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Read: Hosea 1:1-3:5, 1 John 5:1-21, Psalm 124:1-8, Proverbs 29:5-8

Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them. (Hosea 3:1)

Relate: I can see it in a modern context. Hosea calls up a babysitter to come watch the kids. The babysitter arrives and he hops into his car to head downtown. Getting to a run down old building he pays the bouncer and heads downstairs. The music is unfamiliar and loud. The air is slightly cloudy. He joins a group of guys who are looking down on the dance floor where most of the girls and some other guys are gyrating to the music.
Hosea doesn’t have to search long to find her. There she is in the middle of a group. Her arms entwined around the latest guy to catch her eye. Hosea’s knuckles are white as he watches them dance for a moment. Getting his anger under control, taking a deep breath, and building up his nerve, he walks down into the chaos.
She sees him and calls out his name as he gets close. She calls out, “Hosea!” He ducks his head down and hopes… prays that no one in here might recognize him. As he gets closer she shouts over the music, “So you’ve finally decided to join us! Come on baby!” Now she’s trying to dance in between him and this other guy.
At first Hosea tries to grab her wrist and pull her away. She breaks free and slaps him. He’s about to try again when he notices that at least two bouncers are watching and one is casually making his way in their direction. Instead he pulls her close and says in her ear, “Let’s go somewhere private.”
“But I’m having so much fun.”
“Are you really?”
For some reason the question freezes her. She stands there looking at him. Her eyes are glassed over. The makeup does a poor job of hiding the sunken look of someone who has not slept in days. She has lost far too much weight and there is a bruise on her upper arm that the shirt almost covers. That bruise isn’t the only thing the shirt isn’t quite covering. A sweat drop runs from her forehead down the side of the face. Her breath smells of alcohol and something more he doesn’t recognize.
“OK.” She says, “I’ll talk. But that’s all. I’m not going back home and you are going to buy me a drink.”
They walk over to an even darker area where the music seems to be not quite as loud. Hosea’s ears are ringing as he pauses to let his eyes adapt to the darkness. As he sees who else in nearby and what they’re doing Hosea wishes he could go back to being almost blind.
“OK,” Gomer says, “You’ve got me here. What do you want?”
“You. I want you back.”
“Impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible.”
“This is.” She shows him where she has been sticking the needle. “See these. I’m in over my head. I can’t pay for it anymore. I owe too much and now I’m being loaned out for favors. You take me home we’re both dead.”
For a moment Hosea stands there speechless. How did she let it get this far. He is right about to turn around and walk away when he remembers what he was told. “Take her back.” God’s command was clear. It didn’t change. So he looked right into those sunken eyes and said, “I’ll take you back. Somehow I’ll work it out with this guy.”
“Even if you could… why?”
“Because God told me to.”
“Not good enough. I’m not going to be another of your religious projects. I’m not just the punch line of your sermons.”
“Because you’re worth more to me than you are to him.”
She rolls her eyes. There’s a pause in the music as the DJ starts to say something. Hosea steps up close. Their noses are almost touching. In the quietest voice that can still be heard he says, “Gomer. No matter what you’ve done. No matter who you have become. I still love you.”

React: How quickly do we give up on those that God is still pursuing? How quickly do we give up on ourselves when we fall? Who might God be telling you to go and bring back in your life? How far are you willing to go to be obedient to Him?

Respond: God, help me to love with Your love. Help me to give with Your heart. Help me to pursue, and continue pursuing those You have placed in my life who have walked away from You. Help me to be uncomfortable, give me sleepless nights, drive me to my knees until they fall back into Your arms.

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Read: Daniel 11:36-12:13, 1 John 4:1-21, Psalm 123:1-4, Proverbs 29:2-4

But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here… Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. (1 John 4:3,5)

Relate: The spirit of the Antichrist is already here. He calls himself a prophet, a spiritual guide, a teacher. But he is none of these. With best selling books like A New Earth, The Power of Now, and a series of web seminars viewed live or seen by over 28 million people, he has definitely seen many. But about Jesus, Eckhart Tolle says, “Never personalize Christ. Don’t make Christ into a form identity. Avatars, divine mothers, enlightened masters, the very few that are real, are not special as persons.” This is the spirit of the Antichrist.

He is a buddhist monk. He is not a Christian but he has been endorsed by many famous pastors, even nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by a pastor. He is a master at redefining terms like baptism, salvation, and the Holy Spirit in a way that it seems like he is saying some very Christian things. But ultimately he stresses the humanity of Christ and wants to deny, or at the very least, ignore his divinity. Tich Nhat Hanh says, “As the child of Mary and Joseph, Jesus is the Son of Woman and Man…The life of Jesus is faith in His resurrection or faith in eternity.” This is the spirit of the Antichrist.

