The other day I was listening to a speaker talking about remembering what God has done and looking forward to what He wants to do in our lives. As I pondered that thought the words “review and renew” came to mind. We are to review – remember – what God has done and renew our commitment to live for Him. We are to remember the goodness of the Lord our God; His mercy, love, and favor; his healing and deliverance. We are to remember HIS WORD and keep it before us at all times to remind us not only of His goodness but to gain strength and courage to obey Him. We are to give ourselves to His Word that we may do them according to every commandment which He gives us (Deuteronomy 31:5). In Joshua 1:7 we are told to be strong and very courageous, that we may observe to do His commandments so we may prosper. Psalm 103:2 instructs us to, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits”. There are times we need to remember the victories He has brought us through to build our faith for the battle that is before us. God is faithful to His Word. He is not short of blessings for any of us.

We are not to look back with regret over our failures or what we think we should have done or wanted to do and then didn’t follow through. We put those things under the Blood of Jesus with repentance and believe He will forgive us according to His Word in First John 1:9. Then we do as Paul said he did, “forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,” Philippians 3:13. This is possible by monitoring our thoughts and bringing each thought under the scrutiny of the Word of God, casting down every argument and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, Second Corinthians 10:5.

Renewing our mind with the Word of God is a way of committing our thoughts to the Lord and establishing them, Proverbs 16:3. Reviewing His Word is hiding it in our hearts so we will not sin against Him, Psalm 119:11.

I encourage you this week to spend time with God, learning of Him, establishing your heart and mind in His Word and walk in His love; pressing forward to complete the course-His plans for you. Don’t give up; just keep going forward in Him.