Past is Passed

Past is Passed

Galatians 1: ¹³ You have been told how I used to live when I was devoted to the Jewish religion, how I persecuted without mercy the church of God and did my best to destroy it. ¹⁴ I was ahead of most other Jews of my age in my practice of the Jewish religion, and was much more devoted to the traditions of our ancestors.

¹⁵ But God in his grace chose me even before I was born, and called me to serve him. And when he decided ¹⁶ to reveal his Son to me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the Gentiles, I did not go to anyone for advice, ¹⁷ nor did I go to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before me. Instead, I went at once to Arabia, and then I returned to Damascus. ¹⁸ It was three years later that I went to Jerusalem to obtain information from Peter, and I stayed with him for two weeks. ¹⁹ I did not see any other apostle except James, the Lord's brother.

 

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“You shouldn’t do that” were the warnings I did not heed. I thought the Bible toting hypocrites were missing out on “life.” They warned me about life’s traps so I had to try them. When I did, I noticed that no lightning came from heaven and I didn’t end up in a burning pot of sulfur. I then tried other things I was warned against. Soon I found myself in trouble with nowhere to turn.

 

• I regretted my decisions to walk away from GOD.
• I felt that HE could not forgive me when I fell.
• I thought that HE only loved those who acted perfect.

 

Being a felon was not easy for Paul. He was a mass murderer, involved with killing followers of JESUS. BUT GOD in HIS grace chose Paul and revealed HIS SON to him. The past did not guide his future.

 

My Observations

• In the middle of my sins, CHRIST died for me.
• JESUS saw I would never be perfect, so HE walked the earth in perfection for me.
• GOD wiped away my past before I was even born.

 

Dwelling on past mistakes is a hole I fall into often. I replay the past over and over, trying to figure out how to avoid the gaff in the future. This causes me to make other wrongful decisions because my basis is the past.

 

GOD saw everything I would do and forgave me anyway. HE knows my past, present and future. HE gives me the opportunity to give HIM the past and my future so I can live in the present with HIM in love. I am glad this moment right here is special to HIM for me and you.

 

Challenge

• Do you sense the regret of the writer?
• How does the writer use admittance?
• Will you let go of any past mistakes by giving them to JESUS who forgave you of all your sins and who has a wonderful plan for your life today?