True Repentance…..

True repentance leads to a deeper knowledge of and more intimacy with God. It’s God Who calls us, so we must respond when called. While there is still time, give God your heart, for He is merciful and compassionate. He’s eager to forgive. Never forget this.

12 That is why the Lord says,“Turn to Me now, while there is time.Give Me your hearts.Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.13 Don’t tear your clothing in your grief,but tear your hearts instead.”Return to the Lord your God,for He is merciful and compassionate,slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.He is eager to relent and not punish. Joel 2:12-13

Jesus Is So Much More….

Jesus is so much more than we will ever know. What we do know should be enough to convince us to trust and serve Him faithfully. There is no authority higher, for He is ruler of all the kings of the world. He is the pioneer, the first, to rise from the dead (and not die again). Which means there will be a second and a third, and ..... He has freed us. In that freedom we thrive, and live life to His glory. He is our chief focus in life, and our Authority for everything. We need to go to Him for guidance, clarity, and answers to our questions. He is “the Google” in our search engine of life. He is the First, the Now, and the “Will be” (forever) of life. He holds the keys of life and death. Never forget Who Jesus is, and what He’s done. He is the recipient of our praise and gratitude. Give it to Him today. You won’t regret it.

4 This letter is from John to the seven churches in the province of Asia.Grace and peace to you from the One who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before His throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world.All glory to Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding His blood for us. Revelation 1:4-5

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega–the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the One who is, who always was, and who is still to come–the Almighty One.” Revelation 1:8

I am the living One. I died, but look–I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. Revelation 1:18

Pride and Humility….

These two characteristics diametrically oppose each other. There’s no other way to see it. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Pride turns our focus inward. It says, “look what I did”. It turns our attention away from others, away from God. Humility, on the other hand does the opposite. It turns our focus upward. It says, “look what God did”. It takes our focus off of ourselves and onto others. No wonder why God hates arrogance and pride. It’s a logical response. You’d feel the same way if you had children, raised them, loved them, dedicated your life to them, and then they left you to never return, for no reason of you’re doing. Pride and humility need our attention. One needs to be kept in check with the other.

23 Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor. Proverbs 29:23

Live Under His Shade….

It all comes down to each individual human being finding and serving God. God grants faith to those who seek Him whole-heartedly. God’s ways are best. When we walk in them, we flourish and thrive. “We live under His shade”. When we try to live in our selfish ways (without Him), we stumble and fall, and are constantly seeking relief from the heat of the day. Rest in God, and He will provide all the relief you need.

Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,for your sins have brought you down.2 Bring your confessions, and return to the Lord.Say to Him,“Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us,so that we may offer You our praises.3 Assyria cannot save us,nor can our warhorses.Never again will we say to the idols we have made,‘You are our gods.’No, in You alone do the orphans find mercy.” 4 The Lord says,“Then I will heal you of your faithlessness;My love will know no bounds,for My anger will be gone forever.5 I will be to Israellike a refreshing dew from heaven.Israel will blossom like the lily;it will send roots deep into the soillike the cedars in Lebanon.6 Its branches will spread out like beautiful olive trees,as fragrant as the cedars of Lebanon.7 My people will again live under My shade.They will flourish like grain and blossom like grapevines.They will be as fragrant as the wines of Lebanon. 8 “O Israel, stay away from idols!I am the One who answers your prayers and cares for you.I am like a tree that is always green;all your fruit comes from Me.” 9 Let those who are wise understand these things.Let those with discernment listen carefully.The paths of the Lord are true and right,and righteous people live by walking in them.But in those paths sinners stumble and fall. Hosea 14:1-9

Merely From A Human Point of View…

How often do we see things from ‘merely from a human point of view’? We live on earth. We live with other human beings. We are constantly bombarded with messages telling us we can’t be happy unless we ___________. Everyone has an opinion, and they all matter (not). Why would we see ‘merely from a human point of view’? Because it’s natural. It’s not until we repent, are forgiven, and empty ourselves, that spiritual sight is given. And it’s only God Who performs this transformation. When spiritual sight is granted (only by God), our interpretation of things goes from temporal and tainted, towards eternal, real, and true. Praise God for spiritual insight. It changes everything.

