The Extremes of God's Love in Pain and Prevention

Scripture: Hosea 2:5-6

“For their mother has played the harlot;
She who conceived them has acted shamefully.
For she said, ‘I will go after my lovers,
Who give me my bread and my water,
My wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.’
“Therefore, behold, I will hedge up her way with thorns,
And I will build a wall against her so that she cannot find her paths.

Insights:   The two verses today cover two thoughts.  The first one deals with the pain Hosea must have felt as his wife, Gomer, bore him three children that were not his through her life of harlotry.  As a result of this life, Hosea had to purchase her off of the slave blocks for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley (3:2) three times.  I can only imagine the pain this caused him.  What we need to understand is that Hosea’s life is a literal living parable of God’s love for Israel (or we could even say of us because we all have played the part of the harlot in our relationship with God).  Yet, in spite of the pain we cause the Lord, He still loves us, just as Hosea loved Gomer.  The second thought is what Hosea did to prevent Gomer from getting away and running back to a life of harlotry.  He put a hedge of protection up for her and she ran right through it causing herself more pain and sorrow.  God does the same thing for us and we often times say, “I don’t care what God has done for me, I am going to run through this defense and have things my way.”  As we bust through the barricade we are injured but are too proud to humble ourselves and receive the healing we need from the Lord.  Gomer was just like this in her relationship with Hosea.  Beloved, today’s questions are reflective in regards to these two aspects of God’s amazing love.  I pray you will be honest with yourself and evaluate your life properly and recognize your sin and your rebellion.  Turn quickly back to the Lord and let Him heal your damaged life and bring joy back to your soul.  May your return bring Him glory!

Questions:

1.  In what ways have you recognized God’s demonstration of love toward you while you remained in your sin?

2. In what ways have you recognized God’s demonstration of prevention in your life?

Prayer: Father, I know I often times walk in the realm of sin and my adulteress relationship with this world causes You pain.  I am sorry for this rebellion.  Thank You for also putting up hedges of prevention to protect me from myself.  Forgive me for the times I have bursted through those defenses and caused myself more pain.  In the midst of it all, thank You for Your amazing love.  Amen.

Service is a Majestic Master

Scripture: 2 Kings 7:9-11

Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, but we are keeping silent; if we wait until morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king’s household.” So they came and called to the gatekeepers of the city, and they told them, saying, “We came to the camp of the Arameans, and behold, there was no one there, nor the voice of man, only the horses tied and the donkeys tied, and the tents just as they were.” The gatekeepers called and told it within the king’s household. them.

Insights:   Today we find the Lord’s purpose for our lives.  I believe the Holy Spirit convicted these four lepers of their malefic sinfulness.  Notice these four men even use the phrase good news.  The day was a day of rejoicing, but their actions had turned into a day of sin.  Their actions prove, however, that they repented of their evil ways and then began to serve the people of Samaria.  They went back to the city walls and proclaimed to the gatekeepers the good news of the peoples salvation.  For their need for food was literally there salvation because they were starving to death.  Beloved, here is the major point of this entire weeks Thoughts by Scott: Consumption without Service is NOT God’s Plan.  We cannot receive from the Lord (hearers of God’s Word) only.  We must also serve (be doers of the God’s Word).  FBCBG we presently are working with our Nominating Committee to fill positions of service.  We are having difficulty filling slots specifically related to our children's ministry.  Let me challenge you to pray and see if the Lord is leading you to serve in this capacity in our church.  We cannot be hoarders of God’s Word.  We have the good news of Jesus to share with this world.  Let us share well and bring the Lord glory!

Questions:

1.  In what capacity are you presently serving the Lord?

2. In what capacity is He calling you to serve?

Prayer: Father, stretch me outside of my comfort zone and let me serve You and those in whom You intrust to me.  Let my life be characterized as a life of service.  May my life bring You glory.  Amen.

Consumption is a Malefic Master

Scripture: 2 Kings 7:8

When these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they entered one tent and ate and drank, and carried from there silver and gold and clothes, and went and hid them; and they returned and entered another tent and carried from there also, and went and hid them.

