Deuteronomy 8:1-18 | Never Forget | Rich Jones

and take your seats there please open your bibles this morning to the book of Deuteronomy we'll be in chapter 8 verse 1 then the title of our message this morning never never forget father thank you for your word and your your spirit poured out using the word to show us revealed to us your heart your ways the way of greatest blessing is found in through your word so we want to hear from you we open our heart to hear from you in Jesus name Amen the book of Deuteronomy is Moses's last speech before Israel crosses the Jordan to go into that land that God promised them now Moses knows he's not going with them God had already told him you're not crossing that Jordan he could see it he could see go to the top of the peak and see it but he couldn't go so therefore Moses is wanting Israel to do well when they cross the Jordan when they get into that land that God promised he wants it to go well so God gives him this message and there are so many powerful parts where he says all Israel you should listen you should be very careful take these words into your heart do them live by them that it may be well with you that God may multiply you greatly as he promised then we saw last time as we got to Deuteronomy 6 the greatest words that God has ever spoken that he gave to Moses where he said hear o Israel the Lord Jehovah is our God and the Lord is one you shall love the Lord your God with all in your heart those are the most important words that God has ever said you shall love with all of your soul love God with all of your might and then he said now these words which I'm giving you today they shall be on your heart and you should teach them diligently to your sons you should talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way so important are these words he said then he brought us to chapter 8 where we are today where over and over again he says so them never forget all that God has done for you see when you remember all that God has done and the way that God has blessed your life then you are reminded that God is the one who did it it keeps you humble keeps a very very thankful makes you really appreciate God and his hard and his kindness and His grace brings you back to the love that you had at the first I love that verse you know out of the book of Revelation where he says remember the love that you had at the first sea but what if you do forget well if you forget all that God has done then you forget that God is the one who did it and you're no longer humble and you're no longer thankful and you no longer appreciate that it was God's heart God's grace God's kindness that did it because it's not only the love that you had at the first it's also the following after him when you first came when you began this journey with God walked close you wanted to hear his word so thankful was so fresh all the principles of wisdom you wanted to take hold of those were the things that brought you to the place of blessing but if you forget that it was God who gave you those blessings then you forget the love that you had it first and you'll then also not walk by the wisdom of understanding and the principles and the statutes that God had used to bless your life and your your heart gets lifted up and then your proud heart leads you into a path of destruction that's why he says never ever forget that God is the one who blessed your life so let's read it Deuteronomy chapter 8 verse 1 all the commandments that I'm commanding you today you shall be careful to do that you may live and multiply and go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to give to your forefathers and you shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these 40 years that he might humble you testing you to know what was in your heart whether you would keep his Commandments or not and he humbled you and he let you be hungry and then he fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know that he might make you to understand and then we come to some of the most famous words in the Bible where he then says that he might make you to understand that man does not live by bread alone but now lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord your clothing did not wear out on you your foot did not swell for 40 years thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son therefore you shall keep his commandments of the Lord your God and walk in his ways and fear him for the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land he's bringing you to a place of great blessing a land of Brooks of water and fountains and springs flowing forth in Valley and in Hills a land of wheat and barley of vines and fig trees and pomegranates a land of olive oil and honey a land where you shall eat food without scarcity in which you shall not lack anything God's gonna bless your life God's bringing you into this place a land whose stones are iron in other words you can get the iron out of the stones and make tools you know and out of those hills you can dig copper then verse 10 then when you have eaten and you come to this place of blessing and abundance when you've been you've been satisfied and the Lord has done great things for you then you bless the Lord your God for the without good land which he has given to you so beware verse 11 beware lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his Commandments and his ordinances and his statutes which I'm commanding you today lest when you have eaten and are satisfied and have built good houses and lived in them and you're urging your flocks multiply and your silver and your gold multiply and all that you have multiplies be winner lest your heart become proud and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt he brought you out of the house of slavery he led you through the great and terrible wooden wilderness with his fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water and he brought water for you out of that rock of Flint in the wilderness he fed you with manna which your fathers did not know that he might Humble you that he might test you to do good to you in the end otherwise you may say in your heart my