Memories

Memories pressed between the pages of my mind. Memories sweetened through the ages just like wine. It begins a song popular in the 1960s. I have the version by the Letterman. It's wonderful. My wife said, you're not going to sing it, are you? I said, I'd better not ruin the sermon by singing it. That begins a popular song, but it talks about memories. Do you know, every day you live, you make or create a memory, or many memories. Every experience, every interaction will be a memory. For ABC students, you're going to make a lot of memories this year. And for each one of us, regardless of our ages, we will make memories. The question is, what kind of memories will we make? You see, your mind will remember every experience you have encountered. You may not activate them or access them, but your mind will remember every one. I would like to share with you—it's amazing. I already had this sermon pretty much in mind for several weeks. Put it together finally last night again. Looked it over, worked on it. I had different scriptures done for a while. Tried to take out the ones and put in others. But you'll never believe what arrived yesterday morning in the mail. I want to share it with you. It's a personal letter from someone that we knew 40 years ago, 1963 to 1964. I served, and my wife and I served in New York City as a ministerial trainee to Raymond Cole. Raymond Cole is deceased. He was an evangelist, one of the first four students to ever go to Ambassador College. He had two daughters. One of them was around 12 or 13, the other one was eight. I'm going to read you the letter from the eight-year-old, whom I've only encountered a couple of times since that 1963-1964 occasion. She said, Greetings. After 32 years, I thought it was about time to tell some very dear friends of mine how much they have meant in my life. Wouldn't you agree? She says, Ha! You two blessed my life with some truly wonderful memories I cherish to this day. I well remember visiting your apartment, you taking me out to dinner and bowling and swimming at Jekyll Island, going to see the thrill of it all with James Garner, one Halloween night. She said, I own this movie now and always think of you when I slip it in. My charm bracelet graduation gift, which I still have, and it's very full, and so much more. Yes, thanks to the two of you, I have some joyous childhood memories and I sincerely do thank you. Now, that just came out of the blue yesterday in the mail. It is amazing. I didn't remember taking her up, and now that I think about it, I do remember taking her and her sister watching them because I was an assistant and assistants do babysitting and all types of other things for their ministers that they work for. And so I remember now at Jekyll Island that first year that we took her and her sister and watched them while the coals went to some other occasion out, and we ended up babysitting for them. I didn't remember that. I didn't even remember that we gave her a charm bracelet, but now I have a vague memory of that, but she did. Memories pressed between the pages of our minds.

I want to share with you another portion of another article, and I tried for many hours to find this article. Readers Digest, either 1980, 81, or 82, was entitled, The Miracle of Your Memory.

But I quoted in an article that I wrote, but I want to share it with you. According to Reader's Digest article entitled, Miracle of Your Memory, there are two types of memory utilized by our brains. One is short-term for one-time use, such as you're standing in a phone booth and you need to find somebody's phone number, and so you dial 411 or you dial the information. They come on and they say to you, the number is 656-2430, and you say 656-656-2430, 656-675-675, and you hang it up and you're quickly dial 656-2430. But you know what? You don't remember that number today, unless you've called it again and again and again. Short-term memory, you can put in what you need for the short-term and be able to spit it back out, but it's gone after that period of time. Once the number is dialed, it's forgotten. The other type of memory is long-term, and there is reason to believe that incidents stored in the long-term memory are there for life. There for life. I now quote from the article. This is what I wrote. Actually, you have a prodigious memory. In a few cubic inches, your brain stores much more information than can be stored in a large computer installation costing millions. And at that particular time, they had to have those big rooms. You know, an ambassador, I remember, we had a room that was about maybe a third the size, maybe even half the size of this room, filled with computers. Now you take a little tiny laptop, and it's probably as powerful as that. But at that time, that's what it cost millions to have that. But your brain, in a few cubic inches, can store more information. And further, it can do things that would stump any present-day computer. You see, you can remember how that chocolate chip cookie that Mr. Penelli mentioned smells and perhaps even tastes. If you think about it, you can remember smelling burning leaves in the autumn, or maybe the wood from a fireplace that's crackling. You can remember how a chocolate sundae tastes. One researcher calculates the brain storage capacity at one quadrillion bits of information. That's a million times a billion. You think you've reached a level yet? No, you haven't. With such capacity, says Harvard's John Merritt, no one has ever filled the picture to overflowing. It isn't surprising that we occasionally forget, and it is a wonder that we are able to store and retrieve so much. Pretty amazing, isn't it? That this awesome mind which God created, that's what I said, continuing later in the article, the author states, quote, Why am I saying this to you? Because you see the memories that you create every day are going to be with you for the rest of your life. The memories that you help other people create, and don't forget we don't live in a vacuum, the memories you help other people create will also be there for the rest of their lives. You may have difficulty retrieving it, but it's there. If a native tongue is not used for ten years, all knowledge of it may seem lost.

