CCF Weekly Services Podcast

Hosea's ministry follows up on his living illustration with a practical explanation of how far Israel had fallen and how. They had forsaken truth, mercy, and the knowledge of God. As a result, God was going to hand them over to idolatry for as long as it took for them to realize all they had lost in the exchange.

1. Truth is the first casualty when we compromise our relationship with God.

2. Mercy is only shown when we first realized how much it has been shown to us.

3. God judges sin with sin."

Paul is now awaiting trial in his first visit to Rome. As he waits for two years, he uses every opportunity he has to share the gospel with those who are listening. This time was also used to write the prison epistles of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.

1. The Christian life is spent trusting the promises of God, not the preferences of men.

2. When you don't know what to do next, fall back on what you do know.

3. Live the Christian life in a way other people would want to live themselves.

Hosea's ministry continues from his illustration to the application of what Gomer's redemption showed. Israel had forsaken God and He was going to use very strong medicine to correct them. Not because they lost their relationship with Him, but directly because of it.

1. The greatest assurance of our relationship with God is when He disciplines and corrects us.

2. Your spiritual decline is directly related to your neglect of the Word of God.

3. God will use whatever it takes to get your attention if it means saving your soul.

As Paul makes landfall on his way to Rome, he is not only a living example of the promises of God being worthy of our trust, but the Christians in Rome meeting him showing how worthwhile fellowship is.

1. God has personally involved Himself in accomplishing His desire for our lives.

2. The only things we should expect from God is what He's actually promised.

3. The purpose of church is to focus on others, not yourself.

The concept of the Grace of God in salvation comes from the Old Testament.

1. God loves us on the basis of commitment rather than emotion.

2. God paid the price for our redemption when we least deserved it.

3. God's purpose in our redemption is true healing and restoration to Him.

Paul continues his journey to Rome with an incredible ministry to the island of Malta. He didn't know this would be the result, and it included a lot of discouragement and difficulty along the way. Yet his example of remaining faithful and available regardless of his circumstances are a model to us of how to properly respond to and endure seasons of suffering.

1. God has a purpose and a plan.

2. God's opinion of your life should be the final word, especially when the opinions of others are speaking contrary to His.

3. God's timing is as perfect as His provision.

Paul's letter to the Thessalonians begins with a complimentary reminder to them of what fundamentally makes someone a Christian. Despite the fact they only had 3 weeks with Paul, they took everything to heart that we should take as believers as well.

1. Paul has demonstrated himself as a reliable teacher.

2. The best teachers lead by example.

3. A Godly Example is never a wasted effort."

During Paul’s arrest he sought to write letters to the Churches that were started through his labors in the Gospel. Though he had not visited the Colossae church personally, he took the time to straighten out issues regarding the deity of Jesus, the forgiveness we have through the salvation we received by grace. He urges the Church to continue to look to Jesus alone for this salvation and not to the philosophies of human knowledge and laws. “We are complete in Him,” wrote Paul! But what should the Christ life look like? This is what Colossians 3 is all about. This is one of the most detailed descriptions of the life in Christ, and one to look at often in examining our own lives.

Hosea's prophecy regarding the judgment due to Israel regarding her sins doesn't finish without God detailing how beautiful their restoration is going to be.

1. Our actions impact God emotionally.

2. God uses the consequences of our actions as reminders of how eager He is to receive us back.

3. God can always be trusted to receive us back if we come to Him on His terms.

Paul falls back on and lives in light of the promises God has made to him. As a result, this serves as a witness to the rest of those going through the same circumstances he has the hope to endure.

1. Pursuing God should be a get to, not a got to.

2. God can be trusted to keep His Word. Whether we choose to live in light of it or not decides if we benefit from it.

3. Thankfulness is a constant for Christians because God's purpose and plan for our lives is also a constant.