DON’T BE ENSLAVED BY THE PAST

Acts 13:36-39, Galatians 5:1, Hebrews 12:1-2

Acts 13:36-39 >> 36 This is not a reference to David, for after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died and was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed. 37 No, it was a reference to someone else—someone whom God raised and whose body did not decay. 38 “Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. 39 Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God—something the law of Moses could never do.

Galatians 5:1>> So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.

Hebrews 12:1-2 >> 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

1. When evil starts to accuse me that I unworthy, worthless, unloved, and unforgiven, I need to declare Acts 13:38 and say that “through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for (my) sins,” and Galatians 5:1 that “Christ has truly set (me) free.”

2. Is there any burden or sin that hinders my relationship with God and each other? Make new commitment. As of right now, I don’t think there is any sin that hinders my relationship with God and another, but I hope that the Holy Spirit reveals it to me if there is anything.

DO NOT LIVE IN SELF REGRET

Genesis 45:1-7 >>

1 Joseph could stand it no longer. There were many people in the room, and he said to his attendants, “Out, all of you!” So he was alone with his brothers when he told them who he was. 2 Then he broke down and wept. He wept so loudly the Egyptians could hear him, and word of it quickly carried to Pharaoh’s palace. 3 “I am Joseph!” he said to his brothers. “Is my father still alive?” But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them. 4 “Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. 5 But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. 6 This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE/MEDITATE ON: I will meditate the questions below and so self reflection.

1. What did Joseph’s brothers/siblings experience? Why they were afraid and trembled to face him? What did Joseph say to them? [verse 5] Joseph’s brothers experienced the famine in the land and went to get help in Egypt, only to find the brother they hated and scorned many years ago as this great leader. They were afraid because of how they treated him in the past and what he could do since he is not so powerful.
2. Self introspection: How is my response every time I make a mistake? Do I take it lightly/ignorant? Do I continuously regret it? Do I repent and make new commitment?
My response when I make a mistake is apologetic and sometimes afraid I guess, but more apologetic than anything else. I have continually regretted something but God has worked in me and is continually working in me so I can repent of past mistakes and commit to living a better life not repeating the same sins.
3. What are the consequences if I continually live in regret or feel guilty? Do I easily forgive others and myself? Do I have difficulties in believing that God has already forgiven me? Why?
The consequences if I continually live in regret is that I think it hurts your soul. You have a burden and the burden must be let go, given to God. I must learn to forgive myself, others and trust God has forgiven me too.

LESSON:

In the act of sin and hurting each other, we are putting ourselves in Joseph’s brothers’ shoes. At that time the Holy Spirit reminded us with the price that Jesus already paid in full on the cross to redeem all our infraction. He said, “Don’t be upset, and don’t be self-regrets.”

There are many people, who after confessing sins before God, remain to blame themselves and even continue to live in memory of sins that has made them angry toward themselves or others.

To overcome it, center/focus your attention to the Savior, not on the past sins. If we are trapped by the feeling of rejection, worry/unsafe, bitterness, disheartened, and guilt, then those things will continue to drag us to fall into sin and the inability to rise again. But, when someone turns back to God and receive God’s love and learn to believe in Him, then not only the life of that person will be restored and healed, but also they will experience changes.

Certainly, we are not able to erase our past, but we can learn from our past. The moment we bring all sins and guilt’s to God and seek His help; we can become a better person today and tomorrow – Herb Vander Lugt

FAILURE IS NOT THE END OF EVERYTHING IF YOU START AGAIN WITH GOD

Don’t Desire the Pleasure of Sins Past

Numbers 14:1-3, 11, 20-23

Numbers 14:1-3, 11 >>
The People Rebel

1 That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”

11 The LORD said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?

Numbers 14:20-23 >>

20 The LORD replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked. 21 Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the LORD fills the whole earth, 22 not one of the men who saw my glory and the miraculous signs I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times- 23 not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it.

1. Pay attention to what the Israelites said when they grumbled. [verses 1-3]. Take time to think about what you say when you’re in an uncomfortable situation [hungry, angry, tired, offended, disappointed etc.].
2. Though the Israelites witnessed God’s miracles, they still grumbled. They complained and were unsatisfied so that they were filled with contempt because they lost site of God’s goodness and became a little selfish and self-centered, demanding attention to their more immediate desires. I think this reminds me of whiny children who do not know any better or who are bratty. Personally I’ve done this too. Do or say something to serve my needs first and foremost, although it’s not the right or best or most beneficial thing for me to do in the longrun for everyone, myself and certainly not for pleasing God. Everytime I sin, really, this happens. But praise God the Holy Spirit reminds us and intervenes in our lives. Thank You! What would happen if this is left without any intervention [verses 21-23], God may forgive us if we repent but we may be left with sad consequences which may have been avoided.

Forget What’s Behind

Philippians 3:7-14 >>

7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.Pressing on Toward the Goal  12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

1. In verses 7 & 8, the Apostle Paul considered a loss what he once considered a gain after knowing Christ. Take time to meditate on this. What could cause this to happen?
>> Paul considered a loss what he once considered a gain because it took the focus and attention away from God to him.
2. How about yourself? [give a practical example] For me, I guess it’s the same. I used to like to draw more attention to myself in things, but now I don’t want to if it’s going to take the glory away from God.
3. What’s the way to focus on God’s will? [verses13-14] The way to focus on God’s will is forgetting the past and just working towards the future.