Because Jesus is who He said He was, my past can be forgiven. I don't have to go carrying a load of guilt around. It's unnecessary.

"There is no condemnation awaiting those who belong to Christ." Those of you who are Baby Boomers, remember when you were growing up you had an Etch-A-Sketch? If you messed up the picture you just flip it, shake it, turn it over. There would be a clean slate. This is God's etch-a-sketch verse in the Bible. He says, I want to wipe it clean. You can walk out of here tonight, knowing that every single thing you've ever done wrong up until this point is completely forgiven. That's good news. That's news I can use. No condemnation! Jesus Christ did not come to rub it in, He came to rub it out. He said, "I didn't come to condemn the world, I came to save it." He wants to change you, to help you, give you a new beginning, a clear conscience. That's news I can use.

2. My Present Problems Can Be Managed

Much of life is unmanageable. Especially if you're a parent! I was reading this week about Charlie Shedd, an author. He tells this story on himself, "Before we had kids I used to travel across the country teaching a lecture I called 'The Ten Commandments for Raising Perfect Kids' before I had kids." After he and Martha had their first child, he changed it to "Ten Hints for Parents." After their second child, he relabeled the lecture, "A Few Tentative Suggestions For Fellow Strugglers." He said after the arrival of the third child he gave up speaking on the topic altogether.

Maturity is when you figure out that you can't have it all figured out. Maturity is when you realize that you can't manage all that life is going to send you. But God can. And that's good news. I can't control everything in my life, but God can. So I want to hook up with Him and let Him control it and ask Him for help.

I talk to hundreds of people all the time and the number one complaint I hear from people today in Orange County is "My life is out of control." I hear it a thousand times. "I feel powerless to change the situation... I feel powerless to break a bad habit... I feel powerless to save a relationship... I feel powerless to get out of debt... I feel powerless to manage my time and my schedule." What you need is a power greater than yourself. You were never meant to live this life just on your own power. God wants to have a relationship with you.

Ephesians 1:20 "How incredibly great is His power to help those who believe Him, the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead." The same power that enabled Jesus to rise from death will help you rise above your problems. The same power that God used at resurrection time 2,000 years ago can be used in your life right now. You don't know what the future holds. I don't either. I don't know what's going to happen next year, next month, next week. I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow and neither do you. But it doesn't matter. Because even though it's out of my control, it's not out of God's. He will give me the power to face it.