Things to Forget...

Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Things to Forget… There are some important things we should always remember, as we discussed yesterday in this blog. However, there are also some things that we need to prevent from taking up residence in our minds. Being forgetful is usually viewed as a weakness or a negative, however this morning let’s attempt to be forgetful as it relates to some very important truths.
Our confessed past is history. The Word tells us that, “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) Simply put, when we take our past to God He wipes away the sin contained therein. To be truly forgiven means there is no longer a record of wrong – it’s been erased! So the question remains: If God has forgiven should we not then move on and leave it behind ourselves? The answer is a resounding “Yes!” Don’t allow the devil to throw your past in your face if you’ve taken it to God for forgiveness. It’s history.
The past failures of others are history. To the same degree that God forgives our past and removes its stain, He has called us to extend grace to others. “Forgive others even as God, for Christ’s sake, has forgiven you.” How much have you been forgiven by God? Answer that question and you immediately have your measuring cup for handing out forgiveness to others. Don’t ever let yourself get caught throwing someone’s past into their face if God has already dealt with it! What God has buried in “the depths of the sea” and “removed as far as the east is from the west” was intended to be left alone. Leave the skeletons in the closet and move on – God has.
There are other truths that we could dive into this morning, but I want to keep it short and simple so we’ll wrap this up. Today, I challenge you to be a person of grace – both to yourself and to others. The issue is simple: if God has forgiven, we have no right to refuse to. And if there are areas of your own life that you haven’t given over to the forgiving hands of God yet, stop carrying it around needlessly. God waits to clean it up, dress your wounds, and help you begin your journey to healing. Let it begin today!

Please Pray:
*Continue to pray for the Summers, as they face the coming days of continued news and decisions about baby Morgan’s future.
*Continue to pray for Mary, who is still in the hospital and not home yet (as I said yesterday). She was supposed to go home Friday but the doctors are still concerned about several things that have yet to improve to the point that they would like them to, so keep praying.
*Pray for a young man named Tanner and his two friends who were involved in an ATV wreck on Sunday. His mom is a friend of mine, and these are scary days for her and the family. He and one of his friends are currently in ICU.



That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake

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