Special Event – “Remember” What the Lord Has Done: Pastor Jarrett Stephens, 04/14/24

Jarrett Stephensn 4:14:24
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[00:00:00] Uh, we have such an incredible partnership, uh, with the Lanier Library. We're actually in the services today. If you were in the eight o'clock, you saw it at. You're going to 10 45, you'll see it there. Uh, we are highlighting our resident program. Uh, we have 23 residents on our team, young ministry students, male and female, who sense a call of God on their life to vocational ministry.

And we started this, uh, several years ago just out of a vision. Uh, one of our focus priorities as a church is to help strengthen the church. And one of the ways that we can do this is through a strong. Intern resident ministry. I'm the product of an intern ministry. I did my doctoral dissertation on creating a residential ministry.

And so that was [00:01:00] one of the first things that, uh, the Lord really allowed us to do when we got got here, was to kick off this residency program. We named it, uh, in honor of Demon Shook, who is the longtime pastor here, 28 years. Just a faithful local pastor, and that's what we said. We wanted to raise young ministers up kind of in his spirit of just missions and evangelism and loving the local church.

And so you blessed that initiative and have come alongside us and have given, uh, to help make it work, prayed to help make it work. Many of you have housed some of these residents as they've looked for housing. Uh, others of you have taken 'em to lunch because you saw that they were a little emaciated and they hadn't been eating.

And you know, 'cause we work 'em around here and we pay 'em a little stipend, but, uh, you've blessed them in that way. And of course, our partnership with the Lanier Theological Library. Uh, they've built resident housing over there and if you haven't been on the campus, you really should go by there and just look at it.

It's absolutely amazing. And so I drive by it often and every time I do, I praise the Lord for it. But I took Kelsey by there yesterday 'cause she's my middle and uh, she hasn't. She hadn't seen [00:02:00] it. I said, well, come on, let me show you what's going on. And so as I was driving by there, uh, mark was checking out some things.

It was total, uh, happenstance that we were there at the same time. And of course, as you, you know, we all follow Mark and, and where he is at, where is he this week? All right. And, uh, and, and we knew he was in trial. And, uh, as Brent mentioned, just a little under the weather, and so I just mentioned it there.

I was like, uh, I said, what are you teaching tomorrow? And they said, well, I'm in Revelation. And, and, and you could just tell I, I said, why don't. Mark, you got, you gotta, you gotta get back to, to Montana. You got a lot on your plate. Uh, why don't you let me, let, why don't you let me take it off your plate tomorrow?

Just let me, let me do it. And, and you know, mark, he doesn't want to put anybody out and he wants to be here. And, uh, I, I said I'm pulling pastoral authority. You go home, all right? And you get I, I, I'm a doctor, all right? Not in that way, but I can tell you need to go home, get rest. And, um, and, and I said the only thing I can't do is I can't teach Revelation.

All right? I'm, I'm scared to do [00:03:00] that. Not with David. Cape sitting in the room and Mark watching, uh, he said, I ain't doing that. And, and I can't do PowerPoint 'cause I am not creative at all. And if you'll, if you'll gimme a pass on those things, I'll teach your class. All right. And, and I promise that I, I won't be near as deep as you 'cause I'm not smart as you.

I mean, we'll put it right here on shelf where everybody can get it. Of course, mark does a such a great job doing that. Anyway, these complex issues. Uh, but I want to bring just kind of a, a pastoral word of, uh, of, of hope to you today, of life to you today. I texted, uh, Brent last night, real late, and I said, Hey.

I can't do a PowerPoint, but I'll send you my notes if you can. More power to you. And I don't know what time he went to bed or woke up to do it, but he's got the PowerPoint and uh, I wanna talk to you today. About a oh oh. Again, I want, this is gonna be pastoral. This is gonna be hopefully inspirational.

I'm gonna take you on a little journey, okay? And some of it'll be a little, I'm not preaching to you this morning. I'm gonna help, I want to jog your memory, uh, of you going down memory lane concerning some things in your [00:04:00] own life, okay? And I think by the end of our time together, uh, you'll be encouraged by this little practice, uh, that we, we get.