But if a man returns to his native land for a few weeks, he will again be fluent. The knowledge was stored in long-term memory. We're unconscious of the vast amount of information we have stored, but under special conditions, it can be brought to the surface. Sometimes hypnosis is used. Hypnosis enabled a bricklayer to recall exactly an unusual pattern in a wall that he laid 40 years earlier. He was able to remember the exact pattern, but only under hypnosis couldn't recall it, just under normal circumstances.

A middle-aged man described his first-grade schoolroom in minute detail. One woman heard songs that were played in her church in Holland, Christmas carols, it says. She had attended as a child. Another relived the birth of her child 20 years before. She remembered. Our memories are truly fascinating. But I want to talk about not just the miracle of your memory, but what you do, what part you have in those memories. My aim is to encourage all of us, students and brethren alike, to create good memories for ourselves and for others.

Deuteronomy 32, verse 7. Deuteronomy 32, verse 7, we read this from one of the books of the law of Moses. Deuteronomy 32, verse 7, Remember the days of old. What is a memory? It's something that you recall, something that's happened to you.

Remember the days of old. Consider the years of many generations. Ask your father and he will show you. And memories are wonderful. Memories can be wonderful. Memories can also be painful. I'll acknowledge that. We'll talk about painful memories and what you do with them. But memories can be wonderful. You sit back and you recall and you think. And little things, any number of things can trigger a memory, a picture, a date, a calendar, a school chum. Any type of association may trigger a memory. How we deal with those, we will see. But remember the days of old. Memories may be good or bad.

Some scriptural examples of the good. Psalm 97, verse 12, and I don't want to dwell a lot on this because the bulk of the message comes a little bit later. But Psalm 97, verses 1 and 2, sorry, verse 12, suffice it to say there are good memories that we can have in life and we ought to cultivate those. Psalm 97, verse 12, says, Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous. Give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. We can have wonderful memories, good memories in God, in that which is good, in that which is righteous, in that which is holy. That's why we aim at Ambassador Bible Center to try to provide for our young people coming and older ones alike, that we have good memories.

Wholesome activities. Activities that when you're finished you don't have to regret anything that was done. You don't have to fight a hangover the next day. You don't have to go off and wonder, why did I do that? Or create a bad memory for you or others in that circumstance. But rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. There are many things in God. Think of the Feast of Tabernacles that we've all had the opportunity to go to. The Bible does also talk about remember His Feast Days, remember the Passover, remember Trumpets, remember the Holy Days. Think of all the experiences we have had, the travel, the opportunities we have had that we would have never had.

Normal church, go to church on Sunday, be there for an hour, pay your homage, and go back home and forget about God. But because you dedicate yourself to God, because you want to follow His ways always, in every way, you have memories. You've created a lot of them, the interactions, the projects you've worked on.

The opportunity to help spread the gospel and live the gospel has been a wonderful memory that we all can have. Hebrews 10, verse 32. You can also have wonderful memories of accomplishments, especially in the spiritual line, but in any area. Hebrews 10, verse 32, we read this, those wonderful memories, recall how you've overcome, recall how you've changed, recall the good things, and we can, we have that access. Now, there are also bad memories.

1 Kings 17, 18. There's the memory of sin. 1 Kings 17, 18. Remember what we do, there will be the memory of it. Some people, because it's so painful when they're little, choose to repress those memories, choose to push them back. It doesn't mean they didn't happen, and it doesn't mean they won't come back and haunt them, and typically, in a new traumatic situation, they will come back.

My experience at Ambassador University and College as Director of Counseling Services was that many students who came there had some difficulties.

Why? Because they were in a new environment, a new situation, and that trauma, that difficulty, that stress triggered other stressful circumstances which they remembered and had to deal with.

We'll talk about forgetting the things that are behind in a moment. But 1 Kings 17, 18. 1 Kings 17, 18.

So she said to Elijah, in this case, here was the woman whose son had died, and she said to Elijah, What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to kill my son?

