HAVE WE FORGOTTEN GOD?
Scriptural text-Deuteronomy 32:9-20
Author-Rev. Danny Moss
Mt. Moriah Baptist Church
Bogue Chitto, MS. 39629
dannymoss777@yahoo.com
Introduction-
What is the greatest threat to American security
today?
-Is it ElChida? or
-Is it Osoma Ben Laden? or
-Is it Iran, or North Korea, or some other
country?
I don’t believe that it is any of the above. I be-
lieve that the greatest threat that we face as a
nation today is our forgetfulness of God.
First, this morning, let’s consider some EVIDENC-
ES of our country forgetting God:
-the removal of the ten commandments, and all
other references from governmental buildings, court
rulings, and the mass media.
-the thousands of internet child abductions for
sexual gradification by scores of men in this nation.
-the end of saying "One Nation Under God" in the
pledge of allegiance, and the removal of prayer from
many of our school and social functions.
-the decisions of the Supreme Court against the
protection of the rights of the unborn.
-the removal and outright disregard of the re-
ligious lives of our ancestors, and the founders of
this country who established this nation as a
Christian nation.
-the loss of our freedoms, along with the taking
away of many programs that helped the poor and needy,
with unlawful and unjust political power.
-the support of gay rights, and other activist
groups, who are in direct opposition to God and all
that is holy.
-the rise in immorality, including living togeth-
er outside of marriage, as now being socially accept-
able, along with the promotion of sexual immorality
in all forms of medai and entertainment, with the
mockery of Christian values and standards.
So, it is clear. Many in America have forsaken
God. It used to be an uncommon thing to have a fun-
eral for someone who did not profess any faith in
God, but now it is becoming more and more prevelant.
As Hosea the Old Testament prophet told the people
of Israel-"...there is no truth, nor mercy, nor
knowledge of God in the land. My people are destroy-
ed for lack of knowledge:"(Hosea, chp. 4) Many in
our generation today are growing up without being
taught any moral values, or ever hearing the Bible
read, or bowing the knee in prayer to God. We have
forgotten God!
Not only can a nation forget God. A church can
also forget God, and substitute ritual and "religion"
for true spiriutal worship. It’s so sad to see a
church that is puffed up in pride, caring only for
itself, and showing no real concern or compassion
for a lost world. A church can be filled with acti-
vities, and void of the Spirit of God. Judgment must
first begin with the house of God. What will be the
end of those who make no claim of knowing God?
An individual can also forget God. It is a
disturbing and agonizing thought for the true Christ-
ian to realize that in some areas of his life he has
forgotten God.
Israel did just that in the text that I read
to you at the beginning of this message. They forgot
God’s power, and blessing, and faithfulness, and
love, and righteousness. Down, Down, Down the nation
plunged, further and further into a cesspool of ini-
qity and sin. They worshipped strange gods, and
sacrificed to devils. They were a people who had no
faith in God. They were foolish and ignorant and
disobedient, in spite of all the blessings He had
poured out upon them when He delivered them from
Egyptian bondage. Unfortunately, this same pattern
repeated itself over and over again in the history
of the nation.
Jeremaiah 2:32-"Can a maid forget her ornaments, or
a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me
days without number."
Isaiah 17:10-"Because thou hast forgotten the God of
thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the Rock
of thy strenth, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant
plants, and shall set it with strange slips."
Ezekiel 22:12-"In thee have they taken gifts to shed
blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou
hast greedily gained of thy neighbors by extortion,
and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord God."
Ezekiel 22:35-"...thou hast forgotten me, and cast me
behind thy back."
We see the RESULTS of forgetting God-
-rampant immorality
-disregard of the poor and dishonest greed
-religious hypocrisy
Are you guilty of sexual immorality and loose
living in word as well as conduct? Does God rule in
your life? Does He come first?
Thirdly, we can see the REMEDY for forgetfulness
of God-returning to the Lord.
Jeremiah 3:12-"Go and proclaim these words toward the
north, and say, Return thou backsliding Israel, saith
the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to fall
upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I
will not keep anger forever. Only acknowledge thine
iniquity...Turn O backsliding children... Return ye
backsliding children, and I will heal your backslid-
ings."
-It is not God that has failed. It is us.
-It is not God that has been unfaithful. It is
us.
-It is not God who has deserted us, but we who
have deserted God.
Repent, and Return to God. That is the only
remedy.
P.S. -You can find some revelant illustrations and
stories in the book 7700 Illustrations by Paul Lee
Tan, in the chapter on Forgetting God.
