When We Are Living Is How We Are Living

INTRODUCTION: We, as a church, are at a new phase of our ministry. We NEED to

go to the NEXT phase of ministry. We NEED to reach out to the community, love on

them, and show them the love of Christ. We need to move in God’s Vision for the

church.

How we live, as a church and as individuals, is determined mostly by when are living.

This may sound a little confusing, but I will explain. We look at the Israelites in this

passage and we see them complaining - not satisfied with the way things are, OR the

way things are supposed to be. It didn’t matter what great things were ahead of them.

I. THE PAST

A. Living the Past

Ex. Israelites during the exodus - here in chapter 14 & several times

during their travels in the wilderness & even in Egypt before the exodus

King Saul - living in all of his failings with God - I Samuel 31

***Living in the past - letting the past control you and NOT having a victorious life in

Christ

Living in the Past holds us back from getting the Victory in Jesus we need to live a life

worthy of being a Christian.

- tonite I will be speaking on FREEDOM (having a victorious life)

- Sunday nites will then be focusing things we need freedom from

- I urge everyone, who can, to come tonite - expecting God to move in our

lives/in this church

B. Remembering The Past

Ex. King David - Psalm 51

Jesus - remembering the patriachs and prophets throughout his ministry

here on earth

***We should remember the past - our failings (sin) and victories, our mountain-tops

and valleys

II. THE FUTURE

A. Looking to the Future with God/Christ

Ex. Joshua - verses 7 & 8

John the Baptist - his sole ministry on this earth was to point to Christ

and things that were going to accomplished by God

B. Looking to the Future without God/Christ (on our own)

Ex. Ananias and Sapphira - Acts 5:1-11

Israelites during the Exodus

King Saul - I Samuel 31

III. THE PRESENT

A. Living with Christ

Philippians 2:5 - Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus

John 3:30 - He must become greater, I must become less.

Galatians 5:16-18 & 22-25

B. Living without Christ Galatians 5:19-21 - sinful nature...

II Timothy 3:2:2-5 - People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,

boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love,

unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous,

rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of

godliness but denying its power.

CONCLUSION:

REMEMBERING THE PAST helps us build upon our victories and failures to grow in

our relationship with God/Christ.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE WITH CHRIST/GOD

Phillippians 3:13b,14 - But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and

straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for

which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

For us, as a church and as individuals, to grow in Christ successfully, we CAN NOT let

the past control us - this is what Paul meant when he said “Forgetting what is

behind”

- things which we hold on to in our past: past sins, abuse done to you, failed

relationships with others (esp. Christians)

Next we look to the future in Christ “pressing on toward the goal...”

If we are not letting the past control us, and we are Looking to the future with

Christ/God, then should be moving along with God with great leaps and bounds. Our

Present Life in Him should be FULL of the fruit of the Spirit - Galatians 5:22,23

When we are living is how we are living!!

PRAYER/COMMITMENT - Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever

If you are here and you don’t know Jesus as your personal Savior - today you

can have a relationship with Him so real - it doesn’t matter what you have done in

the past, what matters in NOW

If you are here and you are dealing with past issues in your life - God wants to

free you from it today!