Has this happened to me because I had some sin in my life? And we all have sin in our life, and it slips and stumbles, but there are dramatic sins that we may have in our lives that's very difficult to get over.

Those create bad memories. They're sad memories. Psalm 77 and verse 6. They're sad memories. Psalm 77 and verse 6.

Actually, let's go to verse 4. It brings in the thought. He said, and I'm reading from New King James.

You hold my eyelids open, and I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I have considered the days of old, he's thinking about the past, the years of ancient times. I call to remembrance my song in the night, and I meditate within my heart, and my spirit makes diligent search.

I recall what's happened. I recall what's gone on with me. I recall those in the middle of the night.

And obviously did not have... He was searching for some answers and some meaning to it and for it.

So there are good memories and there are bad memories. Most memories we have control over.

Most memories. You know what? Even making them or accessing them.

As far as making them is concerned, we definitely have that in our power, except when something happens to us, when something is done upon us, then we have no control over that memory or a circumstance or an event that's beyond our power to control. It happened to us and that will be a memory.

There's no question about that, but most we have control over. Proverbs 3 verse 1. Proverbs 3 verse 1, we read this, Don't forget the good thing. Choose not to. And again, it's a choice in life. Day by day we'll see to make memories good or to make memories that are bad.

It's a choice that we make day by day. How we will live. Proverbs 3 verse 1 says, Don't forget the way of life that you've been called to live, but let your heart keep my commands. Don't forget. See, you have control over it. Access that.

How do you not forget? By reminding yourself. How do you not forget? By immersing yourself in that.

Philippians 4 verse 8, we can also choose how we think and what we think about. And what we think about is usually what we will do.

Philippians 4. Philippians 4 and verse 8, we read this, Finally, my finally brethren, whatsoever things are true. Whatever things are noble. Now, I'm here reading Old King James and New King James language here, but New King James says, whatever. Things are just. Whatever things are pure. Whatever things are lovely. Whatever things are of a good report. If there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things.

See, there's a choice there that you're making. How do I want to let my mind go? What avenue? What approach? What approach will I have in life toward these issues and things? 1 Corinthians 15.2 talks about keep. 1 Corinthians 15.2 talks about keeping in mind certain things. 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 2.

He talks about the gospel you received. He says, By which also, 1 Corinthians 15.2, by which also you are saved if you hold fast, or bring to remembrance. If you hold fast, that word which I preached to you, unless you have believed in vain. In other words, you think on it. You hold on to that. You don't let it go. You don't bury it. You don't deny it. You don't pass it off.

Now, some memories may come flooding back that are very difficult. And I would just say this. You can deal with those. They can be dealt with. You cannot forget them. If you think you're just going to forget, I'll just forget about that. I've dealt with abuse victims. Quite a number. And many times they've been advised, just forget it. Forget it. Let it go. You can only forget it if it doesn't bother you. If it bothers you, you must address it, deal with it, and then put it to rest. If you don't, it'll continue to be there. You know everything that's happened to you. Good and bad. The bad, when a little kid gets bad, you know what he does? Or she does? This can't be happening. They deny it. So they stuff it back there. I don't want to think about this. But later on, their body, their mind, their memory knows what happened to them. And some later time, when stored back there in the recesses, when that's activated by some event, some circumstance, some situation that's similar, that will all come flooding back. It was not dealt with. It can be dealt with. Then put the rest. I'm not one who believes in living in the past. I'm not one who believes in letting people live in the past. All I keep experiencing is, you're a victim, you're a victim. I'm not that way. People who have been victims have learned not to be victims anymore, no longer victims. They were, but they're not.

If you keep viewing yourself as a victim, you're liable to be victimized again. So there's a way to deal with them. That's not my purpose. You see, you can deal with the bad ones. How can you deal with those bad ones? First of all, I want to read you a quote.

It's an epigram on memory from 15,000 quotes. This is number 7517, if you're interested. A well-trained memory is one that permits you to forget everything that isn't worth remembering.

