My Past

I just finished C.J. Mahaney's book, "The Cross Centered Life".  It's a quick read, even for me, but I was really challenged about a lot in this little book.  I want to share about one conviction that I'm going to try to apply directly to my life from the book.  One whole chapter of the book is dedicated to laying out specific ways that we can have a "Cross Centered Day"  by focusing on the Gospel.  

1-Memorize The Gospel

2-Pray The Gospel

3-Sing The Gospel

4-Study The Gospel

And here is the main point for this post...

5-Review How The Gospel Has Changed You

Mahaney talks about how many times people want to FORGET their past.  Me included.  I have several years in my life that I'd rather not EVER THINK ABOUT again.  The heartache I put my parents through.  The potential, and often real, danger I many times put myself in.  All the selfish, prideful and rebellious things I've done.  There are even certain places I'd rather not visit because the memories are just too hard.  But this is the place I need to be to remember WHAT GOD HAS BROUGHT ME THROUGH!!

I Timothy 1:13 says, "Even though I (Paul) was a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy."

Knox Chamblin writes, "Vital to Paul's effectiveness as an apostle is that he never forgets his day as a persecutor ... An ongoing awareness of grace reminds Paul of the appalling sin from which he has been delivered; an ongoing awareness of sin keeps him dependent on grace."

Did you hear that?  We should remember our past so we are turned to the Cross.  We must no longer believe Satan's lies that God CANNOT and/or WILL NOT forgive us.  Instead, remember where we were and what Jesus Christ did on the cross so that we can be forever forgiven and allow God to use those times to bring others to the foot of the cross as well!