds us back in living a full life as a Christian (Heb. 12:1).

  6. Hebrews 12:1 (NASB) Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance (weight), and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

  7. What’s wrong with Living in the Past? • Living in the past hinders our ability to run the race of faith. • There is nothing you can do today that can change the unchangeable past.

  8. Numbers 20:3-4 (NASB) 3 The people thus contended with Moses and spoke, saying, "If only we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD! 4 "Why then have you brought the Lord's assembly into this wilderness, for us and our beasts to die here?

  9. “If only!”

  10. The truth is… • You will never be able to go “back in time” and erase what you did or stop an event that has already taken place! • Often it is too late for us to prevent the consequences of a bad decision.

  11. Matthew 27:3-5 (NASB) 3 Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." But they said, "What is that to us? See to that yourself!" 5 And he threw the pieces of silver into the sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.

  12. What’s wrong with Living in the Past? • Living in the past hinders our ability to run the race of faith. • There is nothing you can do today that can change the unchangeable past. • Living in the past is often used as an excuse for all that is bad today.

  13. We all need time to heal from bad experiences, yet such experiences should not be used as a “lifetime pass” that excuses bad behavior.

  14. What others have done in the past will not excuse our behavior today. Ezekiel 18:20 (NASB) "The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

  15. Regardless of the hardships we have experienced, we can be victorious in the Lord today! (e.g., 2 Cor. 4:7-10; 6:1-10; Rom. 5:3-5). • We must not use past circumstances as an excuse for not doing what we can do by the strength of the Lord today (Phil. 4:11-13).

  16. Philippians 4:11-13 (NASB) 11 Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

  17. What’s wrong with Living in the Past? • Living in the past hinders our ability to run the race of faith. • There is nothing you can do today that can change the unchangeable past. • Living in the past is too often used as an excuse for all that is bad today. • Living in the past can cause us to “rest on our laurels.”

  18. For Paul, he needed to “forget” his past achievements and count them as “rubbish” for the sake of Christ (Phil. 3:4-8).

  19. Contemplation of the past can cause us to become self-satisfied with our spiritual condition and good works causing us to be puffed up with pride (e.g., Rev. 3:1-2)

  20. “Do we rest on our laurels?" • By putting our trust in the past, we will foolishly believe that the prize of eternal life is secure and become complacent toward the Lord’s work. • Instead, we must continue to bear spiritual fruit (John 15:8) and “EXCEL STILL MORE” in what God expects us to do and be!

  21. 1 Thessalonians 4:1 (NASB) Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may excel still more.

  22. What’s wrong with Living in the Past? Living in the past prevents you living for the Lord today (e.g., Genesis 19:17, 26) "When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you're headed for the grave"

  23. Living in the past prevents you living for the Lord today. • All of the living we do takes place in the present, not in the past. • Much time and energy is wasted by dwelling on the past! • To live in the past is to take away from the present and the blessings you can have today in the Lord.

  24. Numbers 11:4-6 (NASB) 4 And the rabble who were among them had greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, "Who will give us meat to eat? 5 "We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, 6 but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna.”

  25. To live in the past, is to become lazy toward the work of the Lord, much like the gossip who is idle as a result of talebearing…

  26. 1 Timothy 5:13 (NASB) And at the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention.

  27. How to “Reach Forward to What Lies Ahead.” (Phil. 3:13) • Face up to the consequences of your decisions, learn from them, and resolve to do better.

  28. Proverbs 26:11 (NASB) Like a dog that returns to its vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.

  29. Psalm 85:8 (NASB) I will hear what God the LORD will say; For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones; But let them not turn back to folly.

  30. 1 Timothy 1:12-14 (NASB) 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service; 13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. And yet I was shown mercy, because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; 14 and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.

  31. 1 Timothy 1:15-16 (NASB) 15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 16 And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

  32. Rather than have a “pity-party” for what you have done or say your sorry a million times, demonstrate true repentance. “Right actions in the future are the best apologies for bad actions in the past.” (cf. Luke 3:8-14)

  33. How to “Reach Forward to What Lies Ahead.” • Face up to the consequences of your decisions, learn from them, and resolve to do better. • Put your faith in the Lord and trust in His grace.

  34. Put your faith in the Lord and trust in His grace. • The Lord is abundant in grace toward His children, providing “new starts” or forgiveness of sins (1 John 1:9). • Trust not in your works for salvation, as if past accomplishments can earn salvation (Phil. 3:9).

  35. Philippians 3:9 (NASB) And may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,

  36. Titus 3:5 (NASB) He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

  37. To those who put their trust in God, He provides new strength to move forward, even after much hardship and distress (Isa. 40:28-31).

  38. Isaiah 40:29-31 (NASB) 29 He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. 30 Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, 31 Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.

  39. How to “Reach Forward to What Lies Ahead.” • Face up to the consequences of your decisions, learn from them, and resolve to do better. • Put your faith in the Lord and trust in His grace. • Look to the future of what is yet to be accomplished (e.g., Nehemiah 2:17-18).

  40. “We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future.”

  41. Luke 9:61-62 (NASB) 61 And another also said, "I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home." 62 But Jesus said to him, "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

  42. 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NASB) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

  43. How to “Reach Forward to What Lies Ahead.” • Face up to the consequences of your decisions, learn from them, and resolve to do better. • Put your faith in the Lord and trust in His grace. • Look to the future of what is yet to be accomplished (e.g., Nehemiah 2:17-18). • Learn to forgive as the Lord forgives or hand it over to God.

  44. Ephesians 4:31-32 (NASB) 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. – cf. Heb. 8:12; Mat 18:21-22; Luke17:3-4

  45. Romans 12:19 (NASB) Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.

  46. How to “Reach Forward to What Lies Ahead.” • “Press on”! “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”- Philippians 3:14 • The only way to move forward is to remember the goal of Heaven!

  47. 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NASB) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

  48. Forgetting the Past is not easy, but it is absolutely essential to Living the Life of a Christian Today.

More Related