Forgotten Books of the Bible - Hosea 11 - Family

 

' When Israel was a child, I loved him, and

out of Egypt I called my son. The more they

were called, the more they went away; they

kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning

offerings to idols. Yet it was I who taught

Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their

arms, but they did not know that I healed

them. I led them with cords of kindness,

with the bands of love, and I became to them

as one who eases the yoke on their

jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them.

Hosea 11:1-4 https://my.bible.com/bible/59/HOS.11.1-4

 The passage today made me think of family. As you can see from the pictures above, my family is huge and the pictures are missing my youngest daughter, three of my grandkids, a future grandkid and great-grandchild expected to arrive in February!

I think the older I get the more I reminisce about the past. I love my family, and just like our Father in Heaven, I want the best for them. It pains me when I see them suffer and I rejoice when they rejoice. 

My ultimate desire for them is to grow in their knowledge of God, their Heavenly Father, his Son Jesus Christ, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit as they navigate life. I cannot count the number of days my primary prayer is about their relationship with the Lord.

I have such limited things I can do to impact my kids' life now that they are adults. My prayers will have to do. I trust the Lord so I know prayers are enough. 

Dear Heavenly Father, 

I love my family so much. You know my greatest desire is for them to know you, love you, and trust you. I know the answers to their problems and the daily trials they face rest with you. Please Lord, reveal yourself to them, open their eyes and soften their hearts so that they will draw closer to you each day. 

Amen!

Forgotten Books of the Bible - Hosea - 13

 

'When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling;

he was exalted in Israel, but he incurred guilt

through Baal and died. And now they sin more

and more, and make for themselves metal images,

idols skillfully made of their silver, all of them

the work of craftsmen. It is said of them,

“Those who offer human sacrifice kiss calves!”

Therefore they shall be like the morning mist or

like the dew that goes early away, like the chaff

that swirls from the threshing floor or like

smoke from a window. '

Hosea 13:1-3 https://my.bible.com/bible/59/HOS.13.1-3

Forgotten Books of the Bible - Hosea - 12

 

'“So you, by the help of your God, return,

hold fast to love and justice, and wait

continually for your God.” ' Hosea 12:6 https://my.bible.com/bible/59/HOS.12.6

I am constantly amazed at how simple God has made it to follow him. What does that tell you?  

HE WANTS YOU!

God has not made a complex formula to spend eternity with him. The formula is SIMPLE. "hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God."

Forgotten Books of the Bible - Hosea 10 - Politics

 

'Then they will say, “We have no king because

we didn’t fear the Lord . But even if we had a

king, what could he do for us anyway?”

They spout empty words and make covenants

they don’t intend to keep. So injustice springs

up among them like poisonous weeds in a

farmer’s field. ' Hosea 10:3-4 https://my.bible.com/bible/116/HOS.10.3-4

Wow! Right in the middle of a little known book of the Bible, we get a passage of scripture about American Politics. We don't have a King, but we could ask the same question about our rulers.

What can they do for us anyway?

I don't care if your democrat, republican, or independent, politicians and our government is overrated. We have given them this ultimate power over us. We rely on them for everything. When the economy is bad, we want them to fix it. When there is war we want them to intervene. When there is injustice we expect them to make things fair. 

In reality, many of our economic woes, wars, and injustices are created by the people we hire to fix them. Until they can find a way to legislate sin out of this world, their power is empty.

I am going to sound naive and simple-minded, but the answer to all the problems in this world is not politics and like Israel found out four thousand years ago, it is not in a ruler or rulers. Our problems, the sin in this world, is created when we separate ourselves from God, or we try to BE GOD. 

That is exactly what Hosea was saying. 

Our trust should not be in the things of this world, our trust is in the Lord. If we bow to him, if we cry out to him, if we worship him and love him, the problems of this life will melt away. 

I know what you're saying. Yes, there will always be troubles. When I say our problems will melt away, I am not saying troubles will not exist. What I am saying is with God on our side, the troubles we face will be here for a short while but we will overcome those trials. When we trust in the Lord our problems will quickly fade away.

 Dependence on God is the key to hope and overcoming the trials of this life. He is greater than anything you could face. Trust in him and not the people, rulers, or solutions of this world.

Dear Heavenly Father, Please forgive us for placing our hope in politicians and the governments of this world. There is nothing they can do for us without complete reliance upon you. Thank you Lord, for giving us real hope, real grace, real mercy, and real love, even when we look in other places for those comforts. We must trust you in all things and follow your will. If we seek to do your will, you will make straight our paths. Amen!

Forgotten Books of the Bible - Hosea - 9 - Love your Pastor!

 

This is one of the priests at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. While we were waiting to visit the place of Jesus' birth it was great to watch the priests interact with the crowd. They took seriously their jobs, but I could also tell they had the joy of Jesus. 

As I was reading Hosea 9 today, the verses about the prophets made me think about the pastors I have had in my life. 

'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!” 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. ' Hosea 9:7-8. https://my.bible.com/bible/116/HOS.9.7-8

I have had so many wonderful pastors in my life. Certainly, my dad and my grandfather is at the top of that list. But, there have been many others. One thing I have learned over the past two years at Indiana Wesleyan Seminary, pastors face so many difficult challenges. These challenges have been magnified by COVID. 

Please pray for these men and women. They are watchmen over their community of believers. The enemy has laid traps to trip them up. They have faced hostility from outside the church. The saddest challenge comes when that hostility comes from within the church. 

Please pray for your leaders.  Paul had a great statement  for these wonderful servants:

'Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who
are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They
work hard among you and give you spiritual
guidance. Show them great respect and
wholehearted love because of their work.
And live peacefully with each other. '

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 https://my.bible.com/bible/116/1TH.5.12-13

And as I was writing this blog, I received my official Ministerial License in the mail. I am licensed while I pursue official ordination. Please Lord, guide me and direct my path in your service!