21 From then on Jesus began to tell His disciples plainly that it was necessary for Him to go to Jerusalem, and that He would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day He would be raised from the dead.22 But Peter took Him aside and began to reprimand Him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to You!”23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from Me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to Me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it.26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?27 For the Son of Man will come with His angels in the glory of His Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.28 And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom.” Matthew 16:21-28

14 So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city.15 When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha.16 “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” 17 Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.18 As the Aramean army advanced toward him, Elisha prayed, “O Lord, please make them blind.” So the Lord struck them with blindness as Elisha had asked. 2 Kings 6:14-18

Be Careful What You Ask For…..

How much is ever said about God when He gave Israel a king? He didn’t want to, but He did. It began the downfall of Israel. It took a few years, but it was Israel’s downfall. Our dependence on God is paramount. No man can lead us like God can. Yet God granted them their wish. Why did He do it? Why would He give them something that would eventually be there downfall? Only He can answer that. But one obvious reason is His great love for them. The only way for them to truly love God back is for them to learn that nothing can take His place. In order for Israel to do that, they had to learn that having a king wouldn’t replace God. And God did just that. Be careful what you ask for, God knows us better than we know ourselves. The very thing you petition God for, might just be the very thing that teaches you this very lesson. Trust Him with everything, it’s what we are created to do.

11 In My anger I gave you kings,and in My fury I took them away. Hosea 13:11

Once You’re Satisfied and Full….

The problem with prosperity is simple: once you’re satisfied and full, chances are you’ll become proud. And we all know where pride leads; to a fall. The danger of pride is forgetting God. Once that happens, life loses its meaning and purpose.

4 “I have been the Lord your God ever since I brought you out of Egypt.You must acknowledge no God but Me,for there is no other savior.5 I took care of you in the wilderness,in that dry and thirsty land.6 But when you had eaten and were satisfied, you became proud and forgot Me. Hosea 13:4-6

Sin is Sin….

Sin is sin. It says in James that if you break one of the 10 commandments, you’re guilty of breaking them all. As believers, how are we to deal with sinful behavior? Are we to embrace it, accept it, encourage and applaud it? No, definitely not. But the world says we should. We are to show mercy to those who have wavering faith. We are to rescue those on the cusp of the wrong side of judgement. But we are to do all of this with great caution. Why? Because if we don’t take sin seriously, it will begin to contaminate our lives. Once that happens, major spiritual surgery will be required to bring you back. And it will be an extremely painful process. “Hate the sin, love the sinner”, we’ve all heard it, but in the process we must never compromise and start tolerating behavior that God calls sinful. If we do, we will suffer right along with those committing the offenses to God. “Don’t judge”, you’ve heard this too, but without good ‘judgement’ how are we supposed to recognize sin? We are not condemning anyone, their sin has already done that. Their behavior offends God. Our message is one of salvation. Our message is one of rescue. Our message points others back to God, the only solution to the sin problem. Apply this principle to your life, and to all the modern day controversial issues being promoted as normal behavior. It’s not healthy to promote sinful behavior. Anyone that tries to tell you it is, is blind to the truth, and is against God.

And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. 23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives. Jude 1:22-23

2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2

Like Unthinking Animals….

