FORGOTTEN
TEXT:
DEUTERONOMY 32:18 OF THE ROCK THAT BEGAT THEE THOU ART UNMINDFUL, AND HAST FORGOTTEN GOD THAT FORMED THEE.
INTRODUCTION:
THIS SERMON WAS PREPARED IN VERY MUCH MEDITATION AND PRAYER. I WAS IN MY APARTMENT ALONE LISTENING TO PRAISE AND WORSHIP MUSIC PRAYING AND PRAISING GOD. ASKING GOD WHAT HE WOULD HAVE ME PREACH. LORD I DON’T WANT TO HURT PEOPLE’S FEELING. I WANT TO SEE THEM REPENT AND GET ON FIRE FOR GOD. TO REALLY REMEMBER WHO GOD IS AND THEN DO SOMETHING WITH IT. THIS IS IT FRIENDS: WITH TEARS I PEN THIS, WITH A HEAVY HEART I WILL BRING IT FORTH. WE HAVE FORGOTTEN SOME THINGS THAT WE HAD BETTER HURRY UP AND REMEMBER BEFORE IT IS TO LATE. IN OUR TEXT THIS MORNING WE READ ABOUT GOD’S PEOPLE WHO AFTER BEING RESCUED BY GOD OUT OF EGYPT BY MANY WONDERFUL MIRACLES. YOU REMEMBER ALL THE PLAUGUES GOD BROUGHT DOWN ON EGYPT. THEN EVEN IN THE WILDERNESS THE WATER OUT OF THE ROCK THE SPLITTING OF THE SEA AND THEY WALKED THROUGH ON DRY GROUND EVEN THE MOSITURE IN THE DIRT SEPARATED SO THEY WOULD NOT BE ON MUD BUT DRY GROUND. OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN GOD DID THE IMPOSSIBLE FOR AND WITH HIS LOVED ONES. I COULD SPEND A LIFETIME AND NOT COMPLETELY SPEAK OF ALL THE THINGS GOD HAS DONE FOR THEM. YET THEY FORGOT GOD! HOW IN THE WORLD COULD A PEOPLE SO BLESSSED SO LOVED SO TAKEN CARE OF BY SUCH A GREAT GOD FORGET THE ONE WHO SAVED THEM. WHILE I WAS PREPARING THIS I WAS BROUGHT TO TEARS TO THINK OF IT. FRIENDS TODAY 2001 WE AS CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN SO BLESSED OF GOD BEYOND WHAT YOU EVEN KNOW AND WE TOO HAVE FORGOTTEN GOD. WE HAVE GOT TO BE HONEST IF WE ARE TO MAKE ANY POSITIVE CHANGES IN THIS REVIVAL HERE TONIGHT AND THE COMING UP NIGHTS TO FOLLOW. IF WE ARE UNWILLING TO COME TO GOD AS BABIES FORGETTING ALL THE WORLD TO STAY YOUR MIND ON HIM FOR JUST THESE THREE NIGHTS IN ORDER TO GIVE GOD JUST A LITTLE CHANCE TO GET YOU INTO THE RIGHT FRAME OF MIND. BUT IN TEARS I AM AFFRAID SATAN WILL TAKE FROM YOU OR AT LEAST MANY OF YOU ALL THE GOOD THAT WILL COME TONIGHT. YES THE MESSAGE I HAVE FROM GOD IS SAD WE HAVE FORGOTTEN SOME THINGS HOWEVER BECAUSE YOU ARE HERE TONIGHT MEANS ITS NOT TO LATE. ARE YOU WILLING TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO HAVE REVIVAL? WE WILL FIND OUT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF NIGHTS. WE WILL SEE WHO KEEPS COMING BACK AND WE WILL SEE THE FRUIT OF THOSE WHO COME. I HAVE NEVER PRAYED FOR A SERIES OF MESSAGES MORE THAN I HAVE THESE. I AM A PREACHER PRAYING FOR A CHURCH AND TONIGHT I AM NOT AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO TICKLE YOUR EARS WITH A WONDERFUL DEMONSTRATION OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP WHICH MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD. TONIGHT I MUST BEFORE GOD DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND SPEAK THE WORDS OF II CHRONICLES 7:14 LISTEN NOW IF MY PEOPLE WHICH ARE CALLED BY MY NAME SHALL HUMBLE THEMSELFS AND PRAY AND SEEK MY FACE AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS; THEN WILL I HEAR FROM HEAVEN, AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN, AND WILL HEAL THEIR LAND. MY FRIENDS IN LOVE TONIGHT WITH ALL MY HEART I MEAN WHAT I SAY SO MUCH. THIS IS THE GREAT REVIVAL VERSE OF THE BIBLE. IF WE WANT IT (REVIVAL) WE MUST DO WHAT IS REQUIRED.
