SELECTIVE MEMORY
NUMBERS 11:4-5
11/27/05
THE HUMAN BRAIN IS A FASCINATING THING.
IT CAN BE USED TO CREATE BEAUTIFUL ART.
IT CAN BE USED TO INVENT THE MOST SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGY.
IT CAN BE USED TO SOLVE THE MOST COMPLEX PROBLEMS.
HOWEVER, IT CAN ALSO BE THE MOST IGNORANT, LAME BRAINED, FORGETFUL, ANNOYING, FOOLISH, VILE, USELESS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THE HUMAN RACE HAS.
IT IS AMAZING TO ME HOW WE CAN HAVE MOMENTS OF SHEER BRILLIANCE AND SECONDS LATER BE NOTHING MORE THAN A BABBLING IDIOT.
LET ME GIVE A PERFECT EXAMPLE.
I KNOW QUITE A BIT ABOUT THE WORD OF GOD.
IT MOST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE WORD I CAN HOLD MY OWN AND DEFEND JUST ABOUT ANY BIBLICAL TRUTH.
I’VE SPENT TIME IN THE WORD AND IT’S PART OF ME.
I HAVE ALSO SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME WITH DIANA.
ALL IN ALL I HAVE SPENT MORE TIME WITH HER THAN I HAVE READING THE WORD.
WE EAT TOGETHER, DRIVE IN THE CAR TOGETHER, LIVE TOGETHER.
OVER THE PAST 23 YEARS, WE HAVE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS TOGETHER, BUT I STILL CAN NEVER REMEMBER HER SHOE SIZE.
I STILL FORGET TO GET THINGS SHE TELLS ME TO GET EVEN THOUGH I KNOW IT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO HER THAT I GET THEM.
I STILL DO CERTAIN THINGS THAT ANNOY HER EVEN THOUGH I’VE BEEN BRUISED AND BLOODIED FOR DOING THEM IN THE PAST.
GRANTED, SOMETIMES I DO THESE THINGS JUST TO TICK HER OFF – THAT’S MY OWN SIN ISSUE.
ON THE OTHER HAND, MOST OF THE TIME I JUST FORGET. I WASN’T PAYING ATTENTION AND IT JUST SLIPPED MY MIND.
WHETHER YOU’RE MARRIED OR NOT YOU KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT.
IT’S WHAT WE CALL “SELECTIVE MEMORY.”
SELECTIVE MEMORY IS OUR ABILITY TO RETAIN WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO US AND SKILLFULLY FORGET WHAT IS NOT IMPORTANT TO US.
SELECTIVE MEMORY IS VERY HANDY WHEN WE’RE TRYING TO GET OUT OF TROUBLE.
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE HEARD THE PHRASE, “SENATOR, I DON’T RECALL . . .”?
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE SAID TO SOMEONE, “ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT, I DON’T SEEM TO REMEMBER IT THAT WAY!”
THIS MORNING I WANT TO ADDRESS AN ASPECT OF SELECTIVE MEMORY THAT IS FOOLISH AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
AS I WAS PREPARING THIS LESSON I FELT A SENSE OF URGENCY AND THE NEED TO SOUND THE ALARM OF WARNING.
WHEN YOU WRITE A LETTER TO AN ORGANIZATION AND YOU DON’T HAVE A SPECIFIC PERSON’S NAME YOU ADDRESS IT TO, TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.
THIS MORNING THIS LESSON IS ADDRESSED TO, TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, I SAY, SELECTIVE MEMORY IN YOUR WALK WITH GOD WILL LEAD YOU DOWN THE PATH OF SORROW, LOSS, TROUBLE, ANGUISH, AFFLICTION AND REGRET.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, I PLEAD WITH YOU TO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD TODAY AND USE YOUR GOD GIVEN BRAIN TO AVOID THE TEMPTATION OF SELECTIVE MEMORY.
PLEASE TURN WITH ME TO NUMBERS 11:4-5.
THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL HAVE BEEN MIRACULOUSLY BEEN LED OUT OF EGYPT.
THEY HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE MIRACLES OF THE PLAGUES ON EGYPT AND HOW THEY WERE NOT AFFECTED BY THEM.
THEY HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE PARTING OF THE RED SEA AND THE DESTRUCTION OF PHARAOH’S ARMY AS THEY TRIED TO BRING ISRAEL BACK TO EGYPT.
THEY HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE MIRACLE OF BITTER WATER BEING TURNED INTO PURE WATER.
LIFE HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN EASY FOR ISRAEL, BUT ONE THING IS FOR SURE, IT’S BEEN A LIFE OF OUR GOD’S DELIVERANCE AND PROVISION.
BUT NOW, THE MYSTERY OF THE BRAIN IS STARTING TO SHOW ITSELF.
THE BRAIN IS BEING OVERCOME WITH DESIRE AND THAT DESIRE IS OVERPOWERING THE BRAIN’S ABILITY TO REMEMBER THE FACTS AND PROCESS THOSE FACTS CLEARLY AND ACCURATELY. ISRAEL IS EXPERIENCING SELECTIVE MEMORY.
