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Thursday, January
3, 2008
Forget It
Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not
myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those
things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are
before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in
Christ Jesus. (KJV)
In a time and a realm where we are
constantly trying to remember things and remind ourselves of things that
are vital in our daily walk there are certain things we need to forget as
well and leave behind us. Once you have put your hand to the plow it is
important not to be looking behind you, but rather forward so that you will
be able to work in whatever field our Father has you in today. The prize is
in front of you and not behind you. So if someone is trying to remind you
of your past or bring any transgressions from that imaginary realm, be
certain it is not of God.
Psalms 103:11-13 For as the heaven is
high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As
far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions
from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them
that fear him. (KJV)
Did you know that the Lord not only has
forgiven our trespasses but has forgotten them as well? We still at times
try and equate God to our thinking and standards rather than realizing how
much higher His mercy is. God is not bound by emotions and mood swings, but
is longsuffering to all; not willing that any should perish but that all
should come to repentance. Although mankind may try and bring up the past
and hold it against us the Lord has already forgotten our past
transgressions that we have asked forgiveness for and we are now walking in
a newness of life. Any time we start wandering in the past it is similar to
a grave robber, digging up dead things that are buried and unhealthy.
Micah 7:18-19 Who is a God like unto
thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the
remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he
delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us;
he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the
depths of the sea. (KJV)
It is our Father’s delight to take our
iniquities and throw them into the depths of the sea. It is like a parent
who is able to watch a child that has been addicted to drugs take a boat
ride out to the deepest part of the sea and dump their stash into the
depths of it and begin a new life free from the addiction. You forget the
heartache of the past and rejoice in the joy, peace and liberty of the new
life that is brought forth.
Isaiah 57:20-21 But the wicked are like
the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. (KJV)
Are you as willing to forgive others the
way you were forgiven? Not only forgiving, but how about the forgetting
part also? Are you able to forgive yourself or are you deep sea diving in
the sea of forgetfulness trying to dig up dead things that should be left
buried there? Your answer is not down below wallowing in the mire, but it
is in front of you; look forward and walk in the new life God has given
you. You wonder at times why you don’t have peace, well quit digging up
dirt whether it is on others or yourself, because basically you end up calling
God a liar and saying His mercy didn’t cover the transgression.
Lamentations 3:22-23 It is of the LORD's
mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They
are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. (KJV)
Is every day new to you also? Are you
walking in the newness of the life given you in Christ and not bogged down
with your old fallen nature? Are you staying in the word of God and
renewing your mind with all the spiritual blessings you have been blessed
with? Or are you drifting out to sea in uncharted troubling waters being
blown to and fro with every wind of doctrine? The Lord never fails, so if
you are not experiencing the peace and joy you should be, most likely you
have fallen overboard and have forgotten your life preserver.
Luke 6:36-37 Be ye therefore merciful, as
your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged:
condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be
forgiven: (KJV)
Are you as merciful to others as our
Father is to you? Are you as forgiving to others also? The key is learning
to rightly divide the word of truth as well as being able to identify the
difference between the voice of God and the voice of a stranger, the enemy.
God is dealing with us today, right now, this moment, while the enemy is
trying to get us to go deep sea fishing in the dead sea to get us to dredge
up another distraction that is vain and empty. Knowing the difference will
save you from a lot of heartache and misery so that you will be reminded not
only of the forgiveness for yourself, but that of others also.
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the
principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not
laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith
toward God, (KJV)
Have you noticed lately all the political
campaigns and how the first thing the candidates do, is try and dig up some
dirt on their opponents? So to add insult to injury, they then go out and
about broadcasting their opponent’s former transgressions or alleged ones
that are only meant to discredit them. The devil runs his own smear
campaign on the body of Christ also, making false accusations to discredit
them as well. For those that know the truth and keep their minds renewed in
it, they will not be pulled into these mudslinging campaigns, but rather
they will continue in the liberty in Christ and walk in the freedom of
mercy and forgiveness, not continually asking or seeking forgiveness for
things that are not only forgiven, but forgotten. The reason some keep
laying this foundation of repentance from dead works is because they are
still entrapped in the works of the law. And rather than receiving the
grace and mercy afforded by the new law of faith, they continue to seek
justification through the works of the old law and its dead rituals. It is
so much easier to forget the past if we are no longer living in it and the
dead works of our youth; which, what we thought would bring us closer to
God was actually drawing us farther away and sinking our ship. Out of
sight, out of mind, so the further removed we are from our old way of
thinking the more we are able to walk in a newness of life; each day being
a new opportunity to worship our Father in spirit and in truth. So if there
is something or somebody trying to remind you of your past, forget it and
keep pressing forward.
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