Castaways 

Part Five: past December 28, 2025 

Christmas is a time to give and receive gifts, but it is also a time to let go of the things that are holding you back from serving God fully.  I know this because everyone who took part in the first Christmas had to give up some things to do God’s will.  Today, I am going to show you the fifth thing you must cast away to serve the Lord fully. 

What must you cast away to serve the Lord fully? 

1st - You must cast away your plans. 

It’s good to make plans, but you should be willing to scrap them if God asks you to.  Why?  Because you were created to serve God (Col. 1:15-16).  God saved you so you could do the good things He planned for you long ago (Eph. 2:8-10).  And God greatly blesses those who surrender control of their lives to Him (Prov. 3:5-6). 

2nd – You must cast away your security. 

It’s good to avoid harm or loss, but you should not allow your desire for security to keep you from serving God.  Why?  Because God’s will is more important than your security.  God has promised to take care of you.  God will judge you according to your service for Him.    

3rd – You must cast away your self-image. 

It’s good to have a proper self-image, but that's not the same as accepting who you think you are.  It is accepting who God says you are.  You must see yourself as God sees you to serve Him fully. 

4th – You must cast away your priority list. 

It is good to be focused, but you must be focused on the right thing.  You must cast away your primary focus and surrender to serve Christ, the Lord.   

5th – You must cast away your past. 

• It’s okay to visit your past, but you should not dwell there because living in your past will stop you from serving God fully in your present.   

How do you let go of your past and live in your present? 

1.  You must forgive the people who hurt you. 

Forgive means “to release.”  When you forgive someone, you accept the pain they caused you and set them free from the penalty of their crime. 

• You must forgive to stop bitterness from poisoning your life.   

“…Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” (Heb. 12:15b, NLT)  

• You must forgive because God forgave you. 

“Make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends you.  Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”  (Colossians 3:13, NLT)  

“Dear friends, never take revenge.  Leave that to the righteous anger of God.  For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.  Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them.  If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”  Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.”  (Romans 12:19-21, NLT)  

• You must forgive so you can fulfill God’s plan for your life. 

God allowed you to experience your painful experiences.  Why?  God knows what we need to accomplish His plan for your life.  God allowed seventeen-year-old Joseph to be stripped, beaten, and sold into slavery by his brothers.  In one day, Joseph went from a favorite son to a forgotten son.  God allowed Joseph to suffer because He knew what Joseph needed to experience to become a great man who could help others greatly (Genesis 45:1-8).   

2.  You must trust God in every situation. 

Trusting God is the key to having peace and joy in your present.  You can endure and even thrive in any situation if you believe that God loves you and wants what is best for you.    

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4, NLT)  

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 4:6–7, NLT)  

“I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything.  I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.  For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”  (Philippians 4:12–13, NLT)  

• To trust God in every situation, you must believe that He is good and wants to do good things through you.