Now the inspiration from this. Is taken right outta scripture. And I'm gonna be talking to you about one word, uh, this morning. And it's the word, remember? Okay? It's the word, remember. And, you know, uh, in revelation, uh, chapter two, uh, the church in Ephesus, uh uh, Jesus tells him, remember how far you've fallen.

Remember, you need to think about this. And this is a command that we see over and over and over again, uh, in scripture, the need and the importance of remembering. Um, one of the reasons that we gather together in a local church every single week is so that we can remember together what the Lord's done.

We sing about his goodness and his grace. We open up his word, uh, and, and we remember, uh, what God is doing. And so there's great power in, and I wanna give you a couple of passages that speak to this. Deuteronomy chapter six verses four through nine. We know this as the Shema hero, Israel, the Lord our God.

The Lord is one. You [00:05:00] shall love the Lord your God, with all of your heart, with all of your soul, and with all of your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and you shall talk of them when you sit in your house. And when you walk by the way.

And when you lie down and when you write, you shall bind them on as a sign on your hand. And they shall be as friendless between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorpost of your house and on your gates. Why is he commanding these things? 'cause he wanted them to remember. Remember the most important commandment?

Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind. You want to remember the Lord Deuteronomy eight, two, and you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these 40 years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

Remember, remember, remember, it's a theme throughout scripture. Isaiah chapter 46, verse eight and nine. Remember this and stand firm. Recall it to mine you transgressors. Remember the former things of old for I am God and [00:06:00] there is no other. I am God and there is none like me. Psalm 77 11. Just giving you a a little survey of remembering verses I will remember the deeds of the Lord.

Yes, I will remember your wonders of old Psalm 1, 19 55. I remember your name in the night, oh Lord, and keep your law. There is power. In remembering Israel, as you read, your Old Testament, was oftentimes judged because they forgot the blessing of God on their life. They didn't remember how he had led them out, how he had fed them, how he provided for 'em, how he sustained them, how he delivered them, how he guided them.

You read the book of numbers. It's remarkable how many times that we see God bringing judgment on people because they were failing to remember his goodness. To them. We see it over and over and over again. We could talk about the stones of remembrance that Joshua set up, or the rainbow after the flood that Jesus put into the sky.

He's, [00:07:00] he, he put that rainbow there so that we would remember it whenever we see it of God's covenant love and have his judgment and how he'll never judge the world in the form of a flood again, time after time, after time we're called to remember. Think about, think about the ordinances of the church.

Why do we do baptism? It is so that we can remember. Uh, it shows a picture of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is to remember the power that Christ has to forgive sin and to make people new. The oldest past the whole new has come. Think about Lord's supper. Why do we do Lord's supper?

It's all about remembering. Uh, if you grew up in a small church, like I did the, the Lord's Supper, you know, they usually just put flowers on the table, but Right. The table would say, anybody remember this? Do this. And nce of me, man, we got some good Baptist up in here. Alright. Filling it home. Uh, so, um, you, you time after time, after time, after time, after time, we are commanded to remember now.[00:08:00]

Here is what I want you to remember today. I'm gonna jog your memory. I'm going down memory lane and I'm gonna give you four or five, depending on the time, how long we get to it, uh, four or five things to remember, and I'm just gonna walk you through 'em. Okay? So for you, uh, in your life, I want you to remember number one, I want you to remember your salvation.

Now, if you're in here and you've never trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, you have nothing to remember. All right? Today, uh, needs to be the day of your salvation. You can remember, uh, that on April the 14th, uh, if you call on the name of the Lord at 9 52, the Bible says, you will be saved.

You can be saved right now and always remember it. And when people ask you about it, you can see, man, uh, somebody was subbing for Mark that day. I don't even remember who it was, and asked me if I was safe, and, uh, and, and I got saved. All right? But I want you to, uh, remember. Your salvation. All right. I mean, really think about it.

How long has it been since you went back to that day? [00:09:00] Now, if I could, I'd take a mic around here and, and I could go through here and just have you tell your stories of when you trusted Christ. And they would vary, right? I mean, some of them would be, uh, incredible memories of kneeling on a bedside by your mom or your dad.

