"UNFORGETTABLE"

Deuteronomy 6:12; 21-24 (NLT)

“Be careful not to forget the Lord, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt. Then you must tell them, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with His strong hand. The Lord did miraculous signs and wonders before our eyes, dealing terrifying blows against Egypt and Pharaoh and all his people. He brought us out of Egypt so He could give us this land He had sworn to give our ancestors.” 

Praise God! Glory to His wonderful name! It is good to give thanks and praises unto our soon coming King! No one knows when the Lord shall appear, but one thing is for sure: He is coming back! I can recall recently seeing a WhatsApp status with the quote, "Do not be foolish to think it's not going to happen...Keep your lamps filled with oil your King is on the way.” Seeing that truly made me take a moment to self-reflect on where I am now with the Lord and where I desire to be in Jesus so I can always be ready for His coming. I know many of us feel the same way, and I want to encourage you to keep the faith and not lose hope, for our redemption draws near. Today, I would like for us to use this time to reflect on “UNFORGETTABLE” memories with the Lord Jesus.

Saints of God, as we look over our lives and remember, it is obvious that every day there is a reason to give God thanks. As we do so, it is also evident that there aren’t enough words to express our gratitude towards our dear Heavenly Father. His mercies, faithfulness, and love towards us are so amazing and overwhelming that at times throughout the day we should stop what we are doing and just reflect. Hallelujah!  

 We all can recall "UNFORGETTABLE" memories that will never leave us. I remember the day I said yes to Jesus! My life was never the same. That “UNFORGETTABLE” moment on January 11, 2015, when I was baptized in Jesus’ name, still comes to my mind when I'm worshipping, praying, and taking time to reflect on the goodness of God. 

Recently while worshiping, the Lord reminded me of the importance of never forgetting where He has brought me from. I was once a slave to sin, lost and tossed to and fro by the cares of this world. However, now I can declare, “I am a child of God! I am free in Jesus’ name! No more shackles and chains! I am justified by the blood of the Lamb.” So now during my prayer and worship time, I delight in taking time to reflect and remember the testimonies, and the places where He has delivered me from. 

Brethren, I not only give God thanks for the “UNFORGETTABLE" memories in my life but also for the testimonies I have seen God use to deliver my sisters and brothers in Christ. During the COVID pandemic, one of Church sister almost died; the enemy wanted to take her out, but mercy said no! God delivered her from the horrible pit, and now every time I see my sister I see the mercies and faithfulness of Jesus all over her. God made it known to her that He wasn't ready to take her home. Now, you can see it in her praise and worship that Jesus is truly the lover of her soul. With this being said, it's not only necessary to acknowledge the “UNFORGETTABLE" memories in our life but the lives of others. 

Paul the Apostle served as an exemplary role model to others in his lifetime. Paul tells the church of Philippi in Philippians 1:3-4, "Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy." Like Paul, remembering and being thankful must be done consistently!

Can you remember the time you met the Lord and He saved you? Deuteronomy 6 speaks volumes about the Lord getting the attention of the Israelites and instructing them on how they should always walk circumspectly before Him, honoring Him and never forgetting how He removed them from slavery and brought them into the promised land. The Lord gave us the Great Plan of Salvation, which is promised to all with the expectation of eternal life. We must endure as soldiers and ambassadors, knowing our hope is built on nothing less but Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

I encourage you to always remember that place where God has met you as a memorial. In Joshua 4, the Lord commanded Joshua to gather twelve men, one from each tribe of Israel to pick up a stone from the Jordan River as they crossed. These stones were used to build a memorial to remind future generations of the “UNFORGETTABLE” things the Lord did for them. Joshua 4:24 states, “He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the LORD’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the LORD your God forever.” 

By recalling what God has done for us and for others, faith is restored, joy overtakes our soul, and our hearts turn from despair to praise. In the book of Lamentations, there was a time that God rejected His people because of their continuous sin and rebellion against Him. Despite it all, Jeremiah had hope as he remembered the Lord God Almighty. Lamentations 3:20-24  (NLT) declares, “I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!” I pray that our perspective and posture in our daily walk with the Lord will shift that our hearts will always be at a place of contentment with gratitude, knowing that our God never fails. Our Heavenly Father’s love for us is beyond comprehension! When we are filled with the Holy Spirit and His Word, we are able to better embrace the “UNFORGETTABLE” memories, whether good or bad.

 A perfect servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, the disciple Stephen, was one of the key figures in the early church and was stoned to death for his faith. The Bible states in Acts 7:55-60, “But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into Heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. And he told them, ‘Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!’ Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ He fell to his knees, shouting, ‘Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!’ And with that, he died.” This act shows that it was the perfect love and compassion of Jesus upon Stephen that moved him to love the world as he did. 

You might be saying there are things you don't want to remember, but have you given them to the Lord in prayer?! Have you released any hurt, unforgiveness, bitterness, or regretful feelings that have overwhelmed you? If not, I encourage you to let go and let God heal those broken areas in your heart. Today is the day of salvation! When we give all our cares to Jesus, He will fill us with His love, joy and peace. The good news is that when you remember where you used to be and personally experienced God’s deliverance, your relationship with Him deepens, and your spiritual walk elevates to a higher level. 

As Kingdom citizens of the Lord Jesus Christ, we must learn to embrace and love the soul that needs a Savior and look past their sin. Our Chief Cornerstone, Jesus Christ, has called us to be the precious stones He can fit to His will as the perfected Church. 1 Peter 2:4-5 declares, “You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for a great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the meditation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.”

My Prayer is that we all continue to never forget the “UNFORGETTABLE” memories in our lives. For at this place, we can stay humble before the Lord, knowing that keeping His commandments and fearing God is our duty here on earth. 

Ecclesiastes 12:13 (KJV)

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” 

Philippians 1:27

"Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News."

FREEDOM!!!!

Please take time to read the scriptures throughout!

Have a blessed Weekend!