OKAY LET’S TAKE A SIDE TRIP FOR A MINUTE.
LET’S TALK ABOUT THE SPECIFIC DESIRE.
WHAT WAS IT THESE PEOPLE WANTED? MEAT! THEY WANTED MEAT, JUST MEAT.
THEY DIDN’T WANT TO GO TO THE ORGIES OF THE PAGANS WHO LIVE AROUND THEM. ALL THEY WANTED WAS MEAT.
THEY DIDN’T WANT TO SACRIFICE THEIR CHILDREN ON THE ALTAR LIKE THE PEOPLE OF MOLECH – ALL THEY WANTED WAS MEAT.
THEY WEREN’T ASKING FOR GREAT WEALTH OR ELABORATE HOMES OR WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER LUXURY ITEMS.
ALL THESE PEOPLE WANTED WAS A LITTLE MEAT.
MY POINT IS THIS, THEIR WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH WHAT THEY WANTED.
99% OF MIDDLE EASTERN PEOPLE ARE CARNIVORES.
YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY IT BEFORE, IN MY HOUSE, A MEAL WITHOUT MEAT IS NOT A MEAL – IT’S A SNACK.
I LIKE POTATOES AND GRAVY. I WANT SALAD AND CORN ON THE SIDE, BUT YOU BETTER PUT A SLAB OF MEAT ON THE MIDDLE OF THE PLATE OR I’LL BE GOING TO BUY THE BIGGEST, FATTEST HOT DOG I CAN FIND.
EVEN WHEN DIANA MAKES SOUP IT HAS TO HAVE HUGE CHUNKS OF MEAT IN IT.
I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THESE PEOPLE.
AND, I’M SERIOUS WHEN I SAY, WHAT THEY WANTED WAS NOT THE PROBLEM.
THE PROBLEM WAS WHAT THEY WERE WILLING TO DO AND WHERE THEY WILLING TO GO TO GET WHAT THEY WANTED.
“WE REMEMBER HOW WE ATE FREE IN EGYPT . . .”
WHAT THEY WERE SAYING IS, WE REMEMBER FREE EGYPT.
FREE EGYPT!? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
FREE EGYPT?! TALK ABOUT SELECTIVE MEMORY.
LISTEN TO EX. 1:8-11; 13-14; 15-16; 5:6-8.
NOW A NEW KING AROSE OVER EGYPT, WHO DID NOT KNOW JOSEPH. HE SAID TO HIS PEOPLE, “BEHOLD, THE PEOPLE OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL ARE MORE AND MIGHTIER THAN WE. COME, LET US DEAL WISELY WITH THEM, OR ELSE THEY WILL MULTIPLY AND IN THE EVENT OF WAR, THEY WILL ALSO JOIN THEMSELVES TO THOSE WHO HATE US, AND FIGHT AGAINST US AND DEPART FROM THE LAND.” (EX. 1:8-11)
THEY EGYPTIANS COMPELLED THE SONS OF ISRAEL TO LABOR RIGOROUSLY; AND THEY MADE THEIR LIVES BITTER WITH HARD LABOR IN MORTAR AND BRICKS AND AT ALL KINDS OF LABOR IN THE FIELD, ALL THEIR LABORS WHICH THEY RIGOROUSLY IMPOSED ON THEM. (EX. 1:13-14)
THEN THE KING OF EGYPT SPOKE TO THE HEBREW MIDWIVES, ONE OF WHOM WAS NAMED SHIPHRAH AND THE OTHER WAS NAMED PUAH; AND HE SAID, “WHEN YOU ARE HELPING THE HEBREW WOMEN TO GIVE BIRTH AND SEE THEM UPON THE BIRTHSTOOL, IF IT IS A SON, THEN YOU SHALL PUT HIM TO DEATH; BUT IF IT IS A DAUGHTER, THEN SHE SHALL LIVE.” (EX.1:15-16)
SO THE SAME DAY PHARAOH COMMANDED THE TASKMASTERS OVER THE PEOPLE AND THEIR FOREMEN, SAYING, “YOU ARE NO LONGER TO GIVE THE PEOPLE STRAW TO MAKE BRICK AS PREVIOUSLY; LET THEM GO AND GATHER STRAW FOR THEMSELVES. BUT THE QUOTA OF BRICKS WHICH THEY WERE MAKING PREVIOUSLY, YOU SHALL IMPOSE ON THEM; YOU ARE NOT TO REDUCE ANY OF IT. BECAUSE THEY ARE LAZY, THEREFORE THEY CRY OUT, ‘LET US GO AND SACRIFICE TO OUR GOD.’” (EX. 5:6-8)
THE FACT WAS, THERE WAS NOTHING FREE IN EGYPT.
THE MEAT, THE LEEKS, THE ONIONS COST THEM THEIR BRUISED BACKS, AND MURDERED SONS.
THE TASTE OF MEAT IN THEIR MOUTH CAME WITH A PRICE OF SLAVERY AND DESPAIR.