You wonder why people, who disregard God, act and behave in a manner that goes against simple common sense. Their minds are darkened. If you read Romans chapter one, you’ll get a good idea. Here in Jude, we read that people who don’t understand God’s ways or His word, act like unthinking animals. They do whatever their instincts tell them. If you give this some deep thought, people who think like animals, having no morality, or sense of right and wrong, must behave like animals because “they know not what they do”. Have you ever witnessed an animal apologizing to his owner for chewing up his shoe? Or a lion apologizing to the baby gazelle’s mother for eating it? Of course not. Animals behave like animals because they are unthinking. They are not human. Animals act out of instinct, not conscience. God haters do the same thing. They are only concerned about one thing, oneself. When someone takes the Bible and uses it for selfish gain, they are a false teacher, a deceiver; someone who needs to be exposed with the truth. It’s our job to expose counterfeits in the world, especially in the church. We do it by knowing the Real Thing. Being spiritually blind is a choice, you either want to know God, or you don’t. Your belief system drives your behavior. You can’t be something you’re not, at least not for very long. You will know a tree by the fruit it bears. By understanding why people do what they do, helps us treat them more kindly. But when they oppose God and truth, and spread false beliefs within the church, they need to be pruned, called out, and kicked out.

10 But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction. 11 What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion. Jude 1:10-11

What Are Man’s Limits….

I wonder sometimes of what the limits of God’s authority really are. The angels have them. When they did not stay within these limits, God chained them in prisons of darkness. What are man’s limits when it comes to God’s authority? I wonder what the consequences are for him, when he trespasses beyond the “acceptable range”. Why is it that man wants to exceed these limits? Maybe it’s his sinful nature? His tendency to not want to be told what to do? His desire to be like God on his own terms? The key point here is man has boundaries. God placed them there. When man crosses those boundaries, he steps into the role of God, and treads in deep water. The water is so deep and turbulent, that he’s not capable of sustaining his buoyancy. When he starts to drown and wonders why he’s in this predicament, he’s realizes he has only two choices. One, Cry out to God with a repentant heart, full of contrition, asking to be rescued. Or two, he can nash his teeth in bitterness, and curse God for his own transgressions that were self-inflicted. Crossing the limits of God’s granted authority will always have consequences. When we choose to live within that realm, we find purpose, dignity, and life.

6 And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment. Jude 1:6

Know Him Personally….

In order to defend our Biblical faith, we must first know it thoroughly. We must study it daily, and practice it minute by minute. Why? Because that’s how we come to know the Author of our faith personally. Then and only then, we will be able to defend it invincibly, because He Who wrote History, will speak through us with the truth that’s undeniable.

3 Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to His holy people. 4 I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Jude 1:3-4

A Daily Prayer…..

This should be a daily prayer for the believer who pursues God. It’s honest. It’s humble. It shows us where our true loyalty lies. It’s willing to accept change, adapt, makes necessary adjustments in our character that draws us closer to matching our position in Christ with our practice of working out our salvation. Try praying this prayer, and watch what it does to your attitude. Aligning your spirit with God’s heart never leaves a person without direction, or without hope.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.24 Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalms 139:23-24

Putting Your Shoes Far Underneath Your Bed….

What does God want from us? What is it exactly He wants us to do? Throughout the OT, and the NT as well, it’s clear. We just need to take the time to read it, injest it, and make it part of our every day life. It’s an attitude more than anything else. And it starts with the decision to follow God no matter the cost. Love God and others. Do justice. And depend on Him for all things, not trying to do it in your own strength. Pretty clear, isn’t it? I once heard a famous actor say, “every night when you go to bed, make sure you put your shoes far underneath the bed, so when you get up in the morning, in order to reach them, you have to get on your knees”. Hopefully when you’re in that position, you’re acknowledging your dependence and love for God.

6 So now, come back to your God. Act with love and justice, and always depend on Him. Hosea 12:6

One Person’s Hypocritical Behavior….

One piece of advice I have always given people is to never allow one person’s behavior form your entire view of a group of people, such as a church. You cannot allow one person’s hypocritical behavior to form your opinion on everyone you categorize in that group. It happens all the time. I could give examples, but I think you understand. In the same way, we cannot allow bad things happening in the world to stop us from continuing to do good. Ask God today to strengthen you in this area, it’ll make a world of difference in your attitude.

Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God. 3 John 1:11

Spoiled Milk….

