Hosea 4 - Hear the Charge of the LORD....

"Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites,
    because the Lord has a charge to bring
    against you who live in the land:
“There is no faithfulness, no love,
    no acknowledgment of God in the land.
There is only cursing, lying and murder,
    stealing and adultery;
they break all bounds,    and bloodshed follows bloodshed." (Hosea 4:1-2 NIV)

God, through His prophet, reproves the people. When I read this chapter this morning, I couldn't help but be reminded of how so many things are today: no faithfulness to God; no love, except for self; so very little acknowledgment of God in the land; and lots of cursing, lying and murder. 

Our young people don't even know what it means to curse. You can teach them. But, they refuse to learn. "Everybody does it," I am told. "It means nothing. It's just a way of talking." I've heard lies which we justified later with these two letters "JK." They were Just Kidding! And... adultery! No one even seems to have a clue what adultery is because so many participate in adultery that it is common practice and is "just the way it is."

Where has this all left us? In turmoil and chaos, looking for something. Always hungry. Always thirsty. Put aside your false idols that cannot satisfy and turn to the LORD who loves you; then you will be satisfied and will live in His peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Proverbs 26 - Speak the Truth to Fools

Proverbs 26 warns us of the downfalls of being a fool, not just a fool, but a lazy fool with deceitful lips. It also warns us to be careful what we trust with the person who is foolhardy. He or she should not be honored for their ways. They should not be lifted up. It would be foolish of us to enable to continue in their ways.

What then should we do with the one who acts foolishly? "Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes." (Prov 26:5 NIV) Speak the truth, not rashly or harshly. But, with love; correct them, guide them, teach them the way in which they should go. Teach them to honor and respect others so that others may live pleasant and peaceful lives and not on edge when they are around. Teach them that it is better for everyone to live in peace than to be constantly starting quarrels about nothing.

There are very few things that bother me more than to hear someone lieing to or insulting another person and then when the person responds in a hurt manner, the first person will say "JK," just kidding.  Jokes that hurt other people are not funny. They are not jokes! "Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death is one who deceives their neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”  (Prov 26:18-19)

The wise person will respect others for who they are. They will be kind, not acting out of anger or revenge. But, they will also speak the truth to the one who is acting in a foolish, hurtful manner. Freedom isn't so that we can hurt others, but so that we can live in peace, reconciled to one another. The foolish one does not comprehend this living in peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J