Hosea

God often required extraordinary obedience from his prophets who were facing extraordinary times. Trust He knows everything has a special purpose for his request. Can you accept that the pain involved in obedience may benefit those I serve and not myself? God asks us to do our part and He is not limited to human effort. God often chooses to work through people, but only because it’s good for them; for He can accomplish all his purposes without any help from us if he chooses. We are very important to God; on our own, we have neither the ability to fulfill nor the power to disrupt God’s plans. Despite unfaithfulness, God was still faithful and merciful. He would continue to hold his arms our to his people; even to the point of placing obstacles in their wayward path to turn them back to him. “Therefore I will block her path with thorn bushes; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way. ‘I will go back to my husband (for me that’s Jesus) as at first, for then I was better off than now.’ No one will take her out of my hands. I will stop all her celebrations; her yearly festivals…Therefore I am now going to allure her into the desert and speak tenderly to her…There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the troubles a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth” (Hosea 2:6-15)
“In that day,” declares the Lord, “you will call me ‘my husband’; you will no longer call me ‘my master.’ (Hosea 2:16) Have you ever felt like taking your fear of being alone and by the strength of God; punching it in the face? When you choose Jesus as your husband first; second to none; He fills the gap in your heart that once feared. “I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord.”(Hosea 2:19-20) Before we can be prepared for the partner that God may bless us with; we first must choose to invite Him into our hearts fully and have a relationship with Him that is so abundant that it alone is more than enough. Once our cups are overflowed, then we are better positioned for the Lord to entrust us with the next step of His will. God’s wedding gift is His COMPASSION. God forgives us and makes us right with Him. There is no way for us by our own efforts to reach God’s high standard for moral and spiritual life, but he graciously accepts us, forgives us, and draws us into a relationship with himself. In that relationship we have personal and intimate communion with him.

Spiritual Unfaithfulness:
Both spiritual and physical adultery begin with disappointment and dissatisfaction-either real or imagined-with an already existing relationship. The feeling that God disappoints can lead you away from him. Feelings of disappointment and dissatisfaction are normal and, when endured, will pass. Both spiritual and physical adultery begin with diverting affection from one object of devotion to another. The diverting of our affection is the first step in the blinding process that leads to sin. Both spiritual and physical adultery involve a process of deterioration; it is not usually an impulsive decision. The process is dangerous because you don’t always realize it is happening until it is too late. Both spiritual and physical adultery involve the creation of a fantasy about what a new object of love can do for you. Such fantasy creates unrealistic expectations of what a new relationship can do and only leads to disappointment in all existing and future relationships.

“But let no man bring a charge, let no man accuse another…Because you have rejected my knowledge, I also reject you…They feed on the sins of my people and relish their wickedness. And it will be: Like people, like priests, I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.”(Hosea 4:4-9) Have you ever been falsely accused? Betrayed, rejected, judged and denied by your friends? The devil is our accuser and when man attacks another man, it leads to chaos which is Satan’s playground. Our battles are not against flesh; we are involved in spiritual battles everyday and each carry our own sin and brokenness. When we do not live in appreciation for the forgiveness, grace and mercy that we ourselves receive from God; it becomes easier to transfer our judgments and control onto other people. When you find yourself judging others; do you take a step back and recognize your own sin and immediately pray for forgiveness and restoration from the only one who can give it; Christ Himself? To assume to know the whole story or truth of another person’s heart and life is arrogant. Humility comes before honor; pride comes before a fall. Many find it easy and comfortable to maintain the appearance of being committed without deep and sincere loyalty. If you profess loyalty to God, back it up with your actions. Do you repent easily without seriously considering what changes need to take place in your life?

Obedience is far better than sacrifice. God doesn’t want sacrifices; he wants our loving loyalty. He doesn’t want offerings; he wants us to acknowledge him. God hates pretense and hypocrisy; he wants to see justice roll on like a river. God is not satisfied with offerings; he wants us to be fair and just and merciful, and to walk humbly with him. He wants us to be merciful as he is to us.

When we spend a lot of time with people, we can easily pick up their attitudes and begin to imitate their actions. When you work, live, or play with people that choose to deny God’s sovereignty; beware of the influence they may have on you. Instead of drifting into bad habits, see if you can have a positive influence and point these people to God.
It is easy to listen to a sermon and think of all the people we know who should be listening, or to read the Bible and think of those who should do what the passage teaches. The Israelites did this constantly, applying God’s laws to others but not to themselves. This is just another way to deflect God’s will and avoid making needed changes. As you think of others who need to apply what you are hearing or reading, check to see if the same application could fit you. Apply the lessons to your own life first because often our own faults are the very first ones we see in others.

Israel’s leaders vacillated between alliances with Egypt and Assyria and Hosea was saying that both were wrong. Breaking an alliance with untrustworthy Assyria and fleeing for help to the equally untrustworthy Egypt would not forestall Israel’s destruction. Their only hope was God. Have you ever vacillated between two choices or people when both were untrustworthy? Is it not better to choose your faithful God for guidance rather than the lesser of two evils? So many people settle in their choices out of fear of the unknown. Choosing to listen to God’s way is the safest choice in all situations.

We all listen and read selectively-focusing on what seems to support our present life-style, ignoring what demands a radical reordering of our priorities. In doing this, we are likely to miss the warnings we need most. Listen to people who think your approach is all wrong. Read articles that present viewpoints you would be unlikely to take. Ask yourself, “Is God speaking to me through these speakers and writers? Is there something I need to change?”
God was angry with the people of Israel for their insincere promises. Because the people did not keep their word, there were many lawsuits. People break their promises, but God always keeps his. Are you remaining true to your promises, both to other people and to God? If not, ask God for forgiveness and help to get back on track. Then be careful about the promises you make.
Never make a promise unless you are sure you can keep it.

“Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord.”(Hosea 10:12) Here Hosea envisions a plowed field, earth that is ready to receive seeds. It is no longer hard; it has been carefully prepared and is available. Is your life ready for God to work in it? Break up the unplowed ground in your heart by admitting to God your mistakes and ask Him for forgiveness. He is waiting for you to take accountability and surrender to the greatest love that awaits you.
The Israelites trusted lies and people today believe the lies. Those who want to lead others astray often follow these rules for effective lying: make it big, keep it simple; repeat it often. You can avoid falling for lies by asking: 1) am I believing this because there is personal gain in it for me? 2) Am I discounting important facts? 3) Does this conflict with a direct command of Scripture? 4) Are there any Biblical parallels to the situation I’m facing that would help me know what to believe?

“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused. I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man-the Holy One among you. “(Hosea 11:8-9) God has always loved his children as a parent loves his stubborn children and that is why he would not release them from the consequences of their behavior. God consistently provides for us, but they refused to see what he had done, and they showed no interest in thanking him. Ungratefulness is a common human fault. Many of the benefits and privileges we enjoy are the result of loving actins done long ago. Look for hidden acts of nurturing, and thank those who make the world better through their love. God’s discipline always loves, and its object is always the well-being of the beloved. When you are called to discipline others, do not be rigid. Vary your approach according to the goals you are seeking to accomplish. In each case, ask yourself, “Does this person need guidance, or to be nurtured?”(Hosea 11:4) This is important to remember especially in friendships. When you don’t agree with friends’ decisions, do you judge them harshly and interfere in an attempt to control their life or do you see that they are struggling and decide to nurture them and allow God change their behavior? “Don’t forget your humble beginnings. What you have is not a result of your own efforts, but it is yours because God has been gracious to you.”