Here’s a joke that contains this proverb in it. You can use it to get your point across, then acknowledge that it comes from the wisest man to ever live. What do you get from a pampered cow? Spoiled milk.

21 A servant pampered from childhood will become a rebel. Proverbs 29:21

His Will and His Delight….

For those who haven’t made up their mind about when life actually starts, this passage should clarify the confusion. If a fetus (Latin for baby) has two human parents, and it’s growing, then it’s an alive, human being. And if a doctor can perform surgery by removing it from its mother’s womb, then place it back for it to born at its natural time, at what point does it become human? Truth is, once life begins, we need to value it, not because we place value on it by wanting it, but because God watches the development and records it in His book. It’s His will and His delight for babies to be born.

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my bodyand knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous–how well I know it. 15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. Psalms 139:13-16

When We Do the Right Thing…

When we do the right thing, by honoring and following God, we are made right with Him. This changes a man’s attitude by freeing him from the guilt and shame that comes with selfish, and sinful behavior. It clears your conscience, freeing up more space in your head to concentrate and give more of yourself to loving and serving God, and others. Success and accomplishments are more readily available to those who do right.

12 I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness,and you will harvest a crop of love.Plow up the hard ground of your hearts,for now is the time to seek the Lord,that He may comeand shower righteousness upon you.’ Hosea 10:12

The True Test of a Man’s Character….

The true test of a man’s character is not how he handles adversity, many can do that. The true test of His character is how he handles prosperity. Take lottery winners for instance. Most (I don’t know the exact %, but it’s really high) lottery winners within 2 years are back to where they were before they won it. As a matter of fact, many of them are below the financial level they lived before their gain of wealth. Turn on your TV, most reality shows are about wealthy people. Their inability to handle the change in financial status along with their change in social status, leads to the only growth that matches this increase of economic gain, the size of their head. They seek out things the Bible calls evil, in order to bring comfort to them, or help them cope with this new found lifestyle. Psychics, mediums, card readers, are all visited by the wealthy, more so than the poor. The wealthy love life on earth, Heaven scares them, because they fear it might not be as good as life is here. Therefore they abandon God, altogether. Jesus did say, “it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter Heaven”, for a reason. Prosperity tends to distort our views on things, reverting our focus more onto ourselves rather than helping others. Does this hold true to all people? No, but I would say for every 100 people that can handle adversity and overcome it, there’s one that can handle prosperity. And yet here in America, most people’s number one goal in life is to get rich; something they won’t be able to handle if it were to come to fruition.

1 How prosperous Israel is–a luxuriant vine loaded with fruit. But the richer the people get,the more pagan altars they build. The more bountiful their harvests, the more beautiful their sacred pillars.2 The hearts of the people are fickle; they are guilty and must be punished. The Lord will break down their altars and smash their sacred pillars. Hosea 10:1-2

The Saddest and Scariest Thought….

The saddest and scariest thought I could ever have is God abandoning me. Thankfully, I don’t ever have to face that. Since God says, He will never leave you or forsake you”, I can continue to pursue God with confidence, because knowing God doesn’t break His promises, sets me free from the fear that paralyzes people. Knowing this truth, frees my mind up to pursue that which God graces me with. Does it have the same effect on you?

12 Even if you do have children who grow up, I will take them from you. It will be a terrible day when I turn away and leave you alone. Hosea 9:12

The Bible is Relevant…..

