Hello friends. Here are some outline notes from my most recent sermon titled,
DON’T FORGET GOD
Text: Deuteronomy 8
Initial Focus Scriptures – 5Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV).
Additional Scriptures: Luke 17: 11-19; Psalm 107:8-9
Just as is true for all relationships, there are certain things God expects of you when you have a relationship with Him. The inevitability about a believer’s relationship with God is at some point in the life of the believer, he comes to the realization of his responsibility. Your future as a man or woman of God rests squarely on your motivation to maintain a right relationship with God.
God is renewing a RIGHT SPIRIT in us as a body, and that process entails many situational victories coming our way. The exciting thing about victories is that it feels good to be on top, but in the midst of celebrating, YOU could become so caught up in the blissful moments that you forget all about WHO brought about the circumstances you are celebrating. I need you to know the victories you received could have gone the other way. So remain humble because on any given Sunday you could lose. My exhortation is simple: Don’t Forget God.
Deuteronomy 8:1-20 (NKJV)
| 1 “Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers. 2And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. 3So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. 4Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. 5You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you. Verses 1-5 commentaries: It can be quite a humbling experience to be in a predicament and have no control over the outcome. Such was the case with Israel, but God led them, fed them, clothed them, chastened them, and placed many things in their hearts about His love for them.6“Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. 7For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; 8a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; 9a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you. Verses 6-10 commentaries: God dealt with Israel in particular ways – not to destroy them but to bring them into Canaan. Where is He taking you? |
| 11“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, 12lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; 13and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14when 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; 15who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; 16who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end— 17then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’
Verses 11-17 commentaries: Sometimes when the blessings get real good, the temptation to get the Big Head becomes magnified. But stay humble, focused, watchful, and on target, because the devil would love to see you take a tumble so he can try to devour you (see 1 Peter 5:8). |
| 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. 19Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. 20As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God. Verses 11-17 commentaries: Keep thoughts of the things of God on your mind, because there are many negative consequences that people brought upon themselves (and are still coming) simply because they rely more on the work of their hands than the provisions of God. Do not let that be named among us. Don’t forget God! |
| Read Luke 17: 11-19 – the story of when Jesus healed the lepers and only one came back to thank Him…11 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. 17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”
Psalm 107:8-9 (NKJV) – 8“Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 9For He satisfies the longing soul with goodness.” |
Conclusion: Child of God, in your quest to attain the mastery over life’s challenges, the means to win are readily available. When you place your trust in God, I believe things will work out. Nevertheless, when you win it is a natural response to show some excitement. So celebrate, but Don’t Forget God!
Author, speaker, musician DEREK E. EURALES, Jr., loves to share his faith, motivation, and music. His book, Principles of Christian Living, has become a “must read” for believers of all ages. To order your copy, click here.