1. Remember Now Thy Creator
“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;” Ecclesiastes 12:1
Now is the time for many to go back to school. It will be a time of remembering things learned before, and building on that knowledge. Solomon implores us to remember our Creator while we are young. The rest of this chapter describes what it is like to be old. He tells us, “the keepers of the house shall tremble” speaking of our knees shaking. Verse 3 tells us “The grinders cease because they are few” (our teeth) and “those that look out of the windows be darkened” (our eyesight). Then in verse 4, “all the daughters of musick shall be brought low” (our hearing). Verse 5 begins, “Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish (gray hair) …because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets.” “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12:7) As you go back to classes, don’t forget to take time to meditate on the things of God. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13 & 14)
2. Remember The Church
“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10: 23-25
Today is Sunday and I wonder how many remembered to go to church. The writer of Hebrews exhorts us to keep the faith, encourage others in love unto good works, and don’t forsake gathering together to worship. When I was in high school, a classmate told me that her family didn’t go to church, but that they worshipped in their home. I agree that you can worship in your home. You can worship in your car. I have been blessed many times while riding down the road and meditating on the things of God. But Christ established the church for His people. Jesus said, “…upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18) On the day of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost came down, “they were all with one accord in one place.” (Acts 1:1) When the weekend comes, remember to go to the house of the Lord.
3. God Will Remember Our Iniquities No More
“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 8:12
“For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalms 103:11 & 12) I am so glad that we are under grace and not under the law. God is merciful and forgives us when we confess our sins to Him. He said, “…their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” This does not mean that we should continue in our sin. We will have to stand before God in judgment. Paul told the Corinthian believers, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” (I Corinthians 3:11-15) God will not remember our confessed sin, but our works will be tried by fire. Gold, silver, and precious stones are hard to come by, and often below the surface. Are you working for the Lord? His Word gives much instruction on the way we should live. We need to obey His Word and do all that we do in love for the glory of God. Wood, hay, and stubble are more abundant, but those works will burn up when tried by fire. Those are the things we do for praise, or the things we do reluctantly, not with our whole heart. We need to remember that we will bow before God in the judgment and build on the foundation of Christ; gold, silver, and precious stones.
4. God Remembered Noah
“And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days. And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged;” Genesis 7:24 & 8:1
“And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually… And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air… But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” (Genesis 6:6-8) So God told Noah to build an ark. He was to take two of every living thing, and seven of every clean beast into the ark, and food for all. Noah, his three sons, and all their wives worked and did all that God had commanded. And God said, “For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights…” (Genesis 7:4) Maybe God waited those seven days to see if anyone else would believe. II Peter 2:5 says Noah was “a preacher of righteousness”. What a discouragement it must have been for Noah that only the eight members of his family were saved. They went in “and the LORD shut him in.” (Genesis 7:16) Then the rains came, and came, and kept coming. Maybe during those forty days of dark, cloudy skies, one of them felt that God had forgotten them. Finally, there was a great stillness and the rains stopped. Then one day, the sun shone through the small window of the great ark. And they waited. Days passed, weeks, passed. They could feel the ark sway as it floated along and knew that the waters still prevailed. After 150 days, the ark rested on Mount Ararat. And our verse says, “And God remembered Noah…” God had not forgotten Noah. Noah sent out the ravens and doves and they still waited. They were in the ark a year, but God had not forgotten them. Maybe when the clouds gather over you and you go days and days with no sunlight and are tempted to think God has forgotten you, look up. God does not forget us. Just as God remembered Noah, He remembers us.
5. God Remembers His Covenant With A Rainbow
“I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant which I make between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.” Genesis 9:13-16
We saw how God remembered Noah on the ark. After the flood God put a rainbow in the sky as a token of His covenant that He would not destroy the earth by flood again. I have always said that God put the rainbow in the sky so we could look up at it and remember His promise. But in reading this verse just now, I see that is not what the scripture says. Yes, when we see the rainbow we remember His promise. But, God says in these verses, “I will remember my covenant… and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature…” That makes the rainbow even more special to me. From now on, every time I look up at a rainbow, I will know that God is looking down at that same rainbow to remember His covenant. Isn’t that wonderful! We look up towards heaven and God looks down towards earth, and the rainbow of His covenant is fixed between us.
