Take No Thought of The Morrow, Yesterday.

The Bondage of the Fear of Tomorrow. Bound in Yesterday

What if? What if something happens to me? Will my Family be OK?
What if? What if I get sick? Do I have Healthcare?
What if? What if I lose my job? How will I survive?
What if? What if I make it to Retirement? Can I live on?
What if my car breaks? My house burns down? My Kid wants to go to Collage?

Tomorrow can seem scary. A lot of "What ifs". We have been conditioned from birth to worry about Tomorrow. People make a lot of money helping you plan out for tomorrow. They help you plan for Collage, Retirement, and even death itself. Insurance, from Auto to Health, to having a Life Insurance Policy, is all about "What ifs". All about planning for Tomorrow. Always be prepared? Plan for the worse and hope for the best?

There are a few different ways that we fall into the bondage of the fear of Tomorrow. Today we will focus on Yesterday. Yup. Yesterday.

You are born. You live and learn. You grow. You have experiences. The good, bad, and ugly. You make choices. As you grow, some of these moments in time, moments in our lives, can become so overwhelming that they take hold of you. They become, in essence, the person you become.

The Good? Ever have one of those moments that was SO very good, great even, that you want to repeat it? Re-experience it? You set up the same circumstances, invite the same people, arrange for things to be exactly the same? What happens? It is not as good as it was the first time. You see, there is only one first. No matter how much you obsess with trying to recreate it, you will fail every time. However, I know people that spend the rest of their lives attempting to relive something of their past.

The Bad? Last time I was behind the wheel, I had an accident. I will never get behind the wheel again. I see my Father working so hard, making like next to nothing. That will never happen to me. I will not do that. This happened to my friend. I will never let that happen to me. So they spend their lives trying to avoid things they perceive as bad.

The Ugly? Last time I was at Weird Uncle Joe's, he did things to me. I will never allow this to happen to me or anyone I care about again. You meet your friend's Brother and see him hug your Niece, your first thought? Is he an "Uncle Joe?" You immediately judge him based on what happened to you.

The point is, sometimes you fall into Bondage of the Fear of Tomorrow, because you cannot escape the Past. You cannot move on from Yesterday. If you have not been adopted into the Family of God, and allowed yourself to be forgiven and created into a new being, then you truly are your experiences. You truly are in Bondage. If you HAVE accepted the Spirit of Adoption, then God not only forgives you for what you have done, but blots out your very Sin.

Acts 3:

19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

God tells us that wee need to forget the Past. Forget all those things that may have been done to us. The things we have gone through. God tells us...

Isaiah 43:

18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

And,,,,

25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

Once you become His Child, you are no longer the same person who had those experiences. You are no longer the same person that committed those Sins. You are a NEW Creature. However, if you are so focused on the Past, you will totally miss the things God is trying to do for you in the Present.

Hebrews 3:

12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

Yesterday is called the Past, because all the things therein, ARE past. They have come. They have gone. Never to be repeated the same again. There will never be another 1963. There will never be another 1969. There never will be another 2001. There will never be another 4 am, July 28th, 2013.

Our lives are filled with never agains. You will never be 18 again. Never be 21 again. You will never Graduate School again. You will never give Birth to your first Child again. Never get Married to your Spouse again. Never go on your Honeymoon again. As you did the first time. You will never buy your first car, home, whatever, again. You will never experience ANY firsts, you have ever experienced, again.

Oh we try. Oh, how we try. Renew our Vows. High School Reunions. Baby Showers. We go around and show off our Stuff. Check out my new Car. Look at the House I just bought. Come over we'll have a Party. ETC. But you will never have the Firsts back. Let them go. All the bad stuff? Let them go. All the ugly? Let them go. Forgive whom you ought. Forget if you can. But let them go.

How do you do that? You renew your Mind.

Romans 12:

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Philippians 4:8

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

As Jesus, Himself, tells us....

Luke 21:

33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

And of course...

Matthew 6:

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

You have to renew your mind. Change your way of thinking. Forget the Past. Let the Past be the Past. Allow Yesterday to BE Yesterday.

Colossians 3:

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

The Psalmist sings,,,

Psalm 19:

14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Are you in bondage of Yesterday? Are you still there? Take my hand. Let me help bring you out of Yesterday and into Today. Have you been adopted into the Family of God? Are you ready to renew your Mind and be free from the memories of things long past? You can be. Say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus IS Lord of all!