Remember What God Has Done

A Year at a Glance - Fire and Flood

Remembering Better Days

• Psalm 143:4-6 I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear. [5] I remember the days of old. I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done. [6] I lift my hands to you in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain.
• Psalm 42:1-11 As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. [2] I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? [3] Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, "Where is this God of yours?" [4] My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration! [5] Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again- my Savior and [6] my God! Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you- even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar. [7] I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. [8] But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. [9] "O God my rock," I cry, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?" [10] Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, "Where is this God of yours?" [11] Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again- my Savior and my God!
• Psalm 77:1-10 I cry out to God; yes, I shout. Oh, that God would listen to me! [2] When I was in deep trouble, I searched for the Lord. All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven, but my soul was not comforted. [3] I think of God, and I moan, overwhelmed with longing for his help. Interlude [4] You don't let me sleep. I am too distressed even to pray! [5] I think of the good old days, long since ended, [6] when my nights were filled with joyful songs. I search my soul and ponder the difference now. [7] Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will he never again be kind to me? [8] Is his unfailing love gone forever? Have his promises permanently failed? [9] Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he slammed the door on his compassion? Interlude [10] And I said, "This is my fate; the Most High has turned his hand against me."

But Then...

• Psalm 77:11-20 But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. [12] They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works. [13] O God, your ways are holy. Is there any god as mighty as you? [14] You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations. [15] By your strong arm, you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Interlude [16] When the Red Sea saw you, O God, its waters looked and trembled! The sea quaked to its very depths. [17] The clouds poured down rain; the thunder rumbled in the sky. Your arrows of lightning flashed. [18] Your thunder roared from the whirlwind; the lightning lit up the world! The earth trembled and shook. [19] Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters- a pathway no one knew was there! [20] You led your people along that road like a flock of sheep, with Moses and Aaron as their shepherds.
• Nehemiah 9:1-37

Remember What God Has Done For You!

• Psalm 40:5 O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.
• Psalm 103:1-6 Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. [2] Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. [3] He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. [4] He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. [5] He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle's! [6] The Lord gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly.
• Psalm 111:1-10 Praise the Lord! I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with his godly people. [2] How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them. [3] Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails. [4] He causes us to remember his wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our Lord! [5] He gives food to those who fear him; he always remembers his covenant. [6] He has shown his great power to his people by giving them the lands of other nations. [7] All he does is just and good, and all his commandments are trustworthy. [8] They are forever true, to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity. [9] He has paid a full ransom for his people. He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever. What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has! [10] Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever!

Three Key Points

1. We can either remember "the good old days" forever lost to the past, or we can determine to remember all that the Lord has done for us.
2. Choosing to remember the Lord's guidance, intervention, and deliverance in the past helps stirs up our faith and hope in the Lord afresh, and reminds us again that we are in a relationship with a living God.
3. The God who worked all these things in your life is the same God who has given us His promises and His Word.

Application: Journal out what God has done in your life, what He has said to you, how He has answered your prayers, and has otherwise made His presence and provision manifest in your life. Use this journal as a resource to turn back to when you are walking through the valley.

The Promises of God

• 2 Peter 1:4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires.
• Isaiah 43:1-2 But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. [2] When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.
• Hebrews 13:5-6 Don't love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you." [6] So we can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?"
• Matthew 6:25-34 "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life-whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? [26] Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? [27] Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? [28] "And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, [29] yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. [30] And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? [31] "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' [32] These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. [33] Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [34] "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today.
• 2 Corinthians 1:19-22 For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between "Yes" and "No." He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God's ultimate "Yes," he always does what he says. [20] For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding "Yes!" And through Christ, our "Amen" (which means "Yes") ascends to God for his glory. [21] It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, [22] and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.

Investment

Investment

• putting money into something with the expectation of gain, usually over a longer term.
• all investments involve some sort of risks
• "An asset or an item that is purchased with the hope that it will generate income or appreciate in the future. In an economic sense, an investment is the purchase of goods that are not consumed today but are used in the future to create wealth. In finance, an investment is a monetary asset purchased with the idea that the asset will provide income in the future or will appreciate and be sold at a higher price." (Investopedia)
• The result of forgoing consumption - using one's resources (time, talent, treasures) for others' good and gain

Golden Rules of Investment

1. Know your worth

a. John 15:5 "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."

b. Romans 12:3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

c. Matthew 6:25-27 "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?"

2. Don't invest in a product you don't really understand - Count the cost

a. Luke 14:27-28a "And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. But don't begin until you count the cost."

b. Costs/benefits analysis - count the cost, time/treasures/talent spent immediate vs. long-term (ie - college, stocks, real estate, business, etc.) - what will the Kingdom cost you? What will you gain?

3. Diversify (risky and secure)

a. Ecclesiastes 5:13-15 There is another serious problem I have seen under the sun. Hoarding riches harms the saver. Money is put into risky investments that turn sour, and everything is lost. In the end, there is nothing left to pass on to one's children. We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can't take our riches with us.

b. Ecclesiastes 11:1-2, 6 Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you. But divide your investments among many places, for you do not know what risks might lie ahead. Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don't know if profit will come from one activity or another-or maybe both.

c. Investing in the Kingdom - other people (risky investments) -but- how you treat others is as unto Him; the returns on time spent investing in people may not be quantified in our lifetimes, but we will reap a great reward

4. Do not invest and forget - become a follower of Christ, eyes on the Kingdom

a. Matthew 13:3-9,18-23 Parable of the soils

b. James 1:22-25 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

5. Learn to cut your losses - sin so easily entangles, concerns of this world

a. Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

6. Weather the ups and downs - press on toward the goal, live or die "win/win" proposition

a. Philippians 3:12-14 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

b. Philippians 4:11b-13 I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

c. Philippians 1:20b-24 I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.

7. Recognize Whose resources you have been entrusted with

a. Understand that all that you have (time, talents, treasures) come from Him; He has entrusted them to you to invest and to produce a return

b. Mindsets - lack of faith, pride

c. Luke 12:16-21 Then he told them a story: "A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, 'What should I do? I don't have room for all my crops.' Then he said, 'I know! I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I'll sit back and say to myself, "My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!" But God said to him, 'You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?' Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God."

d. Resources are not given to be hoarded to ourselves, but to be used wisely for the advancement of the Kingdom. What is the Kingdom? Becoming a follower of Christ, sharing good news of Christ with others, serving them in love, so that they too will become followers of Christ; a lifetime role, not one-time

e. Matthew 25:14-30 Parable of the Three Servants

f. Matthew 13:44-46 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!"

Application: What has God given you to invest?

Information Overload

Information Overload and Sensory Stimulation

• (http://www.wnd.com/2013/01/information-overload-making-your-head-explode/)
• (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21992-does-solitary-confinement-breach-the-eighth-amendment.html)
• James 3:13-18

Understanding, Wisdom, and Knowledge

Paul's Eyes Opened

• Acts 26:1-32
• Philippians 3:2-9

Knowledge Balanced With Love

• 1 Corinthians 8:1-3
• 1 Corinthians 13:2
• Philippians 1:9-11

What are You Listening To?

• Saturation analogy
• Matthew 13:12.

Develop a Love for the Word of God

• Proverbs 8:10-11
• Proverbs 1:7.
• Proverbs 2:1-11
• 2 Peter 1:2-9
• Colossians 1:9-10

Closing Prayer

• Ephesians 1:15-23