So there are times when you choose not to, okay, when you say, forgetting the things that are behind, you are deliberately choosing not to think about those issues that are hurtful. Sometimes, somebody comes in, oh, that hurts. I don't want to think about that. Now, it's a choice you make. You put it back in its box and you stick it back in its compartment and let it go. It's not that you're denying it. You just put it back. I don't want to think about that. So you can make a choice. And, of course, Philippians 3.14 says forgetting those things that are behind. But I looked up the Greek word and it comes down to you. You can choose not to activate or not recalling it. There's a choice there to not recall it, but you're not going to forget it until you're God. When you're a member of the family of God, then you can have perfect forgetfulness. You know, people say, well, if you forgive, you should forget. You'll never forget. But if you keep it in the forefront, you'll never forgive. So we have to put the bad issue back in the back so you won't forget it, but it's not in the forefront. Why? Because you've chosen to forget it, quote-unquote. But it isn't forgotten. It's back there. God has perfect forgetfulness. He will forget everything. Like when He forgives you, He wipes out your sins, He says, and I will remember them no more. God has perfect forgetfulness. We haven't reached that level at this point. Philippians 3, 14. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus. So we see here, that's not the one I want. Oh, verse 13, sorry. Verse 13, Philippians 3. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things that are behind you, check the word forgetting, has to do not recalling, not choosing to recall. I had a whole study on it. The sense is you can choose not to recall it. It doesn't mean that it's blotted out of your memory. It's there, but you choose not to recall it. So when there's a bad memory, you can, quote, forget those things. Philippians 3, 13, which are behind and reach forth. Choose to be looking ahead instead of looking back. A second way that you can deal with bad memories is how you look at that memory. A choice of how you look at it. Romans 8 and verse 28.

Even difficult circumstances, even unpleasant memories, may have a bright spot to them. Well, boy, that was really... that automobile wreck really taught me something. What did it teach you? It taught me to be more careful on the highway. What did it teach me? It taught me that I have to look both ways. It taught me to do this. It taught me to be... So even though there was a horrible circumstance, did you learn something from that? If that's the case, if that memory comes up, you can turn it where you look and see a bright spot in it. Romans 8, 28. And we know that all things work together for good. All things, including the bad experiences, work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. So if that bad memory, that unpleasant memory surfaces, what can you do? You can look for the bright spot in it. That's how you choose to look at it. Hebrews 12 is an example. Hebrews 12 of how this was done where Jesus Christ chose to look. Hebrews 12, too, says, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross. Now, it was being nailed to that stake or cross. Was that a pleasant experience? I doubt it. I know it wasn't. It was a horrible experience. How did He endure that? How would He look upon that? For the joy that was set before Him, what did He know? By going through that, He knew He was freeing all types of people from sin. He knew that He was making available that His brothers and sisters and His fathers, sons and daughters would have the opportunity to have their sins forgiven and have the opportunity to have eternal life through His shed blood and through His subsequent life that would come after that. So, Jesus Christ, though He had to go through, endured the cross. He despised the shame and He has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. So, He's at God's right hand. For the joy that was set before Him, being in the kingdom of God, doing this for His fellow brothers and sisters, that they might have an opportunity to be in the kingdom of God as well. Verse 11 gives you another sense of it. Now, no chastening seems to be joyful for the present. How many times have I visited and talked with people of all ages? My dad was really tough on me. He would really give me a good paddling. Of course, I deserved it. And I know when I look back, I know He did it for me.

I know He did it for me. But was that paddling? Did that feel good? No, it didn't feel good. Is that a good memory? No, it's an unpleasant memory.

But what did that person do? They took the unpleasantness, but they also saw the purpose beyond. But He wanted to guide me and help me in His own way. He loved me. In His own way. He loved me. So He took an unpleasant memory. So He says, No chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but grievous! What type of a memory is that going to set up a bad one? An unpleasant one. Nevertheless, afterward, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

So, again, they look for the righteousness that comes out of it. The good experience that comes from it, even though the memory of that would be bad. They could still say, What did I learn from this? How did I learn? And what did I learn from this circumstance? The key to making memories is what we do today. Every today you have a choice. I have a choice. Will we make a good memory for ourselves and for others? Or will we make unpleasant memories that people have to fight through and try to work through as they go down the line in the future?

That's a choice we all make. In Matthew 6, verse 11, we see this principle of today. Matthew 6, verse 11, you could also look at Hebrews, which I'm not going to go to, just for sake of brevity. But Matthew 6 and verse 11, we read this, Give us this day our daily bread. You know, God doesn't say, Live a month at a time or year at a time.

He says, Give us this day our daily bread. Would you pray? You don't say, Give me a month's supply of food, and I don't have to pray to you again for a month. Give me a yearly supply, and I don't have to pray to you for a year. He says, Do it this day. It's living day by day. Also, verse 34, notice, Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.

Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. So again, he says, focus on today. Hebrews talks about today, if you'll hear his word. Today, if you'll do this. Today, if you'll do that. Today, how we live life every today will either make good memories or unpleasant memories. I've created unpleasant memories for people in life, and I'm sorry. I didn't do it deliberately, but I have, and I bet you have too. And I hope I've created more good memories than unpleasant ones. But if we try to determine in our own lives how we will do what we will do in our interactions, in our experiences, we will determine to make good memories.

Because you see Deuteronomy 30, verse 12, it is a choice. It really is a choice as to what kind of memories you'll end up having fill your memory bank of your mind. Deuteronomy 30, verse 12, we read this. It is not in heaven that you should say, we will ascend... Sorry, I want Deuteronomy 30, yes. It is not in heaven that you should say, who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it, verse 13. Nor is it beyond the sea that you should say, who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it, verse 14.

But the word is very near to you in your mouth and in your heart that you may do it. And verse 15, see, I have set before you today, set before you today, life and good, death and evil. And as we choose life and good, what kind of memories will we be creating? Good memories. If we choose death and evil, what will we be creating?

Some pretty bad memories. I mean, I've talked to people in the pretty horrible memories that took place in their lives, and whatever happened to them at 5 or 7 was still bothering them into their 40s, still bothering them into their 40s. And throughout their life, they had to deal with it. They didn't even know what they were dealing with. They had to deal with the sadness, with the depression, with the tendencies to want to ruin themselves and rid themselves from this.

The detrimental effects, because somebody helped them create some pretty bad memories, or they made choices. At that age, they didn't. Somebody usually made it for them. So you have a choice. You can choose life. You can choose death, and God even tells you, hey, choose life. Life's the way to go, not death. You want to have a good memory? You want to make good memories for yourself and for others every day you get up. So, you know, God, help me to do something that helps people today. Help me to just make one good memory for somebody today.

Something I say, something I do, help me too. I honestly didn't remember some of these things that we did. You see, I was only like 23 years old. My wife was 22. I really don't remember. I'm 63. She's 62. I honestly don't remember these. I keep waiting for her to catch up, but she never does. I keep waiting for her if she never catches me. I never knew. I didn't remember. But you know what?

That little 8-year-old girl remembered. And you can help people make memories too by what you do. Proverbs 10 and verse 7 is an interesting proverb, and I have several of the other translations to help you see it better. But Proverbs 10 and verse 7, you see, we can, as individuals, make good memories for others as well. And we can live our lives in such a way that people will remember us as good memories.

Proverbs 10 and verse 7. New King James says, the memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot. I'll read you several translations. Today's English version puts it this way. Good people will be remembered as a blessing, but the wicked will soon be forgotten. Amplified, the memory of the uncompromisingly righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. NIV, New International. The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. And the New Living Translation puts it this way.

We all have happy memories of the godly, but the name of a wicked person rots away. How do you want people to remember you? When they think of you, do you want them to think of you as a blessing or as a curse? Well, I sure don't want that person around my life, their curse. Or do you want them to think of us as blessings? I want to tell you two ways that you can help as you create these memories.

Remember, the key is today and what you do today. One, we need to savor the experience. Oftentimes, we don't let ourselves to really soak it all up and enjoy it. Sometimes we're embarrassed. Sometimes when people do something nice for us, we're embarrassed. Sometimes when we have an interaction, we're embarrassed. Sometimes when people don't have a chance to really soak up and think of.

What a nice thing! You're sitting down and enjoying a nice meal. I've got to go here and I've got to go there and eat real fast. In the ministry, we had 45 minutes to eat your meal and get going because you wanted to get to this next visit. You didn't want to waste time. You quickly ate it during dinner time, but you traveled right where everybody else was digesting. You could get to their place in time to get a couple more visits in the evening.

We ate our food so fast. It's very hard to quit after you've done that for many years. So you have a nice meal. You don't really enjoy the meal. You just get it over the taste buds and down the esophagus and into the stomach and let it digest down there.

What was that I just took a bite of? You don't savor it! Memories need to be savored! Look at this experience. This is a wonderful experience. Is this ever nice? This beautiful scene. Okay, you know, what is it? The vacation or whatever. Then Chevy Chase can take a couple of looks at the Grand Canyon. He's on his way. You've got to sit there and look at the Grand Canyon.