Your grandmother or your grandfather who's probably already gone to be with the Lord and just that memory of them praying with you to receive Christ. Isn't it sweet? Isn't it tender? Just think about that moment. Others of you, you are sitting in a church service minding your own business, doing your thing, and a pastor starts preaching the word and you know how it gets.

All of a sudden it just feels like it's you and him in the room. And you remember that day that God, by the power of the Holy Spirit called your name. And you came forward and made your decision public in your life, you know, never been the same others of you. Uh, it's a, it was a, it was a circumstance in life that caused you to [00:10:00] look up and that's what God used to get your attention.

Remember the first time you were saved, I was 11 years old. I was at a, a camp. Claris, it was called Clara Springs Baptist Encampment in Pelican, Louisiana. And I don't even think it had a stoplight in that town. Um, but I remember I was there with my friends, my parents raised me in the church. I, I, I've, I, I've always loved my earliest memory is leaving church.

I don't, my earliest memory is leaving church with my dad in our station wagon and. Us singing. I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. He would sing it and I gotta say where, and we'd sing it. That's my earliest memory. So church has always been a part of my life, but I remember at age 11 I was at that preaching camp, [00:11:00] minding my own business, having fun with my friends, doing the crafts, doing the recreation.

And that night I wish I'd have brought a picture of this. Uh, again, I, I just didn't even think about it. Um, but. Uh, they would get the kids in the chapel at night and they had a, a chalk artist, and he would draw a picture, God, I wish I'd have brought it. He'd draw a picture and he would tell the a story while he is drawing that picture.

And at the end of that story, he would, he, the lights would go out, he would turn on a black fluorescent light and a hid image would jump up on that picture. And the night that I got saved. Uh, I was 11 years old. I was sitting right over here and he was drawing this picture, and it was a picture of a boat being rocked by the wind, and there was a lighthouse over on this side of the, of the picture, and he just talked about how that's our, that's our life.

Sometimes it's like a, it's like a boat being [00:12:00] rocked by sin and we don't know what, what to do. We don't know where to go. We don't know what's gonna happen. And then he turned off those lights and a picture of Jesus'. A picture of Jesus' face came up in the sky and then that lighthouse lit up and he shared the gospel.

And that night I remember coming forward and I told my counselor that I, I mean, it was just clear. It was August the third, 1989. I, I needed to give my life to Jesus. And, uh, I remember 'em taking me over to the cafeteria and they, after, you know, walking me through the decision that I was making, making sure I knew what I was doing, they said, would you like to call your dad?

And of course my dad's my hero. And we had a, a great relationship. I remember calling my dad, I remember saying, daddy, I just, I just got saved. I just gave my life to g and I can remember his voice shaken on the other side. I mean, I remember as vivid as I can as 11-year-old now, just to, just to prove to you, uh, about that summer camp, because I don't wanna brag here, but I was camper of the week that week.

All right. Um, [00:13:00] two years in a row. All right, now. You know, uh, just so if you don't believe me, I just went to my office on the way in and I got the trophies to prove it. All right. Star Camper. 19 89, 19 90. All right, just, just in case you don't believe me, I'm offering up proof today, but because I won Star Camper, are you ready for this?

This is really cool because I won Star Camper. Um. I got that because I memorized Bible verses and I served extra, I mean, I earned that star camper. All right. But the reason I, but because I won Star Camp, you know what they did? They said, you can take any picture that that artist drew that week. Wow. And so I got to take the picture that he drew the night that I gave my life to Jesus.

And I wish I'd have brought it because you know what? That picture hangs in my office at home to this day and every morning when I get up to spend time alone with the Lord. [00:14:00] I can look at that picture that's hanging on the wall, and it's just a reminder of that day on August the third, 1989, when Jesus changed my life and saved me.

And again, it hadn't been, hadn't, hadn't been all roses. It hadn't been perfect, but he changed me. Uh, I want you to remember when Jesus saved you, just to wonder that he called you out of darkness and into life. He didn't have to. Some of you grew up in a Christian home, the grace of God, and growing up in a Christian home with a mom and dad who loved you, whatever your circumstance is, whatever your situation is.

