Everyone put their hands up like you’re driving, now check your mirrors, signal your change and let’s begin.

Living your life in the mirrors.

• Ever complain about someone who was so caught up with what was behind them that they were not focused on where they were going.
• Sometimes we as Christians live our lives in the mirrors, always looking back at the way it was, and not looking where we are going.
• Some live their life in the mirrors because they can’t let go of their past…
• Some live their life in the mirrors because they can’t see where they are going…

Jesus said:

Lu:9:62: And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Once we start down that Christian Road on a street called straight, we’re to keep the course, looking forward to the journey.

So quickly we forget:

2Co:5:17: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Ge:19:17: And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

Ge:19:26: But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

 

Unless your driving a ’76 Datsun you probably have three mirrors on your car.

Living life in the mirrors we often look at what behind from different points of view.

• If things are not going so well we might look in the right mirror at what is behind with a fondness to those good old days.
• If things are going good we might look in the left mirror and see all those rough times and reflect on how far we’ve come.
• If we look behind in the center rearview mirror at what’s behind we may see it from a Christian view point; we would remember just what God saved us from and become prideful for it.

But don’t misunderstand. You’re looking at the same thing; just from a different point of view.

Don’t let emotions of the day take your eyes off that road ahead!

When we live life in the mirrors we miss important signs along the way.

• Turn here
• Stop
• Yield
• Dangerous curve ahead…

Things in the mirror are closer than they appear:

Look at where you are right now. Can you see what God is doing?

2Peter:1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

Living Life in the mirrors sometimes creates a blind spot.

Job:23:8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:

We can become so fixed on the past that we can become blinded to what God has done for us, here, today.

2Peter:1:5: And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

There are those out there that live their life in the mirrors,

• Never experiencing the blessings of growing as a Christian,
• Never giving up their past.
• Always looking back

There are people who claim salvation, but there is no new creature, no change to speak of.

Repentance from sin is a turning away, going a different direction

To stop looking back and to start looking forward.

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.

4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Titus:2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ

Let me encourage you this morning not to live your life in the mirrors.

Check your mirrors, signal your change, and let’s  move forward for Chris