Selective Memory

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.