Remember God – Dont Forget the Knots 1 11 09
REMEMBER SERIES – Part I
Remember the KNOTS (God)
1 11 09 HT AM
Deut 8:11-17 NKJV
Some times its just good to sit down and remember. In our life there is a desire to not be forgetten, from the plant, to cards, we hear the phrase – “forget me not”. It’s an acceptable heart cry to desire that those whom you have helped not forget you. You were the one who encouraged, strengthened, blessed and granted life.
Our culture, times and self nature tend to allow us however to arrive at a place in life where we look in the rearview mirror and not even seen the road we just traveled on, we overlook those on the journey that helped us arrive where we are today.
Interestingly throughout the Scripture people were reminded to NOT FORGET!
My Title today is Remember the Knots (SHOW TITLE HERE) – (use rope) – I am speaking specifically about all the various things that have enabled your life to go from where you once were to where you are today. Not just about the people in your life but most importantly the role that God has played in your life! Have you forgotten Him?
Lets take a look at the life of Israel. God brought them out of Egypt a place of Bondage to take them to Canaan a place of Blessing.
Deuteronomy 8:11 NKJV
“Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today,
Deuteronomy 8:12
lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them;
Deuteronomy 8:13
and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied;
Deuteronomy 8:14
when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
Deuteronomy 8:15
who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock;
Deuteronomy 8:16
who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end—
Deuteronomy 8:17
then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’
Interesting passage, you would think that after all God had done for Israel, that there would be no way the could forget Him, yet we know time and time again they did. What about us! Have we, you, fallen in the same trap with them?
Human Tendency – WE FORGET!
The Human tendency is to come to a place where our comfort allows us to focus and place our energy and the present pleasures and forget the past.
Deuteronomy 8:11 NKJV
“Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today,
Deuteronomy 8:12
lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them;
Deuteronomy 8:13
and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied;
Deuteronomy 8:14
when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
It appears that once we reach our place of contentment (stomach full) that we focus more on what we have than we do how we arrived there. We forget spouse, parents, children, leaders, coaches, teachers and more.
The great scientist Isaac Newton said: “If I have seen a little farther than others, it’s because I stood on the shoulders of giants.” …
Whose shoulders have you stood on, what are the Knots that have helped you climb the rope of life from where you were to where you are. No one of us is at the same spot, yet all of us is at a different spot than we once were. For some, you’ve let go of those knots and have slid back down the rope of life, for others you have grown and gone to higher places using God’s blessing to strengthen your life and increase your journey.
Lets talk specifically about God’s role in your life and how we can avoid NOT forgetting what God has done for you.
1. Remember His Rules for Living
Deuteronomy 8:11 NKJV
“Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today,
Deuteronomy 8:1 NKJV
“Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers.
The rules that you applied to climb up will keep you there.
2. Refuse to take the credit
Deuteronomy 8:17 NKJV
then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’
3. Return back to God what is His
Deuteronomy 8:18 NKJV
“And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
Its interesting that the end cap of this passage address the issue of wealth. And specifically notes that its GOD the enables our wealth and NOT us!
From a Biblical perspective every area of our life belongs to God, the reference to wealth is one of the most understandable discussions because you can indentify how much and what is His – when we simply return it back, like something we borrowed from another we identify true ownership! Lots of talk today about money and money issues – I wonder if any of our money issues are related to our forgetting God?
Proverbs 3:9 NKJV
Honor the Lord with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
Proverbs 3:10 NKJV
So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.
Haggai 2:8 NKJV
‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts.
Haggai 2:9 NKJV
‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.”
Malachi 3:10 NKJV
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
The day the farmer stops sowing seed he has numbered the days of his harvest. Notice that in every verse we read, that we God talks about money, He mentions some type of Blessing for us.
· Proverbs – He offered full barns and vats that overflow
· Haggai – He offered peace!
· Malachi – He offered blessing that we cannot contain.
CLOSING VERSE!
Psalm 103:1 NKJV
Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Psalm 103:2
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Psalm 103:3
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Psalm 103:4
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Today- lets together REMEMBER GOD and ALL HE HAS DONE FOR US!