Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher - Jim Rickard Thursday, January 27,

Doxology Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.— Amen.

Memory Verse 2 Tim 2:4, “No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.”

John 16:1-6 The Importance of Preparedness.

John 16:4 The Importance of Recalling Bible Doctrine. Part 2

The recall of Bible Doctrine is a source of encouragement. Jesus knows your persecutions and helps you through them in victory.

He forewarns His disciples of coming persecutions, Mat 5:10; 10:16; Luke 6:22f.

He shows the coming trials in relation to: 1) Your ongoing faith and ministry.

He shows the coming trials in relation to: 2) His ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit.

He shows the coming trials in relation to: 3) Your victory in persecution as part of producing Divine Good, vs. 2 and 5.

John, gives a similar warning to the church of Sardis, Rev 3:3-6, as a command for believers to recall the teachings they have received and apply them.

The command is for recovering from reversionism and to defend against falling in to reversionism in the future.

Rev 3:5, “I will not erase his name from the book of life.” In Sardis a person’s name was removed from the city register before death if he had been convicted of a crime.

If Christians refused to denounce their faith in Christ they were stripped of citizenship and branded as criminals.

To motivate and encourage believers the Lord reminds them of the safety of His heavenly citizenship, and of the acknowledgment He will give before the Father and angels.

Blotting names from the Book of Life is never applicable to a believer in Christ because we are secure in Him. 1 Peter 1:5; John 10:28-30

This shows the contrast between what occurs in Satan’s Cosmic System, to the security the believer has in the Lord.

Principles of Memory (MNEMONEUO)

1. Memory is a vital function of the mentality of the soul related to your capacity for life, happiness and the absorption of Bible doctrine.

2. It is the mental capacity of retaining unconscious traces of conscious impressions and of recalling those traces to consciousness with attendant perception.

3. Memory includes the power of retention and recollection and is a part of capacity for life.

4. It is also the function of the mentality of the soul in identification and perception of what has been previously learned.

5. It includes the concept of “people living on” in your soul; the perpetuation of thinking about people you love.

6. Memory is commemoration, which is the perpetuation of knowledge of people or any event.

7. E.g. the Communion Table. We recall, by the Holy Spirit, doctrines pertaining to the uniqueness of Christ and His work on the Cross related to our entrance into the Plan of God.

8. Memory is a part of personal love toward God, Eccl 12:1. You should store good memories as a defense against reversionism, Psa 145:1 ‑ 21.

9. Bible doctrine in the memory center of the soul must have number one priority. 2 Peter 1:12 ‑ 13

10. Repeated Bible teaching produces memory of doctrine. Stability comes from remembering the doctrine you have learned. 2 Peter 1:15

11. Doctrine in the memory center is designed to orient the believer to logistical grace. Psa 103:2

Psa 103:2, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all His benefits.”

12. The importance of doctrine in the memory center is taught in Psa 119:16, 83, 93, 109, 141; Prov 4:5.

Prov 4:5, “Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.”

13. You cannot apply Bible doctrine unless you remember it. Acquire doctrine, but don’t forget it.

14. Memory is also used as an anthropopathism; ascribed to God to encourage the believer about divine faithfulness. Lev 26:45; Judges 16:28; 1 Sam 1:11; Psa 10:12; 25:6- 7; Isa 38:3, Heb 6:10; etc.

Psa 25:6, “Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses, for they have been from of old.”

Psa 25:7, “Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to Your lovingkindness remember me, for Your goodness’ sake, O LORD.”

Grace Fellowship Church Thursday, January 27, 2011 Tape # The Importance of Preparedness The Importance of Recalling Bible Doctrine, Pt 2 Upper Room Discourse, Part 464 John 16:4; Psa 25:6-7; 145:1-21; Prov 4:5; 2 Peter 1:12-15 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2011