Reading through the book of Hosea, I can’t help but see the relevance in today’s society. Unbelievers call believers crazy. They call those who speak truth and are faithful to God fools. They set traps for believers in all areas. Believers even face hostility in their own churches. Some examples of these are when a member of your church tells everyone that if you value life and oppose things that violate God’s law, you are not a Christian (yes, I’m not exaggerating). Or when you refuse to bake a cake because it goes against your biblical values, you get sued. Not only sued, but taken to the Supreme Court. When you win the decision, the same day (which should be celebratory), some vile, nasty unbelievers ask you to bake a cake with disgusting things on it, and when you refuse, sue you again. Why is it that people, who don’t even acknowledge God’s existence, or even think He’s a fairy tale, hate Him so much that they will treat others with violent contempt? They hate truth, hate God, and hate people who follow Him. Anyone who sides with God, they want to take down. Just recently, the state of California drew up a bill to ban the Bible (really, I’m serious). There was a principal in Nebraska that banned all candy canes (at Christmas time) from the elementary school because the J cane shape represents Jesus. When people say the Bible isn’t relevant, they are the blind ones, content with stumbling around, thinking that’s how life is lived. The Bible is relevant. Time is irrelevant. Times change, but truth and the nature of man stay the same. How are we to live, make accurate judgements, and be able to refute lies, without a consistent, objective basis? We can’t. And those who oppose God are learning it, through trial and error. Most of the time, when it’s too late, and after the fact.

7 The time of Israel’s punishment has come;the day of payment is here.Soon Israel will know this all too well. Because of your great sin and hostility, you say, “The prophets are crazy and the inspired men are fools!”8 The prophet is a watchman over Israel for my God, yet traps are laid for him wherever he goes.He faces hostility even in the house of God.9 The things my people do are as depraved as what they did in Gibeah long ago. God will not forget. He will surely punish them for their sins. Hosea 9:7-9

In Light of the Truth….

Don’t encourage people who teach anything untrue about Christ. If you do, you become a partner in their evil work. We are not to give any cooperation to anyone spreading lies about Jesus, but that doesn’t mean we do it without being gentle and respectful. This applies to all the false preachers and teachers out there. They are getting rich off false doctrine. They play on the ignorance of those that don’t take the time to pursue God for themselves, and thus fall into the trap of deception. There are many popular preachers out there, spreading these lies. I hope you have the true sense of knowing how to spot these counterfeits? You will know the difference (pretty quick), when you study the Real Thing. False doctrines crumble when they are examined in the light of real Truth. They simply can’t compare.

10 If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. 11 Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work. 2 John 1:10-11

A Secure, Stable, Solid Foundation….

If you built your house on a fault line in California, do you think you’d ever be 100% confident it would last your entire lifetime? Probably not, if you’re a rational, common sense person. It’s the same for what we believe and how we live our lives. If God is an afterthought or absent in our life, how can we be confident or certain of the things we do? Knowing you’re living by your own determination, and living life based on whatever you believe is right, it cannot bring security, peace, or hope that satisfies the soul. It can only bring temporary satisfaction, because you know at any time, that unstable ground underneath your house could crumble to the ground, leaving you homeless, having all your earthly treasures destroyed. Building your life upon Jesus, is like building your house upon an indestructible foundation. It brings hope, confidence, and security, because you know nothing can destroy it. The winds come, the earth quakes, the storms may batter the house, but the foundation won’t crack; it won’t allow what’s resting upon it to crumble. I’ve been in bad storms before, camping in the mountains in terrible thunderstorms. It’s not fun. It’s scary. I don’t seek those types of experiences out. But if I’m ever in those situations in life, I know what my house is built upon. I know Jesus is the foundation of my life. With that knowledge, I move forward knowing with Him, I can weather the storm. And the best part about it is this: when it sunny and beautiful outside, I can enjoy it more, because I’m not wasting any thoughts or energy on the “what ifs” in life, creating anxiety or worry. Jesus frees me from the harmful effects of these human maladies. What are you building your house upon? Solid rock? Or unstable sand?

24 “Anyone who listens to My teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.26 But anyone who hears My teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at His teaching, 29 for He taught with real authority–quite unlike their teachers of religious law. Matthew 7:24-29

Weak, Fragile, and Insecure….

