Hosea 10 - God Brings Forth The Fruit

Israel was doing well. "Israel was a spreading vine; he brought forth fruit for himself." (Hosea 10:1 a NIV), but "As his fruit increased, he built more altars; as his land prospered, he adorned his sacred stones." (Hosea 10:1b)

Israel did not credit their growth to God. They had become reliant on the work of their own hands and often they gave credit to false idols. God wants them to repent and turn to Him. But, they do not recognize Him or the gifts that He has given them. They will fall.

So often in the church we lift up the good works of others, those who have been busy helping the church to grow. I know that I am often thanked for all the work I do. But, that is very dangerous business. I get a little uncomfortable with talk like this. For it is not we, who grow the church, but the Spirit of Christ who does, working in, through, and all around us. It is not we, but God who should get the glory for all things.

Remember to give Him thanks and praise for the fruit that He provides for us and all people.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Hosea 9 - Rejoice in the LORD

"Do not rejoice, Israel;
    do not be jubilant like the other nations.
For you have been unfaithful to your God;
    you love the wages of a prostitute    at every threshing floor." (Hosea 9:1 NIV)
It's not looking for Israel. Their celebration will turn to mourning because they have been unfaithful to their God. We have been unfaithful to our God.

So many out there seeking enjoyment in all the things that will eventually lead them to destruction. When will we turn to the LORD? When will we worship Him with our whole hearts and minds? When will we stop pursuing those things which only lead us to separation from God?

The LORD promises good to those who love Him (Rom 8:28). Why would we go on serving and loving other gods that do not love us, that can bring us no joy? "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." (Psalm 118) and "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Phil 4:4) Let us always keep our hearts and minds focused on the love of God through Christ Jesus that we might have reason to rejoice.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Hosea 8 - Sin and Consequence

"They set up kings without my consent;
    they choose princes without my approval.
With their silver and gold
    they make idols for themselves
    to their own destruction." (Hosea 8:4 NIV)

In just about every verse in today's reading, God reminds the people of their sin and warns them what the consequence will be. Somehow, for the last couple of weeks during our Wednesday Bible Study at Zion, we have managed to wander to a discussion on how to deal with church discipline within a congregation and specifically the direction of Jesus found in Matthew 18:15-17. 

“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector."

That can sound pretty harsh and hard to follow through with, but there is a purpose for it. It is so that those who are following and promoting their own false gods can be returned to the LORD. It doesn't matter whether the false god is money, power, prestige, or a calf made of gold, when someone in the church is promoting their own agenda above the LORD's will, there will be problems and it needs to be dealt with so that the focus can be turned back to the God who created us and sustains us.

Zion actually has these steps built into our constitution just in case it will be needed one day. The council knows how hard it is to confront anyone who is causing problems that may be dividing the church and turning our focus away from the LORD and His goodness to following other ways. They are our neighbors and family members, after all. But, in order to restore the mission of the church, that is the proclamation of the Kingdom of God, sometimes what the LORD did through Hosea by declaring a sin a sin and warning that if they did not return to Him there would be consequences. Sometimes, sadly, that is the only way to get someone's attention and restore peace - that is reconciliation  between God and His people and within the community of saints.

God's Peace - Pr. J.
 

Hosea 7 - Hunting Season - Yooper Holy Days

I spent Monday evening at my husband's hunting camp. He is preparing for the Yoopers' (a person who lives in or is from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan) grand holy days - that is deer hunting -firearm season. People come from all over to celebrate those last two weeks of November. I find the whole season quite confounding. Men, women and children miss worship services as they are sitting in their blinds and you cannot even begin to imagine how full our taverns get after the sun sets! Lots of drinking and carousing going on... Just a warning: Drinking or drugging and hunting do not make good companions. Stuff happens - bad stuff happens - when sites are not set on the Kingdom of God.

Right now, it is bow season. Not so many participate in this sport.

"They do not turn to the Most High;    they are like a faulty bow." (Hosea 7:16 NIV)

Like a faulty bow that cannot hit a target, so too are all those who refuse to keep their eyes on the goal of the Kingdom. A warped bow is almost impossible to use and one whose faith is skewed will struggle mightily in their journey through the wilderness. Like a bent arrow, we might be aiming for the target, but the slightest wind will cause us to stray.

