Isaiah 43
18 “ Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.
My question for you is, "Have you ever met anyone that claimed to be a christian, but was so bogged down in their past, that they can not move forward in the things that God ordained for their lives?"
So many times christians have it in their head that they are unworthy of participating in the things God has instore for them because of the things they have previously particiated in. I know because I used to be that same way. I felt this desire, this passion, this BURDEN for the lost. When God, began working in my life and opening doors, I stepped back and questioned it.
"You can't use me," I would say.
See, I felt like no one would listen to me because, I felt unworthy to tell others that God had forgiven me after all I had did. Who am I to be in that position. No I wasn't a murderer or a theif, but I felt bad for what I had done. I had played church for a very long time. I knew how to worship, how to pray, and how to play church like the best of them. I was really good. I had a lot of people fooled.
What everyone didn't know was I was dying inside. I KNEW God was real, I knew church was real, but I was not. I hated what I was becoming. I didn't want anyone know I was faking, so I said what everyone wanted to hear. I was really depressed. I began to self injure, and labled myself as a cutter. It didn't start out as wanting to die, but when I reached that point, over a 2 year span, I talked to a youth pastor. He told me what I already knew... and we began the process. A year later while I wasn't doing it near as often, I still was cuttin. I felt like a failure. I would got a week or so with out and then cut again. I hated it.
One night my youth pastor preached and something got my attention. That night he did an illustrated sermon. We watched a clip of Passion of The Christ, and he told us to picture OUR sins on the cross... He did the alter call and I went as we all set around praying, he brought me a letter (everone got one) but he knew my struggles. It was VERY personal.
Kayla,
You have experienced so much for your age. I want you to know that the past is irreleavent to your future. You have a choice, things do not have to be the same, but you have to take the step. You have to leave your past behind. Etc...
He Does NOT Base HIS Love for YOU on How Many Days You Go WithOut Messing Up Terribly!
Then he put the scriptures that changed my life...
Psalms 103:
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
I Was forgiven, IT is forgotten.
Now to the scripture, verse 18:
--Forget the former things;do not dwell on the past.--
It was at that point that I realized that the past was my testimony and that it was proof of a powerful God. "Testimonies NEVER limits Gods Power it only GLORIFIES His Name! Don't ponder on what you did, but on what He did for YOU!"
Paul understood this all to well when he wrote, "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead." (Phillipians 3:13) Who is Paul? The author of most of the New Testament, one of the most influenctual speakers/ writer of all time, and one of the greatest ministers of all times. BUT WHO was Paul before he was "Paul"? Saul- One of the most influenctual PERSECUTERS of christians. He consideded himself the worst of the worst.(1 tim. 1:15) I would have sure hated it if Paul would have been held back by his past.
Verse 19: Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.
First what is new? New is something that is unknown, it is uncharted, UNCOMFORTABLE!
Biblical Wilderness = unable to be traveled NO ROAD.
Biblical Desert = No Water... No Rivers.
New is:
-The barren mother that is pregnant with twins.
-The man who was given 6 months to live, that has been living for 6 years after the diagnosis.
-The ex crack dealer that is preaching around the world.
Nothing is impossible for My God. He saves, heals, protects, and delivers.
He loves us all unconditionally, and does not base his love on how many days we go with out messing up. He Calls and Uses everyone that answers the call.
What is your dream? What keeps you from accomplishing what you feel God calling you to do? IS it your pass? Don't count your self out because of your past. I dare you to ask God to do a new thing... I believe he desires to do something new this year. Allow him! Step out on faith, get our your comfort zone, And let God show you something.
Maybe you are reading this and you are saying, I don't really have this freedom that you are writing about Kayla, and I WANT it. Maybe you are saying I don't even know this God you are talking about.
I invite you to pray this prayer from your heart...
Dear God,
I don't really understand all this, but I do know that I need someone, I need a savior. My life is so complicated and I need some help. Please come in to my life and be my Lord. I give you my heart in what ever shape it is, you take it and mend it. Please guide me and direct me in all my ways. Reveal yourself to me. Allow me to experience you in a new way. Thank you for all you are doing and going to do.
Amen
Please feel free to email me at truth4uth@gmail.com with any comments, questions, prayer reports, or praise reports... Also, we would like to know if you prayed the prayer.
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