Don't Forget To Remember

AUGUST 12th, 2001

PRAY .......

PEOPLE GOING THROUGH TIMES OF DIFFICULTY OR UNCERTAINTY FACE A COMMON DANGER …..

-THE DANGER OF FORGETTING ABOUT GOD ! ! !

SO, TODAY’S MESSAGE IS INTENDED TO STIR OUR MEMORIES

-WE ALL PARTICIPATE IN EVENTS DESIGNED TO INSURE THAT WE DON’T FORGET CERTAIN THINGS .......

-THEY’RE CALLED HOLIDAYS ! ! !

-4th OF JULY COMMEMORATES THE FREEDOM WE ALL ENJOY

-THANKSGIVING REMINDS US OF THE KINDNESS OF THE INDIANS

-MOTHER’S DAY AND FATHER’S DAY HONORS OUR PARENTS

-MEMORIAL DAY INSURES WE DON’T FORGET THOSE WHO SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES FOR OUR COUNTRY

-ALL OF THESE HOLIDAYS ARE DESIGNED TO MAKE US STOP AND REMEMBER IMPORTANT PEOPLE, EVENTS OR BLESSINGS ! ! !

IT’S IMPORTANT TO GOD THAT HIS PEOPLE REMEMBER CERTAIN THINGS TOO .......

IF YOU’LL TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK, YOU WILL DISCOVER THAT THE BIBLE IS FULL OF EXHORTATIONS TO REMEMBER SPECIFIC THINGS .....

-ALL THROUGH THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT CERTAIN THINGS WERE DONE AND CERTAIN STEPS WERE TAKEN TO INSURE THAT GOD’S PEOPLE WOULD REMEMBER GOD’S PROMISES, GOD’S MIRACLES OR CERTAIN EVENTS FROM THEIR PAST ....

-GOD KNEW THAT BY REMEMBERING THEIR PAST, THEY WOULD BE BETTER EQUIPPED FOR THEIR FUTURE ! ! !

-SO WE FIND FEASTS AND CELEBRATIONS INSERTED INTO THE JEWISH CALENDAR

-WE FIND MONUMENTS AND MEMORIALS BEING BUILT IN BOTH THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT ...

-ALL DESIGNED BY GOD TO INSURE WE REMEMBER CERTAIN THINGS ! ! !

GOD’S DELIVERANCE ..... PASSOVER

Exod 12:14

14 "This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD-- a lasting ordinance.

GOD’S PROVISIONS ... SO MANNA WAS KEPT IN THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

Exod 16:32

32 Moses said, "This is what the LORD has commanded: ’Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.’"

GOD’S FAITHFULNESS ... MONUMENT OF ROCKS AS THEY CROSSED THE JORDAN RIVER

Josh 4:5-7

5 "Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites,

6 to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ’What do these stones mean?’

7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever."

GOD’S LOVE AND SACRIFICE ... COMMUNION

Luke 22:19

19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO GOD THAT WE REMEMBER ?

-IT’S FOR OUR OWN GOOD ! ! !

-IF WE FORGET THE THINGS OF THE PAST, THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED TO THE ISRAELITES WILL HAPPEN TO US .....

-Neh 9:17

They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and rebellious ....

THAT’S WHY PETER WROTE .......

2 Pet 3:1

1 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.

-THAT’S MY GOAL FOR TODAY’S MESSAGE

-TO REMIND YOU OF THINGS YOU ALREADY KNOW, BUT SOMETIMES FORGET

-TO STIMULATE US ALL TO WHOLESOME THINKING

AND I WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU THE WAY PETER CHALLENGED HIS FRIENDS .....

2 Pet 1:12-15

12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.

13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body,

14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.

15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

-IF YOU FAIL TO REMEMBER ….. I HAVE FAILED ! ! !

SO TODAY I’M GOING TO REMIND YOU OF SOME THINGS THE BIBLE SAYS TO REMEMBER

1. WHEN YOU ARE TEMPTED TO LOOK BACK AT THE GOOD OLD DAYS .......

-WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE LOT’S WIFE AND WANT TO LOOK BACK …..

-WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WIDE ROAD OR THE EASY WAY …..

-WHEN YOU WANT TO THROW OFF THE RESTRAINTS CHRISTIANITY DEMANDS …..

-WHEN YOU WANT TO BE AND ACT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE …..