But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always.

Hosea 12

But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always. v6

As God continues to pass judgement on to both Israel and Judah, He uses Jacob as an example of someone who struggled with his sin (deception of his father and brother - Genesis 25 and Genesis 26:34-Genesis 28), yet returned to God (see also John MacArthur's commentary).

We all sin, yet we have a God who is so full of grace and mercy that He sent His Son to die for us so that we could have freedom from the sting of sin and death.  We just need to turn from our sin towards God, and to submit to Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

The greatest gift of all time!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an amazing God You are that You are SO full of mercy and grace.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors, the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be devastated—as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.

Hosea 10

Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors, the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be devastated—as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children. v13-14

Depending on one's own strength is a sign of arrogance - that you don't need God.  This is true for most of the world and for a significant part of my life - even after I became a believer, it was true for me as well.  However, I am grateful that God has shown me that without exception we all need a savior - all of the time.

Our confidence must rest in God.

Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.  But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:5-8

My Prayer: Lord You are an awesome God who loves me and because You love me, You humbled me and show me great mercies and compassion - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The prophet, along with my God, is the watchman over Ephraim, yet snares await him on all his paths, and hostility in the house of his God.

Hosea 9

The prophet, along with my God, is the watchman over Ephraim, yet snares await him on all his paths, and hostility in the house of his God. v8

According to John MacArthur's commentary, prophets such as Ezekiel, as the appointed watchmen, delivered God's message and warning to Israel, yet these messages and warnings were ignored by Israel as they descended into wickedness and sin.

In my role as a father and husband, I often worry about whether I am doing enough as the spiritual head of my household.  To a certain extent this worry is warranted, yet my focus should be not on my worry but on my own spiritual journey with God.  The best thing I can do is to model Jesus for others, including those in my own house.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who gave me Your Son Jesus to save me, and to help me with my own walk - also giving me Your Word, the church, and so much more!  Thank You Jesus.  Yet I am undeserving of such gifts.  I worry and I miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived and senseless—now calling to Egypt, now turning to Assyria.

Hosea 7

Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived and senseless—now calling to Egypt, now turning to Assyria. v11

Unless we have God as our anchor and firm foundation, we will waver and be blown and tossed about from idol to idol.  We want to avoid being just like Ephraim (Israel) and and Judah in the days of Hosea.  

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. Hebrews 6:19

With God, we will not waver.  See also the parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awe some God who loves me and who provides with a firm foundation upon which I cannot waver - thank You Jesus!  What an amazing God You are!  I am not worth such love and such a God.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Please help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

Hosea 6

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. v6.

Yesterday, Pastor Marty gave a great sermon on chapter 6 - helping us focus on how we can avoid placing other Gods above Jesus - the one true God who is before all things and in control (Colossians 1:16-17).  

Key for me is to avoid a fake or inauthentic faith - one that has an outward appearance of faith but is weak or non-existent as a matter of the heart.  Just as God looked at David's heart vs his external appearance (1 Samuel 16:7), we should focus on our heart condition and not do what God is admonishing here in Hosea 6 - don't offer sacrifice or anything else to God as a superficial gesture.

God wants our full attention and life.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an amazing God You are that love me - even with all of my flaws and sins - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a God as I often place other gods above You.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Then I will return to my lair until they have borne their guilt and seek my face—in their misery they will earnestly seek me.

Hosea 5

Then I will return to my lair until they have borne their guilt and seek my face—in their misery they will earnestly seek me. v15

Too often, we seek God during times of trouble only.  Yet we should seek God during all times - daily.  It is during the good times when we take the time to develop a relationship with Jesus that God will do a work within us to prepare us for when times are bad.  Yet God is a mystery, and we don't how He works or what He has in store for us.  We can better understand God's will for our lives only when we strive to know Him better and His message for us - He can transform our hearts and minds to be more like Him and in that process we can be better aligned with His will.

However, there will always be those - just like during the days of Israel (Ephraim) and Judah as written in Hosea - who will ignore God's invitation to draw near to Him.  God will either allow or cause something to happen to get people's attention - this is assured either in this life, at our Judgement Day, or when Jesus returns - and you don't want to wait for either of the two latter moments to pass before You submit to Him as Your Lord and Savior.

Every knee will bow.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who bore a painful death - just so I could have live free from the sting of sin and death.  And You went willingly to the cross!  Thank You Jesus for the greatest gift of all time!  I am not worth such a gift.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The more priests there were, the more they sinned against me; they exchanged their glorious God for something disgraceful.

Hosea 4

The more priests there were, the more they sinned against me; they exchanged their glorious God for something disgraceful. v7

We may view Israel's and Judah's rejection of God as someone else's sin - but from time to time in our lives, we all choose idols over God.  Yet the story of Hosea is one of amazing grace and it is a story for us all because God offers forgiveness for even the worst of us. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who saves and You do so not because we deserve it, but because You are full of mercy and love.   Thank You for Your mercy and love.  I am not worthy of such love.  I worry.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Please help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.