Morning by Morning, August 28 - Learn from Our Past, Face Our Present, Press On to the Destiny of Our Future
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart so I can walk in Your steps and live in Your ways today. ...
"I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the sharing of His sufferings by becoming like Him in His death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ has made me His own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind" (Philippians 3:10-15).
As we come to know You more, we come to know Your resurrection power more. In humility and faith, in the light of Your power and love, we don't have to hide our past, deny our failures, or try to cover up our mistakes -- whether as a person, as a people, or even as a nation. We can bring it all to the foot of the cross in confession and under the blood of Jesus in repentance (1 John 1:9). We can learn from our past, fearlessly face our present, and boldly press on to the destiny You've determined for our future with the hope You've sealed in our hearts.
When the Apostle Paul speaks of letting go of his past, "forgetting what lies behind" so he can devote his heart and focus "forward to what lies ahead," he's not denying his past. Like all of us, he had a past. And despite the good things of his past, his past was also full of the sins and failures of violence, racism, religious pride, persecution, injustice, oppression, cruelty, and even murder in the name of God (Acts 7:58; 8:1-3; 9:1-2; 22:3-4; 26:9-11). And at the same time, he didn't let his past define him or limit him or disqualify him from "the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus" upon his life and destiny.
That's resurrection power! That's the power of the blood of Jesus to change our hearts and even the course of our lives, to set us free from the chains and shame of our past, so we can learn from our past and even let our past become our testimony to Your love and power and grace for us all!
It was true for Paul. It's true for every one of us. It's true for people; it's true for cities; it's true for nations.
When all nations are judged -- and all nations will be judged as either "sheep" or "goats" (Matthew 25:31-46) -- we want to be judged as "one nation under God" who has acknowledged and repented of the sins of the past and did not get stuck in the past, but chose to "press on" in her "heavenly call" in the mercy of God and the resurrection power of Jesus Christ! (Philippians 3:14)
Father, let me and my nation be found faithful, "forgetting what lies behind" because we've acknowledged it, repented of it, learned from it, and let it go, so that we can be about our Father's business, "straining forward to what lies ahead" (Philippians 3:13).
We can't make any of that happen in our power or wisdom or goodness apart from You. Apart from You, we can do nothing (John 15:5). It's only by Your grace and mercy. And it's only available to those who earnestly seek "to know Christ and the power of His resurrection" (Philippians 3:10). Lord, let it be so -- here in my heart and here in my nation. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My friend, may you be set free from your past, letting the Lord redeem it all into a testimony of His resurrection power to fulfill the heavenly calling of God in your life and your nation, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Healing Academy in Fredericksburg, Texas
Wow! What a powerful start to our Healing Academy at the Bride Church in Fredericksburg, Texas this week! Thank you for your prayers! Please keep us in prayer as Rocio and I travel to Fredericksburg, Texas each Tuesday night for the next several weeks teaching our Healing Academy. I'll be teaching from the principles of my book,
Free to Be Like Jesus!
-Transforming Power of Inner Healing & Deliverance
New Mailing Address for Messiah Ministries:
Tommy & Rocio Hays
Messiah Ministries
17503 La Cantera Parkway, Suite 104407
San Antonio, Texas 78257
Tommy & Rocio Hays | Messiah Ministries
Please share this word to encourage a friend!
