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9JANUARY2015BODYOFCHRISTNEWSThereforedonotworryabouttomor-rowfortomorrowwillworryaboutitsownthings.Sufficientforthedayisitsowntrouble.Matthew634Asweembarkuponanewyearweneedtoliveonedayatatime.Notborrowingtroublesfromthepastforwhatisdoneisdonenotprojectingtroublesforwardtothefuturefortomor-rowisnotpromisedbutdealingwiththecircumstanceoftoday.Pastandfuturethinkingcangivewaytodepression.Depressionisrootedinourhavingunrealisticexpectationsandmisplaceddependenciesthatislook-ingtootherstosolveourproblemsandbringushappiness.Theseunrealisticexpectationsandmisplaceddependen-ciesareprimarilyresponsibleforthedownwardspiralthatleadstodisap-pointmentangerself-pityandultimate-lydepression.Godsgraceissufficientforoureveryneedandisavailabletoeverybeliever.Howeveritisonlyavailablefortodaysneeds.YesterdayisoverandtomorrowifweareblessedtoseeititbringitsownsupplyofGodsgraceandstrengthLamentations322-23.Godhadapurposewhenhedividedourlifeintodaysandbroughtdownoneachdaythecurtainofnightthateachdaymighthaveitsownmeasureofjoytrialsandchallenges.Thatwemighthaveatimetoregroupregainourstrengthbothphysi-callyandmentallyandbeginagain.AshumanbeingsthepresentistheonlyrealityweexperienceandGodisalwaysfaithfultobeallthatweneedtoday.ThatiswhyJesusemphasizedlivinginthepresentinMatthew634.Theproblemsweimagineareawaitingustomorrowarenothingmorethanfan-tasytodaybecausewedonotknowwhattomorrowwillbring.Letusexplorethedangeroflivinglifeanywherebutinthepresent.TheDangerOfThinkingAboutThePast.Howyouthinkaboutthepastcanpreventyoufromenjoyingthepresent.Consumingthoughtsofwhatyouhavedonewrongwhatyoushouldhaveandcouldhavedonewhatyoumissedoutondonothingtoaidyouinthepresent.Constantlylivinginthepastdoesnothingbutgeneratedisappointmentandfosterseedsofangerandselfpitythatwillleadusinadownwardspiraltowardsdepres-sion.OneverycommonproblemthatthosewholookbackhaveisafailuretoacceptChristsforgivenessforyoursins.Wehavealldonesomethingswhichwewouldratherthatnooneknows.Howevercon-tinuallythinkingaboutwhoyouusedtobeandhowyouusedtoactcancauseyoutolosesightofGodsgracegiftofforgiveness2Peter159.Youhavefor-gottenwhatChristhasaccomplishedforyouandwhoyouhavebecomeinHim.AnotherhindrancetolivinginthepresentisrefusingtobelievethatGodisworkingallthingstogetherforgoodRomans828.Dwellinguponpastmis-takesandmisfortunesinsteadoftrustingGodtoworkthemtogetherforgoodwillkeepyoufromexperiencingHispeaceandjoytoday.Holdinggrudgesandnotforgivingoth-ersalsopreventsyoufromlivinginthepresent.Wecanbecomesopreoccupiedwithpastinsultsandinjuriesthatwecannotenjoythepresentmomentnomatterhowpleasantitmightbe.TheWordofGodsaystolayasideallgrudgeshardfeelingsandresentmentandforgiveothersasChristHimselfhasalreadyfor-givenyouEphesians431-32.Holdingontopastfailurekeepsyouchainedtothepast.ButGodisnotasconcernedwithhowmanymistakesyoumakeasmuchashowyourespondeitherinfaithorunbeliefwhenyoudomakemistakes.HeismoreinterestedinchangingyourcharacterthanyourcircumstancesandasyoulayyourpastatHisfeetyouwillexperienceHisgracetoday.TheDangerOfThinkingAboutTheFuture.Thinkingpat-ternsrelatedtothefuturealsopreventyoufromlivinginthepresent.ThefuturebelongstoGodalone.Nomanknowsbeyondtheshadowofadoubtwhatisgoingtohap-pentomorrow.WorryandanxietyaboutthefuturerevealsalackoftrustinGodslovekindnessandpowertocareforyou.GodisincompletecontrolofthisworldandwalkingbyfaithinHisunchanginglovewillprotectyouforanyfearofthefuture.Perhapsmuchfearofthefuturecomesofpastwrongdoing.Manyofusarefear-fulofthefuturebecausewehavedonewronginthepast.CarlMenengerthefamouspsychiatristsaysthatifhecouldconvincethepeopleinhispsychiatrichospitalsthattheirsinsareforgiven75ofthemcouldwalkoutthenextday.IfyouhavedonewrongconfessandaccepttheforgivenessofGodinChristJesus.IfyouhavebeenwrongedforgivejustasyouhavebeenforgivenbyGodinJesusChrist.NelsonMandelaoncesaidUnforgivenessislikedrinkingpoisonandthenhopingitwillkillyourenemies.Manyofusarefearfulofthefuturebecausewehavebeenhurtinthepast.Hangingonthehurtsfromthepastwillmakeusanxiousfearfulandtimidaboutthefuture.Dontcontinuetonursethepaindontcontinuetodwellonthehurt.AllowGodtohealyouofthat.Howeversomepeopledontwanttoletgosomepeoplewanttohangonthehurtbecauseitgivesthemreasontojustifythesadlifetheyareliving.Somepeopledontwanttobehealed.Theywanttocontinuallyrememberhurtsfromthepastandprojectthemintothefuture.Someofushavestinkinthinkin.Thinkingaboutwhatlifeoughttobelikeratherthandealingwithitasitisisasubtletrapthatbreedsunrealisticexpectationsthestartingpointofdepres-sion.Themoreyouindulgeinfantasizingandprojectingintothefuturethemoredifficultitbecomestofacethecommoneverydayrealitiesoflifebecausetheydonotmeasureuptoyourdreamworld.Fantasizinganddaydreamingaboutthefutureislikearockingchairitgivesyousomethingtodobutitwontgetyouanywhere.LivingInThePresent.Anxietyandtrustcannotpeacefullyoccupythesamemindatthesametime.HowthencanyoubegincontrollingthisimportantareaofyourthoughtlifeIn2Corinthians105Paulspeaksofthespiritualauthoritywhichhasbeengivenuntohimandtothoseoflikemind.ThismeansrejectingthoughtsthatarecontrarytotheWordofGodnomatterhowlogicaltheymayseemandembracingthetruthofGodintheirplace.RenewyourmindasyouchoosetoacceptwhattheScripturessayaboutanattitudeorsituationratherthanyourfeelings.Ouremotionsdontknowwhatisreal.Emotionsalwaysfollowthoughtstheyarerespondersnotinitiators.Emotionshavenointellectandthereforecannotdis-cernbetweenfactandfantasytruthandfalsehoodpastpresentorfuture.Theyonlyrespondpredictablytowhatyouarethinking.Ifyoufeelangryitisbecauseyouarethinkingangrythoughts.Ifyoufeelfearitisbecauseyouarethinkingfearfulthoughtssadfeelingsaretheresultofsadthoughtsetc.Emotionsdontknowwhatisreal.Theywillrespondpre-dictablytowhatyouarethinking.ThereforeallowyourmindtothinkongodlythingsPhilippians48.Inourrelationshipswithpeoplewemustrealisticallyrecognizethateveryonehasbothgoodandbadpoints.Ifyouchoosetolovesomeoneyoumustlovehimorherwithboththeirstrengthsandtheirweakness-es.TheWordofGodadmonishesyoutodisciplineyourmindtothinkonlyonthegoodthingsandprayfortheweaknessesandfaultsinpeople.Thiswillprotectyoufromcriticalandresentfulattitudeswhichareactuallymoreharmfultoyouthantoothers.FinallyifyouwanttoliveonedayatatimekeepyoureyesonJesusHebrews121-2.SatandoesnotcarewhatyoureyesareonaslongastheyareoffJesus.SetyourmindcontinuallyonthethingsabovewhereChristisColossians31-2.GeorgeMacDonaldinthebookBetterthanGoldsaysNomaneversankundertheburdenoftheday.Itiswhentomorrowsburdensareaddedtotheburdenoftodaythattheweightismorethanamancanbear.InordertoliveonedayatatimewemustclearlydowhatMatthewtellsusinourtextdonotworryabouttomorrowfortomorrowwillworryaboutitsownthings.Sufficientforthedayisitsowntrouble.Ifwearetoprogressinthislifewearenottodwellonourpastnorcontinuallyfantasizeaboutthefuturebutbealwaysdealingwiththematteroflifeimmedi-atelybeforeus.Wemustliveusingthelessonsofthepastasareferencetoaidourjourneyintothefuture.Moreoverifwekeepthosethingsinbalancethepastandthefuturewecancontinuetomoveforwardwithoutdoinganyoneorourselvesanyharm.Howevertodooneortheothertoomuchwillcauseustostopourforwardprogressorwewillinjurethosearoundusandourselves.HenryFordsaidFailureistheoppor-tunitytobeginagainmoreintelligently.IfyouhaveexperiencedfailurethisyearifyourprogresshasbeenslowedifyourfindyourselfinarutandstagnatedifyouhavebeenstymiedinyourattemptstolivethelifethatyouknowGodwantsyoutotodayisanopportunityforyoutobeginagainmoreintelligently.MoreintelligentlyinthespiritualsenseisfirstcomingtoknowJesusasyourLordandSaviorJesus.ThereisnosuccessapartfromarelationshipwithJesus.Secondmoreintelligentlyislearningtorecog-nizeandrejectthoseweightsandsinsthatarehinderingyoufromobtainingGodspromisesandblessingsonyourlife.Thirdmoreintelligentlyislearn-ingtoliveinpatientobediencetoGodsWordalwayslookinguntoJesuswhoisthebeginningandendofalifewelllived.WillyoudecidetodaytobeginmoreintelligentlyByRev.WilliamT.GolsonJr.Rev.WilliamT.GolsonJr.OneDayatATimeSERMON