Don't Be Mindful Of The Old Country
By David J. Stewart | September 2014
Luke 9:62 and Hebrews 11:13-16, “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. ... These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”
I learned a wonderful truth today while listening to Pastor Jack Hyles'
preach a sermon titled, “Misfits
In The Kingdom.” The Bible tells us in Luke 9:62 not to look back. It
doesn't say not to go back, it says don't look back. To do so makes us feel
out of place around other believers who are faithfully serving God. You'll
only feel like a misfit if you look back to the ungodly cesspool of iniquity
from which you came, the old country of sin and shame!
Also, notice in Hebrews 11:15 that the Bible says if the great heroes of the faith mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11 had been “MINDFUL OF THAT COUNTRY FROM WHENCE THEY CAME OUT, THEY MIGHT HAVE HAD OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE RETURNED.” This is a precious and powerful truth for the Christian. The Bible is telling us not to look back, because if we do, we are opening up the possibility (the opportunity) to quit and go back to the old life. This is not the power of Positive Thinking; but rather, protecting our soul from evil. Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” When a Christian looks back, they create the opportunity to quit. Then a decision is required. It is a popular secular sales tactic to tell a person what to do instead of giving them a choice, because if you give them a choice they might refuse.
Whatever you do for the Lord as a Christian, don't look back! Hebrews 11:15 says that if the great heroes of the faith in the Old Testament had been mindful of the country from which they came, they might have had opportunity to have returned (and that's the exact wording that the Bible uses). Always move forward for God, but never backwards. Always be willing to move to the right, but never to the left. Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” If you are a Christian, before you were born into the world God pre-ordained that you should walk in good works. You don't do good works to get saved; but rather, because you are saved.
As believers we ought to purpose in our heart to live for God, and not live for worldly fame or fortune. Money never made anybody happy. Brilliant actor Robin Williams had it all, so it seemed, yet he commit suicide. Mr. Williams was a multi-millionaire. I doubt if there was a more beloved actor and comedian. I cannot help but wonder if Robin Williams had waited just one hour if he would have made that same fateful decision to end it all. Truly, Christ makes the difference! I am saddened that Robin Williams didn't know the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. Satan and the world have nothing of eternal value to offer anyone. All the fame, fortune and pleasures that this temporary life has to offer are meaningless in eternity. Oh, how foolish are the hearts of unsaved men!
Hollywood (often called “the city of broken dreams”) is a city of demons, a whorehouse hellhole, a wasteland of wannabe's. Actor Jim Carey admirably said: “I hope everybody could get rich and famous and will have everything they ever dreamed of, so they will know that it's not the answer.” That is so very true! Money never brought anybody lasting happiness. True lasting happiness can only come from knowing Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, and living to help others so as to please God as His redeemed child. We don't get saved by helping others; but rather, we help others because we are saved and Jesus lives through us (Galatians 2:20).
Don't look back at the past life, old crowd and sinful ways. That's what's so wrong about Rock music, it reminds you of the old country, the old ways. Don't look back to the old crowd. They haven't got anything to offer. They're liars, fakes, cheats, frauds and hypocrites. Look onto Jesus and trust Him!!! Onward Christian soldier, marching as to war; with the cross of Jesus, going on before!
"The world's greatest need is preaching preachers. The Gospel is our emancipation proclamation: let's take it to the slaves of sin." —Evangelist Lester Roloff
Proverbs 14:34, “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”
Mark 1:15: “...repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." —John 5:39
"In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." —2nd Thessalonians 1:8,9
“The undermining power of sin is always the cause of decay and deterioration in earthly kingdoms.”
—Dr. Oliver B. GreeneSo Much The More As Ye See The Day Approaching (MP3 by Dr. Jack Hyles)
(We ought to work even harder as we see the end years of our life approaching)“You show me a person to whom Heaven becomes real, and this Book becomes real, and God becomes real, and Hell becomes real, and salvation becomes real, and I'll show you a person that will so much the more serve God as he sees the day approaching!” —Pastor Jack Hyles, a quote from the awesome MP3 sermon titled, “So Much The More As Ye See The Day Approaching.”
