THE GREAT SECRETS OF APOSTLE PAUL (PART 2)

TEXTS:

"…but this one thing I do, …"

(Philippians 3 verse 13, King James Version)

"And herein do I exercise myself, …" (Acts 24 verse 16, King James Version)

This is a continuation of my thoughts which I began to share starting from part 1 of the series.There, I stated that one of the great secrets of Apostle Paul was that he lived with a conscience void of offence toward God and men (Acts 24 verse 16).

        Today, l would like to discuss yet another secret of this humble servant of God, so that we, having a desire to please God with our lives, may have a clue there about.

FORGETTING THE PAST:

  In the book of Philippians chapter 3 verse 13, Apostle Paul told us what was his attitude to life: "Brethren, l count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing l do, FORGETTING those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before." Splendid!

         Brethren, whatever those things were which are past, whether they were records or memories of successes, greatness or failures, God wants us to forget them and to focus on the future which holds greater things for us. God is doing a new thing: why not attend yourself to it, rather than basking in the past which is gone and cannot be lived again? Hear Him " But the LORD says, Do not cling to events of the past or dwell on what happened long ago. Watch for the new thing l am going to do. It is happening already - you can see it now! ... " (Isaiah 43 verses 18 to 19, Good News Translation).

    Come to think of it; dwelling on the past is a principle that's opposed and contrary to what the Christian faith stands for. A cardinal faith principle of Christianity is that as we receive the Lord Jesus into our lives, we become new creatures, therefore old things are passed away, all things become new (2nd Corinthians 5 verse 17). It's here to be seen that in Christianity, there's no room for dwelling on the past, no matter how beautiful or bad the past was. Apostle Paul understood this when he gave us a tip as to how to live as Christians: "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3 verses 13 to 14)

 We understand that as we come into Christ, God becomes poised to do new things with our lives. In this regard, you can be rest assured that such new things that the Lord will do with our lives will be better and much more glorious than whatever was which we experienced in the past. The Wonderful Counselor (Master Strategist), Jesus Christ our Lord will do it, for He is known to reserve the best wine for the end (see John 2 verse 10; Ecclesiastes 7 verse 8).

Have a good day!

PRAYER:

Dearest Heavenly Father, in line with your will for me, I forget my past that I may see the new things you promised to do with my life, in Jesus name.