54th Week Hosea Introduction - Chapter 3 (Click on Title for Video Introduction)

-

 
Click on Title for Video Introduction



Monday, Hosea Intro
Hosea Intro
February 25, 2017
Jeanie Boldt

THOUGHT
This book was written to illustrate God’s love for His sinful people.  The book is a love story-real, tragic and true.  Transcending the tale of a young man and wife, it tells of God’s love for His people and the response of His “bride”.  A covenant had been made, and God had been faithful.  His love was steadfast and His commitment unbroken.  But Israel, like Gomer, was adulterous and unfaithful, spurning God’s love and turning instead to false gods.  Then after warning of judgment, God reaffirmed His love and offered reconciliation.  His love and mercy were overflowing, but justice would be served.
  
Like Gomer, we chase after other loves-love of power, pleasure, money, or recognition.  The temptations in this world can be very seductive.  Are we loyal to God, remaining completely faithful, or have other loves taken His rightful place?

Disaster surely follows ingratitude toward God and rebellion.  The Lord is our only true refuge.  If we harden our hearts against Him, there is no safety or security anywhere else.  We cannot escape God’s judgment.  Have you forgotten God and become disloyal to Him?  Don’t let prosperity diminish your love for Him or let success blind you to your need for His love.  

There is still hope for those who turn back to God.  No loyalty, achievement, or honor can be compared to loving Him.  Turn to the Lord while the offer is still good.  No matter how far you have strayed, God is willing to bring you back.  

This is the book that will speak to anyone of the saving grace of Jesus Christ!! 

PRAYER                                                                 
Heavenly Father, open our hearts to sharing Your Love with anyone!!!  Help us to tell them about the unconditional love that You have for them.  May we share with them that any sin can be forgiven and washed away with the blood of our Savior.  Make us aware of the sins we commit every day and the ways that we fall short.  Help us to be strong, loving Christians.  In the Power of Jesus' Name.  AMEN

Tuesday, Hosea Chapter 1
Hosea 1
Jeanie Boldt
September 14, 2006

THOUGHT
The Three children of Hosea

The names of the three children summarize the spiritual history of Israel.

JEZREEL means “God will sow.” and refers to Jehu’s slaughter of his enemies at Jezreel (II Kings 9-10). He went too far in his zeal, and his descendants would suffer for it when Assyria would take the land. God’s judgments come, no matter how long He seems to wait.

LO-RUHAMAH means “no mercy” which is the situation of Israel today.  Although God is providentially guiding the Jewish nation, they are not enjoying God’s mercies as before.

LO-AMMI means “not my people” and speaks of God’s temporary rejection of the nation because of their sins.

We never ask for the hardships of our lives. I’m sure Hosea did not ask for his adulterous wife. Good happenings did not come of his children either. We don’t know our paths. He may ask us to do some pretty extraordinary things too. Will we follow? We must for He is the only way.

In the end God will gather His people, claim them once again, and show them mercy. The names of the children will be changed to “My People” and “Mercy”. No matter how dark the day, God promises us hope if we will return to Him in sincere repentance.

PRAYER
Father God, we pray for Your desires to be on our hearts. Whatever is Your will for our lives, we pray that in for we know that if we are there, we are right exactly where we should be. Make us joyful in the Lord. May we rejoice in God our Father.  We all have crosses that affect us in some way. Please hear our requests. Thank You for loving us and for always being there.  AMEN

Wednesday, Hosea chapter 2
Hosea 2
Verses 19 & 20
Jeanie Boldt
September 18, 2006

Verses 19 & 20:  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.

THOUGHT
Israel’s punishment and restoration are the themes of the chapter. Just as Hosea reclaimed his wife, so God will one day reclaim His people, renew His “marriage vows” and restore His people to blessing. Our Father is so forgiving. No matter how awful we think we have messed up, God is always faithful and merciful.

Spiritual adultery and physical adultery are alike in many ways, and both are dangerous. God was disappointed with His people because they had committed spiritual adultery against Him, as Gomer had committed physical adultery against Hosea. However, God used the adultery in Hosea’s case, to bring forgiveness and restore the marriage relationship. God so uses even our negative experiences to create opportunities to turn back to Him. 

We need to remember that as we face problems and trials, remember that God speaks to us in the desert and not just in times of prosperity. I guess that is why I chose these verses. I love how God, our Father, is always there and faithful. We should not be angry with Him or turn from Him. He is the one who will always be there and clothe us in righteousness and justice, love and compassion, faithfulness and peace as we acknowledge Him as our Lord and Savior.

