10 - The Windshield And The Rearview Mirror Continued 2008

Learning to Forget

Philippians 3:13–14 NLT

13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

FORGETTING: comes from word meaning “to choose to put out of mind.” It’s a choice.

Many Christians have trouble forgetting and going on beyond their sinful past.

They can’t seem to accept Christ’s forgiveness.

Principle: You can’t move on until you let the past go.

Never give up control of your life to a memory.

You can’t walk backward into the future.

Your past mistakes should not become memorials, they should be cremated.

Misery is a yesterday person trying to get along with a tomorrow God.

You will never see the sun rise in the east looking west!

The Christian life is progressive and daily. We mature progressively through successes and failures, good times and bad until finally taken home. Even Paul had not arrived!

Hindrances to letting go of the past:

Over-Romanticizing your past.

“Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?" For it is not wise to ask such questions.”—Ec. 7:10

Old 1968 song said, “Those were the days, my friend, we thought they’d never end, we’d sing and dance forever and a day Those were the days my friend; We'd live the life we choose, We'd fight and never lose…Those were the days, oh yes those were the days…”

Ever noticed that when you were there you didn’t think those were the days!

Clinging to the past

“But while he lingered, the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, for the Lord was merciful to him; and they brought him forth and set him outside the city and left him there.”—Gen.19:16

Lot could not let go of the familiar. He resisted change.

This kept him from the new place the angels were trying to take him to. He literally had to be coerced into letting go!

The longer you linger, the harder to let go.

Condemnation over failure.

The feeling that you don’t deserve a new day. You should live in the failure of the past as a punishment. So you stay tied to your own whipping post.

God says, “The Blood of My Son has freed you to walk into a new day!”

I like this quote: “Failure is a man who has blundered and is not able to cash in on the experience.”

Failure in not fatal or final unless you quit!

Bitterness

“Watch out that no bitterness takes root among you.”—Heb. 12:15

Bitterness keeps you bound to past people and events. Bitterness allows the past to control your present.

If you want to move forward you must forgive.

Notice Paul’s resolve:

“I choose to put out of mind what is behind me so that I am able to reach forward for God’s best!”

In vs. 15 He tells us that if we are mature spiritually, this is the way we will live:

“Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you.”

Hang on to what you have

As a citizen of heaven, we are to hang on to what we have experienced in God:

16 “But we must hold on to the progress we have already made,” Paul said.

Paul is saying, “Live up to your position in Christ.” You are a child of God seated in heavenly places; live like it!

You’re not what you will be, but you’re not what you once were either. Whatever progress you’ve made, hang on to it! Don’t let it be robbed from you.

Hang on to your walk with God. Your prayer life. Your understanding of scripture. Your knowledge of God’s will. Hold it close!

17-19Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal.”

It’s not your talk, it’s your walk that confirms the authenticity of your faith. When you see someone walking their talk, hang with them.

“There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I've warned you of them many times;

sadly, I'm having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ's Cross.”

These people are described by Paul elsewhere: “They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”—2 Tim. 3:5

Paul makes it clear that there are only two ways to go: The way of the cross or the way of the flesh. The way of the flesh he calls “easy street.”

“But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods;

belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites.” Vs.19

It may look easy, but fleshly people are enslaved to their lower natures and are being destroyed by sin.

The way of the cross is difficult, but it is the way to life. Jesus said:

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.”—Mk. 10:34

The gist of these final verses in Chapter 3 is that we are to live according to who we are in God—citizens of heaven.

“But there's far more to life for us. We're citizens of high heaven! We're waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He'll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.” 20-21

Verse 21 is like a glorious summary of where it’s all going. It’s as if Paul saw the end of it all and couldn’t stop writing!

Next time: The Peace that comes from Christian living.