I want you to remember today what it was like that, that time that God called you by name, he saved you. Secondly, I want you to remember your calling. Now, here's what I mean by that. Listen, [00:15:00] I, I, I do not like the sacred secular divide. I believe we are all called by God, amen, uh, to exercise our giftings and our purpose for his glory.

So I was called to vocational ministry just as. You were called to be a nurse, or Mark was called to be a lawyer, or you were called to be a business owner, or you were called to be a t We all have a calling and what I love about our calling is that God has uniquely designed us, uniquely shaped us, uniquely gifted us, uniquely given us passions that, that we care for.

And, and he, he put his, his calling on our like, you are going to do this, the intentionality. This is what you're gonna do. This is what I want from you, and I want you to remember, uh, what that was like. I mean, the goodness of God to call you out of darkness and delight, but the, but the, the beauty that he said, that's not all I'm gonna do.

I'm gonna put you [00:16:00] in this, this situation right here. I'm gonna, I'm creating you for this right here. And if you don't know what this is, I would really encourage you to go back to our series this past. Is this spring? Yes. Uh, spring. Where what, what, what month am I in? Wait, this spring, uh, where we did the Kingdom Project series, and we talk about all this, but I want you to remember, uh, your calling, um, the fact that, and we'll get here in just a minute that God uses you.

Man, it's just amazing to me. Um, my dream, and again, I'm just telling you these stories to jog your memory. My dream was to play college football. That's all I wanted to do. I wanted to play college football and coach high school football. I wanted to be Max Bowman. That's who I wanted to be. All right. And I tell people I would've played college football if any coach would've asked me to, but none of 'em did.

[00:17:00] At 17, I was serving as president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and I just sensed that, Lord. The Lord was saying. I want more from your life. And I remember going to my student pastor and I, I said, I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I think God wants more from me. And did something really wise.

He said, jar, listen, we've got a, we've got a fifth quarter coming up. Okay. Four quarters of a football game. The fifth quarter was when everybody went to the church after the football game. So was a safe place to hang out. And uh, there was a speaker and a band and activities and food. And so that's what we did on Friday nights in Boer Sig, Louisiana.

We went to the fifth quarter. And my student pastor said, listen, this week's fifth quarter, uh, I want, I want you to teach the Bible study. And it was the first time I'd been, I'd grown up having my quiet time. I mean, again, I, I grew up in, I, I've, the Lord has blessed me with incredible mentor. I I've, I, I was always spent time alone with the Lord, but this was the first time I had [00:18:00] ever spent time alone with the Lord, studied God's word in order to teach it to somebody else.

And I'm telling you in that week. God turned my heart just like that. Football became a distant second place. We're in the middle of the season and I could care less about football anymore. All I wanted to do was teach the Bible, and I remember from that moment on, I, I just knew this is what I'm gonna do with the rest of my life.

And I remember teaching that, that Bible study. And I remember, uh, later that year, I got to preach on a Sunday night at my home church. And it was horrible. All right. But I still did it. And all these ladies came up to me and told me I was gonna be the next Billy Graham. And I was like, they're lying, but I'll take it.

All right. And I just, I just remember God's calling on my life and how he affirmed that calling, um, opportunities that he gave me, doors that he opened. I mean, just think about that for you. [00:19:00] Uh, the, the, the opportunities that God gave you. People that he put into your life, he didn't have to do any of that.

And the grace that God gave in order to, for you to carve your path, to show you the way those little markers where God was just raising you up and given you opportunities that never in a million years did you think you would have. I want you to remember the calling God has placed on your life. One Corinthians one verse 26.

Consider your calling brothers. Not many of you are wise according to worldly standards. Not many were powerful. Not many were of noble birth, but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. God chose what is weak in the world to shame the [00:20:00] strong God chose what is low and despised in the world, even the things that are not to bring the nothing, the things that are so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

You are who you are and are doing what you are doing only because of the hand of the gracious God we serve in your life. And I want you to remember when he saved you. I want you to remember when he called you, because it's not because of how good you are. It's not because of what you can offer up to him or to others.