Insights:   Today’s Thoughts by Scott is titled Consumption is a Malefic Master.  The word malefic is the root word by which Disney created one of their most diabolical villains.  Her name was Maleficent.  Malefic literally means: causing or capable of causing harm or destruction.  I prepose to you today that these four lepers were being malefic in their response to God’s mighty move to perform a miracle for the city of Samaria.  Two times in this verse we are told these lepers hid the spoils of God’s victory.  Their self-centered actions perpetuated the pain and suffering of those in the city of Samaria.  Beloved, I would purport that when we come to church each week and hear the words of life and then go home and do nothing with it, we are being just as malefic as those four lepers were.  How is it possible to have such a life saving gift and refuse to extend it to those in need?  Tomorrow we will learn the proper response to the Lord’s amazing grace which we receive.  Do not be a hoarder of the Lord’s gift of life.  Don’t cause harm or destruction to those without Christ Jesus.  Spread His word and let Him do the miraculous in their lives as well.

Questions:

1.  Are you hoarding all the good the Lord has given to you?

2. Do you recognize that your selfishness is actually causing harm or destruction to those around you?

Prayer: Father, forgive me for my selfish ways.  Help me to become a generous person.  I desire to be a type of person that reflects Your mercy and grace to those around me.  That kind of transformation is not possible if I remain self-centered.  Change my heart, O’ Lord.  Amen.

God is a Mighty Mover

Scripture: 2 Kings 7:6-7

For the Lord had caused the army of the Arameans to hear a sound of chariots and a sound of horses, even the sound of a great army, so that they said to one another, “Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.” Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents and their horses and their donkeys, even the camp just as it was, and fled for their life.

Insights:   In today’s verses we see the mighty moves of God’s amazing grace.  In other words, the miracle Elisha had prophesied would come to pass in deed did came to pass.  God made the Arameans hear the sound of great armies and those sounds drove those soldiers into a crazy panic which lead them to flee for their lives.  In their haste to depart, they left everything.  They did not take a single thing with them.  They left their currency.  They left their food.  They left their clothes.  They left their tents.  They left their live stock.  All of this points and reveals the power of God.  He is actively involved in our world and bringing about His plans and purposes.  Beloved, I have a pastor friend who says, “Only those who are facing the impossible are a candidate for a miracle.”  Well, Samaria was facing the impossible and a miracle came, praise the Lord!  The Lord still performs miracle today.  I have observed Him do the miraculous on many occasions.  Whatever you are facing, take the problem to the Lord.  He may still move mighty mountains for you.  Whether God moves the mountain or not does not negate His love, power and ability to work powerfully in your life.  As His children our job is to trust Him and believe He knows what is best.  It does, however, give me great comfort to know, He does still move mountains and He can still route armies if He so desires.  He is the One worthy of praise because of His awesome power!

Questions:

1.  Are you a candidate for a miracle of God?

2. Do you believe God still works miracles today?

Prayer: Father, I am grateful You are still a miracle working God.  I am thankful You don’t leave us in this world alone, but are actively displaying Your glory and presence in order for us to know You better.  Thank You for Your mighty moves of grace.  Amen.

Desperation is a Major Motivator

Scripture: 2 Kings 7:3-5

Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, “Why do we sit here until we die? If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ then the famine is in the city and we will die there; and if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us go over to the camp of the Arameans. If they spare us, we will live; and if they kill us, we will but die.” They arose at twilight to go to the camp of the Arameans; when they came to the outskirts of the camp of the Arameans, behold, there was no one there.

Insights:   Let me set up the scene for today’s verses.  The Arameans have laid siege to the city of Samaria.  The people are literally starving to death.  In fact, in the previous chapter we are told this horrific story of two women who agree to eat each others children over a couple of days.  Well king Joram is humbled by such a scene and he seeks out Elisha who informs him that the next day there would be deliverance.  Today’s verses begin the history of that deliverance from the Lord.  Notice how desperate these men are for food.  They recognize the reality of their deaths to such an extent they are willing to risk their very lives for food.  Their desperation motivates them to head toward the Aramean camp and surrender themselves for just a scrap of food.  Their rational is if they die, they die, because that is going to happen anyway if they stay where they currently are residing.  Beloved, this scene makes me think about our situations in life.  Most of ours are not so dramatic as these four lepers, but we have each had times of desperation in our lives.  I wonder if we are willing to respond to our situation with such reckless abandon as these four men did in their situation.  My prayer is that I would have that kind of desperation for the Lord God.  I would desire for Him to be my satisfaction in life.  I need Him just as much as those lepers needed food.  Beloved, whatever situation you are presently facing, the Lord is the only one that can truly minister to you.  As I so frequently say, run to Him.  Become desperate for Him.

