MEMORIES

The Teaching Ministry of Rick Trice

5/21/06

Trinity Fellowship

Raton , NM

PHILIPPIANS 3:1-16

TITUS 3:5

Philippians 3:13-14
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.

(Is. 43:19). "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland"

Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

***********************************

"When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you're headed for the grave" [Author unknown].

***********************************

“MEMORIES LIGHT THE CORNERS OF MY MIND

MISTY, WATER COLORED MEMORIES

OF THE WAY WE WERE”

Forgetting What Is Behind

WHAT’S IN YOUR PAST? WHAT SORT OF MEMORIES DO YOU LET YOURSELF DWELL ON? IF I ASK YOU WHAT YOU HAD FOR BREAKFAST YESTERDAY, YOU’D PROBABLY BE ABLE TO TELL ME. BUT IF I ASKED YOU WHAT YOU HAD FOR DINNER FIVE YEARS, EVEN ONE YEAR, AGO TODAY, YOU PROBABLY COULDN’T TELL ME.

WHY? BECAUSE SOME THINGS JUST AREN’T THAT IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER.

WHAT IF I ASKED YOU HOW YOU FELT SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE DAY YOUR GOOD FRIEND LIED TO YOU? OR WORSE, THE REGRETS YOU MAY STILL FEEL AFTER YOU YOURSELF LET SOMEONE DOWN YEARS AGO?

WHAT ABOUT THE FEELING YOU HAD IN HIGH SCHOOL, SCORING THAT WINNING POINT FOR YOUR TEAM?

YOU SEE, WE CHOOSE ONLY TO REMEMBER WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO US TO REMEMBER, AND NOT WHAT IS USELESS TO REMEMBER.

ALL OF THESE MEMORIES ARE DIVIDED INTO EITHER:

* POSITIVE

* NEGATIVE

EITHER WAY, THE BIBLE INSTRUCTS YOU TO “FORGET” THEM. THEY’RE IN THE PAST, AND HAVE LITTLE VALUE TO WHAT YOU NEED TO PRESS ON TOWARD.

PHILLIPIANS 3:13-14 SAYS, “ Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: 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.”

“BUT RICK, MY PAST DEFINES ME FOR WHO I AM…”

YEAH? THEN YOU’RE LIVING IN THE PAST, AND IT’S BECOME A HINDRANCE TO WHAT GOD WANTS FROM YOUR LIFE!

Are You A Victim?

OUR PAST CAN BE A HINDRANCE OR A HELP IN MOVING TOWARD GOD'S PURPOSES FOR EACH OF US. YOU SEE, WE CAN LEARN FROM THE PAST, BUT WE DON’T WANT TO BECOME A VICTIM OF IT

FOR SOME OF US, THE PAST CONTAINS SOME PAIN AND HEARTACHE, AND GRACE IS REQUIRED SO THAT WE DO NOT LET OUR PAST DICTATE OUR RESPONSES TO THE FUTURE. THIS MAKES YOU A VICTIM OF YOUR PAST, AND YOU HAVE NOT FULLY ACCEPTED GOD’S GRACE.

WE ARE ALSO VICTIMS OF THE PAST IF WE DWELL ON MEMORIES OF PAST SUCCESSES AND FAIL TO RAISE OUR VISION FOR NEW THINGS.

AGAIN, BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE MEMORIES CAN BE A HINDRANCE.

TITUS 3:5 TELLS US, “H e saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, ”

Straining Toward What Is Ahead

*LET YOUR CONDUCT BE WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST…THAT YOU STAND FAST IN ONE SPIRIT, WITH ONE MIND, STRVING TOGETHER FOR THE FAITH FO THE GOSPEL, AND NOT IN ANY WAY BE TERRIFIED OF YOUR ADVERSARIES…” (PHIL 1:27)

*LET NOTHING BE DONE THROUGH SELFISH AMBITION OR CONCEIT (PHIL 2:3-4)

OUR PAST SHOULD ONLY BE VIEWED FOR WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM IT. WE MUST MOVE FORWARD AND AVOID VIEWING THE NEGATIVE OR THE POSITIVE FOR MORE THAN WHAT WE CAN LEARN. MANY HAVE ALLOWED THEIR PAST TO DICTATE THEIR FUTURE.

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland" (Is. 43:19).

GOD IS ALWAYS ABOUT DOING NEW THINGS IN OUR LIVES. HE GIVES FRESH REVELATION OF HIS PURPOSES IN OUR LIVES.

DO NOT LIVE IN THE PAST, ANDDO NOT HOLD ONTO BITTERNESS THAT MAY HINDER GOD FROM DOING NEW AND EXCITING THINGS IN YOUR LIFE. HE TURNS OUR WASTELANDS INTO STREAMS OF WATER TO GIVE LIFE, NOT DEATH.

Press On Toward The Goal

HOW HAVE YOU VIEWED YOUR PAST? HAS IT HINDERED YOU IN SOME AREAS OF YOUR LIFE? HAVE YOU RELIED ON PAST SUCCESSES TO DICTATE WHAT YOU WILL DO IN THE FUTURE? PUT ASIDE SUCH THOUGHTS AND ALLOW GOD TO DO A NEW THING IN YOUR LIFE. ASK HIM TO HELP YOU SEE THE NEW THINGS HE WANTS TO DO IN AND THROUGH YOU TODAY.