6. God Remembered Abraham And Delivered Lot
“And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.” Genesis 19:29
One day as Abraham sat in his tent door three men came to see him. He asked them to rest under the tree while he sent for water to wash their feet. He then had Sarah to fix them a meal. And the Lord told Abraham that he and Sarah would have a child. The men looked toward Sodom “And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?” (Genesis 18:17 & 18) The Lord told Abraham He was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham asked if He would destroy the righteous with the wicked. Would God destroy the city if there were fifty righteous? The Lord said He would spare the city for fifty righteous people. Abraham lowered his number to 45, then 40, then 30, 20, and finally 10. The Lord said He would not destroy the city for ten’s sake. Abraham knew that Lot (his nephew) and his family lived in Sodom. We know the story. The Lord rained down fire and brimstone out of heaven and destroyed the cities. “And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD: And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.” (Genesis 19:27-29) The Bible does not say that God remembered Lot, it says that God remembered Abraham. God helped Lot for Abraham’s sake. We don’t know how many times God has delivered people from hard situations because of the prayers of others. We can’t tell when God helps our friends or family members because of our love for Him. You may have family members or friends that have strayed far away from God. They may be dwelling in a land of sinfulness. You may be the one person who has an influence over their lives. Keep on serving the Lord. Don’t fall by the wayside, or be discouraged to quit. God may use your faithfulness to deliver your friend out of his wicked place.
7. Remember Lot’s Wife
"Remember Lot's Wife." Luke 17:32
The story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is in Genesis, the first book of the Bible. But these words are in the New Testament. In fact, they were spoken by Christ. “Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brinstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” (Luke 17:28-31) The people of Sodom lived day by day, eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. They never thought about God’s judgment. Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. I have been told that was a prominent position. The angels warned Lot to take his family and escape from the destruction of Sodom. “And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place: for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.” (Genesis 19:14 & 15) Lot had lost his testimony. His sons in law thought he was just joking and mocking the things of God. The men took their hands and pulled them out of the city. The angel said, “Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain…” (Genesis 19:17) God rained judgment down on Sodom and Lot and his wife and two daughters were all that escaped. But his wife looked back. She became a pillar of salt. Jesus continued, “In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. Remember Lot’s wife.” (Luke 17:31 & 32) God is merciful, but one day His judgment will fall. When He comes back, we may leave behind family and friends. We will definitely leave behind all worldly possessions. Abraham let Lot choose over all the land first. He could go in any direction. And Lot “pitched his tent toward Sodom.” (Genesis 13:12) Genesis 14:12 tells us that Lot “dwelt in Sodom”. And Genesis 19:1 says, “Lot sat in the gate of Sodom”. We read in Psalm 1:1, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” That is the progression of Lot as he strayed far away from God. He went towards Sodom, “But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.” (Genesis 13:13) He got so far out in sin that he lost his testimony. He was saved in the judgment, but he lost all he had except for two daughters.
8. God Remembers His Covenant Forever
“He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth. He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the work which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:… For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.” Psalms 105:8-10 & 42
Let’s go back to the beginning of the story of Abraham. “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.” (Genesis 12:1 & 2) Abraham was 75 years old when he left Ur of the Chaldees to go to the land of Canaan. But Lot went with him, even though God told him to go from his people. When the land could not provide for Abram and Lot together with all their cattle, Lot went to dwell in Sodom. “And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.” (Genesis 13:14-16) Years passed, and the LORD appeared to Abram again, “And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed…” (Genesis 15:2 & 3) Then the Lord told him his seed would be as numerable as the stars in the sky. And Abram believed God. Sarai, his wife, must have thought God had forgotten her, and she told her husband to give her a child through her maid. Abram was 86 years old when Ishmael was born. When Abram was 99 years old God appeared to him and changed his name to Abraham and said he would be the father of many nations. And Sarai’s name was changed to Sarah and God told her she would have a child and be a mother of nations. Isaac was born when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90. That’s 25 years after God promised Abraham he would make of him a great nation. Abraham believed God. If someone waited 25 years to fulfill a promise he made to us we would think he forgot. But God did not forget. He blessed Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, just as He promised. We can read in Exodus 2:24 that the children of Israel were in bondage in Egypt, “And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.” God may not answer your prayer today. He may not fulfill His promises this week, but God always remembers and keeps His promises.
