Remember, Forget, Believe

Isaiah 43:16-21

“Remember not the former things,

    nor consider the things of old.

Behold, I am doing a new thing;

    now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

I will make a way in the wilderness

    and rivers in the desert."

Jerusalem was destroyed. The temple was destroyed, Israelites are in exile. 

Their dreams were crushed. They wonder... will their dreams ever still be possible? 

Does this sound familiar to us? 

We might have dreams that are crushed, and we wonder, if its still possible at all?

At times like this... 

1. Remember

Remember the Great things the Lord has done for you!

Relive, play it out, every moment of good things that the Lord has done in your life previously. 

I was in trouble, I was about to fail, and Jesus rescued me. 

Are there moments like these where it carves into your memories?

2. Forget

Forget the former things. 

If you are stuck on the past, you cannot see the new and greater thing God is doing. 

Don't dwell on them. Don't get stuck on them. 

The past can teach us but it must not bind us. 

a) Forget your past success

God always has something new and fresh for you in every season of your life

b) Forget your past hurts

To forget the former things is to choose to forgive with the strength God has given you. 

There might be times when you feel that you have failed God and you are unclean before Christ. 

But in Zechariah, God says that He has put a new garment over you and a clean turban on you. 

3. Believe

Believe in the new things God has in store for you. 

Put no confidence in flesh. Not in yourself nor the people around you. 

Put your confidence in God. 

You are in exile and He will see you through.

"Believe" is an action word. It means you put your whole weight, throw your whole self into His hands.
Let go of the securities that you're clinging on to. 

"Would you serve God, for nothing?" -Bishop Albert Vun

God will take you through a process where you let go of everything you cling to. 

Then you will have a freedom that nobody and nothing can take away from you. 

Believing means letting go of what you are holding on to, so that you can hold on to God's hands. 

Abraham, went out, not knowing where he is going. 

A lot of us won't jump, won't take the step, because we can't see where we will land. 

That is why the Third word is to BELIEVE. 

-Bishop Rennis' sharing in St. Peter's Hall on 2 Feb 2017