Past/Future: January 4, 2010

January 4: TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY JANUARY 4

PAST/FUTURE
DEFINITION:
Past: Indicating a time gone by, a person’s past history.
Future: Relating to a later time to come or happen.

SCRIPTURE:
“Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3: 13-14.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
This has been a tough year for many people not only here in America but around the world. Everyone has been affected by a slowing economy that has meant job layoffs, losses of homes and income reduction. Others have been affected by wars, natural disasters and terrorist attacks.
Many people in our world have been affected by inflation with their local currency and the result has been a dramatic increase in what we may call the poor. And unfortunately these trends will most likely continue and get worse.
Our challenge to you now as we begin a new year is that you DO NOT DWELL IN THE PAST! You cannot move into the future until you are done with the past. We can hear someone say that we just do not understand the plight that they face daily. All of us need to take the time now and read again what the Apostle Paul tells us in the verse written above.
We are to forget those things of the past. Whatever your concerns have been, today is the day they should be forgotten. God has answers for your concerns of the past but you must forget them now and move on.
Secondly, Paul tells us to reach forward to those things that are ahead of us. Again someone is saying to us, what do I have to look forward to? You need to change your life style. Begin each day by reading God’s Word and you will find as you read, the answers will come to you for every concern you have in life. Reading the Bible is God’s way to talk to you. Then take time alone to pray every day. Ask God for the answers to your specific needs. This is your way to communicate with Him.
And finally Paul reminds us in these verses that we are to press toward that goal that God has for us --- the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. This is our assurance of eternal life with Him. What greater hope for the future is there for anyone?
A SPECIAL COMMENT!
You will notice beginning today a slightly new format for these devotionals. We trust that they now will be easier to read and clearer for you to understand. Each day we will give you a DEFINITION of our word for the day. We will give you one SCRIPTURE verse that will be the basis for the word we use and our devotional thoughts.
Under KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE each day will be what we used to call Words from Ken and Dottie. LEARNING will be our weekly verse to memorize and PRAYER will be our prayer for the day.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse this week is found in Romans 12:2:
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is.”
PRAYER:
Give me the courage today to be the leader my family needs to forget the past and the problems and concerns that we have been facing. Help each of us in our family, beginning today, to put You first in all that we do. Help us to realize the importance of having a daily communication time with you. Help each of us to be disciplined in providing time daily for reading the Bible and Prayer.

ONE FINAL SUGGESTION.
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