It is only by his grace. I'm telling you, my family, I say this, all my family is from Mississippi. I grew up in Louisiana. I went to school in Arkansas. And the fact that God uses me is a miracle from above all right? I mean, that, that right there show I am never the smartest person in the room, ever. All right?

And, and, and the fact that [00:21:00] God allows me to do this, and the fact that God allows you to do what you do puts you in those opportunities. It's unbelievable. All right. Number three, I want you to remember when the Lord first used you. All right. When was it? Go back in. Go back in. Go back in your mind when you did something for the very first time and you realize, man, I was just an instrument in the hand of the Lord in that moment.

What was it for you? Just go back to it. Think about it.

I'm trying to think of when my first time I remember it was,

but there's power in it, right? [00:22:00] And the God of the universe chose to use you to encourage someone. To challenge someone, to give someone hope,

God one who created everything out of nothing chooses to use you. Just remember what that moment was like. Fourthly. Remember when you met your spouse and or had your children, alright, go back to that time when you first met your spouse,

when you first, if that doesn't bring a smile to your face when you first had your children, all right? I want you to remember it. [00:23:00] That moment of excitement. Adventure man. When your eyes locked on with your, you remember that some of you might have spouses that have gone on to be with Jesus. What a, what a glorious exercise to remember your spouse by when y'all first met.

Young and in love, unknown future, yet to be scripted and, and God, a lot about his sovereignty today. Wove backgrounds together. I mean, it's not an accident that you met when you met, doing what you were doing. I was the young singles associate back at my church in Dallas when I met Debbie. She was in the young singles ministry.

You weren't supposed to date those that were in your ministry. That was a church rule. But I told them they were not paying me [00:24:00] what I was worth, so I was gonna get something outta the deal. All right. And so I remember meeting Debbie for the first time, and she was, I mean, she was, she was spunky. She was training for a triathlon at the time.

She was a leader in our ministry. Charismatic. I mean, I'm watching, I'm like, who is this girl? And then I, I was spying on her, you know, like any weirdo would, you know, I'm watching her. And I remember she, she left the church to get in her Jeep. And I was like, this girl drives a Jeep too. I mean, I remember, I remember telling my roommate, I found my wife, man, I mean this, I don't know her, but I'm telling you this is her.

And so we dated and then have, have kids, I mean our children. You remember this man. You remember taking that, I mean the love that you felt first time you held your baby in your arms. I couldn't believe they let me leave the hospital with her. And here we are on the way home [00:25:00] thinking what on earth? I want you to remember the first time you met your spouse, first time you had your children.

Beautiful to remember that

life is precious, how fast it goes by. Alright, one last thing I want you to remember. I want you to remember your toughest trial. Toughest trial you ever went through.

What was it? Loss of a parent or a child or a spouse? Abuse.

I want you to remember how it made you feel. I want you to remember how dark it was, how lonely.

How much it hurt. Some of you may be going through it right now. [00:26:00] I want you to remember your toughest trial curve ball in life. You weren't expecting dark day.

If you've been around champion force for a while, you've heard my story. Um, at the age of 19, uh, I was serving at my home church in student ministry. This was the first summer I served as a student pastor, and that's where I discovered I didn't wanna be a student minister. Uh, that first summer, all it took was one summer, and I remember driving into church one day, and as I was driving into church, I saw a truck coming this way.

It was a two lane road. And as the truck got near, I knew exactly the truck. I'd seen it all my life, basically. And, uh, it was my former [00:27:00] little league coach and he had two kids in his car. He drove by me and I remember immediately feeling a, a, a sense of conviction. Here I was 19 years old and the reason there was a, a, a weight and a conviction is because, uh, that little league coach had sexually abused me.

For a number of years, and I never told a soul. Ages of eight to 12, never told anybody. I'm 19, I'm serving at my home church. And I just remember feeling this conviction that jart, you've gotta say something, you've gotta step up. You know what's going on. What if God called you back to pastor your home church and there's kids in that church that you could have protected and, and now just felt this, this, this sense of conviction, this, wait, I need to say something.

