Remember No More! 10-28-13 Matthew 3:1-2: “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” A story is told of an infamous chess match between a reigning champion and an upcoming challenger. The match went on for several hours and at one point, no one made a move for over four hours. Finally the challenger asked in disgust, “When are you going to make a move?” The champion looked at the younger man with compassion and said: “My good man, it has been your move for over four hours now.” Have you ever heard this statement: “I wish God would just speak to me and tell me what to do?” Many people today wander around in their life waiting on a burning bush or some other dramatic display of direction from God, when He has already spoken to them through His still small voice. God speaks and gives us direction, and then it is our move to be obedient. If we are not obedient and carry out God’s instructions for the next step, He will not give us more direction until we make that particular move. God is a stickler for our faithful obedience before He will give us additional direction. We do not get the whole story from God up front. He will, however, give us as much direction as we need to take the next step. God may seem silent during these times, but it is because it is our move. He is waiting for us to take the step that we have failed to take for some reason. Here is an example of this principle. John the Baptist was a forerunner of Jesus Christ. He came telling folks to repent and follow Christ. Many folks wanted to know more before they made the commitment because the gospel of Christ seemed foolish to them. However, that is because it was not received with faith, faith in God and His message. People wanted it to make sense to them or for the options to be multiple choices. However, their disobedience prevented further direction from God because they had not taken the first step, repentance. Jonah experienced this frustration when God had told him to go to Nineveh and preach against it. He refused to go and spent some time in rebellion (you will remember that story, and that he ended up in the belly of the fish), all of that was to his discredit. When he did get a humble heart and agreed to do it God’s way, God gave him the same message as before, go to Nineveh and preach. The directions from God were very clear all along. It was Jonah who had a problem, not God. God was waiting for Jonah to be obedient to the “first step.” Friends, does it seem that God has been silent in your life lately? Do you feel that your prayers are not heard by Him? Maybe you need to think back to the last thing God laid on your heart. Did you do it, or have you failed to take action on that matter? It will not matter to God the reason we may offer. We justify our actions in our own mind, but God sees it as a clear case of disobedience, just like He did with Jonah. We are both faithful and obedient to God or we are not. There are not levels in between that God will accept. Unforgiven sin will separate us from Gods love, forgiveness, and blessing. In the Book of Jeremiah 37:17, the king asked Jeremiah, “Is there any word from the Lord?” And Jeremiah said, “There is.” The word from the Lord is the same as it has always been, repent. After his baptism and subsequent temptation in the wilderness, Jesus began His public ministry in Galilee. His message embodied all of the gospel in His urgent plea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17) Friends, God wants to bless your life abundantly. However, He is a holy God and His holiness prevents Him from blessing sin. Our sins separate us from God, the bible tells us, but Jesus Himself tells us that He is near (at hand), and ready to forgive. Do you have any sin that you have not asked God to forgive? Yes, you do remember it! And God remembers it too. How hard is it for you to say, “Lord, please forgive me for - - - ?” Don’t let the devil or your pride stand between you and eternal peace. It can be yours today. Why put off the most important decision of your life? Today is the day of forgiveness. Today you can be free from your guilt and shame. God says: “For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” (Jeremiah 31:34) “Father Lord, I pray for each one reading this message. Hear their prayer for repentance, and forgive their sins. In Jesus name I pray, amen.” In His service, James Harrison
Posted on: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:18:33 +0000
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