9. Remember Me, O Lord
“Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;” Psalm 106:4
God remembered Noah, when he was on the ark. God remembered Abraham. He even remembered Rachel and Hannah. Today, I just want to say, “Remember me, O Lord…” As I go to His House today, I want Him to remember me. Verse 6 says, “We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.” I have failed Him, I have fallen on my face before Him, “Remember me, O Lord…” This Psalm tells how the children of Israel sinned, time and time again. But verse 45 begins, “And he remembered for them his covenant…” Why did God remember them and why does He remember us? The answer is in the first verse. “Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Why does God remember us? He remembers us, not because of our goodness, but because He is good and He is merciful. I want to close with Psalm 139:17 & 18, “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.”
10. Remember His Marvelous Works
“Remember his marvelous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;” Psalms 105:5
Just as we want the Lord to remember us, we should remember Him. Several things we can do as we remember Him are mentioned in the verses prior to this one. “O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.” (Psalm 105:1-4) Be thankful. Don’t wait until Thanksgiving to be thankful. Meditate upon and remember the marvelous things God has done for you throughout the years, and be thankful. “Call upon His name…” Talk to God just as you talk to a friend, because He is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Be a witness for Christ. Remember his works for you and tell others. Rejoice and glory in His name. And finally, when you remember what He has done for you in the past, don’t forget to seek His face and His strength in the present.
11. Remember The Days of Old
“Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee: thy elders, and they will tell thee.” Deuteronomy 32:7
It seems as though each new generation wants a new way of doing things. Each decade brings new clothing styles and new hairstyles. Young people want their own type of music. But lately, I have seen bits of America turn back to the past. The 70’s clothes were popular for a while. TV show reruns are a big hit and you find DVD’s with a full season of old TV shows. My children have said they would like to go back to Mayberry, and live in a town with Andy, Barney, Floyd the barber, and Goober Pyle. It is good to remember the good things of the past. We can learn from the past. We can learn from our elders. Here is the story about Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, becoming king. The people went to him and said, “Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee. And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed. And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people? And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever. But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him.” (I Kings 12:4-8) Rehoboam took the advice of his friends that were his own age. They told him to be harder on the people. That is when the kingdom was divided. He should have listened to the advice of the older generation. That can be a good lesson for us. We can learn a lot from the experience of others.
12. God Remembered Us In Our Low Estate
“Who remembered us in our low estate: for His mercy endureth for ever:” Psalms 136:23
We remember the big sports figures. We remember the famous movie stars. We remember popular singers, political leaders and wealthy men and women in our country. These people have been lifted up in the sight of men. But God remembered us in our low estate. When we were nothing, God reached down and lifted us up. In His mercy, He sent His Son to die for our salvation. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:6-10) We were enemies of God, without strength or power to lift ourselves up. Psalm 130:1 says, “Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.” We were lost in sin, and Jesus gave His life to save us and lift us up. We should spend all our days lifting up the name of Jesus to others.
