“If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)
“Forgetting what is BEHIND and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)
Today is the first day of the rest of your life…really. There is magnificent Grace in the Blood of Jesus and in His indwelling Spirit, to deliver us from the ghosts and regrets of the past. All that nasty stuff from the past is BEHIND you, so LOSE it!!! May we all, by faith, take advantage of that Grace today — to forget what is behind and to go further up and further in.
And I believe there are a few helpful, practical keys to attaining this victory: (1) Truly understanding the victory Jesus has won for us by His victory on the Cross. (2) Knowing Jesus personally and tangibly experiencing His Presence. (3) Being baptized or filled with the Holy Spirit. (4) Walking in the callings and purpose He has for your life. Nothing will make the disappointments and regrets and hurts of the past disappear faster than to experience these realities.
Yes…among other things, the Church is a hospital — a place of healing. But it’s not a civilian hospital — it’s a military hospital. Some people think God wants to heal them so they can go hang out at the mall and just “be happy.” But His plan is to heal us so that we can be better, more effective soldiers — soldiers in an ongoing spiritual war of liberation. And only by entering into this war — as dutiful, loving soldiers of the Cross — will we find true happiness.
I hear many messages and conversations dealing with the topic of brokenness. In this millennium especially, the concept of brokenness has been a very hot topic. But rather than something that is passing or temporary, it seems that brokenness is something that (according to some teachers and congregations) is part of our unchangeable DNA — something that we just need to own up to and live with. You may on rare occasion hear a message about God’s ability to heal and deliver, but by their actions, interactions, and most frequent messages and conversations, they prove what they truly believe — that we are all broken and wounded and we just need to get used to it — sort of like a bunch of sick, elderly people sitting around a nursing home, glorying (in a perverse way) in their maladies and problems.
It is good to be honest about our brokenness — but there is no inherent virtue or value in being broken. The goal and clear promise of God is that if we believe in Him, that we will actually get better!
“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:3-8)
So…where do we go from here. Well, we begin by taking God at His word, and not settling for ANYTHING less. And we enter a season where we begin to crawl out of our “Pseudo-Christian fatalism” and ask God for the reality of His Word to be a reality in our own lives.
“You do not have, because you do not ask God.” (James 4:2)
“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:11-12)
GO FOR IT!!!
loon watchman 