I. HUMBLE YOURSELF AND PRAY
HERE IS THE FIRST THING WE HAVE FORGOTTEN AND THE SOURCE OF MUCH OF THE STORMS IN OUR LIVES. WE DO NOT PRAY AS GOD TELLS US OR TEACHES US TO. THE REASON IS ANOTHER FORGOTTEN PROBLEM AND THAT IS WE DON’T READ THE BIBLE TO FIND OUT WHAT IT IS WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO. FORGIVE ME GOD! PLEASE TOUCH THE HEARTS OF EVERYONE HERE WITH A SPIRIT OF PRAYER. I DON’T WANT TO HEAR ANY EXCUSES ABOUT WHY YOU DON’T READ THE BIBLE JUST BE HONEST WITH GOD AND SAY GOD FORGIVE ME I FOGOT TO LISTEN TO YOU MORE THAN THE WORLD. IF YOU FORGET TO PAY THE MORGAGE, RENT YOU LOSE THE HOUSE. YOU FORGET TO PAY THE ELECTRICITY THEY SHUT IT OFF. YOU FORGET TO READ GOD’S WORD TO HUMBLE YOURSELF IN HIS PRESSENCE YOU LOSE JOY, PEACE, AND HELP IN THE TIME OF NEED. GOD LOVES YOU SOOOOO MUCH HE DIED FOR YOU! HE LIVED A LIFE OF REJECTION AND DIED FOR YOU AND YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN HIM. HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOUR OWN CHILDREN ACTED TO YOU LIKE YOU DO TO GOD. SORRY DAD I FORGOT TO COME HOME LAST NIGHT. MOM I AM SORRY I FORGOT TO ASK YOU BEFORE I HAD SEX WITH A BOY AT SCHOOL AND NOW I AM PREGNANT BUT ITS OK MOM I’LL JUST GET YOU TO TAKE CARE OF THE BABY WHEN ITS BORN. LISTEN THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING TO GOD. IF WE WANT REVIVAL BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF DON’T PLAY GAMES WITH GOD IF YOU WANT IT IT IS HERE GOD LOVES YOU SO MUCH HE WILL FORGIVE HE WILL HEAL HE WILL LOVE YOU. I REMEMBER TIME OF DESPERATION PRAYING TO GOD AND FEELING A HAND ON MY SHOULDER AND A SOFT VOICE IN MY EAR SAYING SON I AM HERE FOR YOU I AM WITH YOU.
