Remember God’s Faithfulness
(Psalm 77:11)

1. Think (Psalm 77:12)

2. Thank (Psalm 9:1)

3. Tell (Joshua 4:21-22)

4. Treasure (Psalm 119:11)

5. Transcribe

6. Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

 

Remember God’s Faithfulness

As I ponder current events, I’m reminded of the Israelites in the book of Exodus, which we have been studying on Thursday nights. God took them into uncharted territory, but over and over again, God provided for them in ways they could never have imagined!  Ways that we could describe as “unprecedented.”

Now here we are also in uncharted territory. It would be easy to complain (as did the Israelites). But we must choose to cry out to the Lord for wisdom and direction. Let us obey what God instructs us to do in his Word. In these uncertain times let us make sure to remember His faithfulness!

Psalm 77:11 “I will remember the works of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.”

When it comes to remembering God’s faithfulness, we can be especially forgetful. One striking example of this is found in the book of Exodus, chapters 14 and 16. In the span of just a couple of chapters, we see the Israelites delivered from slavery and brought through the Red Sea, and then they are grumbling about not having food to eat.

We want to say to them, “Don’t you remember what God just did for you? The water stood up like two walls, and you walked through the Red Sea on dry ground! Don’t you think that the God who can do that is also capable of giving you food to eat? Trust him!”

And then, of course, we remember that we do the same sort of thing. God brings us through a trial, answers a prayer, and within a few days it’s almost forgotten. We’re already looking to the next struggle on the horizon and finding reasons to doubt and complain.

Many times through the prophets and others, God reminded the people of what He had done for them in the past. He reminded them of all the times he took them through uncharted territory.

The book of Deuteronomy records Moses’s final address to the people he’s led for decades. They’re about to cross the Jordan and occupy the Promised Land. One theme dominates throughout: Remember!

Remember not to forget. Don’t forget to remember. Remember to remember.

Deuteronomy 4:9, “Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren.”

Deuteronomy 8:11-14, “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, lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage”

Deuteronomy 8:18, “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.

We have forgotten the Lord our God in our homes, in our lives, in our families, in our schools, in our politics and in our country.  May we as the Church and may we as the people of God remember the Lord.

Especially now in these uncertain times, we must find ways of remembering God’s faithfulness.

Here are six practical ways to remember God’s faithfulness.

1. Think. What are some events that you can look back on as marking a defining moment for you — a moment when God showed his power in your life, when he was guiding you in a very clear way, when he answered a prayer, fulfilled a promise? Psalm 77:12 (ESV), “I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.”

Think about the ways God has been faithful in your life.  Remember His past deeds and blessings. Ponder His character and His attributes.  Reflect on the names of Jesus

2. Thank. Engage your heart in gratitude for what he has done. Count your blessings and thank God for his provision. Psalm 9:1, “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.”

Thank the Lord for salvation and for eternal life. Thank the Lord in advance for what He will do in these uncertain days and how He is stirring hearts to revival.

3. Tell. Once we’ve spent time remembering and thanking the Lord for the great things He has done for us, the joy of those memories should overflow in our conversations with those around us. In Joshua 4, we find this instruction specifically regarding children: “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground’” (Joshua 4:21–22).

Tell someone of the great things He has done through phone, e-mail, or letter.  Share your personal testimony with someone and tell of His great deeds in your life.

4. Treasure. Treasure God’s Word in your heart. Read about God’s faithfulness. Memorize His promises. Recall the ways He provided for the Israelites in the Exodus and through their time in the wilderness. Psalm 119:11 (NRSV), “I treasure your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against you.”

Choose a verse of the week and memorize it.  Keep it written on a card and hang it in a prominent place where you will read it often.  Ponder the verse and treasure it in your heart.

5. Transcribe. Keep a journal. Write out prayer requests, and then record the ways in which God answers those prayers. When you’re feeling discouraged, look back on those records of God’s faithfulness.

You my even want to write out your testimony so that future generations may read of God’s faithfulness in your life.  Write down what God is revealing to you in His Word.

6. Taste and See. We experience tastes of God’s goodness and grace when we observe the beauty of His creation or recognize His blessings of provision, protection, and care. We taste and see His goodness when we contemplate His holiness and infinite righteousness. We delight in His goodness when we appreciate the cost of Christ’s sacrifice for our salvation.

To taste and see that the Lord is good, we must trust God and seek Him as our sole source of protection and provision. The way to genuinely taste and see that the Lord is good is to experience His goodness for yourself. Psalm 34:8, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”

Let us not forget God’s faithfulness. May we face uncertain times with the certain remembrance of what God has done in the past. This will give us certainty that He will once again be faithful in the future.

Maybe God is using this time to call his people to do even greater things for him. Could God be calling the church and culture back to the foundation of his infallible Word so the gospel can be proclaimed in more powerful ways than ever?

At some time in the future, I look forward to reminding you of this challenging time and all the ways (which we can’t see yet) in which God directed our paths!  Remember His faithfulness!

