Looking forward to a new day of recovery

Looking forward to a new day of recovery

 Hosea 14:1~9

□ Praise and Sharing

[New Hymn] 310 Oh, by the grace of God

 

How was your last week?

Brothers Sunil Bathi and  Shamun

President's declaration and lifting of martial law. And the crisis of presidential impeachment

 

How do you deal with life's challenges when they come up? You should try to solve the problem yourself, but if it is a problem you cannot solve on your own, you should seek help from someone who can solve it. You must clear away obstacles and follow his instructions so that the person giving help can solve the problem freely. Then, with his help, you can welcome a new and brilliant day that you could not have imagined. This is the situation in Israel. They are so broken that they cannot repair themselves. Nevertheless, they have hope. Because God is waiting to work for them.

 

□ Words and Sharing

1. Hosea urges the people to return to God (verses 1-3).

1) What was the reason why Israel stumbled? (verse 1)

1 Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.

 

Israel have stumbled because of his iniquity.

 

2) What kind of life should the people who return to Jehovah live (verses 2-3)?

2 Take with you words and return to the LORD; say to him, “Take away all iniquity; accept what is good, and we will pay with bulls the vows of our lips. 3 Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride on horses; and we will say no more, ‘Our God,’ to the work of our hands. In you the orphan finds mercy.”

 

The people who have returned to the Lord will not rely on the salvation of Assyria, nor will they ride on horses, nor will they say again to the works of our hands, ‘You are our gods.’

 

<Sharing 1> Returning to God means putting aside your old life and living a new life worthy of your profession of faith. What are the old habits and evil sins that we must abandon? What is the fruit of our lips that we must offer? Let us share with each other how we are living a godly life as a people who have returned to God.

We must live a life that loves and relies only on God, without loving or relying on worldly materials or powers.

 

2. God is ready to embrace his people with joy at any time (verses 4-9).

1) How does God treat the people who return to Him (verses 4-5)?

4 I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them. 5 I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon;

 

God heals the rebellion of the returning people and loves them with joy.

 

2) What is the recovery like for the people who return to God (verses 6-8)?

6 his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon. 7 They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow; they shall flourish like the grain; they shall blossom like the vine; their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. 8 O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like an evergreen cypress; from me comes your fruit.

 

His branches will spread out, his beauty will be like the olive trees, his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon, and he will gain fruit from God.

 

3) How do sinners and righteous people react before the way of Jehovah (God’s word) (verse 9)?

9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.

 

The righteous walk in his ways, but sinners will stumble in them.

 

<Sharing 2> God heals the broken and makes them bear abundant fruit of life. It is entirely by God's grace that the people recover and live abundant lives. Let’s share how God restores our lives and fills them with abundant fruit.

 

God restores and fills us materially and spiritually. However, for complete recovery, our family and believers must return more completely to God from the things of the world.

 

<Sharing 3> The righteous realize the blessings of the Word of God and walk along the path of the Word. Let’s share what words I have in my heart and follow, and what path I take to hold on to them.

These words I follow in my heart: Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will make your way prosperous and prosper. (Joshua 1:8) You are in this generation. Do not be conformed to, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is God’s good, acceptable and perfect will (Romans 12:2). Therefore, the path I take is a blessed and prosperous life, the path of the righteous.

 

□ Let's Pray Together

Lord, help us to clean up our old lives, return to You, and live new lives under Your grace.

Let us enjoy the Word of God every day, meditate on it day and night, discern God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will, and obey that will to live a blessed and prosperous life, the life of a righteous person!

 

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