You've got to look at it and you've got to view it. You can't just walk away from it. You've got to savor this beautiful moment. A lot of times we don't in our busy world. So you don't create a good memory. You create a memory, but not a good one. Savor the moment. Ecclesiastes 9, verses 7-9. Just an example here. But many of us, families, important. And of course, with our wives and families, we need to savor the moment.

We need to give our children wonderful memories so that when they depart, when they think of mom and dad, they think of them fondly. Ecclesiastes 9, verse 7 says, Go eat your bread with joy! There's experiencing it! Well, I'm really enjoying this fresh, homemade bread. Nothing's better. Maybe famous cookies or chocolate chip are better because they're sweeter. But the smell of home-baked bread, when you open the door, you walk into a bakery, it's so awesome! And to have that terra-piece of that bread, or to have a piece of that Arabic, you tear it and break bread.

You tear it and it's so awesome! Now, we don't bake bread that much these days. You can go to the store and buy all types of varieties, 1,001 varieties. You don't tend to do it as much anymore. But savor the moment. Go eat your bread with joy. Drink your wine with a merry heart.

A lot of us, we don't smell it. We don't savor it. We don't... Oh, is that a night? Get the bouquet. Take a look at it. Look at the clarity of it. Look at the cup. Just drink it like water. Give me my water. Give me like wine. Give me my orange juice. Give me my grape juice. We don't savor the moment! Savor the moment. When you have experiences.

So you can think about those... especially beautiful ones, good ones that you've helped create by the circumstances that you've chosen to be in. For God has already accepted your works. Let your garments always be white. Make sure you stay clean in what you do. And that's spiritually as well as physically. But let your head lack no oil. Verse 9, live joyfully with your wife, with whom you love all the days of your vain life.

I mean, this whole life is vain. None of us is going to go on forever in the flesh. We will die in the flesh. Because life is vain. But God says, live joyfully! Savor the moment! He has given you under the sun all the days of your vanity. Of your vanity, for that is your portion in life. And in the labor which you perform under the sun. So the advice to us from a man who could do it all and had it all, he said, Savor it! And that's how you do. Keep your memories. Another one is to remember. Just to activate. How do you remember things? A lot of times, looking through pictures, oh yeah, I remember.

Oh yeah, I remember that. Sometimes meeting old friends. Oh yeah, I remember when we did that. Or remember when we did this. Reminiscing. Other times, it's occasions. Occasion comes up and you remember. Memory. You can do it. It's wonderful and it's awesome. But Psalms 103 verses 1 and 2. God tells us, Remember and forget not.

So pleasant things that happen, you want to speak of them. You want to think on them regularly. When you do, that brings that memory more into the active phase and brings it back into your head more often. As we said, the bad ones, you can say, Yeah, I don't want to think about you today. I'll put you back in its cage or in its box or in its compartment. I'll put you back there. Well, if you want to insist on coming out, yeah, I remember that. That was kind of bad, but I remember how I handled that.

And I'm stronger because of that. Okay, now I'll put it back in its box. But the good ones, you say, Oh, I want this one to come back. Oh yeah, remember when we did that? Remember when we did this. Psalm 103, because you will remember the days of old. Psalm 103, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless his holy name. Bless the Lord. Verse 2, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Again, remember, forget not who forgives all your iniquities and who heals all your diseases.

Remember God. Remember the good things. Remember and forget not. Don't just let them slip away. Oh well, that was a nice event. Okay, let's get on from here. Think about those, because they will help be a gird for you, a base for you, and me for the future.

I want to read to you a couple of quotes from the same source. One's entitled, Your Retention Limit. Did you know? Apparently, they conducted a study for naval research and discovered that the average person can remember accurately only seven items on any list read to him. Dr. Miller offers this intriguing suggestion, perhaps since the human memory is limited to seven. This might explain why the number of seven crops up so often. The seven wonders of the world, the seven notes of the musical scale, seven sees, the seven deadly sins, the seven ages, and all the sevens in the book of Revelation. That's just the thought. You do that. Also, there's something called, I'detic Memory.

Mehmed Ali Halisi of Ankera, Turkey, recited 6,666 verses of the Quran from memory in six hours. 6,666 verses of the Quran he recited in six hours. The recitation was followed by six Quran scholars. I'detic Memory, the ability to re-project and thus visually recall material, is rare in man, and when discovered, is a source of awe and admiration.

Awe and admiration. You imagine somebody do that. I don't know if anybody here even has that. I think some of us have a little better ability. If I see something, I will generally remember if I see it. But I don't have a photographic memory, but if I see it, I will know and I will remember. Other people, more the hearing side of it, can remember as well. So what can we do now? What can we do to help others have good memories? Proverbs 14 and verse 7, and don't think, it's up to them to make their own memories. It's not up to me. And again, you're not trying to force your memories on them.

But no matter what you do as you interact in life, you will bring good or bad memories on others. Romans 14 and verse 7, we read this, For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. You know what? We're on the planet with others. Last time I looked, there were other people around. Some people live life, and some people drive their cars like they're the only ones on the road. I'm going to run on the road. As long as I make it through this light, we were coming down, there was a car in front of us.

I knew he was dilly-dallying, and I knew the light was green, and just as we got to where we make the light turn yellow, but guess who got through? He did. Guess who didn't? I didn't. Because if he had just been going to normal speed, we both would have gotten through. Am I bad about that? No. Do I have a bad memory?

Yes. I will remember that car for a long time. No. The point being, he lived life like there's nobody else around. Who else is here? No. I'm just me. It's my highway. I paid for it. It's named after me. Sorry, it wasn't his highway, and it wasn't named after him, but he drove as if it were. Did he have a rearview mirror? Did he notice somebody else might like to get through the light too? Didn't notice that. When we live life, we do affect others.

You see, I have now a bad memory because of that today. Okay. Verses 15 and 16, notice, yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. If what I'm eating is causing him to have great distress, then I'm giving him a bad memory, aren't I? Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. Don't do that to someone else. Verse 16, therefore, do not let your good be spoken of as evil.

So he says, you have an effect on others by what you do. You affect them no matter what, in the same way with helping them or not helping them have good memories. 1 Thessalonians 3 and verse 6. 1 Thessalonians 3 and verse 6. Again, this section talking about we may help others have good memories. 1 Thessalonians 3, 6. But now that Timothy has come to us from you and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us.

Timothy has come. He's refreshed us. He's told us how much you think of us. He's told us you have good remembrance of us, that you remember us. Paul obviously had a good effect on those people because they had a good memory of him.

So whatever he did, he was having a good effect on them. He says, "...and greatly desiring to see us as we do also to see you." We long to see you. Why do you long to see them? Because you helped us make good memories. We have good remembrance of you. 1 Corinthians chapter 10, verses 32 and 33.

1 Corinthians chapter 10, verses 32 and 33. We read this, though, as a kind of a warning to us from the Apostle Paul. Therefore, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God, whatever you do in your life, if it's eating, if it's drinking, if it's the way you drive your car or go through traffic lights or two traffic lights, whatever it is, do all to the glory of God and help others along the way.

Give no offense either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the Church of God. Don't create bad memories for them by what you do. Acts 9 and verse 39. I find this very inspiring because here was Tabitha, and again, she had the opportunity to know who attended her funeral, which very few of us will ever do in this life.

She was resurrected, right? People came there to mourn for her and she was raised from the dead. And so she got to see all the people who came to attend her funeral, which was interesting. But anyway, Acts 9 and verse 39, I thought this was interesting. What were these people doing? What was the effect that Dorcas or Tabitha had on others by her life? Verse 39. Then Peter arose and went with them, and when he had come in, they brought him to the upper room, and all the widows stood by him weeping.

And what were they doing? Showing the tunics and the garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. Look, she made this shawl for me. Look, she made this for me. Look, she made this sweater for me. Look, she made this dress for me. Look, she made this coat for me. She had made some good memories because of her willingness to give and to share. And of course, Jesus Christ said it's more blessed to give than to receive. So as you give to others, as you help them in whatever way, your time or your effort or whatever, a little hello or a little thank you card or a little phone call to cheer them up, what that does, what that does for those people is create a memory.

And I'm told that people can tell you who've been sick, sick near to death, they can tell you every card, every flower, every circumstance that they've received. It meant that much.

Philippians 1.13. Philippians 1.13.

We read what the Apostle Paul wrote.

I don't think that's the one I... No, verse 3. Sorry. Philippians 1.3. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.

I thank God upon every... What was Paul's feeling toward the Philippian church? Wonderful.

Every time I think of you, I thank my God.

Now, you don't thank God for a whole lot of trouble. You thank God for good things. And upon remembrance of them, because they gave good memories, he had good memories of those individuals.