May God help us all to keep our eyes the Most High and on the target He has given us, which is His Kingdom, through Jesus Christ, our LORD.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

P.S. Just a note to thank God for all of the hunter's who are from out of our area (seasonal residents)somehow manage to make it to Zion to worship during firearm season even while sometimes local members cannot manage it.

Hosea 6 - Return and Abide with Him

"Return to the Lord. He has torn us to shreds but he will bandage our wounds and make us well. In two or three days he will heal and restore our strength that we may live with him." (Hosea 6:1-2)

Hosea reminds us today that if truly want to live in God's presence it would be most helpful to quit walking away from Him. I have never quite figured out why anyone would want to and actually believe that they would enter the kingdom of God after physical death if they do not desire to abide with him now. I'm thinking it's probably the fear of death rather than the love of God that would motivate such faithless faith.

Our heavenly Father wants you to abide with Him now - even here in this world. Wouldn't life be more pleasant now if you would only open the door instead of slamming it in His face?

"Let's do our best to know the Lord. His coming is as certain as the morning sun; He will rephresh ice like rainrenewing the earth in the springtime." (Hosea 6:3)

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. On my smartphone so hope this is readable. It is hard for me to write on such a small space and wkeyboard real keyboard.

Hosea 5 - Rebels Knee Deep

"The rebels are knee-deep in slaughter.
    I will discipline all of them.
I know all about Ephraim;
    Israel is not hidden from me.
Ephraim, you have now turned to prostitution;
    Israel is corrupt.

“Their deeds do not permit them
    to return to their God.
A spirit of prostitution is in their heart;    
    they do not acknowledge the Lord." (Hosea 5:1-4)
 

Sadly, it seems, I think a lot about and pray for rebels who are knee-deep in something... And..., again, sadly it is not in building up the house of the LORD, the Body of Christ. False gods stir up a lot of trouble in the hearts and minds of mankind. Worship of self, of ego, of anything and everything; but the LORD, brings about a lot of strife within the church on earth and indeed the whole world.

Even if we think no one knows, God knows. He sees the prostitution that is in our hearts. He sees how we love ourselves more than we love Him. He sees how we love and follow after our false gods even if it means the destruction of the church. Well, hears a bit of good news... The Church, which is the Body of Christ, cannot be destroyed. It's been tried. He is Risen! He lives! The Body of Christ is alive and well!

God's Peace - Pr. J

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

Hosea 3 - Live in the Love of the LORD

Hosea is to take Gomer, his adulterous wife, back as a sign that the LORD will receive back all who are faithless to Him.

We wander and stray, but thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ, we are always welcome in His arms. We do not have to be alone. We do not have to be constantly seeking love or acceptance from other sources; sources that never truly satisfy. The LORD love you and desires that you should be His own.

Take a break, already. Live your days in the love of the LORD.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Hosea 2 - God Leads You To The Wilderness

His beloved turn their backs to Him seeking other lovers; but, they will not be satisfied. Seeking one after another that will satisfy their longing, they will come up empty, returning to the One who loves them.

The sinful natures leads us away from the beautiful promise; but, the LORD will turn the hearts of the people to Him.

The LORD, Himself, will help us to return to Him. We do not go alone. We are like the wife who strays, whose heart is empty of genuine love, always searching for that which will fill her. But, we seek in all the wrong places. Out of love and mercy, the LORD, Himself, will come to us. He will lead us into the wilderness to make us His own.

“Therefore I am now going to allure her;
    I will lead her into the wilderness
    and speak tenderly to her.
There I will give her back her vineyards,
    and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
There she will respond as in the days of her youth,
    as in the day she came up out of Egypt.

“In that day,” declares the Lord,
    “you will call me ‘my husband’;    you will no longer call me ‘my master." (Hosea 2:14-16 NIV)

 

"I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.’
I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’;    and they will say, ‘You are my God.'" (Hos 2:23)

 

Finding yourself in the wilderness is not a time to be seeking after comfort and protection from those who do know and you do not know. It is not a time to seek other love. It is a time to rejoice for the LORD, who is your husband, is with you. He led you there that you might know Him!

 

God's Peace - Pr. J