I have a friend who always tells me, “we (humanity) are all weak, fragile, and insecure”. To prove this statement’s accuracy, I’ll ask a question. Why is it that when we tell someone we will do something, and we are met with uncertainty (the other person not believing that we won’t do what we say), we almost always swear or try to say something else in order to convince them? Usually it’s, “I swear to God”, or “I swear on my mother’s grave”. Sound familiar? This is just one example of our attempts to gain acceptance from others. Think about how many areas in our lives that we do this. Why do we do this? Insecurity. It’s that simple. Until we can admit that we are “weak, fragile, and insecure”, we will continue to make these statements trying to get others to believe us, trying to gain their acceptance. It’s a losing battle. And it always will be. Why not strive for God’s acceptance? That’s where true security comes from. That’s where weakness is turned into strength. That’s where fragility be comes a strong foundation in which we build our lives upon. Honesty is important. Seek it out. As it says in today’s passage, simply let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’, and your ‘no’ be ‘no’. God is where we find our strength and security.

33 “You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’34 But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne.35 And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is His footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King.36 Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black.37 Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one. Matthew 5:33-37

When We Plant the Wind…

When people live for themselves, and plot evil, live in wickedness, and have no reverence for God or truth, they reap what they sow, and then wonder why negative things happen to them. They are incapable of innocence. They have no answers, and soon no hope. The irony of all of this is that when you serve yourself, it’s a self-defeating lifestyle. As today’s scripture says, “when you plant the wind, you will harvest the whirlwind”. You don’t plant seeds that produce apple trees, but expect oranges to come from them. How we live matters.

How long will you be incapable of innocence? 6 This calf you worship, O Israel,was crafted by your own hands!It is not God!Therefore, it must be smashed to bits. 7 “They have planted the wind and will harvest the whirlwind. The stalks of grain wither and produce nothing to eat. And even if there is any grain, foreigners will eat it. Hosea 8:5c-7 How long will you be incapable of innocence?6 This calf you worship, O Israel,was crafted by your own hands!It is not God!Therefore, it must be smashed to bits. 7 “They have planted the windand will harvest the whirlwind.The stalks of grain witherand produce nothing to eat.And even if there is any grain,foreigners will eat it.8 The people of Israel have been swallowed up;they lie among the nations like an old discarded pot.9 Like a wild donkey looking for a mate,they have gone up to Assyria.The people of Israel have sold themselves–sold themselves to many lovers.10 But though they have sold themselves to many allies,I will now gather them together for judgment.Then they will writheunder the burden of the great king. 11 “Israel has built many altars to take away sin,but these very altars became places for sinning!12 Even though I gave them all My laws,they act as if those laws don’t apply to them.13 The people of Israel love their rituals of sacrifice,but to Me their sacrifices are all meaningless.I will hold My people accountable for their sins,and I will punish them.They will return to Egypt.14 Israel has forgotten its Maker and built great palaces,and Judah has fortified its cities.Therefore, I will send down fire on their citiesand will burn up their fortresses.” Hosea 8:5c-14

Not Sensitive to Sin….

Here is a picture of what happens to those who are not sensitive to sin. God is watching, He can’t be fooled. People who turn against or away from God are like an “oven that is kept hot”. They are as “worthless as a half-baked cake”. They become like “silly, witless doves”. They tell lies about God, and have insincere hearts. They are as “useless as a crooked bow”. I don’t know about you but I know I don’t ever want to be insincere, worthless, useless, wandering around on my own, trying to figure things out by trying every method known to man, but getting zero results, no peace, and have no truth. When people love wickedness, and are not sensitive to sin, there is no room for God, which leads to a meaningless life.

