Sermon Central
-
Taking Life & God Seriously
Contributed by Thomas Bartlett on Jan 2, 2021 (message contributor)
Summary: The nation of Israel watched God provide care for them and release from slavery yet God has to exhort them not to forget Him. How could they forget God after all He'd done? Well, in the same ways we forget Him too.
Taking Life & God Seriously
Steele Creek Church Eastfield
Dr. Tom Bartlett, 1-03-21
OUTLINE
Deuteronomy 6:12 (NIV) “Be careful that you do not forget the LORD…”
IN WHAT WAYS DID ISRAEL FORGET THE LORD?
THEY FORGOT WHAT HE HAD ALREADY DONE
Often, we fail to remember what God has already done for us.
Deuteronomy 4:9 (NIV) “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.”
THEY FAILED TO FOLLOW HIS WORD
We want God to reveal His will in some areas while we refuse to follow in other areas
Nehemiah 9:16-17a (NIV) “But they, our ancestors, became arrogant and stiff-necked, and they did not obey your commands. 17 They refused to listen and failed to remember. . .”
There’s a correlation between obedience and remembering God’s teachings.
Deuteronomy 8:11 (NIV) “Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.”
THEY LISTENED TO FALSE TEACHING
How many times have you sought the advice of anyone else but God?
Jeremiah 23:27 (NIV) (God) - “They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their ancestors forgot my name through Baal worship.”
WILL GOD REMEMBER US?
Nehemiah 1:6b-9 (NIV) “ I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands… I will gather them… and bring them to the place I have chosen...”
Now write down the word: “Remember” – (Hebrew: zakar) - it means: to put your mind on, to focus here!
GOD’S PROMISE
The Promise – God will remember His promise of a prosperous future.
THE PREMISE
The Premise – If you will remember, return, and obey His commands
Getting Serious About Life & God
Nehemiah’s Revival
Get serious about owning. . .
PERSONAL SINS
The time to get serious about God is now!
Nehemiah 1:6b (NIV) “I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against you…”
COLLECTIVE SINS
Nehemiah 1:7 (NIV) “We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws…”
Wickedly – we’ve perverted what God has said (corruption).
Disobeyed commands – we have a blatant rejection of God’s way
Disobeyed decrees – we are living apart from God’s prescription for life
Disobeyed laws – we disregard what God has shown us to be true
We must confess the sins of: corruption, disobedience, selfish focus, and self-direction.
GENERATIONAL SINS
Nehemiah 1:6b (NIV) “I confess the sins. . . my father's house, have committed. . .”
Prayer of confession: Dear God, hear my prayer because of Your love for me. In brokenness and in awareness of my situation, I confess my sin. Lord first I confess the secret sins that I have harbored in my heart, forgive me of them, cleanse me from them. Next, I confess the generational sins that I have accepted as being the norm in my life and family. Remove them God, break them and the ties that hold them to me. Lord I now confess my lack of adherence and devotion to You. I have at times acted corruptly, I’ve willingly broken your commands, I’ve disobeyed Your direct path for my life and I’ve disregarded what You have shown me to be true. I admit all this Lord, but I want You to know that I am turning from them and to You. Today Lord I make my stand for myself, my family and this community. Fulfill Your promise to extend Your favor on me today for Your glory. In Jesus name, A-men.
MANUSCRIPT
Taking Life & God Seriously
Steele Creek Church
Dr. Tom Bartlett, 1-03-2021
Good morning and welcome to SCC, I’m Tom Bartlett. The other day, I got out of my routine of leaving my keys, phone, wallet and such in the place I keep them, and I inadvertently forgot to grab my wallet, which means I was driving around without my license. I only became aware of my missing wallet when it came time to go to lunch. I knew I had an appointment that day, so I reached around to y back pocket to doubt check, and you know it, my wallet wasn’t there.
I’ve learned over the years that if I need to bring a book, document, piece of equipment or anything into work, it’s best to put it where I will see it, or better yet to actually place it in my car the night before.