And so I remember calling one of my mentors and uh, um, and I said, I, I need to come talk to you. I never told a soul. Um, sports was my family's love language. My older brother, me and my middle sister, uh, or I'm the middle, uh, my younger sister, uh, we played sports and my [00:28:00] dad coached us in all of our sports.

Now, there were certain times when the same league was going on the same team, so he couldn't coach. He had, he had to choose between me and my brother. So some years he coached my brother's team. Some years he coached my team, but when he didn't coach my team. Uh, I would go on this other coach's team, and he was a winning coach, man.

He was, he was who you wanted your kids on. All star kind of coach. And, um, I remember going to my mentor and I said, man, I'm about to tell you something I've never told anybody in my entire life. And, um, I told him about this coach abusing me. And he, he, he said, Jared, you're, you're 19 years old. He said, you're an adult.

Uh, you don't have to tell anybody. Anymore, but I really encourage you to tell your parents Now, I'd made a deal with the Lord that if I came forward and I told this secret to my mentor, I, I was, I was, I was, I was 19 years old as a young kid dealing with something like abuse and never telling anybody. I mean, it was, it was weighty.

I didn't know what to do. [00:29:00] So I made a deal with the Lord that I'm gonna tell. This mentor that I trust and whatever he tells me to do next, that's what I'm gonna do. 'cause I, I don't know this decision filter, I gotta trust people that love me and have my best interest at heart. And so when he told me to tell my parents, that was the one thing I didn't want to do.

'cause mom and dad, uh, they were so involved in my life and, um, I mean just, and they were not absentee parents. I mean, every practice, every game. Um, I remember before I came forward to tell, I went to the Baptist bookstore to see if there was anything wrong with me for being abused, you know, because, and I would read these things about, you know, those who are abused, they, they're, they're loners.

They like to go in, you know, their dark room, say in their room. And that just wasn't me. And, um, I knew it was gonna, I knew it was gonna break their heart. And I remember going back to my home church and we had a little prayer room, and I remember getting on my face there in that prayer room, and it's why I was so passionate about.

Um, renovating our [00:30:00] prayer room here because of times and seasons. So what some people need, sometimes just a room they can go in and get along with the Lord and I can remember getting face down on the ground and I didn't even know what to pray for in that verse in Romans, where the spirit of God intercedes for us.

With longings and, uh, that, that we, that we, we don't understand. That's what was happening. I, I couldn't even say a word, but I know the Holy Spirit was interceding for me. And I remember getting up and it was a Wednesday night and my parents were gonna be at church that night. And I went home, I went, I saw 'em, uh, right before church.

And I said, Hey, I need y'all to come home right after church. They always went out to eat with a couple after them, uh, after church. They always went out to eat with the same couple. I said, I need y'all to come home tonight. I gotta, I need to talk to y'all. So they knew something was up. And we did our Wednesday night activities.

And I remember going home, my mentor was there with me. I remember pulling the ottoman up and my mom was on my left and my dad was on my right. They were sitting down in two chairs, and I'm sitting on the ottoman right in the middle of them, and I proceed to tell them this secret that I'd never told anybody.

And I could just remember my mom [00:31:00] breaking down crying. And I, I remember her saying, my boy, my boy. And she just, she just wanted to hold me. And I remember my dad. Just staring off into space, just not saying a word. And, um, I remember that night, uh, that I went to bed. It was the greatest night's sleep I'd ever had in my entire life.

I mean, I remember that. It was like that which was dark, was brought into the light, and I slept like a baby. Now, my parents didn't sleep at all. All right. Um, they didn't sleep. They, they didn't sleep at all. But I just remember. Uh, that, uh, you know, the next week, uh, we had, uh, the, uh, chief of Police in our house.

He was a family friend. And that proceeded that, that began a procedure where, um, we worked to see that justice was done and justice was done in a sense. And, um, and, and it was just a process. But I just remember that trial and I remember our family walking through it. [00:32:00] And as I remember that, you know what I remember.

