Have you seen the movie or read the book “A Christmas Carol?”
I was reminded of my past recently as I listened to two men give testimony to their former way of life — prison gang members. Then as our evening broke up, I had opportunity
to pray for two young ladies. It was evident their pasts were haunting them. Their pasts were trying to lure them back. My past began stirring longing to come to light.
I have to say, there’s something about the “ghost of Christmas past” that haunts. If you are unfamiliar with the movie and Ebenezer Scrooge, listen in and be refreshed.
[powerpress] or subscribe in itunes If you are a subscriber, you can listen here.
While Jesus’ name is proclaimed around the world this time of year, it seems the evil one does as much as he can to keep our minds off the true joy that Jesus came to free us from the past. And what better way for us to be thrown off course than by looking back at our past?
4 Truths You Can Learn from the Ghost of Christmas Past
1. Your past is your past.
It’s so cliche’ – but it’s truth. Your past can’t be changed, deleted, nor can you run from it. It is there to stay! It’s time to embrace it and look to the future!
2. Jesus had a past.
Have you ever stopped to think about what was in Jesus past? Read Matthew 1 about the genealogy of Jesus and you’ll see there was scandal after scandal. Just to mention a few there were men who murdered, enslaved others, and had affairs, as well as women who were raped, prostituted, widowed, and scorned. Jesus own mom, Mary, had the unthinkable – a teenage pregnancy before marriage.
3. Dwelling on your past paralyzes.
If Jesus had dwelt on his past, it surely might have paralyzed his actions too. He might have wanted to hang his head in shame knowing the whole town was talking about his mom’s pregnancy before marriage and that Mary was claiming it was some kind of “divine pregnancy!”
4. To move ahead fix your eyes on your future.
Your future is not determined by your past. Your future is not determined by your family. Your future is not determined by what others say about you. Look forward.
Your future is determined by Jesus.
The small baby who was born to parents that had crazy pasts, whose lineage was less than perfect – that bundle of Joy, baby Jesus is the only one who can determine your future. The ghost of Christmas past is distinguished.
Is letting go of the past hard for you to do? List one positive step you can take this holiday season.