13. God Remembered Hannah
“And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life…” I Samuel 1:11
There was a man named Elkanah that had two wives. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. Peninnah provoked Hannah to the point that she wept and didn’t eat. They went to the temple for their yearly offering and we read that Hannah “…was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.” (I Samuel 1:10) And as she was praying so earnestly and desperately, Eli, the priest saw her and thought she was drunk, but she said “for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.” (I Samuel 1:16) Sometimes we are so grief stricken in our situations that we fall on our face and weep before God. Our despair can take our appetite and rob us of our joy. And those around us may see our desperation, but they don’t really understand. That is when we need to do just as Hannah did. We need to fall on our knees before God and know that He understands our tears. Romans 8:26 & 27 says, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” There are times we get so low that we don’t even know how to pray. It is in those times that the Spirit intercedes for us. Don’t we serve a wonderful God! He hears and answers our prayers and remembers us when we call on Him.
14. Remember Your Vows
“When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.” Ecclesiastes 5:4 & 5
When Hannah prayed for a son, she vowed that she would give him to God. God answered her prayer and Samuel was born. Hannah remembered her vow. She took him to the tabernacle and left him with Eli, the priest. The children of Eli were very wicked, “But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. Morever his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.” (I Samuel 2:18 & 19) God blessed Hannah and she had three more sons and two daughters. We once had a neighbor who wrapped his car around a power pole. He said that as he sat, pinned in his car, with the top of the pole and loose wires dangling over his head that if God would get him out of the car he would serve the Lord. Our power was off for about three hours while they worked to cut him loose from his mangled car. Many times when we are in trouble we will vow unto God that we will serve him if He will deliver us. Or sometimes when we are running a race, we vow that if God will let us win, we will sing in the choir, or teach Sunday School. Maybe our loved ones have been near death, and we pray that if God will just let them live, we will get back in church. We need to remember our vows. Think back over your lifetime. Did you ever make any promises to God that you forgot to keep? Remember your vows. Stay true to God.
15. Remember The Word Of The Lord
“And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house? And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?” I Samuel 2:27 & 28
Eli was the priest and his sons were very wicked. Verse 16 of this chapter tells us that they demanded the best part of the people’s offerings for themselves, so much that they would take it by force. They also committed sin with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle. (I Samuel 2:22) “Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.” (I Samuel 2:17) Eli heard of the wickedness of his sons and said, “If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father…” God spoke to Eli and reminded him that he “plainly appeared” to the house of his father in Egypt. He wanted him to remember how the Levites were chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to be the priests. Then He said, “Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?” (I Samuel 2:29) This scripture reminds me of a small child who doesn’t get his way and he kicks at his parent in frustration. God told Eli he put his own sons above God. God remembered His Word and he reminded Eli of His Word. Eli’s wicked sons took the Ark of the Covenant into battle against the Philistines and the Ark was taken and the sons were killed. When Eli heard the news that the Ark was taken, he fell over and died. When the wife of Phinehas heard it, she died in childbirth and named the son, Ichabod, saying, “The glory is departed from Israel…” We need to remember the Word of the Lord. Sometimes we may have a difficult time finding God’s perfect will for our lives. But when His Word tells us plainly what to do, we will have to answer to God for our disobedience. 30,000 footmen were killed in that battle against the Philistines. Many suffered for their disobedience. When we live ungodly, it affects those around us. Remember His Word. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:22)
16. Remembering Your Labor Of Love
“Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;” I Thessalonians 1:3
“For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.” I Thessalonians 2:9
Paul is writing to the church of the Thessalonians. First of all he says, “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;” (I Thessalonians 1:2) He was thankful for this church and their labor of love. Verse 6 tells us they “received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost;” They worked to carry on the name of Jesus and to establish their church, even in the midst of affliction from without. We should not feel that all we have to do is go to church on Sunday and sit in the service. We should work for the Lord. If you can’t sing in the choir, or teach Sunday School, maybe you can welcome people as they come in. You can surely pray for God to bless your meetings. After Paul tells them he remembers their work, he asks them to remember their work also. Paul, Silvanus, and Timotheus labored for the Lord, night and day. “As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory” (I Thessalonians 2:11 & 12) Do we walk worthy of God? The work of the Lord is not for the preachers only, but for every member of the church, the body of Christ.