The most about it is the incredible faithfulness of God. What, what, what trial is it for you? I remember we had a miscarriage and I can remember waking up in the middle of the night. This is after Riley and Kelsey, before the twins, and we had to go into a hospital. 'cause it was, it happened late in the pregnancy, still birth.

And I remember laying in bed at night and the bed would be shaking and I'd wake up 'cause my wife's sitting there crying and I can't do anything about it.

I remember coming to Houston. I never a million years think I'd be coming to Houston. I was up in Dallas doing my thing and God working in my heart there. [00:33:00] I cried so much leaving Dallas that I broke a blood vessel in my eye. I've been there 20 years. I thought that's where I was gonna be the rest of our ministry.

But as God would have it, and man, Debbie and I talk about it now and we think, God, the blessings of obedience and what's on the other side of faith, we wouldn't change a thing. We're so grateful God brought us to Houston. But I just think about those trials and I want you to think about what your toughest trial.

Was, and I want you to think about what it produced in you, how it formed you, the ministry that's taken place because of it, how you can identify and help people that are going through the exact same thing. You'd never wanna go through it again. You wouldn't probably wish it on your worst enemy, but it's those broken times in life.

When God's been closest, Psalm 34, 17, 18, the righteous cry for help. The Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted. And saves those who are crushed in spirit. For thus says [00:34:00] the one Isaiah 57 15 who is high and lifted up. Look at where God lives. He inhabits eternity.

He whose name is holy. I dwell in a high and holy place. But you know where all you know where else God dwells with him, who is of a contrite and lowly spirit. To revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite brokenness, oftentimes think of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. When he was there is picturesque of what was going on, right?

Because this is the toughest he's about to be betrayed, gonna be handed over, he is gonna be put to death. And you go over to Israel and, um, when I was writing my first book, the mountains are calling. All right. Uh, don't get it. It's not that great. All right. And don't I tell people, get it if you have a hard time sleeping, 'cause it will do the trick.

All right? It'll knock you out every time. [00:35:00] But it was really cool, man. I wanted to do all these mountaintop moments. You know what God did on mountains, Mount Mariah, Mount Carmel, battle of the God, Mount Sinai, giving of the law that tutored us to Christ. You know, Jesus would spend desolate time on a mountain to pray, uh, the amount of transfiguration.

Um, you know, crucified, we say at Mount Calvary, Mount Mariah, uh, he's returning to the Mount of Olives. I mean, all these great mountains. I had 'em all written out and the publisher said, you need one more mountain. Well, there's tons of mountains in Israel. I said, God, what do you want me to do? I started praying about it, and it's interesting that the Garden of Gethsemane is on the Mount of Olives, right there at the base of the Mount of Olives before you cross the Kidron Valley, and here is this place where there are olive presses, olive gardens.

You don't get that olive oil until that olive is what crushed. That's why there was great, uh, it was very symbolic when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane. 'cause he was being [00:36:00] crushed, he was being poured out. Um, but that's where the oil comes from. It's not a pleasant process, but it has to happen. And I just think it's very picturesque.

That for some of you, if I was to ask you when you were closest to the Lord or when you felt the Lord was closest to you, I would, I would be willing to bet. If it wasn't church and you could do that kind of thing, I'd be willing to bet that it was probably during tough times trials. That's when I felt the nearness of God the most, and I put that in my book.

The mountains were calling because while it doesn't feel like it at the time. Man. You look back at those moments, and if we're defining a mountaintop moment as the palatable presence of God, where you realize his nearness, man, those tough times can become mountaintop moments. I want you to remember your toughest trial [00:37:00] and in every situation that we talked about today, every remembrance.

From your salvation to the calling that God has placed in your life to him, using you for the first time, to the first time you met your spouse, first time you had your kids to your toughest trial. Here's why. Remembering is important, and I believe this is why it's a theme that is woven through out scripture.

Remember, remember, remember, remember, remember. Because remembering does three things for us, and I wanna give them to you in closing. Number one, remembering produces thanksgiving. This is huge. You know why? Because Thanksgiving is a perspective changer. And we need this. 'cause oftentimes we're just right here.

