I needed this today! January 26, 2008

From Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest…

A simple statement of Jesus is always a puzzle to us because we will not be simple. How can we maintain the simplicity of Jesus so that we may understand Him? By receiving His Spirit, recognizing and relying on Him, and obeying Him as He brings us the truth of His Word, life will become amazingly simple. Jesus asks us to consider that “if God so clothes the grass of the field . . .” how “much more” will He clothe you, if you keep your relationship right with Him? Every time we lose ground in our fellowship with God, it is because we have disrespectfully thought that we knew better than Jesus Christ. We have allowed “the cares of this world” to enter in (Matthew 13:22), while forgetting the “much more” of our heavenly Father.

“Look at the birds of the air . . .” (Matthew 6:26). Their function is to obey the instincts God placed within them, and God watches over them. Jesus said that if you have the right relationship with Him and will obey His Spirit within you, then God will care for your “feathers” too.

“Consider the lilies of the field . . .” (Matthew 6:28). They grow where they are planted. Many of us refuse to grow where God plants us. Therefore, we don’t take root anywhere. Jesus said if we would obey the life of God within us, He would look after all other things. Did Jesus Christ lie to us? Are we experiencing the “much more” He promised? If we are not, it is because we are not obeying the life God has given us and have cluttered our minds with confusing thoughts and worries. How much time have we wasted asking God senseless questions while we should be absolutely free to concentrate on our service to Him? Consecration is the act of continually separating myself from everything except that which God has appointed me to do. It is not a one-time experience but an ongoing process. Am I continually separating myself and looking to God every day of my life?

Hosea 2:2-5 Charges Against An Unfaithful Wife January 10, 2008

2 But now bring charges against Israel-your mother-for she is no longer my wife, and I am no longer her husband.  Tell her to remove the prostitute’s makeup from her face and the clothing that exposes her breasts.

3 Otherwise, I will strip her as naked as she was on the day she was born.  I will leave her to die of thirst, as in a dry and barren wilderness.

4 And I will not love her children, for they were conceived in prostitution.

5 Their mother is a shameless prostitute and became pregnant in a shameful way.  She said, “I’ll run after other lovers, and sell myself to them for food and water, for clothing of wool and linen, and for olive oil and drinks.”

This is a pretty harsh passage in my opinion.  Charges are brought against the Unfaithful Wife and Mother, Israel, for her unfaithfulness.  What is still so touching to me in light of these charges against Israel, is God’s faithfulness and love.  His desire is to restore His love relationship with His people rather than casting them away.  God is using severe consequences in order to turn His people back to Himself. 

In verse 5 the focus shifts to Israel’s guilt of rejecting Yahweh, her rightful Husband, for her lovers.  Israel was guilty of worshiping the gods of the pagan nations around them – they would continually turn to these false idols for help instead of turning to the One True God.  

What can we learn from these passages?  I believe we have false gods in our lives today that cause us to be unfaithful to God.  What or who do we give our allegiance to and depend on for meaning as persons – in addition to God?  We can believe in God and at the same time worship the false god of power, prosperity, possessions, and position.  

We want God to bless us while we maintain control of our own lives and do what we want to do.  In reality, we are the false gods of our own lives.  Oh that we would surrender our lives to God and give Him back His rightful place in our hearts – FIRST PLACE!

Hosea 1:10-2:1 January 7, 2008

Yet the time will come when Israel’s people will be like the sands of the seashore – too many to count! Then, at the place where they were told, “You are not my people,” it will be said, “You are the children of the living God.” Then the people of Judah and Israel will unite together. They will choose one leader for themselves, and they will return from exile together. What a day that will be – the day of Jezreel – when God will again plant His people in His land.  In that day you will call your brothers Ammi – ‘My people.’  And you will call your sisters Ruhamah – ‘The ones I love.’

Here is where the grace of God comes in, for God will one day change these names (vs. 1-4). “Not My People” will become “My people,” “unloved” will become “My loved one.” These new names reflect the nation’s new relationship to God, for all of them will be “the sons of the living God.” Judah and Israel will unite as one nation and will submit to God’s ruler, and the centuries’ old division will be healed.

Instead of Jezreel being a place of slaughter and judgment, it will be a place of sowing (Jezreel means “God sows”) where God will joyfully sow His people in their own land and cuase them to prosper. As God promised to Abraham, Israel will become like the sand on the seashore (Genesis 22:17).

There will always be consequence for our sin, but even more so there will always be God’s constant love and forgiveness.  We can have a new beginning because He has chosen to be our God. 

Credits:  Be Amazed (Wiersbe), Grace Institute: The Prophets: Hosea, Life Application Bible, New Living Translation Bible, An Outline of Hosea (Ogilvie)

Been a while…

I know it’s been a while.  First comes the holidays, then…everyday life. 

Christmas was wonderful.  We stayed home this year and were able to have the kids excited about actually getting out of bed for once.  We read Luke 2 to the children and prayed together as a family.  Then it was time for presents!  It was so fun watching the children open their gifts. 

New Year’s was pretty low key.   We slept in and the next morning I attempted to fix ‘dduk kkuk’ – a traditional Korean soup that is eaten on New Year’s day.  I use the word ‘attempted’ very loosely.  I’m not good at cooking Korean food, but at least I tried.  The rest of the day was spent shopping thanks to gift cards from my big bro Dan and his wife Helen…thanks guys!

Getting back to Hosea…I am determined to complete my verse by verse study of Hosea no matter how long it takes.  Getting it started was a lot easier than keeping it up but I know there’s more I need to learn from this love story.  So off we go…