power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth but you shall remember the Lord your God for it is he who is giving you the power to make wealth that he may confirm his covenant which he swore to your father's as it is to this day now those are some epic verses powerful helpful instructive application for us today and I want us to see how they apply starting with this he says remember all the ways that God has led you these 40 years he remembering I never forget remembering all the ways that God has led you in the wilderness will remind you that God did it and it will strengthen your faith when you remember never forget because God has proven himself God has proven himself to you I'll tell you what God has proven himself to me God has made his power known he has proven himself to me how about you has God proven himself to you see he's won us you've proved that Lord you've won us he says I love this in Chapter four he says I personally brought you out of Egypt I personally by my hand I brought you about myself personally I walked with you I was in your presence the whole 40 years see when I think back on my life all that God has done for me personally I am very very thankful I'm reminded again and again when I look back and I think back and all the amazing things I hope one day I get a chance to write a book on all the amazing ways that God has revealed himself and his hand has moved in my life it's amazing to me how he has loved me poured his favorite out but see here's what I I know it's so important to look back to see that God has done it so that you can look forward and know that God can do it again God's not finished God's not finished with me God's not finished with you I say to the Lord you've done amazing things you've done great things God do it again anybody else do it again Lord he's not finished with me yet is he finished with you let's give the Lord praise for all he's doing and us amen he says remember all the way that God led you how how did he lead well that's interesting because he reminds him of something he says God led you in this way God let you be hungry remember all those 40 years he humbled you he says testing you to know what was in your heart verse 3 he humbled you and let you be hungry that he then might feed you with manna which was a miracle an absolute miraculous provision every single day now the wilderness was a time of testing it says it was an opportunity wasn't it to trust God to look to God to be the provision of the lives to look to God to be help in time of need there in the wilderness it's hot it's dry it was a test see God doesn't just pour overflowing abundance into your life right away he says you let them be hungry there's an opportunity to put faith real faith into action see it's one thing to believe that there's a God if you did a survey today many surveys happened and 90 some percent of the people say they believe in God if you believe in God you do well the scripture says but the demons believe that there's more isn't there if there's more to believe that there's a God is wonderful but to believe that God is with you that walk God walks with you in the course of this life and that his favor is poured out on your life is the whole different thing they didn't do well in this test they grumbled they complain they even accused God in this why did you even bring this out into this wilderness what was there weren't enough graves in Egypt was out yet is that why you brought us out here that we might die in this wilderness they're accusing God in this thing they didn't do well in the test it says God led you but he let them be hungry says that he might give them manna that's what he says he fed you with manna which you did not know nor your fathers know God let them be hungry in order to give him a miraculous provision but would you notice something with me yes it was miraculous it was amazing and let's not forget that manna was delicious and tasty and healthy it's like this if you took all the good things from a health food store and infused it into a Krispy Kreme doughnut that's manna it's delicious and healthy but it's infused with all good things it's like it's amazing right but now follow with me on this because it's very important it was delicious it was healthy it was a miraculous provision but it was not milk and honey there's pot roast wasn't roasted chicken wasn't roasted lamb with mint jelly gravy that would come later that would come later they would wait 40 years for lamb with mint jelly gravy they had mana and mana was a miracle and mana was enough that's the point it was enough it was God's provision it was a miracle and it was enough to teach him a very important lesson man does not live by bread alone man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God it was faith it's about learning to trust God in the midst of the wilderness of the midst of the desert it's dry it's hard it's hot don't complain if you're in the wilderness if you're going through the desert don't complain don't whine don't become bitter God let you be hungry but God will give you manna and it will be enough it's about faith it's about building faith Matthew chapter 6 verses 9 to 11 where the disciples came and they said teach us how to pray and Jesus gave that famous example of Prayer in Matthew chapter 6 race he said our Father when you pray you pray this way our Father notice how he begins in such a personal relational way our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread it is enough God will see to it God will make a way he'll give you the manna it'll be enough I remember when many years ago when I was in my young 20s and I was in the restaurant business many of you know my story I was man you're part owner and God had put it on my heart to go into ministry and so I left my position as manager of the restaurants and all the accoutrements of management if you know what I mean brand-new car all that stuff you know in this salary and all of it left it all behind and I go to become a youth leader in this small church I remember my salary still to this day twelve hundred and fifty dollars a month to live on for me and my wife I know and to make ends meet I