This is all, we see what's right in front of us and sometimes don't. We coach, we need that, we need that press box view. That's why we put coaches in the press box so they can see the whole field, not what's just going down right in front of it. And when we, when we, when we remember it produces Thanksgiving, it gets us up to the press box so that we [00:38:00] can see down.

That's what remembering does. Psalm chapter 50, verse 14, offer to God a sacrifice of Thanksgiving. Verse 23, the one who offers Thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me, so re remembering produces thanksgiving. You remember answered prayers and unanswered prayers, and both of them can produce Thanksgiving.

Um. Thank God I didn't marry my high school sweetheart. Unanswered prayer. All right, produces thanksgiving. 'cause I got Debbie now. All right. Um, so when we remember, it produces Thanksgiving. Secondly, remembering fuels worship. Bless the Lord oh my soul. Psalm 1 0 3, verse 1 0 2. Bless the Lord. All that is within me.

He's coaching himself up. Bless the Lord. [00:39:00] This is Psalm 1 0 3 for get not all of his benefits. He begins to go down the list and all of the benefits that the Lord has placed in his life. Look at the doxology of Paul. Paul, most of them occur after Paul has been writing about the goodness and grace of Jesus in his life, and then he just goes off to him who can do immeasurably more than all I could ever ask or imagine to him, be the glory forever and ever, and amen.

You look at the doxology, when we remember God's hand in our life, where he is brought us, what he's done for us, how he's delivered us, it fuels worship. It fuels a heart ready and willing to give the Lord praise when you count all that he's done. Um, I say worship problems are memory problems. If you go into church today and you say, um, well, I [00:40:00] didn't get anything out of that.

Well, we didn't do it for you, number one. All right, we're doing it for the Lord. But number two, if you have worship problems, you're having a problem with worship, you're having memory problems. That's why we did this exercise this morning. 'cause you go, I don't know, have anything to be, I don't know what to be thankful for.

If we just jogged your memory and if, if God only did one of those things, save your soul, that's enough for you to worship him to the your dying day. And so, uh, sin, what sin does is it causes spiritual dementia. And when we sin, this is why we ought to keep short accounts with the Lord. This is why we ought to keep confession open before the Lord.

Um, because sin creates spiritual dementia. It hardens our heart and we begin to forget how good God has been to us. We tend to forget how God has delivered us. We tend to forget, uh, the [00:41:00] hand of the Lord, um, in us. So, um. Remembering it produces Thanksgiving, it fuels worship, and then third and finally, it strengthens faith.

When I remember how God came through in the past, I'm strengthened and reminded that God can do it again in the future. I think this is why the spiritual discipline of journaling is so important. Writing out your prayers, writing out what God's doing in your life, writing out how he's delivered you, writing out how he's answered your prayer, because you can go back and you can go, okay, God moved in my life.

Then he'll be faithful to move in my life now. And it strengthens our faith. And [00:42:00] so. Remember today, let who God is and what God has done, refresh and encourage your soul. Amen. Amen. All right, now I got you out. I know Mark never gets you out early. All right, so leave that over. Does he get you out early? Not this early.

All right? But I gotta go preach 10 45. So let me pray for us and then Brent, you'll close this out. Alright, let's go to the Lord in prayer and, and let me just lead us in a prayer exercise here. Maybe it's been a, a minute since you said Thank you, Lord, since you've remembered like we've done this morning.

This will be a good time to just say thank you to the Lord. I'll just give you a moment to express gratitude and worship. To who God is in your life and what he's done for you in your life.[00:43:00]

Thank you Jesus. Thank you

for how good and faithful. You have been to us,

Lord, it's worth coming to church today just to be reminded of how you saved us,

how you called us, how you used us, [00:44:00] how you've given us a spouse, a family. How you've led us through our dark days.

Lord, I just ask

that you would continually help us to remember so that Thanksgiving is produced in our heart so that worship is fueled. We can praise you with. Arms lifted high and

heart swelling with gratitude. And Lord, that our faith would be strengthened knowing, uh, that you are the same yesterday, today, and forever.

You're a God who never changes. Faithful to the end. We love you [00:45:00] and we praise you in Christ's name. Amen. Thank y'all so much. Thank you.