1 “I want to heal Israel, but its sins are too great.Samaria is filled with liars.Thieves are on the insideand bandits on the outside!2 Its people don’t realizethat I am watching them.Their sinful deeds are all around them,and I see them all. 3 “The people entertain the king with their wickedness,and the princes laugh at their lies.4 They are all adulterers,always aflame with lust.They are like an oven that is kept hotwhile the baker is kneading the dough.5 On royal holidays, the princes get drunk with wine,carousing with those who mock them.6 Their hearts are like an ovenblazing with intrigue.Their plot smolders through the night,and in the morning it breaks out like a raging fire.7 Burning like an oven,they consume their leaders.They kill their kings one after another,and no one cries to Me for help. 8 “The people of Israel mingle with godless foreigners,making themselves as worthless as a half-baked cake!9 Worshiping foreign gods has sapped their strength,but they don’t even know it.Their hair is gray,but they don’t realize they’re old and weak.10 Their arrogance testifies against them,yet they don’t return to the Lord their God or even try to find Him. 11 “The people of Israel have become like silly, witless doves,first calling to Egypt, then flying to Assyria for help.12 But as they fly about,I will throw My net over themand bring them down like a bird from the sky.I will punish them for all the evil they do. 13 “What sorrow awaits those who have deserted Me!Let them die, for they have rebelled against Me.I wanted to redeem them,but they have told lies about Me.14 They do not cry out to Me with sincere hearts.Instead, they sit on their couches and wail.They cut themselves, begging foreign gods for grain and new wine,and they turn away from Me.15 I trained them and made them strong,yet now they plot evil against Me.16 They look everywhere except to the Most High.They are as useless as a crooked bow.Their leaders will be killed by their enemiesbecause of their insolence toward Me.Then the people of Egyptwill laugh at them. Hosea 7:1-16

Works Make Me Righteous….

The most important goal or behavior a Christian should be most concerned with is keeping God First in his/her life. Believers cannot allow anything to come between your relationship with God. I’m not talking about religion, or becoming religious. I’m talking about not allowing your selfishness and pride to become paramount in your life, surpassing God’s rightful place in your heart. When you truly serve God, doing for and helping others, is the natural by-product that comes. When God is your priority, your attitude and actions align with His will and great things get accomplished. Having God First in your life actually prevents oneself from being “religious”. It’s only when pride and selfishness are allowed the top priority in your life that it becomes a “works makes me righteous” game of religiosity. Clear space in your heart, all of it actually, for God to take His rightful place as Lord of your life. It’s what the Bible is all about. And it’s what the world craves, without truly knowing what it wants or how to get it.

Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. 1 John 5:21

Overcome Through Faith….

I struggle with dealing with the world. If I ever watch the news or read something on social media, it gets to me. I don’t exactly know why I let it bother me, but I do. Maybe I’m no different than other human beings. If you want to legitimize something you want others to agree in order to make yourself feel better. You can’t force agreement, yet that’s exactly our goal, so we try anyway. I wonder what’s an effective way to deal with the world? The Bible says we overcome the world through our faith. That means that our trust in God gives us the proper attitude. When we see wrong being done, or we are mistreated, we want to retaliate, get even. But God says, “vengeance is mine, I will repay”. So our faith keeps us from trying to get even, by giving up our right to get even. It’s called forgiveness; the very thing God has done for us, and commands us to do for others. Our faith overcomes the world by aligning our “thinking” and in turn determines our actions (behavior). The world takes notice when our behavior contradicts man’s natural tendencies. It’s odd, or bizarre to some witnessing a believer doing what the Bible tells us to do, but it will be either a powerful witness to, or a strong conviction against, whomever is the recipient of our action. When I find myself getting worked up about the ways of the world, I have to lay aside what I feel, and focus on what I know to be true, God’s word. Then I need to ask God to renew my spirit with the right kind of thinking (Romans 12:2). This is how faith overcomes the world, and it’s a daily, moment by moment process, not something you do once a week on Sunday.

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves His children, too. 2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey His commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 5:1-5

Simply, Just Words….

Without God, nothing meaningful is possible. You can jump through hoops, walk on hot coals, give eloquent speeches, or even speak truth, but without God’s involvement (conviction), it won’t convert a lost rebellious soul. Yes, words matter, but if they are not used with God’s intent and through His power, they are simply just that, words.

19 Words alone will not discipline a servant;the words may be understood, but they are not heeded. Proverbs 29:19

The First Cause In Life….

