The Open Word (Audio)

What is God’s greatest desire for us here on this earth? He desires for us to know Him, to worship Him, and to enjoy Him. We do not worship an impersonal god, He is not some distant cosmic force. No, we were told in the bible that He is near and personal. As we finish up our study in the book of Hosea today, we see the deeply personal relationship that God has not only for His people Israel but also for us. So, let’s stand today and like Israel say, “What have we to do with idols?”

What happens when seed is planted on hard ground? Chances are nothing happens. Either the seed will be trampled or eaten by some animals, nothing grows on hard ground. Jesus explained this same principles to us in the “Parable of the Sower”, the hard ground yielded nothing. In that parable the hard ground represented a heart that was unprepared for the word of God. So, how is your heart? Is it hardened by the things of this world? Have you become jaded? Maybe it’s time to start plowing the ground.

If you’ve been in church for any length of time, you may have heard the word 'Revival'. But just what does that word mean? If you put the word revival after the name of a meeting does it make it a revival? Is it just a title? No. Revivals are much more! There are special times in history where God moves mightily in the hearts of His people and en masse draws them back to Him. So, how do revivals start or do they have anything in common? Yes! They all start when individuals realize their desperate need for God.

Have you been running from God? Has he called you to walk away from something, someone, to finally let go of a certain sin? But instead of drawing near to God, to be empowered by His grace, you’ve run away from Him. Do you know He still wants you to come back to Him? He won’t turn you away! As we continue in Hosea we see God’s relentless pursuit of His nation Israel and His desire to reconcile them to Himself. God hasn’t changed. He won’t stop pursuing you either. Turn back to Him.

Have you ever done anything that you knew wasn’t going to end well but you went ahead and did it anyway? That’s exactly what the children of Israel were doing during the time of Hosea. Israel was living in willful disobedience toward God and God sent His prophets to try to warn them of the consequences of their actions but they just wouldn’t listen. Has God been warning you? Has He been trying to get you off a wrong path you’ve taken? Don’t be like Israel and ignore His guidance. Listen!

What do you do when you’re betrayed? Do you forgive them? Maybe if it’s the first time it isn’t so hard to, but what about the second time? How about the third, fourth or fifth? Not as easy anymore is it? Well, as we continue in Hosea we see that God asked Hosea not only to marry a prostitute, but after she committed adultery on him multiple times, God asked Hosea to forgive her. Pretty amazing, right? What’s even more amazing is how many times we’ve betrayed God and how He still forgives us.

Pastor David is continuing today in Hosea. We can see Hosea remained faithful throughout his lifetime, yet God’s people did not. We examine the prophecies about the Lord withdrawing His hand from His people. This shows us today as a nation that if we continue to turn our back on Him, He will remove His hand from us. This should make us shudder and get on our knees in prayer. We continue to be encouraged throughout this teaching, however, so listen in for more.

We’re continuing our study in the Minor Prophets today. Pastor David takes us through battles. Hosea had huge things come up against him and he remained obedient to the Lord. You are asked today, “How big is your God?” Surely we all have battles come up against us. They could be financial, medical, emotional, family or job related. There are so many big problems we will face in this world. The question is, “Is your God bigger? Is your faith bigger than your problem?

You may be out there listening today and be feeling down about not having converted anyone to the Lord. Maybe you’re thinking that you’re ineffective at sharing Jesus. In our study we’re starting on the Minor Prophets. Pastor David talks about Jeremiah, he’s was a pretty major prophet, however he didn’t know in his lifetime what his work did for the Lord. He never got to see the fruits of his labor but we know that they were great fruits. Let that encourage you to keep on in your sharing.

When viewing the universe with the understanding that God made ALL things. It’s easy to believe that He is capable of anything, from creating something from nothing, to restoring the sight of the blind. These are truly nothing short of miraculous, but for some people the one miracle that’s hardest to believe is the Resurrection. In today’s message Pastor David reflects on the power of God and how it affects us individually. We learn that it’s the same power that raised Christ from the dead that breathes new life into each and every one of us. Well let’s join Pastor David in the book of 1 Kings Chapter 17:22, with his continuing study entitled “Silence of the Tomb”.