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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Sunday, 29 October 2023:
Hosea 3:1 – And the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins.”
From Henry T. Blackaby — No human can comprehend God’s love for His children! Our limited experience of human love hinders us from understanding God’s unconditional love for us. We can see a picture of this love in the life of Hosea. Hosea was a righteous man, but God told him to marry a sinful woman. Hosea obeyed and took Gomer as his wife. He cherished her and treated her with dignity and respect. Never before had Gomer experienced this kind of love, but she soon grew dissatisfied. She began giving her affections to other men. She became so involved in adulterous pursuits that finally she abandoned Hosea altogether. Other men used her until she had nothing left to give. Then they sold her into slavery. After this, God gave Hosea an amazing command: “Go and buy her back.” Despite the intense pain and hurt that Gomer had inflicted on him, God told Hosea to forgive her and to pay any price to bring her back into his home. God’s message is clear: When we reject Him and turn our devotion elsewhere, our rejection carries the same pain as an adulterous betrayal. After all God has done for us, it is incomprehensible that we should reject Him. It is even harder to fathom that God could love us even after we have rejected, ignored, and disobeyed Him. Yet God’s love is completely different from ours. His love follows us to the depths of our sinfulness until He has reclaimed us. His love is undaunted when we run from Him, and He continues to pursue us. What incredible love He has demonstrated to us!
Psalm 125:1 – Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
There is a clear theme in today’s readings – humility, faith, hope, trust, obedience, love.
Psalm 125:3 — For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, lest the righteous stretch out their hands to do wrong.
When the wicked lead a nation, the righteous are tempted to sin. The ungodly should not be allowed to lead.
Psalm 125:5 – Peace be upon Israel!
Do you have peace? Peace is a pervasive sense of overall well-being and security, a state of tranquility and quite without risk of disquieting or oppressive thoughts, emotions or threats. Peace rests in an assurance that all is well. Peace is not generated from will power or a self-induced “positive mental attitude” through popular techniques. Peace is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Note, the capital “S” on “Spirit” in Galatians, rather than a little “s”. Peace doesn’t come from our spirit but the Spirit of God when we abide (or live in) the Spirit and the Spirit abides in us, which was always the intent for mankind, corrupted by sin, but made possible again through Christ. Peace rests on the confidence of God’s perfect goodness, sovereignty, omniscience, omnipresence, love, and faithfulness through all situations and for eternity. You will never have peace in life until you have faith, hope, and love. In peace there is no fear, including anxiety.
Humility comes before honor, and pride before the fall. Fear is the product of pride – in pride we tell ourselves we can choose between good and bad, between right and wrong, and that we can create peace and security for ourselves; fear comes from knowing deep down inside we really can’t – control is an illusion. Faith comes from humility and trust. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith surrenders all to God and trusts God rather than self or any other idol. Faith walks in obedience, even beyond our own understanding, and the greatest command is love, which starts with denying self. It takes faith to love because it takes faith to be vulnerable in love and to suffer in love, trusting God’s love to prevail for ultimate outcomes of perfection. Faith trusts God through the suffering for a greater blessing than can be imagined today. Faith, hope (faith projected forward), and love bring peace as we become one with the Father and the Son. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. The goal is not simply to gain goodness or blessings, the goal is to become one with Jesus, to be so connected to Him (like a branch is connected to a vine), that His life, His DNA, is the same as ours, and what pours out of us (the fruit of our lives), is actually pouring out from Him through us, without corruption. Your goal today is to humbly follow Jesus, trusting and obeying Him, to live the life He would live if He were you. Don’t let anything distract you today.
Psalm 126 — When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad. Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negeb! Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
The Lord is ready to bless you beyond your imagination. However, you must bear the seed for sowing and do the work of cultivation to bear the fruit of the blessings. Reeping a harvest takes time and consistent effort, though it is the Lord who enables the growth.
Proverbs 29:5 – A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
The Bible strongly condemns flattery, which never benefits the recipient but rather denies them the truth, usually for your own comfort or selfish efforts to gain an advantage.
Proverbs 29:11 – A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.
God will test your temper and self-control to test your wisdom.
Proverbs 29:18 – Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.
You must study and follow God’s law to build your self-control. This naturally means you will have to practice denying yourself daily of what you want when it is not what God wants until, eventually, you want exactly what God wants, and when you reach that state of being, God will give you everything you want. Yes, this is “Name it; claim it” theology — He names it, and you claim it. When He has named it, it is yours, but only when He names it. Just like a loving parent doesn’t give their kids everything they want since they don’t understand what they should want, God doesn’t give you what you want but rather what is best. God answers your prayers exactly how you would have prayed if you understood everything He understands. You just can’t see that yet because you simply don’t understand. Trust Him and rest in His perfectly loving sovereignty and provision, and focus on obeying Him in gratitude.
Proverbs 29:25 – The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.
You will either be influenced by God or by man, depending on who you fear the most.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 29 October 2023: Today, focus on trusting and obeying God to prevent hindering the blessings He has in store for you. Trust Him with your lack of trust too as you grow in trust. He understands your doubts and is faithful when you aren’t. His grace is sufficient.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 