DON'T LOOK BACK

Did you ever read the story about Lot and his family leaving Sodom and Gomorrah? God told them to leave and not look back. Lot's wife really screwed up. They were out of the city, on there way to a new life, and what did she do?? She turned and looked back! She didn't get another chance. God turned her into a pillar of salt. Wow! God was offering them safety. All they had to do was get out of the city and not look back at their old life. That's really how it is with us. When we ask Jesus into our hearts He forgives us and we have a new life. We just need to look ahead at all the new and wonderful things that God is offering us from that moment on.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (New Living Translation)

¹⁷ This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

Revelation 21:5-7 (New Living Translation)

⁵ And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” ⁶ And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. ⁷ All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.

Lot's wife was probably looking back thinking about all she was leaving behind. Sometimes we look back too. The problem with looking back is that it opens the door for satan to tempt you with the things of your past. Temptations come and we start thinking about how we liked the things we used to do. In all honesty, I did have fun doing the things of the world. But the thing is...just like the bible says, it doesn't last. It's only for a short time.

Hebrews 11:25 (New International Version)

²⁵He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.

When you are being tempted all you're thinking about is how good you felt when you were drinking or getting high. You're not remembering how you felt the next day. You aren't remembering the times you were scared you might die or even the times it was so bad you seriously wished you would die. Satan doesn't remind you of the bad times he only reminds you of what you considered to be the good times. For me after being tempted for a while, I then would get scared of falling back into my old habits and have to ask God and other Christians for help. Once you become a child of God you need to only look ahead. Put your past behind you and just go for the finish line.

Philippians 3:12-14 (New Living Translation)

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,^[a] 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.

For a long time I let my past control me. There is a saying; "Don't let your past dictate your future." Once you ask for forgiveness you have to let it go. It's not always easy and some things may take longer than other things. But...that's our fault. Jesus forgives you as soon as you ask.

Hebrews 10:17 (New King James Version) ¹⁷ then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

Jeremiah 31:34 (New King James Version)

³⁴ No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

We aren't like God. As ordinary people we will always remember the things we've done. But...as Christians we can't let our past sins affect our walk with the Lord. We just have to lay everything at the foot of the cross and carry on with what the Lord wants us to do for Him. Our job, while we are here, is to win every one we can for Him. We have to make the most of every opportunity we have. Tell everyone you can about Him and what He's done for you. Don't listen to anyone that tries to tell you that you are doing the wrong thing. Only listen to what God tells you. Use what ever means you have to get the message of Jesus out. We are told as Christians to:

Mark 16:15-16 (New Living Translation)

¹⁵ And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. ¹⁶ Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.

I also think there are things you need to do to prepare for this. You need to go to church on a regular basis. Pray and study the word, it helps to know what you're talking about. Personal testimony is great but you need to back up what you say with the bible. And...if you haven't been a Christian for a long time learn everything you can from those that have been.

The world is a dark place. As Christians we know the One who is the Light. We need to share Him while there is still time.

John 8:12 (New International Version)

¹²When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."