Reflect On The Past But Get A Vision Of The Future

Reflect on the Past but Get a Vision of the Future

Sunday. December 30, 2012

By Rev. James May

As I began to put together the Powerpoint presentation for this message, the first picture that I found to use was so very appropriate. It is a picture of the windshield of a car as it is traveling forward into the world, with a reflection of where it has been in the rearview mirror. The through came to me that life is life that windshield. We must continue to have a forward facing view of where we are going; with a greater vision of the future than of the past. We check the mirror from time to time to see where we’ve been, to remind ourselves of where God has brought us from, but we can’t focus there or the journey ahead will become so much more dangerous.

The ending of the year always brings with it a time of reflection as we look back to see where we have come from and make certain that we are heading into the right direction as another year approaches. Looking back is not always a bad thing; but let us not dwell there, for what is past, is past, and we never go there again. Learn from the mistakes of the past, correct them for the journey into your future, lay aside every disappointment, and renew your vision and your dreams of becoming all that you can be as the Holy Spirit guides your steps in the time to come.

I know that all of us have face some great disappointments and tragedies; and I know that some of other brothers and sisters in Christ are staring tragedy in the face even as I speak. But I am so encouraged by the Grace of God that is shown in every one of them. Some are facing things that would be so crushing except for the Grace of God. God’s grace is sufficient in all things to the Child of God, and that Grace helps Faith to grow even in the midst of the worst trials that you will ever have to face. We look forward to the coming year with great Hope and Anticipation of what God is going to do in us and through us. With Jesus in your Heart; with God on your side; how can the future look any brighter! Jesus said that He would never leave us nor forsake us, even to the very end of the world, and we will be with Him for all eternity.

For Christians, every day that we live means that our relationship with Jesus just grows closer and our love for the Lord gets stronger. And what we all come to realize is that no matter how close we get, or how strong our Love is for Jesus; we have only begun to learn how much we really need him in our lives every hour of the day.

We also know that we have an adversary, the devil, who will try his best to destroy our faith and to cause our love toward Jesus to grow cold. That’s why we must be ever vigilant, always on guard against his attacks; and we must be fully prepared to meet him through the power of the blood of Jesus.

It was announced that the Young Adults are beginning a series of lessons in their meetings this month entitled, “Are You Willing to Pick a Fight with Evil?” It sounds like a great series, but I want to let you all know that whether you’re willing to pick a fight with evil or not; you will have to do just that in the days to come. If you don’t pick the fight; the devil will pick it with you. We had better prepare our hearts and make sure we are full of the Holy Ghost and fire for the days ahead are filled with the storm clouds in this world, and some of them are sure to be a part of the life of every one of us. But don’t let that disturb you.

1 John 4:4, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."

You can always lean upon the Word of God, and when those times of tragedy come, or evil decides to try to invade your home, your marriage, your church and even your very soul; there is a great and precious promise that you can lean on. Learn to call on Jesus every time! Learn to lean on Him! Learn to trust in His Word! The more you trust him; the more you lean on Him; the easier it will be to overcome anything that comes against you.