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You Have Forgotten God - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) September 15, 2026
Many ask God for help, but once they receive it, they return to the lifestyle they had before they were desperate enough to call on Him. They stop praying, no longer praise, and ignore His instructions, choosing to do what pleases their flesh instead of their Maker. Most of us have likely done this at some point. Although God's grace and mercy spoke for us, we can't afford to make a habit of reneging on our promises to the Lord.
The ancient Israelites made this mistake. They cried out for help, and He brought them out of slavery with great signs and wonders. Yet they repaid His efforts with grumbling and complaints. Despite promising to serve no other god, they crafted a golden calf at Mount Sinai. In their fear and inexperience, they chose to resort to the ways of the land of their captivity, Egypt, instead of the God who'd set them free.
Given that history, they were warned against repeating the error. Deuteronomy 8:11 - Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. They were to be cautious how they treated God once they received their inheritance - possession of the Promised Land.
Alas, they stepped into the promise and eventually strayed away from Him. They served other gods, bowed to statues, and ignored the word of the Lord. The Kingdom of Israel did these things and more for about 390 years, and the southern kingdom of Judah did similarly for 40 years (Ezekiel 4:5-6). In the end, both nations were carted off into captivity as a result of their disobedience.
In many ways, we Christians are no different than those ancient Israelites. Just as they forgot the Lord by failing to observe His instructions, we too are ignoring His commands. It started slowly, and over time, many of us believers have backslid, going further and further from God. He's called us to love others, but we are selective in who we treat well. He's instructed us to serve no other gods, but we bow at the altars of social media, sexual immorality, factions, Mammon (the quest for money), and more.
And like those from the rebellious kingdoms, we don't see the errors of our ways. We don't realize that when we ignore God's word, we ignore Him. We effectively dismiss Him and the role He is to play in our daily lives. When this happens, we end up violating His command in Proverbs 17:13, which tells us not to repay good with evil. Many don't see that this opens the door for satan to gain a foothold in our lives. We ignore the warning in Proverbs 17:13, which states, Whoever rewards evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house (NKJV).
Scripture cannot be broken, meaning we cannot set it aside and ignore it when doing so is convenient (John 10:35). Just as ignorance of the law is no defense in a court of law, believers cannot afford to be ignorant of God's word and expect there to be no consequences. When we become ignorant, we will eventually forget the God who shut the lion's mouth to keep us safe. We end up ignoring the very God who pulled down walls meant to keep us from receiving His best. We cannot afford to repay Him with wickedness for His kindness, mercy, and salvation. All of which we received for free.
Have you forgotten God in the way you are living? Most importantly, is the word of God a lamp to your feet? (Psalm 119:105). Are you spending time with the Bible and asking the Lord to help you understand what you are studying (Luke 24:45)? And does what the Bible says dictate how you navigate the world? Are you letting His Spirit guide you so you consistently obey His word? When last did you thank Him for what He did for your loved ones and yourself? When last did you testify about His kindness and the prayers He answered? Do the things of the Lord excite you the way they once did?
If you are unsure or if the answer to any of those questions is no, please know this: God's arms are outstretched, beckoning you into His embrace. Exactly who you are today is who He wants. Step into His presence and allow His grace to change you. He wants to heal the broken parts of you and make you whole. He wants to show you how much you mean to Him. Ask Him to restore the joy of His salvation in you. Ask Him to jumpstart your heart for Him. Pray to remember Him and His word through your obedience.
Romans 10:13 tells us that all who call upon the Lord will be saved, so He will answer when you cry out to Him. When the Lord answers you, be sure to submit to the guidance His Spirit will give. Also, be intentional to repay His loving kindness with your love and reverence. Display this even in how you deal with others and, of course, how you treat yourself. Begin applying His instructions in your life, taking it day by day. God bless you as you do.
What are your thoughts? Please share them. And as you wait for fellowship, watch the video in the Altar Call and read these old posts:
ALTAR CALL
If you are yet to give your life to Christ, don't let this moment go by without doing so. And if you've backslidden and are living as you like instead of how God wants you to, now is the time to recommit.
It is time to repent and return to the Lord. It is time to commit yourself to living by His word and submit to having Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
Look, the video below will do a better job explaining things than I can, and it's only 8 minutes long. Yup, there are no cliff notes, please just watch.
If you watched the video to the end and said the prayer at the end,…