Because It's A New Day We Don't Live in the Past

Scripture: Joshua 1:1-2a

Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' servant, saying, "Moses My servant is dead;

Insights: What a way to start a book, “Moses My servant is dead!”  The emphatic way in which the Lord pronounces this truth to Joshua is startling and powerful.  The basic point God is making to Joshua is: Don’t Live in the Past.  Sunday I gave three areas in which people often times find themselves living in the past.  We must let these go and ask for the Lord to enable us through His grace to move past them into the present.  First, forgiveness of someone who has wronged, hurt or caused you pain.  Some people are so caught up in their pain over a past offense that they are incapable of moving on with their lives.  We must ask the Holy Spirit to give us grace to forgive them and love them, just as the Lord Jesus loved us while we were yet enemies of God by going to the cross to pay our sin debt.  Second, we must not live in the “good old days.”  The fact of the matter is the “good ole days” were not as good as we remember them and by living there we are not able to hear what God is saying for us today.  Third, our own failures and mistakes must not keep us tethered to the past. Sometimes people who have made a mistake refuse to get back up after they have fallen down and begin to serve the Lord again.  When that refusal to get up happens, their past sins and disappointments become the very thing that drives their present.  Every decision they make is wrapped up in that one moment of time and it prevents them from moving on to new and more glorious opportunities with the Lord.  Could you image what Peter’s life would have been like if he had not accepted the forgiveness of the Lord after his denial of Jesus three times?  In fact, in John chapter twenty-one we see Peter returning to the life of safety and conformity before Jesus takes him through the healing process.  Because he refused to live in his past failures, Peter was able to preach the sermon on Pentecost and 3,000 came to know the Lord.

Questions:

1. Is there someone you need to forgive for a past wrong, hurt or pain that was inflicted upon you?
2. Are you caught up in the “good ole days” and incapable of letting go of the past?

Prayer: Father, give me Your Spirit to forgive those in my past who have hurt me.  Also, Lord, let me learn the lessons from years gone by, but help me to not live there as if they were the best years of my life.  Help me to see life from Your perspective. Amen.