In Matthew 6:34 Jesus said, don't worry for tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself...each day has enough to handle of its own. In other words, be concerned about TODAY...the day you're in.

Hebrews 3:7-19 and Psalm 95:7-11
These scripture passages tell believers NOT to harden your hearts when you hear God's voice TODAY...there will be consequences... so Today is Here.

Let's focus on having the right thoughts and making the right choices, for they will dictate what our future WILL look like. Will we come "into a rest" or will our lives "be a mess?"

We CAN help determine the outcome...

Lyrics

Yesterday has come and gone
And tomorrow is not here
Yesterday has come and gone
And tomorrow is not here
There is today then
To be livin’
Who am I pleasin’

Yesterday has come and gone
And tomorrow is not here
Yesterday has come and gone
And tomorrow is not here
There is today then
To be livin’
Who am I pleasin’

We can’t go back to the past
Nor can we predict the future
So we look to our God
In the moment that we have today

Be alert
Today is here
Be alert
Today is here
And it does count
For each choice we make
Creates our future

Be alert
Today is here
Be alert
Today is here
And what DO do
And what we do think
Creates our future

We can’t go back to the past
Nor can we predict the future
So we look to our God
In the moment that we have today

Yesterday has come and gone
And tomorrow is not here
Yesterday has come and gone
And tomorrow is not here
There is today then
To be livin’
Who am I pleasin’

Yesterday has come and gone
And tomorrow is not here
Yesterday has come and gone
And tomorrow is not here
There is today then
To be livin’
Who am I pleasin’

Devotional:

When I was receiving this song from the Lord, He was impressing upon me the need and necessity for His People to live their lives in the “present”….not in the past….or so far out in the future that their today is not being considered. Many of us are not even aware that we do this.

His desired response from us? To become aware of our own FOCUS… .where will we place it?

Are our minds full of regrets and shame from the past that only keep us from being victorious in the TODAY…
or is our thinking so focused on our future plans (such as a single woman desiring a mate; or a man who awaiting a promotion to be happy; or a youth waiting until they are “out of school” to witness) that we fail to enjoy and be faithful with what is in the present?
...in terms of relationship to God and others and even to our own self?
… and the meaningfulness of our activities? Thoughts? And mindsets?

TODAY is the proper time for you to respond to God….however He is leading you.

Why? You may ask… Because Today... NOW… is the accepted time, and the day of salvation for you. Take a look at this main theme verse for this lesson:
Notice the “past tense” of the Lord’s words in our main verse:

“I have heard you” - “I have helped you.”

YOUR HELP FROM THE LORD IS AVAILABLE “TODAY”

NOW…

SO TODAY… YOU CAN “appropriate” that help and know he has heard.

Trust him TODAY.

Ask him for counsel about TODAY...don’t wait until tomorrow.

Obey what He tells you TODAY...don’t put off obedience. This is actually the same as disobedience. Did you know that?

Salvation does not only mean the forgiveness and cleansing of sin… we actually work out our salvation, which is the “PROCESS” of becoming fully HIS… the giving up of Lordship over our lives. Our mind, will, and emotions coming into alignment with our reborn spirit man, who is Christ in Us. As Christ then takes control, salvation is ours for he heals, delivers, and sets us free from bondages. All this done...by God’s GRACE...and by our FAITH.

So our part: FOCUS… Where will we place it?

In the past? In the future? Or in NOW? True Faith is NOW.

“Today I’m blessed. Today I’m thankful. Today I trust him in what I’m walking through. Today I believe for healing power to course through this body. Today I trust His Word as I read the promises.”

BE ALERT….
Simply BE AWARE…

That’s really the lesson in a nutshell.
Being AWARE of how each choice we make...effects...our future…
will enable us to ponder those decisions and make Right Choices.

Who am I pleasing? God, or my own selfish endeavors or sinful lusts?

Who has Lordship? Self? Or the oppression “over me”? or Christ “in me”? Am I in joy? Or am I in depression? Some of these are CHOICE.

My husband once spoke these words to me: “Wisdom can be defined as being able to see the end result of a present action”. This is what all of us need in this hour.

Hebrews 4:7 contains the mystery of TODAY...
Christ knew this as well. This is why the above instruction!
This is the beginning of entering the Rest of the Lord,
which shall be a future song and lesson.

Sometimes it will be just the choice to trust in the unknown too. Choosing to let the Lord have the reigns, and letting him lead us; not hardening our heart against something “unknown” that He may be doing in us or the people in our lives.

What you THINK now is also effecting your future:
What thoughts were you entertaining this morning?
What actions were prompted by those thoughts?
What words were spoken that you wish you could take back?
What decision made that you regret?
Or what decision did you make, that you rejoice in, that sets your future up for blessing and victory? (smile)

Our lives are the SUM of OUR CHOICES.

IF you can become ALERT and AWARE
so that it is NOT hindsight…
but forethought…
that gives you wisdom…
This is how our Lord would have us to live.

Usually it is disobedience is what keeps us “in the past” (regret for it)…And “in the future” (I’ll stop doing this (sin) tomorrow...or I will do this after I quit this job, or “tomorrow” I’ll take care of that...etc.)

IT IS A MINDSET.
IT IS A FAULTY MINDSET.
AND IN JESUS NAME WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE OUR MINDS, RIGHT? (smile—I’m including myself here)
TO LIVE IN “TODAY”.
IT BELONGS “TO YOU”.
IT IS YOURS TO LIVE, EACH DAY, ANEW.
IT IS A WONDER, A REASON TO REJOICE.
THAT EACH DAY...OUR TODAY…IS FRESH AND NEW…
Psalm 118:24
“Today is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it”

Instead of always learning from HINDSIGHT, LET’S GIVE OUR FUTURE FORETHOUGHT.
Ponder—Pray—and Then make your choice, asking: How will this “effect” my future? How important is this in light of eternity? What is the wisest choice, that will bring the “desired” effect ultimately? Have I discerned what the Will of the Lord is? If I make the “choice” of procrastination (putting something off or delaying obedience), how will this effect my future? Or presumption (jumping the gun or doing something God did not require)? How will that “complicate” things? Am I obeying? Or disobeying? Can I trust even when its unknown why God is having me make this choice?