had to give piano lessons on the side I know but God like it was but it was enough it was enough it was glorious it was enough we even had treats we we discovered we can go to our each circle and get an ice cream cone for 25 cents which we rode our bikes to and then for Valentine's Day it's making a Valentine's Day we would go to the store for Valentine's Day and we'd go to the card section and I'd pick out the card and I would say here's the card out what about you and see all that is so sweet right and then she was out now this is the card I would about you know that is so sweet thank you and we hugged and we kissed and we walked out the door amen [Applause] because it was enough it was enough the Reg Laureus days we didn't feel a lack but then we felt like if we're gonna be serious about this ministry thing that I gotta get a good Bible education and Multnomah University was you know nearby and it that's where we want to go but it's very expensive I can't pay for that on $1,250 a month God what am I gonna do and I started thinking I had left my position as manager but I I still I had not sold my partnership yet and so I had this idea my My partner was working on a deal there was this hotel that wanted our restaurant on site and we it was practically a give me and I thought oh I got it we're gonna make this deal and then my partnership portion will be worth X more and then I can sell take all the profits in paid my way to Bible College god I am so clever it's just blessed my plan if you help me help me Lord bless my plan well you can kind of imagine no and I remember very clearly it was a Friday night I was at a marriage conference in the church I was going to and my partner came because he was he became a Christian in the course of our friendship and he came also to that conference and he pulled me aside and he said I gotta tell you some news I killed the deal today I said you did why he said because these people have no integrity and I will not be in partnership with people that have no integrity I killed it and I knew as a Christian you'd understand it I didn't call you I said of course I understand and I did understand but it was a punch in the gut God what am I gonna do what am I gonna do I can't afford this I can't go to the bank and borrow this as the pastor I'll never pay it back god I need a miracle I need a miracle so all day Saturday I'm praying God I need a miracle reveal yourself to me and so that I know it's a miracle in anyone else who ever hears a story knows it's a miracle I'm not gonna tell me when I need this money I need a miracle I'll go to bed on that Saturday night so Friday night I heard the news Saturday I'm praying Sunday morning I go to the church rev the youth leader I walked in the doors of the sanctuary and a fellow stood in front of me like this and he said I need to tell you something God has put it on my heart that I'm supposed to pay your way through Bible College yeah amen and immediately in my heart if I got your waist way better than mine and he meant every word of it he meant every word of it by the way side note some of you might have been here when last year he came to me by the way they had been in the church the whole time incognito never wanted it to be known who they were they were just quietly sitting there watching and then what last year he came he says we got to move to another city and I said would you let me introduce you just one time and I said pray let me just one time I want people to know that you're real and so sure enough the next time they I I said what do you think he said okay so that I got up that morning and I said you've heard their story many of you have heard this story I want you to meet the man and his wife who actually did it and I had him stand up they were sitting over here the church gave them a standing ovation it was glorious he came up and said took the microphone and just encouraged people man of God put something on your heart do it and it was just a great moment here's my point God gave us enough God gave us enough it was enough but God was sure showing us that God was gonna walk with us through the course of this life because then he did more and I'll tell you what when God provided that way for us to go to Bible College that wasn't the last of his miracles God was just beginning God is not finished yet see when God gave them the manna in the wilderness that wasn't the last of the miracles that was the first of the miracles along with defeating the gods of Egypt and parting the Red Sea and destroying the armies of Egypt and bringing water out of a rock these were the first miracles they weren't the last ones and if they believed God God was proving himself if they would believe God God would reveal himself to Israel all through the way God hasn't finished there is more there is more God has proven himself to you so that you would look into what God will yet do in your life see how about you have you stopped looking to God to do something with your life God hasn't changed God is the same yesterday today and tomorrow the same God who walked with Israel in the desert is the same God who walks with us today do you believe this same God hasn't changed are you still looking and watching for God to move in your life I was thinking of another occasion in the history of Israel this is revealed to us in the book of Zechariah where when Israel got into the land after a number of years they did forget they did walk away they did turn their heart out away from God and as a result their nation was destroyed and Israel was exiled into Babylon modern-day Iraq for 70 years at the end of 70 years then they were sent back to return to restore and rebuild Jerusalem but when they came back to Jerusalem they were so discouraged at what they saw the cities in ruins a mountain of rubble and they were just so down we have to begin again we have to start all over again now this is important because many people relate to this what do you do when you got to start over even and it says in Zechariah 4:10 a very important word do not despise the day of small beginnings god this is nothing look I'm this is none I am nothing this is nothing what is this