- Pastor Troy Brewer
- OpenDoor Church, Burleson, TX
A REMINDER TO REMEMBER
The word “Deuteronomy” is “eleh ha-devarim” in Hebrew, which means “these are the words.” In Ancient Greek, it is “Deuteronómion” which means “second law” or a “copy of this law,” signifying a re-telling of God’s laws. In essence, that’s what the book does: it is a retelling, a repetition, or a reminder of the covenant that God made with His people.
More than just a reminder, the book of Deuteronomy also serves as a farewell address for Moses. Moses knows that the Lord will not allow him to enter the Promised Land, and that he will be succeeded by his assistant. Thus, he deliberately reminds the people of Israel of their covenant with God in five speeches.
Moses begins Deuteronomy by reminding the people of their journey with God from slavery, through the wilderness, now into the Promised Land. He reminds them of the victories God gave them over their enemies, and how God wanted him to pass the baton to a new generation of Israelites led by a next-generation leader, Joshua, the son of Nun.
A call to be loyal to God alone:
Moses then proceeds to remind the people to be loyal to the Lord their God. The people are to have no other God but Yahweh (Deut. 5:6), and they are to follow His commandments. These commandments are not new; they are the same commandments God gave to them in Mount Sinai. Simply put, God was reminding His people, through Moses, to be loyal to Him and remember their sacred covenant – a sacred commitment – to each other.
All through the book of Deuteronomy, Moses details the requirements of the law. He also specifies the curses and blessings one will receive for disobeying and obeying God’s laws. God will bless those who honor Him with obedience to His laws.
A final reminder:
Toward the end of the book, Moses blesses the people of God, telling them how blessed they are for having the God of Israel as their God with these words:
“Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help, who is the sword of your majesty! Your enemies will cringe before you, and you will tread upon their high places.” (Deut. 33:29)
Deuteronomy 8:1-2 – “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. 2 And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
Deuteronomy 8:11 – 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 8:18-20 – “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. 19 Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. 20 As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God.”
This is covenant: REMEMBERING AND BEING WATCHFUL
HOW WE ARE REMEMBERED OFTEN DEPENDS UPON HOW WE WERE WILLING TO REMEMBER THINGS WITHIN OUR LIFETIME
One of the ways we finish well is we MARK VICTORY AND WE GIVE GOD GLORY FOR IT
WE HOOK UP WITH THE SPIRIT. HE HELPS US REMEMBER RIGHT THINGS
John 14:26 – But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Remembering the right things will motivate you to win battles.
Remembering the wrong things discourages you to the point of defeat.
King David is famous for saying
Psalms 20:7 – Some trust in chariots and some in horses but we will remember the name of the lord our God.
Horses are all about the strength of man and chariots are man’s clever inventions–his weapons of war. These are not mighty to save you. David is saying, “All I need for certain deliverance is to remember the name of the Lord.”
How I know God personally: God is such an awesome God that he can choose what He remembers and he can choose what he will never remember again. He is world famous for His “sea of forgetfulness” because He chooses to remember His love for us and His covenant with us more than He remembers how we have wronged Him. God is like that. He will not forget you. He will not leave you he will not forsake you
Genesis 9:16 – And the bow shall be in the cloud that I may remember the everlasting covenant…
(a bow of strength)
Even the thief on the Cross turned to Jesus and said, “Remember me, Lord, when you enter into your kingdom.”
Since God refuses to remember what we have done against Him and He refuses to forget how much He loves us, we should be people who refuse to forget.
“Remember” is in the King James Bible 148 times.
DON’T FORGET. DON’T FORGET. DON’T FORGET.
Let’s look at a few of these today.
THERE IS A KINGDOM PRINCIPLE OF REMEMBERING
Remember certain things causes certain things to happen
THE KINGDOM PRINCIPLE OF REMEMBERING:
The promises God has given you
(this list will keep you in times of trouble)
Galatians 4:28
In Galatians 4:28, you and I are called “Children of promise.”
Psalms 27:13 – I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Start off by doing a Google search on scriptures on God’s promises. Then begin to seek the Lord and ask Him to help you know His specific Promises for you personally.
Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO LIVE WITH HOPE YOU ARE GOING TO LIVE WITH THE CONSTANT MEMORY OF THE PROMISES GOD HAS GIVEN YOU
THE KINGDOM PRINCIPLE OF REMEMBERING
The miracles God has done in your life
(This list will keep you trusting God)
God Almighty warned the people of Israel, “Do not forget the miracles that I did for you. Don’t forget how I brought you out of Egypt. Don’t forget. You have good reason to trust me.
Psalms 77:11 – I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
Psalms 119:99 – For thy testimonies are my meditation.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO LIVE YOUR LIFE TRUSTING GOD, YOU ARE GOING TO REMEMBER HOW GOD HAS DELIVERED YOU OVER AND OVER AGAIN
THE KINGDOM PRINCIPLE OF REMEMBERING
The privileges and things you love about your life
(This list will keep you thankful)
John 1:16, NLT From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.
IF YOU DON’T HAVE A LONG LIST OF WHAT YOU ARE THANKFUL FOR, YOU HAVE A LONG LIST OF WHAT YOU GRIPE ABOUT.
Remembering how blessed you are will cause you to be thankful.
THE KINGDOM PRINCIPLE OF REMEMBERING
The prayers God has answered in your life
(This list will keep you praying)
Psalm 145:18 – The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
THE KINGDOM PRINCIPLE OF REMEMBERING
Remember The people that God has placed in your life
(This list will keep you relational)
Rick Warren writes in The Purpose Driven Life, “I have been at the bedside of many people in their final moments, when they stand on the edge of eternity, and I have never heard anyone say, ‘Bring me my diplomas! I want to look at them one more time. Show me my awards, my medals, that gold watch I was given.’ When life on earth is ending, people don’t surround themselves with objects. What we want around us is people – people we love and have relationships with. In our final moments we all realize that relationships are what life is all about.”
Philippians 1:3-4 – I thank God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy.
THE KINGDOM PRINCIPLE OF REMEMBERING
Galatians 2:10
Remember the poor
(This list will keep you humble and keep you effective in the Kingdom)
THE KINGDOM PRINCIPLE OF REMEMBERING
2 Timothy 2:8
Remember that Jesus Christ is raised from the dead
REMEMBER THAT life has slapped death in the face.
Remember that JESUS called The Shot and prophesied that on the third day, He would rise again. Remember that for those of us who are in Christ, death has no sting and the grave has no victory.
Remember that Jesus didn’t just raise from the dead for Him. He is risen for all of us believers for all time.
This is what I remember when I am facing my own mortality.
This is what I think of when I begin to feel overwhelmed.
I will remember that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.
And when I remember that Jesus is raised from the dead, I remember that nothing is impossible.
REMEMBERING AND BEING WATCHFUL QUALIFY US FOR ESCAPING TERRIBLE THINGS AND ENTERING INTO WONDERFUL THINGS.