Forget It!

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, - Philippians 3:13

    The child of God is constantly aware of the blessings of yesterday, as he remembers God’s hand of mercy and grace upon him both spiritually and providentially. These things we are not to forget, but we can not rely upon and rest in those things which are behind. We are to lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us (today), and letus run with patience the race that is set before us (today) (Heb 12:1).

    •Yesterday is past and ye know not what shall be on the morrow (Jas 4:14).

    •We live by faith. Now the just shall live by faith (Heb 10:38).

    •We walk by faith. For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor 5:7).

    •We stand by faith. For by faith ye stand (2 Cor 1:24).

    •Therefore we die in faith. These all died in faith (Heb 11:13).

    Our life’s work as a child of God is not done until faith is done—today’s faith! The Apostle said, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith (2 Tm 4:7). We are not saved by works, we are saved by grace through faith. Yet, it is equally true that as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also (Jas 2:26). Dead faith is no faith at all. The believer must not look back and be at ease or presume with good intensions on tomorrow, but rather look to Christ today and press forward by faith.

    It is good to remember the work that God has done in us, but we are to forget it as our necessary substance for today. Today we must reach forth unto those things which are before, and press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Salvation is a present work of grace in the heart carried on by faith that God gives. Faith in Christ is sufficient for today, and it will be sufficient for tomorrow as well.