135th BDS – 8/8/2024

Scripture Reference: 1 Timothy 1:12-17

“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

There are many examples of GOD’s saving, life changing grace turning around the lives of those who many would never think would be, nor should be used by Him. GOD has made fools out of those who have cast stones of judgement and have thrown knife-like slurs, while hiding their own follies. However, using the Apostle Paul as an example of our GOD’s wonder working power, we too can draw strength from acknowledging who we were and in some ways who we still are. If it were not for the grace of our Creator, many of us would have folded under the weight of the sins, mistakes, and short falls that we carried or may still be carrying. The Apostle Paul transparently pointed out exactly who he was before meeting The LORD on the road to Damascus and gave glory to Him for delivering him from his past.

“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, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Final Thought: The Apostle Paul says to us that he didn’t know everything that was to happen to him going forward, but what he did know was that he was leaving his troubled past behind. While keeping his eyes on JESUS, he chose to continue forward into the purpose that GOD had for his life rather than to remain stuck in the opinions of the minds of those who couldn’t see him as the servant that GOD had made him to be, but only as the new man that he became through the Holy Spirit! He even shut down his own thoughts of himself to embrace his predestined future. Don’t allow the enemy, or those that allow the enemy to use them or even yourself to hold you back from progressing into becoming the intended version of who GOD really sees you as! So choose to leave the past behind you, even when you make mistakes along the way and continue to fall short of the glory of our GOD.. keep going and PUT THE PAST BEHIND YOU!!!

“It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, Because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: Great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; Therefore will I hope in him.”

‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭22‬-‭24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

-Minister Marchand, Founder and Overseer of JESUS IS GLOBAL MINISTRIES-JIGM and JESUS IS GLOBAL MINISTRY INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY-JIGMIA