II. WE HAVE FORGOTTEN TO SEEK HIS FACE AND TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAY.
THE VERSE IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. PREACHERS TODAY ARE AFFRAID TO TELL THE TRUTH ALLOT OF TIMES BECAUSE THEIR CONGREGATION WILL KICK THEM OUT OF THE CHURCH. TOO MANY CHURCHES TODAY DON’T WANT THE TRUTH. THEY WANT A WATERED DOWN VERSION OF REALITY. THEY WANT SOMEONE TO SAY ITS OK IF YOU SIN. FRIENDS ITS NOT OK! ITS OK IF YOU GO TO GOD AND TURN FROM YOUR SIN LIKE THE VERSE IN FRONT OF US SAYS. PREACHERS WANT TO MAKE SIN LOOK BETTER THAN WHAT IT REALLY LOOKS LIKE BECAUSE OF OFFENDING SOMEONE. LISTEN IF YOUR NOT CASTISED OF GOD YOUR NOT A CHILD OF GOD. GOD’S KIDS WILL BE SPANKED. SO LOOK AT YOURSELFS IF YOU HAVEN’T BEEN PUNISHED FOR YOUR SIN I WOULD QUESTION IF YOU REALLY KNOW JESUS AS YOUR SAVIOUR OR NOT. MAYBE YOU NEED TO COME UP HERE AT THE END OF THE SERVICE AND GIVE YOURSELF TO THE LORD. I DO LOVE YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS AND WHILE I WAS WRITTING THIS IN PREPARATION OF THIS NIGHT MY EYES WATERED ALLOT. THE THOUGHT OF HAVING TO GO THROUGH THIS ISN’T THE MOST PLEASANT THING HOWEVER I THINK AT THIS POINT IT IS THE MOST NEEDED THING.
III. WE HAVE FORGOTTEN WHERE WE HAVE COME FROM
TONIGHT WE HAVE COME HERE TO HAVE REVIVAL. YET WE HAVE FORGOTTEN TO 1. HUMBLE OURSELVES AND PRAY 2. WE HAVE FORGOTTEN TO SEEK HIS FACE AND TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAY AND 3. WE HAVE FORGOTTEN WHERE WE HAVE COME FROM. DO YOU REALLY REMEMBER YOUR SALVATION EXPERIENCE? DO REMEMBER WHEN YOU SAW YOURSELF REALLY FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME YOU REALIZED HOW MUCH OF A SINNER YOU REALLY WERE? WE HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT FRIENDS! I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT WE LOOKED LIKE BEFORE GOD THEN FOLKS AND SOME OF US ARE LOOKING PRETTY BAD AGAIN. I HAVE PUT EVERY THING INTO THIS NIGHT THERE ARE PEOPLE FROM OTHER CHURCHES HERE TO SEE IF THEY LIKE WHAT THEY SEE BECAUSE THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A PASTOR I CAN’T AFFORD TO LOOK BAD; HOWEVER, I CAN’T AFFORD NOT TO LISTEN TO GOD EITHER. YOU SEE THIS NICE SUIT I AM WEARING TO IMPRESS THESE FINE PEOPLE WITH MY LOOKS. DID YOU HEAR THE BIBLE KNOWLEDGE I HAVE EXPRESSED TONIGHT TO IMPRESS THEM. DO YOU WANNA SEE WHAT I REALLY LOOK LIKE AND WHAT MANY OF US REALLY LOOK LIKE TONIGHT BEFORE GOD WHAT HE SEES.
CONCLUSSION:
WHEN I TAKE OFF MY SUIT JACKET YOU SEE THE SHIRT? I FORGOT TO CLEAN THIS ONE SO I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST COVER IT UP FOR TONIGHT I’LL GET AROUND TO CLEANING IT SOON. MAYBE! OH! I ALMOST FORGOT TO SHOW YOU MY SOCKS, YES I KNOW THEY HAVE THESE HOLES IN THEM BUT I FORGOT TO THROW AWAY THOSE THINGS THAT DON’T MAKE ME LOOK VERY GOOD ON THE INSIDE I WOULD RATHER LOOK GOOD TO YOU INSTEAD OF SOMEONE WHO SEES INSIDE. WHEN I TAKE OFF THOSE THINGS ON THE OUTSIDE I DON’T LOOK VERY GOOD TONIGHT DO I FRIENDS. I WONDER WHAT DO YOU LOOK LIKE TONIGHT. YOU NEED TO COME UP HERE! ALL OF YOU! BUT MANY WILL FIGHT WITH THEMSELVES INSDE YOUR DOING IT RIGHT NOW. I CAN ALMOST HEAR WHAT YOUR SAYING TO YOURSELF OR IS THAT GOD SPEAKING TO YOU?