is nothing and I've got a mountain of obstacles in a mountain of rubble in front of me so God sends a word do not despise the day of small beginnings these will be glad referring to the eyes of the Lord these will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand as a rubber ball the rubber ball was the governor what's the plumb line well the plumb line is what an engineer with all to keep the walls straight if you're gonna build a wall the very first thing you do is just set up a plumb line first thing first step set up a plumb line the eyes of the Lord which range to and fro throughout the earth these will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel and then he adds a very very famous statement Zechariah chapter 4 verses 6 to 7 this is the word of the Lord choose a rubber ball take this word into your heart this is the word of the Lord it is not by might and it is not by power it is by my spirit says the Lord of Hosts what are you oh great mountain before the rubber ball you will become a plane and he will bring forth the top stone the finishing stone with shouts of grace grace it was God's grace that did this it was God's grace that did this and that brings us to this next point life lesson this is a life lesson when God has done great things for you you bless him when God has done great things you bless him verse 7 the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land a good place a land of Brooks and water a land of wheat and barley vines fig trees pomegranates olive oil honey a land where you will eat without scarcity in which you shall not lack anything God is gonna bring you to a good place verse 10 and when he has done it when God has done it when God has done great things verse 10 says when you've eaten in or satisfied then you will bless the Lord your God for that good land that he's given to you it's a life lesson when God has done great things for you when God has done great things for me bless him that's a key K this is a key to spiritual victory maturity it's a key to spiritual victory it's a key to taking hold of greater things yet to come because God has not finished yet here's another Psalm that comes out of that same occasion when Israel came back out of Babylon into Zion and it says this in Psalm 126 verses 1 to 6 when the Lord brought back the captive ones of Zion we were like those who dream our mouth was filled with laughter our tongue was filled with joyful shouting he's summarizing this whole thing and then they said among the nation's they said will you look at Israel the Lord has done great things for them look at Israel the Lord has done great things for them and so then the psalmist adds the Lord has done great things for us and we are glad so very glad but then he adds this key lesson of life those who sow in tears will reap with joyful shouting he who goes to and fro weeping carrying his bag of seed shall indeed come again with a shout joy but bringing his harvest of sheaves with him here's the point you come back get a rebuild with tears running down your face you may be planting that seed with tears running down your face you're setting those stones and laying the mortar starting again laying the first bricks laying the first stones planting the first of the seed tears running down your face and the point is but you do that you sow that seed you lay down those rocks you put down that mortar and here's the thing he who sews and tears will reap and will reap with joyful shouting don't quit because you're discouraged you plant that seed you press forward you lay down that rock you put down that mortar you press you keep pressing you so in tears if you got a still in tears but you keep sowing you can lay down that rock in tears it may be covered on wet with your tears but you lay down that rock and you press that mortar in the place and you keep building cuz he who builds will see that God has done it he will reap with joyful shouting because here's the point he wants a mink God's discipline he says God was disciplining you in that desert God was disciplining you as a man disciplines his son the spiritual lessons God's discipline is spiritual training says in verse five thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord was disciplining you as the man disciplines his son I can almost guarantee that this is widely misunderstood see when many people think of the discipline of the Lord they often think of it wrongly they think of it as negative they think of something to be avoided they think God disciplines because he's angry no God disciplines because he loves that's a whole different thing God disciplines because he loves see the word discipline what is that what does it mean actually they see the root of the word discipline means to train up means to teach to make a disciple saying same root isn't it dot disciple discipline you cannot make a disciple without discipline to make a disciple is to make a man or a woman with godly character spiritual power to accomplish great spiritual things that's why in Hebrews chapter 12 the writer says in verses five and six my son do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord nor faint when you are reproved by him for those whom the Lord loves he disciplines he trains up it's spiritual training to build something to bring you to something to bring something greater in your life I was thinking of a way to maybe illustrate this so work with me on this if you were an NFL football player okay just imagine it work with the bandhas women work with me on this if you were an NFL football player who would you want to play for not the team the coach who you want to play for and it's interesting the the answers that I often hear from this question Joe Gibbs Tom Landry Vince Lombardi you know like wow these are some names why would you want to why would you want to play for Joe Gibbs or Tom Landry or Vince Lombardi why would you wanna play for them cuz they're good cuz they know how to make a player out of a man well what oh yeah well what if he disciplines you what if he says no you're gonna run that again you're gonna run that plane you're gonna keep running that plane do you get that play written