WHAT WE SEE IS SELECTIVE MEMORY AT ITS WORST.
SELECTIVE MEMORY HAS GRIPPED THE BRAIN OF JUST ABOUT AN ENTIRE NATION.
SELECTIVE MEMORY HAS CAUSED THESE PEOPLE TO TAKE A NATURAL, NORMAL DESIRE AND PUT IT ABOVE ALL THAT THEY KNOW IS TRUE.
THE DESIRE HAS NUMBED THEIR BRAIN TO REALITY AND WHEN ANY LOSES GRIP ON REALITY FANTASY TAKES OVER AND FANTASY IS JUST THAT, FANTASY – AN ALLUSION.
OKAY, LET’S BOIL THIS DOWN TO TODAY AND OUR SITUATIONS.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, HOW HAS SELECTIVE MEMORY CLOUDED YOUR REALITY AND WHAT ARE YOU CONTEMPLATING DOING BECAUSE YOUR DESIRE HAS TAKEN CONTROL.
I’M GOING TO MAKE AN ASSUMPTION. I’M GOING TO ASSUME THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR DESIRE. I ASSUME IT’S WHOLESOME AND HEALTHY – PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY AND MOST IMPORTANT SPIRITUALLY.
ALL YOU WANT IS A LITTLE “MEAT.”
THE QUESTION IS NOT THE VALIDITY OF THE DESIRE. THE QUESTION IS, WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO DO TO GET IT?
WHAT COMPROMISES ARE YOU CONTEMPLATING? WHAT FOOLISH BEHAVIOR ARE YOU READY TO EMBARK UPON? WHAT ABOUT YOUR PAST HAVE YOU CONVENIENTLY FORGOTTEN TO JUSTIFY YOUR COURSE OF ACTION?
THERE IS AN URGENCY DEEP IN MY HEART.
I STAND HERE TODAY TO SOUND AN ALARM – WAKE UP TO REALITY. STOP LIVING IN A FANTASY. EVEN THOUGH THE DESIRE IS VALID, YOU’RE ABOUT READY TO LOSE TOO MUCH TO ATTAIN IT.
REMEMBER, TRULY REMEMBER WHAT GOD BROUGHT YOU OUT OF.
REMEMBER, TRULY REMEMBER THE STING OF THE WHIP OF SIN.
REMEMBER, TRULY REMEMBER THE TEARS THAT SOAKED YOUR PILLOW AS YOU LONGED FOR FREEDOM FROM THE CHAINS OF YOUR PAST LIFE.
REMEMBER, TRULY REMEMBER THE BATTERED RELATIONSHIPS AND THE DEEP WOUNDS THEY CAUSED AND HOW LONG IT TOOK YOU TO HEAL FROM THOSE WOUNDS.
REMEMBER, TRULY REMEMBER THE TURMOIL DEEP DOWN IN THE PIT OF YOUR BEING AND HOW YOU COULD NEVER CALM THAT INNER STORM.
REMEMBER, TRULY REMEMBER HOW ABSENT PEACE AND CONTENTMENT USED TO BE.
REMEMBER, TRULY REMEMBER THE INDESCRIBABLE JOY THAT FLOODED EVERY PART OF YOU WHEN YOU FINALLY SURRENDERED EVERYTHING TO CHRIST.
EVEN THOUGH YOUR DESIRE IS NOT SIN OR UNHEALTHY, ARE YOU REALLY WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE OF THE MISTAKES OF THE PAST TO GET IT?
ARE YOU REALLY WILLING TO DO ANYTHING TO ACHIEVE AND FULFILL THAT DESIRE?
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, I CANNOT PROMISE YOU YOUR DESIRE WILL BE FULFILLED, BUT THE WORD OF GOD PROMISES, HIS GRACE WILL CARRY YOU THROUGH.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, THE HOLY SPIRIT PUT THIS WORD ON MY HEART TO OFFER YOU ONE MORE WARNING BEFORE YOU DO SOMETHING YOU WILL REGRET.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, I OFFER YOU ONE MORE SUGGESTION.
IN ADDITION TO REMEMBERING, TRULY REMEMBERING THE PAIN OF THE PAST, I ASK YOU TO RISE UP TODAY AND CONFESS JESUS AS YOUR MOST SOUGHT AFTER DESIRE.
EVEN THOUGH THIS OTHER DESIRE IS STRONG AND FORCEFUL, I ASK YOU TO LITERALLY, PHYSICALLY RISE AND VERBALLY DECLARE TO THAT DESIRE, TO YOURSELF, AND TO THE HEAVENS, JESUS YOU ARE MY MOST SOUGHT AFTER DESIRE.
WE WILL ALL HELP YOU. THIS WHOLE CONGREGATION WILL RISE AND EXPRESS THE SAME THOUGHT.
REMEMBER, TRULY REMEMBER HE IS YOUR PEACE, COMFORT AND FULFILLMENT.
LET’S RISE AND CONFESS JESUS AS OR LORD, SAVIOR AND SUFFICIENCY.
SING BREATHE.
