Intro: Since we have just entered the New Year; here are some thoughts from God's word we might want to remember so we can have a joyful and blessed year. God has some good advice for us and we would be wise to heed what He has to say.
I. Forget the Past. [Philippians 3:12-15 (NLT) ] 12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 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. 15 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. Paul, as great a man as he was did not consider that he had achieved perfection or spiritual maturity; he was not all that he knew he should be, but he lived his life growing in his relationship with God, pressing on toward the goal of ultimate perfection for which Christ died to give him. Like Paul, we should be focusing on one goal: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. Our past sins should not be used as a barrier to the future, an excuse for dropping out, or for avoiding a closeness in our relationship with God. Even the good we have done is past and we cannot hold on to that. We as Christians must forget the past, the good and bad things and press on toward the goal of perfection for which Christ saved us. In (Matthew 5:48) Jesus said to be perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect. We should repent of past or present sins that are unconfessed. 1 John 1:9 (NKJV) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
II. Remember God is With You. (Romans 8:29-39 (NLT) 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. 31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. God who knew us in advance before we were born has predetermined us to be like Christ. He has called us by name, He has justified us, given us a right standing before Him and He has given us His glory, the glory of His Spirit within. We have a special relationship with the Lord as His covenant people. God says if we are His people then who can be against us? Because God has created us and called us, justified us and glorified us He will also care for us, He will continue as our Shepherd to guide us. Christ is at God's right hand constantly pleading for us. Therefore in difficult times, we should not give up or fear, for God is with us and will protect us. This makes us more than conquerors thru Him. He assures us that nothing in the heavens above or earth below can separate us from His love which He has for us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Heb. 13:5 God promise He will never leave us nor forsake us.
III. Hold Fast to Your Faith. [Hebrews 6:13-20 (NLT) ]13 For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying: 14 “I will certainly bless you, and I will multiply your descendants beyond number.” 15 Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised. 16 Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. 17 God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. 18 So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. 19 This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. 20 Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. Abraham is our example. He had to wait for God’s promise in verse 14. In verse 15 the bible says that after he waited patiently for a while then he received what God had promised. God had confirmed his promise to Abraham with an oath, and these two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. God has promised us Christians His salvation and has given His oath that He will provide for us a home in heaven. So we can have the sure hope of security because of the unchanging truth of His promise. It’s impossible for God to lie. Patience is our part whereby we hold on to his promises with confident hope just as Abraham did. We Christians have fled to God for refuge. Christ provides the safest place, the hope we count on, the encouragement we need. We must “hold on to God's promises” grasping it, refusing to let go no matter what might happen around us. This confidence in God’s word is like a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls, secure and immovable. Not only does this confidence in God’s promises hold us secure, but it leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. The inner sanctuary refers to the Most Holy Place in the Jewish Temple where God’s presence was. God’s presence was closed from the people by a curtain. The curtain was torn from top to bottom and the way into God’s presence was opened when Jesus died on the cross as payment for our sins. [Mark 15:38]
Invitation: Have you taken advantage of God’s promise to save you from Hell and give you a home in His Kingdom? When you confess your sins against God and ask Jesus to forgive and save you, God has promised He will give you a home in His Kingdom. If you have not done that, do it right now before it’s eternally too late.