How much more does the believer know about God than the unbeliever? And even that doesn’t even scratch the surface of fully knowing God. Here’s the takeaway, what little we do know, because of our pursuit of Him, it makes all the difference in the world on how it affects our attitude, the way we live, and how we handle prosperity and adversity. God is the First Cause in life. His grace is sufficient. When you pursue Him with all of your heart, you begin to see His greatness, and it’s effect on your life. What a comfort, one that the world cannot give us.

O Lord, You have examined my heart and know everything about me.2 You know when I sit down or stand up.You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.You know everything I do.4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.5 You go before me and follow me.You place Your hand of blessing on my head.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,too great for me to understand! 7 I can never escape from Your Spirit!I can never get away from Your presence!8 If I go up to heaven, You are there;if I go down to the grave, You are there.9 If I ride the wings of the morning,if I dwell by the farthest oceans,10 even there Your hand will guide me,and Your strength will support me.11 I could ask the darkness to hide meand the light around me to become night–12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from You.To You the night shines as bright as day.Darkness and light are the same to You. 13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my bodyand knit me together in my mother’s womb.14 Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex!Your workmanship is marvelous–how well I know it.15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.16 You saw me before I was born.Every day of my life was recorded in Your book.Every moment was laid outbefore a single day had passed. 17 How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God.They cannot be numbered!18 I can’t even count them;they outnumber the grains of sand!And when I wake up,You are still with me! Psalms 139:1-18

Call Me When You Need Me, NOT…..

God is not a genie in a bottle. He is not One to show up only when bad times come. He isn’t a good luck charm, or a “call Me when you need Me” kind of relationship. From the very beginning, God tells us to seek Him with all of our heart. That means we are to pursue Him daily, moment by moment. We are to think about Him, talk to Him, be like Him, and weigh the world on His scale minute by minute, day after day, until we meet Him face to face in eternity. Being a believer comes with an attitude, it’s a mindset, a relationship with the Almighty. It’s not a mystical power that we can drum up when times are bad. If you have this type of attitude, you don’t really know God; at least not the God of the Bible. Your willingness to honor God and be loyal to Him is the reason He chooses you to begin with. Does this sound like the God you serve?

I know what you are like, O Ephraim.You cannot hide yourself from Me, O Israel.You have left Me as a prostitute leaves her husband;you are utterly defiled.4 Your deeds won’t let you return to your God.You are a prostitute through and through,and you do not know the Lord. 5 “The arrogance of Israel testifies against her;Israel and Ephraim will stumble under their load of guilt.Judah, too, will fall with them.6 When they come with their flocks and herdsto offer sacrifices to the Lord,they will not find Him,because He has withdrawn from them.7 They have betrayed the honor of the Lord,bearing children that are not His.Now their false religion will devour them along with their wealth. Hosea 5:3-7

15 Then I will return to My place until they admit their guilt and turn to Me. For as soon as trouble comes, they will earnestly search for Me.” Hosea 5:15

3 Oh, that we might know the Lord!Let us press on to know Him.He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawnor the coming of rains in early spring.” Hosea 6:3

6 I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices.I want you to know Me more than I want burnt offerings.7 But like Adam, you broke My covenant and betrayed My trust. Hosea 6:6-7

Real or Not…..

How do we know if someone is a real believer and not a false prophet? How they view Jesus is the ultimate test. Do they know Him? Or just about Him? Over time, you will see in their behavior, the fruits of the Spirit; love being the key. And you’ll see Jesus in them. Our view of Jesus, and the love He gives us, should be accurate and on display for all to see. It’s what sets the true believer apart from all the counterfeits.

Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. 2 This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. 3 But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 5 Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. 6 But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception. Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.9 God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. 10 This is real love–not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is brought to full expression in us.13 And God has given us His Spirit as proof that we live in Him and He in us. 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love.God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face Him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love. 19 We love each other because He loved us first.20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And He has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters. 1 John 4