Have you ever?
- Gotten drunk?
- Stolen something?
- Had intercourse with someone you weren’t married to?
- Had intercourse with someone someone else was married to?
- Cursed someone out?
“Every saint has a past. Every sinner has a future.”
PAST: Back then we used to do ungodly things but if we have been washed in Christ’s blood at baptism, sanctified and justified in the name of Jesus we should allow his spirit to dwell in us. This will help us to do righteous things and flee from sin. 1st Cor. 6:9-11
Read: Romans 6:17-18
“The past is behind. Learn from it. The future is ahead. Prepare for it. The present is here. Live it.”
PRESENT: If you have been baptized for the remission of your sins (Acts 2:38) then no matter how big of a sinner you were in the past, you are presently a saint! 1st Corinthians 6:11
As a saint and representative of righteousness we must be sure to do things that are expedient, no matter what the law says. Leaders in America are making laws that go against God’s will and God’s word but just because something is legal does not mean we should do it, condone it, nor accept it. 1st Corinthians 10:23
Read: 1st Cor. 6:15-18 We must flee (run) from all sin, especially fornication.
Our bodies are compared to the temple. 1st Corinthians 6:19. Historically, the temple was a sacred place. We should be likewise. It was holy. It was where the spirit of God could be found. Now, the spirit of God should be found in us. How do we get the spirit of God? Many people have many suggestions or ways but we must look to the Bible for answers to all of life’s questions including how to acquire the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38-39 tells us we get the spirit of God when we are baptized. This makes baptism very important. If you have not been baptized, you need to be. If anyone asks how to receive the Holy Spirit, by baptism is the answer you should give.
We were bought with a price according to 1st Corinthians 6: 20 but how much did we cost? We cost Jesus his life. Read the accounts in Matthew, Mark, and Luke about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Crucifixion was more than cruel. Because of what Christ did for us we are to glorify God in our bodies and in our spirit because they belong to God.
Comment below with ways we can we glorify God in body and spirit today?
Future
“The past is an experience, the present is an experiment, and the future is an expectation. Use your experience in your experiments to achieve your expectations.”
The future is coming and for those who do not obey the gospel of Jesus Christ it will be a dismal future. 2nd Thessalonians 1: 7-9
However, for those who have quit being foolish and have been saved by God and justified by his grace, there is hope. Titus 3:3-7
We cannot even fathom what God has in store for those who love him and show that love by doing what he says to do. 1st Corinthians 2:9
“Accept your past without regrets, handle your present with confidence, and face your future without fear.”
“The past is your lesson. The present is your gift. The future is your motivation.”
Philippians 3:13 reminds us to look towards the future no matter our past mistakes or present failures. God wants what’s best for us. He wants our future to be better than our past!
Jeremiah 29:11
-By Britney Dent