PRAYER
Father God, please forgive us where we have failed You and others. Thank You for Your faithfulness and forgiveness. Thank You for giving us the gift of mercy and grace through Your love so that we too can forgive ourselves and others. Help us to live today as if we were becoming your bride tonight.  Be with us in our careers and our daily routine. Thank You for the strength that we receive through You.  AMEN



Thursday, Hosea Chapter 3
Hosea 3
Verse 1
Heather Williams
September 18, 2006

Verse 1:  The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the flagons of wine.”

THOUGHT
I have to say that Hosea is such an amazing story to me. The first time I heard this story was at a winter retreat in college. The guest speaker spoke on this book, but he put it in today’s context. It was such a moving story that he told; I couldn’t even imagine such a situation. Then he revealed that he had just taken the story of Hosea and Gomer and put it into the context of today’s world. It was definitely moving and really made an impression on me. 

I can’t even imagine what selflessness and humbleness and sacrificial love it had to have taken Hosea to go after Gomer and bring her back and love her. He went back to his wife, who had been so unfaithful over and over toward him, and even had to pay to get her back.  I don’t know about you, but my human nature would say ‘Forget you. You don’t deserve me. Slavery is exactly where you deserve to be.’  However, Hosea was able to obey God, and go get his wife and love her. 

This is such an amazing picture of how much God loves us. What a great analogy. God loves us so much, no matter what we do, no matter how often we turn away from Him and turn towards other gods.  No matter how terrible we are to Him, God is willing to buy us back - to redeem us - and to lift us up again. He does it with LOVE! Wow! Now that is LOVE!!

PRAYER
I think the words of the praise song Amazing Love say it best. 
Lord,
  “Amazing Love, How can it be? That you my King would die for me? 
   Amazing Love, I know it’s true. And it’s my joy to honor You, 
   In all we do, we honor You.”
Lord, may we live our lives in honor to You. You deserve so much more, but we offer that to You. AMEN


Friday, Quiet Time 
Watch and listen to Amazing Love on YouTube by the Newsboys



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

210th Week, Song of Songs Chapters 5-8 (Click on Title for Video Intro)

-
Image
  Click of Title for Video Intro Monday, Song of Songs Chapter 5 Song of Solomon 5  Jane Jones THOUGHT The Book of Song of Solomon is really a truly amazing, love story. Solomon was very much in love; and just the fact that it is in the Bible, I think is truly amazing. It is a for sure fact that God definitely wants love to be first and foremost in our lives, first of Him, secondly for our spouse, and thirdly for our children. Chapter 5 tells us about a bad dream that Solomon’s lover had. Part of it referred to reaching out to her lover in the night, and he was gone. It was like a nightmare to her.  I’m sure we have all experienced nightmares at one time or other about our marriages, partners, or children. No matter what the nightmare, we do wake up in the morning to find that things are okay. That God has not left or forsaken us. We all have been praying so often, so hard, and so much for the Ruden Family. Our hope was that their house would sell soon, that Alan would fi...
Read more

3rd Week, II Thessalonians

-
Image
Week Three, II Thessalonians  Monday, Introduction II Thessalonians Intro Jeanie Boldt THOUGHT This letter was written by Paul about 2 months after he had sent the first letter to Thessalonica. Many in the church were confused about the timing of Christ’s return. Many thought that He could come at any moment so they stopped working for the Lord and just waited. Adding fuel to the fire was the continued persecution of the church. Many felt that indeed this must be the “Day of the Lord”. Responding quickly, Paul sent a second letter to this young church. In it he gave further instruction concerning the second coming and the day of the Lord. The letter begins with Paul’s trademark greeting. He mentions their perseverance in spite of their persecution and trials and uses this situation to broach the subject of Christ’s return. Paul shared that at this time Christ will vindicate the righteous who endure and will punish the wicked. We are closer to Christ’s second coming than the Thessal...
Read more

201st Week, II Kings Chapters 5-9 (Click on the Title for Video Introduction)

-
Image
  Click on Title for Video Intro Monday, II Kings Chapter 5 II Kings 5 Verse 13 Jane Jones Verse 13:  But his servants caught up with him and said, “Father, if the prophet had asked you to do something hard and heroic, wouldn’t you have done it? So why not this simple ‘wash and be clean’?” THOUGHT Why do we think that everything great that comes from God is huge, impressive, hard and heroic? Obedience to God begins with humility. These first five chapters have been such great lessons on humility. We must believe that His way is better than our own. We may not always understand His ways of working, but by humbly obeying, we will receive His blessings. We must remember that (1)God’s ways are best; (2)God wants our obedience more than anything else;  (3)God can use anything to accomplish His purposes. The only thing that Naaman had to do to have his leprosy washed away is similar to what we must do to have our sin washed away -- humbly accept God’s mercy. We need to be humbl...
Read more