Your past doesn’t dictate your future…

Your past doesn’t dictate your future…

‘AWord From the Pastor’ By Clayton Adams

“Your Past Doesn't Dictate Your Future.”

I am not sure exactly who should receive the credit for this comment I only know that the first person I heard speak it was my wife Laurie. Yes, I do listen to her.

The sting that comes from the damning accusation stated in the form of a question, “Who do you think you are…?” is soothed through the truth of “My past does not dictate my future.” Too many people live in the shadows of past bad decisions, family issues of years gone by and it doesn't matter the genesis, circumstances or who caused the circumstances or events, they happened. I wish more people knew this truth, “My past does not dictate my future.”

Here is the truth. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), the key word being “All.” But God's Word does more than just point to our sin.

God's Word is the story of mankind, from the Genesis (The Beginning of mankind on earth) to Revelation (The End of mankind on earth). Thank God, He chooses to use us sinners to accomplish His plans of grace. Thank God for our salvation from past decisions and future pain.

Of all the folks in the Hebrew Scriptures (The Old Testament) I like to study the lives of those who failed miserably.

Moses was guilty of murder and then turned “yellow” and ran from his problems only to have God bring him back and use him greatly in delivering the Israelites from unbearable slavery.

There is Rahab, the prostitute, who after hearing of the God of the Israelites, asked to be remembered and acted in her faith (Joshua 2). In fact, Rahab an outsider and lowest of societal people groups is praised for her faith put into action, proving that her past didn't dictate her future (James 2:25; Hebrew 11:30-31) and in fact is given in the genealogy of Jesus. (Matthew 1:5) Gideon was hiding and had all kinds of excuses for his life, (Gideon first said he was too young, too small, his family was too small, his tribe was too small) he used all the good excuses but God spoke to Gideon in a way Gideon never saw himself. “The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, 'The LORD is with you, O valiant warrior.'

(Judges 6:12) Gideon could never have seen himself as a “mighty warrior” he was hiding at the time this was spoken to him. Moses, Rahab, Gideon and so many others serve as examples for us today.

God recognizes that we struggle with sin in our lives. God knows our weaknesses and failures and what He did with Moses, Rahab, Gideon and millions and millions of other people is the same thing He wants to do for you. God's desire is for you to see yourself the way He see's you.

Many people read God's Word with a narrow sight and only see what they want to see; the sin, the hypocrisy of people, killing, rape, war after war, illicit sex, multiple wives.

All of these human actions and tendencies are recorded in God's Word for our benefit. (1 Corinthians 10:6) God's Word does expose the evil that exists in the human heart. God states the depravity of the human heart; “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

(Jeremiah 17:9) God exposes the human heart so that we may see the need for His salvation because we sure can't save ourselves!

I believe God's Word should be read with the understanding that all the people we read about, those who did such evil things were, are and always will be loved by God.

God saw those folks for who and what they could be in His Son Jesus Christ.

This is the way God see's you – not as you were and not even as you are but as you can be in His Son Jesus Christ – forgiven and greatly used in His plans.

Your past does not dictate your future with Christ. If you fall for the lie that you cannot get past your past, read Hebrews chapter 11, make a list of the people given as examples and then go back to the Old Testament and study their lives. You'll soon find yourself in their lives, their experiences and their faith in God will become your faith in God.

Read His Word, be encouraged that others have made terrible mistakes, committed unbelievable acts of sin but God who is rich in mercy, His grace is greater than your sin and my sin. (Romans 5:20) Your sin is no match for God's grace! Your past doesn't dictate your future! — God does.

Clayton Adams is pastor at Earle First Assembly of God. You can e- mail him at cpalaa@ yahoo. com, or find Earle First Assembly on Facebook.