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Leaving the Past, Living the KingdomLeaving the Past, Living the Kingdom
by Paul Faulkner
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As we get older, we have a tendency to look back, and if we aren’t careful, to give in to the selective eyesight that sees only the problems and failures of the past. It's too easy to look for someone in the past to blame or resent and way too easy to stumble around in bitterness and regret.

The best thing to do with the past is to learn from it, while keeping our eyes on today and looking forward to the days to come!

God wants us to live today!
Jesus talks about a man who "looks back" because he is not ready for service in the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62). Now what that passage is telling us is that the past can be a distraction that keeps us from being what the Lord needs us to be today! The apostle Paul talks about "forgetting what is behind" and moving on toward the things that God has ahead (Philippians 3:13). We've got to stay centered in today, seeking to honor God and living for his future. Remember what Jesus taught us to pray: "... your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10 TNIV).

The best way to change the past is to live the way God wants us to live today, rooted in the moment and living for God — in service to others and in service to the Kingdom.

 
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      © 2007 Paul Faulkner.

      Title: "Leaving the Past, Living the Kingdom"
      Author: Paul Faulkner
      Publication Date: November 09, 2007

 
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HOME     topTOP HEARTLIGHT® Magazine is produced by Heartlight, Inc. HEARTLIGHT is a registered service mark of Heartlight, Inc. Copyright © 1996-2007. Heartlight is supported by Westover Hills Church, Southern Hills Church, and loving Christians from around the world. Scripture quotations are taken from the Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. Used by permission. All rights reserved.