1 Corinthians 1:9, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Jesus Can Make You Clean
(Mark 1:40-45)

I. The Leper
A. His condition was hopeless. (Leviticus 13:45-46)
B. He pleaded in desperation. (Mark 1:40; Luke 5:12)
C. He demonstrated determined faith. (Mark 1:40; Hebrews 11:1)

II. Jesus
A. He was moved with compassion. (Mark 1:41; Psalm 86:15; 145:8)
B. He was willing to heal and had the power to do so. (Mark 1:42; Matthew 8:16-17, Ephesians 1:19)
C. He gave instructions to the cleansed leper. (Mark 1:43-44)

III. Application
A. We are all spiritually unclean. (Isaiah 64:6)
B. We cannot cleanse ourselves. (Jeremiah 17:9)
C. Only Jesus can make us clean. (Ephesians 2:12; Psalm 51:7)

24 Hours of Ministry with Jesus
(Mark 1:29-39)

I. Ministry with People (Luke 1:29-31)
A. Jesus cares for individual people. (Matthew 10:30)
B. Nothing is too small or too big for God. (1 Peter 5:7)

II. Ministry with Crowds (Luke 1:32-34)
A. Jesus can meet all types of need. (Philippians 4:6, 19; Matthew 6:33)
B. Jesus demonstrated power over sickness and Satan. (Matthew 28:18)

III. Time alone with God (Luke 1:35-39)
A. Jesus made time alone with God a priority. (Psalm 5:3)
B. Jesus put God before people. (Mark 12:20-31)

The Amazing, Astonishing Authority of Jesus
(Mark 1:21-28)

I. Jesus’ Authority
A. Jesus demonstrates authority in teaching. (Mark 1:21-22; John 7:45-46; Hebrews 4:12)
B. Jesus demonstrates authority over demons. (Mark 1:23-26; 1 John 3:8; James 4:7)

II. People’s Amazement (Mark 1:27-28)
Self-Check:
Contemplate Jesus’ authority.
How is His authority being demonstrated in your life?
Are there areas in your life that are not submitted to Jesus’ authority?

Jesus is Calling
(Mark 1:14-20)

I. Jesus’ Message (Mark 1:14-15)
A. The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. (Galatians 4:4)
B. Repent, and believe in the gospel. (Romans 10:9)

II. Jesus’ Call (Mark 1:16-17)
A. Follow me. (Matthew 16:24)
B. I will make you become fishers of men. (Proverbs 11:30; Daniel 12:3; Acts 1:8)

III. Our Proper Response (Luke 1:18-20)
A. Immediate obedience to Jesus’ call. (John 14:15)
B. Leave everything else behind. (Mark 1:19-20)

APPLICATION:
Are you following Jesus?
Is Jesus making you a fisher of men?
What might God be asking you to leave behind?

                                               From the Mountain to the Valley
(Mark 1:9-13)

I. The Baptism of Jesus (Mark 1:9-11)
A. The testimony of Jesus – He is the Savior (Matthew 3:14-15)
1. Jesus was baptized to identify with us. (Romans 8:3; 1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
2. Jesus was baptized to demonstrate His mission. (Mark 10:38, 45; Luke 12:50; Romans 6:4)
3. Jesus was baptized as an example for us. (Matthew 1:21)
B. The testimony of the Spirit – Jesus is the Christ (Mark 1:10)
C. The testimony of the Father – Jesus is the Son of God (Mark 1:11; Psalm 2:7)

II. The Temptation in the Desert (Mark 1:12-13)
A. Sent by the Spirit. (Romans 8:28; Job 1:20-22)
B. Tempted by Satan. (James 1:13)
C. Attended by angels. (Mark 1:13; 1 Corinthians 10:13)

Application:

Jesus is the Savior; He is the Christ, the promised Messiah; He is the Son of God.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Have you publicly professed your faith in Jesus Christ through baptism?

Are you trusting and believing God through your trials?

Standing Firm in the Faith
(1 Peter 5:6-14)

I. Humble yourself before God and cast your anxieties upon Him. (1 Peter 5:6-7; Matthew 6:25-30; Philippians 4:6)

II. Resist the devil and remember those who suffer. (1 Peter 5:8-9)

III. Trust the sovereign Lord. (1 Peter 5:10-11; Proverbs 3:5; Psalm 56:3)

IV. Stand firm alongside your brothers and sisters in Christ. (1 Peter 5:12-14)

Good News of Great Joy!
(Mark 1:1-8)

I. The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mark 1:1; Luke 2:10)

II. John the Baptist prepares the way (Mark 1:2-5; Exodus 23:20; Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3)

III. The messenger and the message (Mark 1:6-8; 2 Kings 1:8; Luke 1:15; Matthew 11:11; Acts 2:38)

Application:

The book of Mark conveys a sense of urgency in sharing the good news of Jesus. Do you have the same sense of urgency in your life in sharing the gospel with others?

John’s message is of repentance in preparation for Jesus. Are you daily turning away from sin, confessing your sin to God, and placing your faith in Jesus the Son of God?

Jesus considered John to be the greatest of all who had ever lived, yet John was not even worthy to untie Christ’s sandals. Do you recognize the absolute greatness of Jesus in your life? In what ways?

Glorifying God in the Last Days
(1 Peter 4:7-11)

1. We should glorify God through serious and watchful prayer. (1 Peter 4:7; Romans 12:3; 1 Timothy 3:2)

2. We should glorify God through fervent love for one another. (1 Peter 4:8-9; John 13:34-35; 1 Corinthians 13:1-3; Matthew 22:37-39; 1 John 4:20)

3. We should glorify God through spiritual service. (1 Peter 4:10-11; 1 Corinthians 12)

Application Questions:
Are you glorifying God through serious and watchful prayer?
Are you glorifying God through fervent love for one another?
Are you glorifying God through spiritual service?