on your heart that's what you're gonna do what would you say in response to that oh what'd you dude you bring me out to this field let me die of exhaustion is that what you're doing now you wouldn't say that you know what you'd say yes sir I'll run that play as many times I got to run that play because I know that you make men you make great people so I'll run it and I'll run it and I'll run it see the difference I would rather be here's my point I would rather be disciplined by the Lord than spoiled by anyone else discipline Lord if you need to because I know that you'll make a man or a great person a place of spiritual victory and power he will give life meaning he will give life purpose otherwise otherwise verse 17 says otherwise you may say in your heart my power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth I'll tell you what success can be a dangerous thing you finally get to the point where you can pay your bills you get a promotion a raise things are starting to feel good starting to feel good that's when you got to be very careful otherwise you don't think you need God anymore I'm good I don't need God how do you think I got this promotion I worked hard that's how I use my smarts I worked my way up this ladder I did this God says you be careful right there you are treading on dangerous ground right there God is saying I built that I built that and I can destroy it see when the Lord has done great things this is the life lesson when the Lord has done great things bless him give the Lord honor for it I bless you Lord you did great things in my life and I'll tell you what God has done great things in my life anyone else bless the Lord all my soul and all that is within me bless His Holy Name can you give a little blessing and praise even right now [Applause] because God isn't finished see this is the thing if a person says in his heart I did this thing my power my might they're diverting the course that diverts the course but when you bless God and you honor God then you your course is straight before you and your path will lead you into greater and greater things keep blessing God because he's not finished with you yet they're still more don't divert the course verse 18 says you shall remember the Lord your God for it is he who was giving you the power to make this fall to confirm his covenant and the last thing I want to say and we'll conclude with this he says he humbled you in the desert he let you be hungry that he might give you manna so that he might make you to understand one of the greatest lessons of life man does not live on bread alone man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God verse 3 this is a difficult lesson because life is not found in the things of this earth that is not where life is found God made us with a soul and is only when the soul is alive that a person is alive jesus said in Luke 12 verse 15 he said to them for not even when one has an abundance as his life consists of his possessions the most important part of us is the soul that's where life is found and so these words out of Deuteronomy 8 were made famous when Jesus quoted them do you remember that as Jesus was beginning his ministry he spent 40 days in the wilderness not that's interesting to begin his ministry he spends 40 days in the desert 40 days in the wilderness how many years did Israel spend in the desert 40 how many days did Jesus spend in the wilderness fasting 40 that's interesting it says in Matthew chapter 4 verses 2 to 4 after he had fasted 40 days and nights he then became hungry and the tempter came and said to him since you're the son of God then command that these Stones become Brad and he answered and said it is written man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God he then later said to his disciples in John chapter 4 the famous story of when Jesus had that encounter with that woman at the well this woman from Samaria it was an amazing conversation after which she went into the city to tell the city you must meet this man and after she had departed the disciples came and then John chapter 4 says rabbi I eat he said to them I have food to eat that you do not know about verse 34 jesus said to them my food is to do the will of him who sent me to accomplish his work that's what sustains me that's what delights me I love that word right there that's a great word for all of us this is what sustains me I want to do your will God pour out your spirit let your power be known because I know this you're not finished with me yet father thank you so much for your word your grace on our lives father I pray for every one of us in this room this morning that we would look back and we would see all the amazing ways that you have moved in Our Lives how you have revealed yourself how you have shown yourself to us and God I say I pray with everyone in this room that we would then look at all of those things and then we would say to you Lord do it again I know that you're not finished with me yet there are great things yet to accomplish in my life I want my life to honor you God move with your power reveal your hand in my life do it again do it again Lord reveal your power reveal your hand in my life do it again would you say that to the Lord would you just say by raising your hand in a bold way raising your hand by saying Lord I know that you have done great things you have done great things in my life do it again do it again Lord do it again use me I want to honor your name of my life do it again father thank you for moving in power thank you for all that you have moved and done we say to you we bless your Holy Name for the great things that you have done and then we say do it again father we honor you and thank you in Jesus name and

Channel: Calvary Chapel Worship Center - Hillsboro, Oregon

Views: 2,732

Rating: 4.9069767 out of 5

Keywords: The Bible, God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Holy, Pastor Rich Jones, Pastor Matthew Dodd, Calvary Chapel, Faith, Grace, Revival, Truth, Prayer, Salvation, Calvary Chapel Hillsboro, Matthew, Numbers, Church, Christian, Jesus Return

Id: TZzVhwY26ew

Length: 40min 23sec (2423 seconds)

Published: Sun Feb 09 2020