Hosea 11:3-5

We, in our worldliness, may deny God as our Father but He will never deny us as His creation. 

He is kind and gracious not wanting anyone to be separated from Him. But He will not force us to repent and accept His offer of salvation...He is the consummate gentleman.

He  loves us so!

Like a father teaching his child to walk, the Lord patiently gave the people of Israel direction and cared for them tenderly when they experienced pain or injury. Faithlife Bible.

 The Lord had placed restraints—cords and bands—on Israel, but His regulations, rather than being overly strict or harsh, reflected His concern for the people’s well-being. God did not drive them mercilessly but provided for their needs, like a farmer who periodically removes the yoke from an animal’s neck so that it can 

Yahweh was responsible for raising Israel from infancy as a nation, but they failed to acknowledge it. The prophet uses imagery of a farmer caring for his livestock. NKJ Bible.

one who lifted up a yoke Yahweh used cords, bands, and the yoke for gentle guidance—not oppression.

Hosea 11:3-5

“I taught Ephraim to walk taking them by their arms;But they did not know that I healed them.I drew them with gentle cords,With bands of love,And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck.I stooped and fed them.“He shall not return to the land of Egypt;But the Assyrian shall be his king,Because they refused to repent.

Hosea 32:10-11

He found him in a desert landAnd in the wasteland, a howling wilderness;He encircled him, He instructed him,He kept him as the apple of His eye.As an eagle stirs up its nest,Hovers over its young,Spreading out its wings, taking them up,Carrying them on its wings,So the Lord alone led him,

November 14th, 2017

Be careful what you ask for!

These regulations limited the power and splendor of the future king. He would not be dependent on military power and riches. He was exhorted not to entangle the nation in political alliances that would expose Israel to pagan worship. Faithlife Bible.

The laws concerning the king (rather than assigning specific roles and powers) are essentially negative; they forbid the king advocating for a return to Egypt and the acquisition of many horses, multiple wives, and great wealth. NKJ bible.

The only positive duty is to learn the law of Yahweh.

Deuteronomy 17:14-20

When you come to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’ you shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God

chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’ Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.

Isaiah 31:1

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help,And rely on horses,Who trust in chariots because they are many,And in horsemen because they are very strong,But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel,Nor seek the Lord!

2 Timothy 4:17

We are safe in Christ and all things work out for our good. 

2 Timothy’s 4:17

But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!

In spite of the failure of his friends, Paul was supported by the Lord, who always strengthens and empowers. Often people will fail us in troublesome times. The Lord, however, never fails His children, no matter how difficult the circumstances are. God had consistently empowered Paul during his life so that he could continue to preach the truth to the Gentiles. 

Deuteronomy 3:16

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Colossians 2:6-8

Joy in the Lord gives us the strength to live out our lives in His mercy and grace. As we lift Him up for others to see they too will be drawn to His compassion in salvation. He died so that we could live!

We have been saved, not in the legalism of men but in the grace of God, in Christ Jesus.

The Greek word used here, paralambanō, can refer to the reception of a tradition—in this case, the message of the gospel handed down from the apostles. Paul urges the Colossians to continue in this tradition, which contrasts with the human traditions of false teachers. Faithlife Bible.

Just as the Colossian believers had begun with Christ, so Paul encourages them to continue in their walk with Him. Paul uses four words to describe the Colossians’ walk with Christ. The tense of the word translated rooted denotes a complete action; the believers have been rooted in Christ. The next three words, built up, established, and abounding, are in the present tense, showing the continual growth that should characterize every Christian’s walk with Christ.

This verse has been used at times to teach that Christians should not study or read philosophy. This is not Paul’s meaning. Paul himself was adept at philosophy, evidenced by his interaction with the Stoic and Epicurean philosophers in Athens. Paul was warning the believers not to be taken in by any philosophy that does not conform to a proper knowledge of Christ. The false teachers at Colosse had combined worldly philosophies with the gospel. It seems likely that the term principles refers to the elementary rules and regulations that certain teachers were seeking to impose on believers according to the dictates of human philosophies. Paul’s strongest indictment against the heretics was that their teaching was not according to Christ, and thus they were not walking with Christ. NKJ Bible.

Colossians 2:6–8 (NKJV)

⁶ As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, ⁷ rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

⁸ Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹ For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; ¹⁰ and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Romans 6:4 (NKJV)

⁴ Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Ephesians 2:16 (NKJV)

¹⁶ and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

Jesus Son of Mary

Jesus Christ the Word of God made flesh brought the offer of peace to the people of earth.

The Harmony of the Gospels.

harmony | ˈhärmənē |

noun (plural harmonies)

1 the combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce chords and chord progressions having a pleasing effect

• the quality of forming a pleasing and consistent whole:where old and new blend in harmony.

• 2 an arrangement of the four Gospels, or of any parallel narratives, which presents a single continuous narrative text.

Not everyone knew of Jesus’ miraculous conception, and people would have assumed that Joseph was His biological father. Nonetheless, Jesus is presented as Joseph’s rightful heir. Faithlife Bible.

People naturally assumed that Jesus was the physical son of both Joseph and Mary. Luke corrected this misunderstanding by emphasizing that Jesus was only apparently Joseph’s physical son. Luke’s genealogy is unlike Matthew’s, although both go back to David and Abraham. Luke traces Jesus’ line all the way back to Adam, showing Jesus’ significance for all people. Matthew provides the legal lineage from David through Joseph to Jesus, while Luke provides the physical lineage from David through Mary to Jesus. NKJ Bible.

Genesis 5:1 (NKJV)

The Family of Adam

5 This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God.

Genesis 11:10 (NKJV)

¹⁰ This is the genealogy of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old, and begot Arphaxad two years after the flood.