17. Forget Not My Law
“My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path.” Proverbs 3:1-6
I started this web site last fall when my third son went off to college. I wanted to gently remind my children each day to keep God in their heart and lives. Now, nearly a year later, we are taking him off to college again. We are all a little older and some things in our lives have changed during the past year. But God’s Word never changes, and I want to continue sharing blessed promises and guidance from the Holy Scriptures. I would like to say with Solomon, “My children, don’t forget God’s Word”. Hide it in your heart. You are all beginning a new school year. As you go to high school and college, don’t let the Bible stories you learned as a child become just a memory of the past. Keep them fresh in your minds through your daily walk with God. Be merciful and truthful and you will surely “find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.” And when you don’t understand which direction God is leading you in, just remember to “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path.” I don’t know what course of study you need to take as you prepare for your future. But put God first in your lives and He will give you the guidance and direction you need.
18. Jonah Remembered The Lord
“Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.” Jonah 2:4-7
We know the story of Jonah. God told Jonah to preach in Nineveh and Jonah boarded a ship to flee to Tarshish. A great storm came and the men of the ship went to Jonah “And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.” (Jonah 1:12) The men rowed hard to land the ship, but when all hope was gone, they threw Jonah overboard and the raging of the sea stopped. Verse 17 says “Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Chapter 2 begins, “Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly, And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.” Notice the first word of chapter 2, “Then”. Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, “then”. I have often wondered why Jonah waited three days to pray to God. I imagine he tried to do all he could do to save himself. But when he got as low as he could go, he remembered the Lord and prayed. Then, the fish spit him out on dry land. How many times when we get away from God and trouble comes, do we try to do all we can to save ourselves? Then when all else fails, and we get just as low as we can go, we remember God and pray. If you find yourself sailing away from God, remember Him. If you find yourself in the midst of storms, remember Him. Don’t wait until you are as low as you can go to turn to God and pray for deliverance.
19. Don’t Forget Those Who Need Help
“But think on me when it shall be well with thee and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.” Genesis 40:14 & 15
Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. The Lord was with him and he became the overseer in Potiphar’s house. But when Joseph stayed true and would not bend to Potiphar’s wife’s advances, she lied about him and he was cast into prison. While there in prison, the chief butler and chief baker each had a dream and Joseph interpreted them. He asked the butler to remember him when he was restored to his position. But Genesis 40:23 tells us, “Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.” Two years later Pharaoh had a dream and no one could interpret the dream. “Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:” (Genesis 41:9) And he went on to tell Pharaoh about Joseph. We may have many friends while everything is going well and we feel like we are on top of the world. But when we are down in the dungeon, we see who our real friends are. If you are going through bad times, remember the friends who stand by you. When you are once again exalted and lifted up, don’t forget that special person who stayed by your side. The butler did not remember Joseph for two years. Make sure you don’t treat your friends that way. If you are in classes with the “in crowd” and they accept you into their group, don’t forget those special friends who were with you when you were down. Remember your true friends.
20. Remembrance In Hell
“But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.” Luke 16:25
This is perhaps the most solemn of all Bible accounts. It is the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Jesus Christ tells the story of how Lazarus would lay at the rich man’s gate begging for food during their days on earth. However, in verse 22, we read that when Lazarus died, the angels carried him to Abraham’s bosom. In verse 23, we read that the rich man also died, but he lifted his eyes in hell. If you read the full account, you see that the rich man begged for just a tip of water to cool his tongue because of how hot he was in hell. It makes me sad to read the statistics that say 78% of Americans believe in heaven but just 60% believe in hell. Hell is just as real as heaven is. Jesus Christ preached more on hell than He did on heaven. Hell is a very real place. This was not a parable or a story that Christ made up. This was a true story of two men that died and went to their eternal home. Although the torment of hell is awful and the time spent in hell is eternal, there is a very scary lesson we can learn about the memory of hell. Abraham told the rich man to remember his lifetime. Revelation 21:4 says that in heaven, the former things will pass away. However, this will not be the case for those that die and go to hell. In hell, you will have an eternity to remember. You ask, “Remember what?” Well, you will have time to remember every gospel message you rejected, every witness you mocked, every preacher you ignored, every chance you had to accept Christ but turned him down. You will have a chance to remember every invitation you would not accept in church services or from Christian friends. You will also have the chance to remember every devotion you ever read. You hear messages for a reason. You are reading this for a reason. God has you here for a purpose. This could be the last chance you have to accept Christ. If you are lost, please admit your sin to God, acknowledge that Christ died and rose again for you, and accept Jesus Christ into your heart right now. You do not want to go to hell and be tormented forever. You do not want to have to remember neglecting this opportunity to get saved.