Questions:

1.  For what are you desperate?

2.  Are you willing to take any action necessary, even at the risk of life, in order to have your desperation met?

Prayer: Father, am I desperate for You with this kind of intensity?  I fear the answer is no.  Forgive my self-centered heart and grow me in Your grace.  Help me to walk with You daily and intentionally.  Let my life bring You glory.  Amen.

The Crop is Harvested

Scripture: 1 Kings 12:16-20

When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion do we have in David?  We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; To your tents, O Israel!  Now look after your own house, David!”  So Israel departed to their tents. But as for the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam made haste to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.  It came about when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, that they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. None but the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.

Insights:   Today’s verses reveal the full results of Rehoboam’s seed planting.  He reaped a harvest of division and rebellion.  His kingdom was split and it never again was restored under a unified monarchy.  I think we have beat this horse of we reap what we sow long enough this week.  Let me take a moment and rant on one of my soap boxes.  I want you to clearly know there is a difference between the biblical pattern of sowing and reaping verses the Hindu doctrine of Karma.  When Christians say, “Well that’s Karma for you,” they do not really know what they are saying.  The doctrine of Karma is one of the most vile and evil doctrines ever created by Satan to enslave a people.  We use the term to describe the thought as what goes around comes around and we use it very similarly to that of reaping what one sows.  The problem is Karma has to do with the entire concept of reincarnation and the caste system which so enslaves people in India.  In Karma doctrine, what I do in this life affects what and how I will come back in my next life.  So, if I did evil, then I come back in a poorer and more depraved state of humanity and I am getting exactly what I deserve.  As a result, people from different castes refuse to help those who are truly in need because they view those people as having gotten their just rewards through Karma.  This concept is evil and vile and ought not be used by Christians.  I encourage you to think twice before you say, “Well, that’s Karma for you.”

Questions:

1.  Are you surprised by your crop you are presently harvesting?

2.  Do you understand the difference between the biblical pattern of sowing and reaping verse

    the Hindu doctrine of Karma?

Prayer: Father, I know it is difficult for us to at times except the responsibility for our actions as human beings.  Help me to take full responsibility for my decisions and give me the courage to bear up well under the weight of my choices.  Amen.

The Seed is Planted

Scripture: 1 Kings 12:12-15

Then Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day as the king had directed, saying, “Return to me on the third day.” The king answered the people harshly, for he forsook the advice of the elders which they had given him, and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” So the king did not listen to the people; for it was a turn of events from the Lord, that He might establish His word, which the Lord spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

Insights:   Today’s verses show us Rehoboam planting the seed he has chosen.  The people of Israel have come back after three days in order to find out what Rehoboam’s response to their demands is going to be.  He could choose the good advice (seed) of the older men or the bad advice (seed) of the younger men.  Today’s verses tell us he selected the bad seed to plant and he declares to Israel he is going to make their lives even more difficult than it had been before under Solomon’s reign.  At this point it makes me think of the definition of insanity: keep doing the same thing over and over again, but expect different results.  I cannot tell you how many people I know that make one bad decision after another bad decision and still believe that harvest is going to be different this time around.  Your harvest is going to be exactly what you planted.  Tomorrow, we are going to discuss a little bit more about the harvest aspect of our seed planting.  Until then, let me encourage you to make certain you are planting the seed which will produce the crop you really want.  Seek the Lord and let Him help guide you to plant the proper seed.

Questions:

1. What seed have you planted recently in your life?

2. What kind of crop are you anticipating to be harvested?

Prayer: Father, I have strived to plant good seed and I know that You are the One that actually makes that seed germinate and grow.  May my efforts to bring You glory reap an abundance harvest for You and Your glory.  Amen.