Luke 1:1–4 (NKJV)

1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, ² just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, ³ it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, ⁴ that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

John 1:1–18 (NKJV)

The Deity of Christ

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God.

The Preincarnate Work of Christ

³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

The Forerunner of Christ

⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. ⁸ He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

The Rejection of Christ

⁹ That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. ¹¹ He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

The Acceptance of Christ

¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: ¹³ who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Incarnation of Christ

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

¹⁵ John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”

¹⁶ And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

Luke 3:23–38 (NKJV)

The Genealogy of Christ Through Mary

²³ Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, ²⁴ the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph, ²⁵ the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, ²⁶ the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, ²⁷ the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, ²⁸ the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er, ²⁹ the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, ³⁰ the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, ³¹ the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David, ³² the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, ³³ the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, ³⁴ the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, ³⁵ the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, ³⁶ the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, ³⁷ the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, ³⁸ the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

We must be very careful to hold the Word of God as the final say in all matters rather than the traditional Church doctrines of men. 

God’s word made flesh, Jesus Christ, is the only truth and the Holy Spirit had it written out in Scripture for man to internalize.

In earlier times the Hebrews held the written law of God, the Torah, in such esteem that they would not write down their reflections on it, lest they should tempt later generations to consider their words as important as God’s law. But as time went on, written commentaries on the law, collected in the Talmud, assumed greater authority than the Torah itself. 

Jesus did not directly answer the question but instead addressed two more significant issues: (1) the superiority of God’s law over man-made tradition and (2) the difference between ceremonial and true moral defilement. Jesus enters into the argument by calling His adversaries hypocrites. The term originally referred to actors who wore masks on stage as they played different characters. Thus the Pharisees were not genuinely religious; they were merely playing a part for all to see. NKJ Bible.

Jesus quotes Isa 29:13, which is part of an oracle condemning the people of Jerusalem, and by extension God’s people in general, for failing to follow God’s commandments. Faithlife Bible.

Mark 7:6–8 (NKJV)

⁶ He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘This people honors Me with their lips,

But their heart is far from Me.

⁷ And in vain they worship Me,

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

⁸ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

Matthew 23:15 (NKJV)

¹⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

Isaiah 29:13 (NKJV)

¹³ Therefore the Lord said:

“Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths

And honor Me with their lips,

But have removed their hearts far from Me,

And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit

Discernment will become more and more necessary in the days to come. We need ears to hear closely what the Holy Spirit is speaking to us. 

The Promise of the Holy Spirit is given to those who believe in the salvation of Jesus Christ.

“the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought, but the SpirIt himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Rom. 8:26).

“Or know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body” (1 Cor. 6:19)

The Spirit, as God’s means of communication on earth, instructs believers and leads them to follow God’s will. The Spirit gives them access to God, His plans, and His wisdom. He can do so because of Jesus’ sacrifice for sins.

The Greek term used here, paraklētos, refers to a legal assistant in a court who pleads someone’s case before the judge. The judge is God, and people are judged based on whether they follow Jesus’ command to believe that eternal life comes through His death and resurrection. When on earth, Jesus was the means for believers to interact with God the Father since their sin prevented them from doing so directly. The Spirit is sent to do the same work. This is one of His many tasks. 

Paraklētos is used throughout Greek literature in a legal context (e.g., Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Antiquitates Romanae, 11.37.1; Demosthenes, De falsa legatione, 1). Jewish writer Philo uses the legal term in a religious context, referring to a sinner pleading their case (e.g., Philo, Antiquitates Romanae, 166). Faithlife Bible.

John 15:26 (NKJV)

²⁶ “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

John 14:25–26 (NKJV)

²⁵ “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. ²⁶ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

Luke 24:49 (NKJV)

⁴⁹ “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

1 Corinthians 2:13 (NKJV)

¹³ These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Strongholds

Without God built into our walls of defense, personally or nationally, they will fail. Joy in Him and Faith in His ability to protect us is our strength.

The final word always belongs to Jehovah.

stronghold | ˈstrôNGˌhōld |

noun

1 a place that has been fortified so as to protect it against attack.

2 a place where a particular cause or belief is strongly defended or upheld.

Nahum satirically describes the strongholds of Nineveh as being so easily defeated that they would be like fruit trees that drop their figs into waiting mouths.NKJ Bible.

Nahum 3:12 (NKJV)

¹² All your strongholds are fig trees with ripened figs:

If they are shaken,

They fall into the mouth of the eater.

Jeremiah 51:30 (NKJV)

³⁰ The mighty men of Babylon have ceased fighting,

They have remained in their strongholds;

Their might has failed,

They became like women;

They have burned her dwelling places,

The bars of her gate are broken.

Revelation 6:12 (NKJV)

¹² I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.

Luke 11:42-44

God cares about the unnoticed of our society. He lifts up those that others consider marginal. The Father sees the heart of a person, his spirit, and has compassion and mercy. What does He require of us? 

Be fair, forgive quickly and be humble considering others ahead of yourself.

In Christ everything is possible.He will take out the heart of flesh and give us a new heart of love, mercy and compassion.

Justice and love for God echoes the two greatest commandments, as well as the teaching of the prophets. Faithlife Bible.

The Law spoke of tithing all produce, but what constituted food was debated. Some Pharisees took the strictest interpretation and counted almost anything, including spices. However, they neglected two basic things that the prophets also had warned about: love and justice.The Pharisees, the paragons of purity, were in fact the height of uncleanness. NKJ Bible.

Luke 11:42–44 (NKJV)

⁴² “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. ⁴³ Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. ⁴⁴ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.”

Matthew 23:23 (NKJV)

²³ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

Micah 6:8 (NKJV)

⁸ He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justly,

To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God?