Leaving the past behind The Word Illustrated © Pamyla Floyd

The Word Illustrated #68
© Pamyla Floyd
01/20/2011
Leaving the past behind
Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing
I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those
things which are before,
In order to receive healing, you have to believe Jesus can heal you. In order
to walk in the promises of God, we have to live the way He says to live. It is
what we believe in our hearts, that comes out of our mouths, and those things
that we say and do. What do you believe? What are you saying? Does it line up
with the word of God? Two thousand and ten is gone, it's time to believe what
God says.
When we murmur and complain, we are expressing unbelief in God. When we
slander and gossip against others, we are saying that He cannot produce change
in their lives. On both accounts, we are calling Him a liar. When we hold
grudges and refuse to forgive, we are saying that satan is right and God is
wrong. Amos 3:3 states, how can two walk together lest they agree? Who are
you standing in agreement with?...more

What Can You Do When Your Plans Fall Apart?
Whitney Hopler
Editor's Note: The following is a report on the practical applications of
Debbie Taylor William's new book,
The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World,
(Leafwood Publishers, 2010).
Women like to plan the way they hope their lives will turn out, and such
plans often include enjoying good health, a fulfilling career, an exciting
marriage,
loving children, loyal friends, and abundant finances. That's "Plan A."
The problem is, this is a "Plan B" world, where life rarely goes according
to
plan and unexpected circumstances abound.
Sometimes your plans will go awry because of sin; other times, your plans
must change because they conflict with God's plans for your life. Either
way,
you can plan on one thing: Even your best plans will fall apart sometimes.
When they do, however, you don't have to live in defeat. You can make
choices
in the middle of "Plan B" circumstances that will help you experience God's
"Plan A" for your life. Here's how:
Trade earthly expectations for heavenly hope. Ask God to make you aware of
the unrealistic expectations you have. Realize that expecting more from any
person or situation than is reasonable will only lead you to become
disappointed. Expect to encounter disappointment as a normal part of life
in a fallen
world that's filled with imperfect people. But take your disappointments to
God, praying for wisdom about how you can best handle situations and
relationships.
Keep in mind that, while others will sometimes let you down, God will always
offer you real and lasting hope.
Trade illusive imagination for refreshing reality. When you imagine ways
you'd like your life to be, but what you imagine isn't grounded in biblical
truth,
your imagination becomes dangerous because it pulls you into wrong thinking
that leads you to destructive decisions. So examine your thoughts in light
of God's truths. Stop wasting time and energy on thoughts that aren't
worthwhile. Instead, ask God to show you what He has imagined and planned
for your
life, and think about that so you can respond to His calling for you.
Trade doomsday discouragement for delighting in your destiny. No matter how
difficult your current circumstances are, God is with you in the midst of
them
and will use what you're going through to accomplish something good if you
trust Him to lead you through it. Realize that doomsday thinking will lead
to despair and undermine God's destiny for you. Choose instead to invest in
others in ways that will outlive you; that's where you'll find significance.
Trade fear of the future for faith in the Father. Clear your mind of fear
about the future by reminding yourself of God's promise to always be with
you,
helping you, in any circumstances. Read His promises in the Bible often,
surround yourself with friends who encourage you to grow in faith, and pray
regularly
to keep the lines of communication between God and you open and learn to
recognize His voice speaking to you.
Trade being bound by bitterness to being freed by forgiveness. If you hold
onto bitterness, it will poison your soul and cause you to miss out on God's
plan for your life. Choose to forgive people who hurt you, with God's help.
Let your gratitude for how much God has forgiven you for motivate you to
obey
His call to forgive.
Trade woeful devastation for wise discernment. When you're facing
devastating circumstances, God is there with you, available to guide you
through them.
Pray for the wisdom you need to navigate your circumstances.
Trade shaken faith for a firm foundation. Don't fall apart when something
shakes your faith. Instead, seize the opportunity to grow closer to God and
discover
more of His plans for you.
Trade a fixation on the past with a focus on Jesus. Rather than fixating on
the past, learn from it by confessing your mistakes and repenting of them so
you can move on in freedom. Going forward, keep your focus on Jesus and the
purposes He wants you to fulfill.
Trade living in the flesh with walking by the Spirit. Every day, give
yourself a spiritual checkup to see whether you're making decisions
according to your
selfish nature or by the power of the Holy Spirit at work within you. Ask
God to help you repent of ways you've been trying to lead your own life.
Pray
for the Holy Spirit's guidance moment by moment, and trust that guidance
when making your decisions.
Talk with friends. Engage in meaningful conversations about spiritual topics
regularly with your friends, and encourage each other to draw closer to God
together as you go through the various difficult circumstances in your
lives.
Develop a sense of humor. Learn to laugh every day, appreciating the humor
that's around you even when you're dealing with challenging circumstances.
Use
humor to relieve stress and remind you that you still have a lot for which
to be grateful to God.
Experience joy. Stop wasting time and energy trying to make yourself happy.
Repent of following your own plans and start pursuing God's plans for your
life. In the process, you'll experience joy from God that will last through
any circumstances.
Adapted from The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World: What to do When Life
doesn't Go According to Plan, copyright 2010 by Debbie Taylor Williams.
Published
by Leafwood Publishers, Abilene, Tx.,
www.leafwoodpublishers.com.
Debbie Taylor Williams the founder of
Hill Country Ministries
with a mission is to spread God's Word and love, is a national Christian
speaker and author. She has written and produced numerous books and
video-driven
Bible studies, including If God Is in Control, Why Am I a Basket Case? (New
Hope, 2009); Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion (Howard, 2005); and
Prayers
of My Heart (Howard, 2005). In addition, she has been published in P31 Woman
magazine and is a religion columnist for the Kerrville Daily Times. Debbie
is currently taking her conference, P.R.A.Y. with Passion, across the United
States. She makes her home in Houston, Texas.