21. Remembrance Unto Salvation
“And he said unto Jesus, Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:42-43
Yesterday, we looked at the aspect of a memory while in hell. In this account, we notice the aspect of a memory that leads to heaven. The memory is, of course, God’s memory of those that are His. This account deals with the thief on the cross. While one thief mocked Jesus, the other thief was convicted of his own sins but admitted that Christ was innocent and sinless. He then asked Jesus to REMEMBER him when Christ went into His kingdom. While literally living his last moments on earth, this man accepted Christ’s salvation. When death or the rapture takes us to heaven and the judgments begin, there will be two ways God will respond to people. If you are lost, then God will tell you to depart from you because He knows you not. However, if you have been saved, God will remember you as one of His children and will see that the blood of His only son has covered all your sins. Don’t you want to be remembered by God when He begins His kingdom?? Today is the day of salvation. Accept Him while you are able. Do not wait until it is too late. Make God Lord of your life by accepting His son as savior and asking God to remember you.
22. A King That Knew Not Joseph
“Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph” Exodus 1:8
Joseph had saved the world. His Godly wisdom was used to help save food in order to save the world from starvation during the seven-year famine. Other than Pharaoh, he was the ruler of Egypt and controlled the entire economy of the generation he lived in. But yet, this verse says that a new king arose in Egypt that knew not Joseph. HOW COULD THE KING NOT KNOW JOSEPH?!?!?! Joseph’s walk with God and his conservation of food made Egypt the center of the world market. It seems to me that as time went by, the Godly heritage was forgotten. It seems that the people began to take God for granted and became ungrateful for His blessings and provision. What a tragedy!! However, before we get too upset at this incident that happened in Egypt, we need to realize just how ungrateful we have become. God blessed us as a Christian nation and has watched over us as we have stood behind Israel. However, we have taken the prayers out of schools, we abort over a million babies each year, and the majority of churches no longer have the power of God on their services. We need to REMEMBER what God has done for America. I find it shocking that a king could not know Joseph. I also find it shocking that we are raising children in America that do not know God. We need to remember what God has done for America. We need to stand up for what is right and proudly state that America is still a Christian nation!!!
23. Jeremiah Remembered Jerusalem
“Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her Sabbaths. Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her…” Lamentations 1:7 & 8
Jeremiah has been called the weeping prophet. The five chapters of the book of the Lamentations Of Jeremiah tell of his mourning over Jerusalem. The children of Israel were God’s chosen people, but they sinned grievously and God allowed their enemies to destroy them. Jeremiah says in 1:16, “For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.” Chapter 2 begins, “How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger!” “The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces…” (Lamentations 2:5) Under God’s leadership, Joshua led the children of Israel into the Promised Land. Just before his death, he charged the people to serve God and turn away from idols. Joshua 24:20 says, “If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.” After Joshua’s death the Lord raised up judges to rule the people, “And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so.” (Judges 2:17) The whole book of Judges is summed up in the last verse, “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25) Then Israel wanted a king like all the other nations, and though there were good kings, that followed the Lord, many were wicked. God sent prophets to warn His people, but they did not listen. In the midst of God’s judgment, Jerusalem remembered “all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old.” America has been blessed by God Almighty. The older generation often says, “I remember the good ole days.” If we want our children to know the blessings that we have enjoyed through the years, we need to turn back to God. It is not too late. “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.” (Lamentations 3:21-26)
24. Remember God In The Storms
“For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.” Mark 6:50 - 52
Jesus had just fed the 5000 with fives loaves of bread and two fishes. He sent the disciples in a ship to go to Bethsaida, while he sent the people away. Then he went into the mountain to pray. “And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: for they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.” (Mark 6:47 – 50) The disciples were in a terrible storm and they saw Jesus walking on the water and thought He was a ghost. Jesus told them, “Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.” He calmed the winds and went with them to the other side. For our verse of remembrance, I want to use Mark 6:52, “For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.” How many times have we gone through storms and failed to trust in God because we don’t remember what He has done in the past? These disciples were all with Jesus when He fed the multitude. But their hearts were hardened. God can bless us and provide our need in a miraculous way, and often does. But the next time we face difficult times, we don’t remember. Take time to consider all the wonderful things God does for you. And the next time you feel the stormy winds come, remember and trust in Him.
