It is better to sleep on what you plan to do than to be kept awake by what you've done.
There is a word that many will hear and many will dread at times in life, we don’t like it, we don’t want to have any thoughts on it but it will always remind us of things in times past and that is the word remember.
The meaning of remember is to have in or be able to bring to one’s mind an awareness of the past.
Now if we are honest there might be some regrets in the past, some things you’d wish you had never done, words that you should not have said, actions you should not have been involved with, and the sting of this is when the person that is the violator hears from time to time do you remember when? This is a hard reality, and this is someone’s battle, your dealing with the realization of remembering something’s you wish you could forget.
Failures are not always fun but they are lessons we need to learn from, some failures are easy to deal with, you fail a test you can always re-take the test you know that you need to study more, if you fail a drivers test you can always re-take and practice more, but this is not so if a marriage fails that sting is has a lot of weight, or failure as a parent or a child this is a heartbreak within itself, and so we are going to explore some truths of the word of God that will give us clarity, direction, hope and redeemable strength.
Luke 16:19-25
19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and [a]fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with [b]the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.
Here in our scripture we have a chilling truth that speaks to us about memories, about remembering, what we just read is a truthful reality that Jesus used to give us an understating, everything that you do in your life is going to be stored in your memory bank of remembers. There are going to be moments of joy that you will remember but if we are honest our sinister minds tend to always remember the worst, we tend to be our own worst critics of failure and regret, but the reality is, that God is also a judge of both the Good and bad. God is also going to bring us to that place of remembrance.
1st Point “The lies of the rich and famous”
Here we have a tremendous situation in life, we are easily draw to some that we admire who are famous and rich, those who seem to be having lots of fun and no worries about life’s circumstances, these people put on show for us off and on stage, off and on camera, they are the rich and famous. Just as this rich man they eat well they drink often they dress nice but as I began to think of this, if we are honest rich people, famous people who are not living for God easily cover their grief and pain with many things, for instance we have Michael Jackson who was tormented in his mind he couldn’t sleep on his own he had to take pills to give him rest, he couldn’t get up on his own he was a depressed individual he needed pills to get up, he didn’t have a reason to live anymore listen to me his money, his fame couldn’t comfort him he was rich and miserable, he died a miserable death, we also have Robin Williams as many remember Mrs. Doubt fire he was another one who in his latter years committed suicide, unhappy, miserable, yet rich and famous but depressed and alone. I could go on and on but beloved these are the lies of the rich and famous. That if you had money you have it all. I declare to you that if you have Christ you have everything.
See beloved, we have often said whether to friends and family and even to ourselves, “If I had more money life would be a lot easier”, if you continue to believe that lie you will never be happy.
Philippians 4:11-13
11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:19
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Jesus Christ is the true answer for your lack of joy and happiness, its not money, its not fame it’s a supernatural power come from heaven to be with us to heal us and to redeem us this broken and fractured humanity that’s in need of salvation.
We are the Lazarus’ looking upon the rich eating the crumbs from the table looking at the fine linen and saying if only I could be where they are I’ll be happy, if you knew their lives behind closed doors you’ll see that they are miserable people because they do not have the risen almighty Christ.
2nd Point “God will surely remind you”
‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.
Proverbs 10:7
7 The memory of the righteous is blessed, But the name of the wicked will rot.
Having a good history is having a good memory, and no doubt life will take it’s course, life will by no means be perfect but it can be sweet and wondrous and if you develop good memories those will outweigh and overtake the not so memorable ones.
There are often times when I look back at where I’ve been in life and my memories of those times that are remembered and I don’t look at what I’ve done but I am reminded of what He has done for me. See beloved your past doesn’t have to define your future, it really shouldn’t determine what and who God can create you to be, He has a covenant that is true a promise that cannot be broken. If the wicked repent God will remember them. It does not delight God for people to die in their sin but come to know Him as Lord and Savior.
Ezekiel 18:21-23
21 “But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22 None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live. 23 Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?
Listen to me this is wonderful, the bible tells us that none of your past deeds will be remembered when you repent none of your sins are remembered and it gets even better, now is the time to start living, because of Christ you can be resurrected in Him. This new life in Jesus Christ. You do not have to live dead in your sins and in your past but have a new life in Christ Jesus.
Psalms 103:11-12
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
If you would repent of your past sins today you can have a new life to start for tomorrow right now. God can either remember them or remember them no more.
3rd Point “Healing with covenant”
Isaiah 49:15-16
15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child,
And not have compassion on the son of her womb?
Surely they may forget,
Yet I will not forget you.
16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your walls are continually before Me
Beloved today is the day of salvation, you do not have to live in regret or shame or uselessness. You do not have to live in stained memories, you no longer have to live with anger or resentment, give them all to Jesus and He will set you free.
Psalm 111:5
5 He has given food to those who fear Him;
He will ever be mindful of His covenant.
Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you, all the weight of shame and past mistakes, all the weight of bad decisions and unhealthy motives give it all to Jesus, so when the enemy of your soul tries to remind you of all your mistakes and mishaps, you could say to him on the bottom of that list that you created with all my sins all my past failures all my wrongs you can write the blood of Jesus washes me clean He doesn’t remember those sins so neither will I.
I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands, this is Jesus Christ saying the mark of those nails were for you, as long as these scares are here I will always remember who I died for and why. Beloved you are who He died for so you can live a new life in Jesus name. Amen.