Now, we can create bad memories. 3 John, verse 10. 3 John, verse 10. You remember diatrophes? The man who wouldn't receive John, wouldn't receive John's instruction, wouldn't let brethren in the church be hospitable. 3 John, verse 10. Here's what John, the Apostle, says about him, that he's created a bad memory for me.

3 John 10. Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind, or remember, his deeds, which he does. I'm going to remember him, prating against us with malicious words and not content therewith with that, rather. He himself does not receive the brethren, forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church. And he said, I'm going to deal with him when he comes. Verse 11. Beloved, do not imitate that which is evil, but that which is good. I'm going to remember his deeds. You don't want to be remembered like that. Remembered for your bad deeds. Remembered for the memory you've given people of what you've done, the attitude and the approach you've had. You don't want that. Now, you know, in conclusion, God remembers. God remembers. God remembers the good and God remembers the bad. In Malachi chapter 3 and verse 16, in fact, God has a book of remembrance. Not that his memory needs it, just to write it down, just to have a record, I guess, for him in heaven. But Malachi 3 verse 16, we read this.

Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them. So a book of remembrance was written before him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on his name. Does God know his people? Does he know what they're doing? Does he know what they're saying? Does he know how much they communicate with each other? Does he know how they communicate with each other? A book of remembrance was written. You might say, I have picture albums. The other night, I went downstairs, and I was, before I was going to do some exercise, we had these pictures sitting out, and I just grabbed them and started looking at some old, pulled out a whole bunch of them that I had. Each one was a memory. So many. Pictures are like memories. They're like a book of remembrance for you. Picture books helpful to recall memories. Matthew 26, 13. There was a lady who did a wonderful deed, and God appreciated it so much that he said, wherever the gospel was preached, this woman will be remembered. This will be said of her. Matthew 26, verse 13. Assuredly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached, the gospel is preached. There's a woman who came when he came in, and she poured oil, costly fragrance of oil on his head. He sat at the table. She washed his feet, and of course, they didn't like that, and they gave her trouble. But verse 13, Jesus Christ said, Assuredly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached, in the whole world, what this woman has done will be told as a memorial of her. God remembers our deeds. Here's a very bold move by God Almighty Jesus Christ to say, her deeds are going to be remembered. Acts 10, verses 4 and 31. God remembers. God watches. God sees what we do in life, and he wants us to create good memories for ourselves and others. Acts 10, verse 4. And when he had observed him, this was Cornelius, he was afraid this angel came to talk to him. And he said, What is it, Lord? Because the angel called his name Cornelius. And he said, Your prayers and alms have come up for a memorial before God. God has seen you. God has heard you. God has watched you. He's seen the alms you gave. He's seen you even pray for those. Even though you're a Roman soldier with all this power, you still care for people. You care for the poor. You help them. He talked about coming up as a memorial before him, his deeds. In verse 31, kind of a recapitulation, and he said, Cornelius, explaining what happened, Your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. What you have done is remembered by God. So God sees us, God remembers the good and the bad.

And the bad, Isaiah 43, verse 25. You can also look at Revelation 16, where he says, He remembered what Babylon has done. He's going to reward them double. But Isaiah 43, God can also forget. Sins that come up. Isaiah 43, 25. God says this, I am He, I even I am He, who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. They're gone. They're over. I blot them out. They will not be remembered. So God also has perfect forgetfulness. I have one more article I'd like to read to you. It's entitled, The Best Memory System. Forget the kindness that you do as soon as you have done it. Forget the praise that falls on you the moment you have won it. Forget the slander that you hear before you can repeat it. And forget each slight, each spite, each sneer whenever you may meet it. Remember every kindness done to you, whatever its measure. Remember praise by others one, and pass it on with pleasure. Remember every promise made, and keep it to the letter. Remember those who lend you aid, and be a grateful debtor. Remember all the happiness that comes your way in living. Forget each worry and distress. Be hopeful and forgiving. Remember good. Remember truth. Remember heavens above you. And you will find through age and youth true joy and hearts to love you. Remember the good. Forget the unkindnesses. Push them up. Don't let them be there. Don't let them come to the forefront. Deal with them if they do. So, every day we make memories in our experiences and interactions for ourselves and for others. How we live and choose to look upon these circumstances will determine whether that memory will be a pleasant one or not. May we all live each day in a godly manner so that, quote, every day may be such that yesterday will be a pleasant memory and tomorrow an exciting challenge.