25. David Remembered His Sin
“Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.” II Samuel 23:39
Chapter 23 of II Samuel begins, “Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.” (II Samuel 23:1 & 2) We first see David as the son of Jesse. The Lord sent Samuel to Jesse to anoint a new king over Israel. Each of Jesse’s sons went before Samuel, “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on the countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7) “And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.” (I Samuel 16:11 & 12) Chapter 17 tells us the familiar story of David and Goliath, the giant. “And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.” (I Samuel 17:58) David was raised up on high and anointed King over Israel. He is also called the “sweet psalmist of Israel”. We know the sweet, familiar Psalm that begins, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1) God chose David as “a man after his own heart.” (I Samuel 13:14) And the Lord established his kingdom, “Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.” (I Kings 15:5) When it came time for David to write his last words, he named Uriah the Hittite among his mighty men. He remembered his sin. When his sons became king after his death, they were reminded of David’s sin. As we apply that to our lives, the verse comes to mind, “…be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:23) It doesn’t say people will find out about your sin, but it says, “your sin will find you out.” Don’t fall to the temptation of sin. God can forgive you, but you may never forget, or forgive yourself.
26. A Prodigal Son Remembers The Father's House
“And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.” Luke 15:17-19
We can read Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15. “And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me, And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.” (Luke 15:11-14) He took all he had and wasted it. When he got down in the muck and mire of the pigpen, “He came to himself.” David said in Psalm 69:14, “Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink…” When we leave our Father’s house, God may let us go down as far as we can go. But then, when we come to ourselves, when we remember how good we had it in The Father’s House, we turn around and begin the journey back home. The blessed part of this parable is the response of the father. “And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:… and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found…” (Luke 15:20-24) Have you strayed away from your Heavenly Father? This father saw his lost son “a great way off” and ran to him. Our Father watches for our return when we wander off. He is waiting with robes of Christ’ righteousness for us to come back to Him. If you are away from God, remember the Father’s House. Fall on your knees and cry out to God, “I have sinned”. And let Him clothe you in robes of Christ’ righteousness. “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness…” (Isaiah 61:10)
27. This Do In Remembrance Of Me
“And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” Luke 22:19 & 20
“This do in remembrance of me.” Those words are engraved on many communion tables in our churches. How many times do we stop to think what those words are saying? Last week I had a patch of melanoma cut from my back. It was carefully stitched and bandaged. Because the three-inch incision is across my shoulder blade, it hurts every time I move my right arm. I cannot imagine the pain that my Savior endured not only on the cross, but also in the hours before He was hung on that cruel cross. I have heard how it was customary in those days for criminals to be whipped with a “cat of nine tails” which had bits of bone that would rip out pieces of flesh. I have just a small cut that was done under sterile, medical conditions and it still hurts. Christ was beaten and mocked and a crown of thorns was placed on His head. He endured all that pain for me. He endured the death on the cross for you. The next time you see those words, “This do in remembrance of me”, stop and think of what Christ did for you.
