Finding Hope in God’s Unfailing Love

Has God Forgotten Has God Forgotten You? You? Psalm 42:9-10

I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?" My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, "Where is your God?" (Psalms 42:9-10 NIV by the sons of Korah)

I. Has The Father Forgotten You? Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (KJV) No Father could ever demonstrate greater love than this In Genesis 1 God s love is seen in every creation Gen.1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (KJV) Maybe someone is saying, Ok that s about 6000 yrs ago in Genesis, Today, Jan.20, 2019 I feel He has forgotten me In so many ways the world is better than it s ever been Aircraft! Motor Cars! Motorised Ships! Telephones! Computers! Hospitals! Bicycles! Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc.

In spite of so many benefits, modern education, opportunities for self improvement of ordinary folk There is more depression; inferiority complexes; suicides; addicts (drugs, alcohol, porn.,) than ever! 200 yrs. ago many would ve been serfs & slaves under Aristocracy! No Hope of advancement at all!!! No education; No money; No chance of change With all our benefits today, our lives are falling apart! Surely God Has Forgotten Us! Or is it Us Who Have Forgotten Him? In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. (John 16:26-27 NIV)

God Knows Where I am (Ken Gaub) Stopped at Highway rest stop with family! Feeling low - empty! Went for a stroll alone. Family inside At end of building, payphone started ringing Eventually, thinking it might be an emergency, he answered Operator: I have a long distance call for Mr Ken Gaub Impossible! Finally connected to a lady, about to commit suicide! She remembered seeing Ken on TV! Felt he could help Prayed for God to miraculously connect her to him! Received a number, wrote it down & phone at that time!!! What are the chances of Ken being there at that time? She prayed the sinners Prayer!

II. Has The Son Forgotten You? II. Has The Son Forgotten You? 2Co 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.(NKJV) 1Co 15:3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, (NIV) 1Pe 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. (NIV) For Jesus to allow Himself to be abused, insulted, rejected & sacrificed as our substitute, how could we ever accuse Him of forgetting even one of His followers? Although He was fully man; He is fully God! He is Omniscient He knows & remembers everything! There is not a detail of your life He doesn t know about!

Judas Iscariot personally took himself to his destruction He was never rejected by Jesus! He was even included as a disciple at the last supper! Satan could not have forced his way into him without his permission! If Jesus could forget one of us, what hope could we have against Satan? Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (NIV) Jesus is always close to us: Joh 14:23 Jesus replied, If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. (NIV) Eph 5:30 for we are members of his body. (NIV)

We are united to Christ 1Co 6:15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! (NIV) How could Jesus ever forget the most humble follower? Many have been posting this quote on FaceBook: God s judgment in our place! And He still stands up for us: Ro 8:34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-- more than that, who was raised to life-- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (NIV)

III. Has The Holy Spirit Forgotten You? Many are envious of those who ve been blessed with Spiritual Gifts. The Holy Spirit has forgotten me! Not True!!! Ac 2:4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Ac 4:31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (NIV) Paul concludes his prayer for the Ephesian church: Eph 3:19 & to know this love that surpasses knowledge-- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

The Psalmists who asked: Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy Also said: Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Then he answers his own question: Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Saviour & my God. (vs. 11 & 5) The best he says in v.1-2 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When can I go and meet with God? So even the most devoted followers, sometimes feel lost, defeated, depressed & even neglected by God!!! Why have you forgotten me? God promises: I will never leave you or forsake you (Deut.31; Josh.1; Heb.13)

When the world degenerated into evil, God remembered Noah & the wild animals! (Gen.8:1) When God destroyed Sodom, He remembered Abraham & brought his nephew Lot out. (Jn.19:29) When Israel went into battle, if they blew the trumpets, God said He would remember them. (Nu.10:9) Ps 98:3 He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. (NIV) Ps 136:23 to the One who remembered us in our low estate <His love endures forever.> (NIV) When Isaiah thought God had forsaken & forgotten him: Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! (Isa 49:15 NIV)

If we are thrown into a furnace He is able to save us (Da.3:17) If the world rejects God, He can raise up children from the stones (Lk.3:8) He is able to fulfil ALL His promises (Ro 4:21) to make grace abound 2Co 9:8 to do exceeding abundantly more than we can ask or imagine Eph 3:20 to subdue all things & transform us to be Chrislike (Php.3:21) Jesus said Holy Spirit would teach us all we need to know (Jn.14) The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. (Rom.8:11) Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty (Zech.4:6)

Guard the deposit of the Holy Spirit who lives in us (2Tim.1:14) Abundant Joys (Ps 36:8) Abundant Life (Joh 10:10) Abundant Grace to abound in every good work (2Co 9:8) Abundant Power - more than we think (Eph 3:20) Abundant Supplies to meet all your needs (Php 4:19) Abundant Entrance into His eternal Kingdom {2Pe 1:11) God Has Not Forgotten You And He Never Will Spirit of the living God Fall afresh on me Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me Break me, melt me, mould me, fill me Spirit of the living God Fall afresh on me