28. How Do You Want To Be Remembered?
“When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” II Timothy 1:5
How do you want to be remembered? I have no special beauty, or brains, that people will remember. They won’t remember meals I cooked, or the clothes I washed. When the apostle Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, he said that he remembered the faith of Timothy, the faith of his grandmother, and the faith of his mother. That is how I would like to be remembered. I would like for people to be able to say that about me, “I remember how faithful she was.” I have lived long enough to know that I will never accomplish any great feat in this lifetime. But I can remain faithful. There are times we get discouraged and feel like quitting, but we must stay faithful. Has God given you a talent to sing for His glory? Then keep on singing for His glory. Has He blessed you to serve in some capacity in your church? Then do it with a smile on your face, and a song in your heart. If you are not fully serving the Lord, then look into your soul and see what God would have you do. And most of all… stay faithful. Jesus expounded on the importance of being faithful in Matthew 25. “For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.” (Matthew 25:14-18) After a long time, he came back and the first two servants appeared to him and “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Matthew 25:21 & 23) But to the third servant he said, “Thou wicked and slothful servant… Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.” (Matthew 25:26 & 27) We are not all given the same talents and abilities. But we are all required to be faithful in the ability God has given us. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to hear our Lord say to us, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant”?
29. God Remembered the Gentiles
“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh…That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:11-13
God has blessed America. Many times, as Americans, we are prejudiced against other nationalities and peoples. But we need to remember, that we are Gentiles. God gave His covenants to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and His promises to His chosen people. We were strangers and aliens without hope and without God in the world. But Christ came, and died, that we might live. Let us continue in Ephesians 2:18 & 19, “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” Without Christ we are nothing. But through Christ, we have access by the Spirit to God. Don’t let your citizenship of this country make you feel all high and mighty. Be thankful that Christ died so that you could obtain citizenship into Heaven, the kingdom of God. Remember that you were nothing when God brought you out and lifted you up. And it is only by His mercy and marvelous grace that He gives unto us salvation.
30 Roosters Still Crow
"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me." Luke 22:31-34
I was driving to work this morning and just up the road from my house I heard a rooster crow. There is nothing extraordinary about hearing a rooster, since it was morning. I grew up next door to my grandparents and they had chickens and roosters so I woke up to the crowing many mornings. My children enjoyed hatching chicks and raising their own chickens for a few years and I never really thought about the roosters crowing. But this morning, God reminded me of these verses, and those farther into the chapter. "And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly." (Luke 22:59-62) Peter denied Christ three times and the rooster crowed. Jesus looked at Peter and Peter remembered the word of the Lord and went out and wept bitterly. Somehow Peter made it through that day, and maybe he was able to sleep a little that night, and in the morning, the rooster crowed. I believe Peter wept again, and the next morning the rooster crowed. Their roosters may have been like some of ours and crowed during the day, too. I think that everytime Peter heard a rooster crow he remembered the look of the Lord and His Words. I have heard preachers criticize Peter for going fishing in John 21:3, but with the sound of the waves Peter could not hear any roosters crow while he was on the sea. All of these thoughts were going through my mind as I drove to work and then the Lord whispered in His still small voice that roosters still crow. We sometimes fall to temptation and we confess and weep bitterly to our Lord and He is faithful to forgive us of our sin. Then we hear a sound, or see something and it reminds us of our failure. The first sound Peter heard every morning was the rooster crow. Jesus could have told Peter that he would deny Him before dawn, but He said, "before the cock crow". Jesus knew Peter would be reminded of his failure over and over. Peter went on to become a great and mighty preacher for our Lord. In our lives today, roosters still crow. We need to confess our sins, and then let those painful memories stir us to become better Christians. We have been looking towards Mother's Day and I wondered why God put this on my heart today. It may have been just for you. Does that small cry you hear each morning remind you of sin in your life? Do you wake with physical or emotional pain caused by your past? Turn to the Lord. We read in I John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Jesus will forgive. Sometimes it's hard for us to forget.