React: Truth is not subjective. Truth is uncompromising. Today we live in a world where open mindedness and tolerance are the highest ideal. To be fair both Tolle, Hanh, and others of similar mindsets like Oprah have a lot of good to say. They have some great practical advice that can help you live a healthier, happier, more fulfilled life… all the way to hell. In Isaiah God says about Himself, “I will not let my reputation be tarnished, and I will not share my glory with others!” There is nothing greater than the glory of God, and there is no greater manifestation of that glory than in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Anything that tries to tarnish the truth of the Incarnate God, Jesus, is the spirit of the Antichrist. Have nothing to do with it.

Respond: God, reveal Your glory. Help me to know truth and not get caught up in deceptions of the world. Help me to walk in imitation of how You walked on this earth. Let me be such a true reflection of You that those around would not get caught up in lies that mar the image of Your greatness. Let Your Name, let You nature, let Your truth be lifted higher.

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Read: Daniel 7:1-28, 1 John 1:1-10, Psalm 119:153-176, Proverbs 28:23-24

As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.

(Daniel 7:13-14)

Relate: “Son of Man”. Its the phrase Jesus likes to use when He is talking about himself. In the 28 chapters of Matthew the phrase is used 28 times. Each time, Jesus is talking about himself. He does the same 14 times in the 16 chapters of Mark, 27 times in Lukes 24 chapters and the phrase appears 13 times in John. The best part is, the phrase seems to pop up most frequently when Jesus talks about his second coming.

I can only imagine how annoyed the Pharisees got when Jesus used “Son of Man” to talk about himself. It is not just that Jesus is displaying his solidarity with the rest of humanity, it is also a title of divinity. In a way that they cannot outright stone him for blasphemy, Jesus is claiming himself to be the one who is “given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him.”

React:  I am not a big fan of this:

I hear people say things like, “That’s not the kind of God I serve”, “To me God (Jesus) is…”, or “I’m spiritual but not religious”. Jesus isn’t some soft wimp who loves us all and just wants us all to get along so lets have a group hug and light up another joint. Jesus also isn’t the Christian version version of Thor looking to bring the hammer down on every misdeed and strike the unrepentant with lightening. He’s both. He’s neither. What he absolutely, definitely is not is something I can mold or manage to suit my own purposes or for my own emotional well being. He rules me, not me Him.

Respond: Maranatha! God, come quickly. Until that day, help me to be about Your Kingdom. Help me to to present, a bite sized, manageable version of You. Help me not to envision a small minded, easily manageable version of You. Enlarge my eyes. Help me to see You more, for who You are. Rule in me as You will one day rule over all.

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Read: Daniel 6:1-28, 2 Peter 3:1-18, Psalm 119:129-152, Proverbs 28:21-22

Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. (Daniel 6:4)

Relate: He was a Jewish exile. No, not Daniel. Peter. When he was seven years old, his family left Germany for Cuba. A couple years later they moved again to Chicago where he went to school and became an engineer. He was an incredibly talented one. First he helped make tractors, moved on to trucks, from there he was a VP for a German engine company before becoming the CEO of Porsche during their glory days in the 80′s. Now Peter travels around as a motivational speaker. One of the things he tells employers, don’t hire people for their talent. You can teach talent. Hire people for their character.

Daniel was one of the early exiles from Jerusalem to Babylon. Any time the Babylonians conquered a city, they took the leadership. They took the best and the brightest and brought them back to Babylon. It was a brilliant strategy, not only do you gather the greatest minds to your capital, you also remove your potential opponent’s ability to wage an effective war against you. Daniel was one of thousands of men from dozens of kingdoms brought into Babylon, but he rose to the top. As gifted as he was, I doubt he was the most intelligent, fastest, strongest, best looking or anything. But he was the best worker. Even his jealous enemies had to admit, this man is faultless.

React: How am I as an employee? What is my work ethic? I might never be the smartest, or the most gifted at my job. That isn’t up to me. I can only work within the giftings God has given me. But my work ethic, my effort, my diligence… that I can control. Am I working in a way that those around would respect and appreciate what I do? When I try to witness to my coworkers, does my job reputation help or hinder that voice. This world is not my home, just as Babylon was not the true home of the exiled Jews. But they were commanded to seek the prosperity of that land. Am I seeking to be a blessing to my coworkers, my company, and my community?

Respond: God, I don’t just pray for my blessing. I pray for the blessing of my place of employment. Help me to be a servant. Help my work habits be such that when I share about You, people will respect what I say because of the way I work and how I serve others. Help me, like Daniel, to be faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.

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Read: Ezekiel 42:1-43:27, James 5:1-20, Psalm 119:1-16, Proverbs 28:6-7

I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11)

Relate: The word “hidden” in Hebrew is tsaphan. It means to conceal (as in something too valuable for common use Job 10:13), to treasure (something of great worth Proverbs 10:14), or to store up (to build up something over time like grain in a silo Hosea 13:12). All three types of definition fit well here. The Bible is far too precious to be used as a beating stick. Using my knowledge of the Bible to belittle or degrade others is a sin. Bible bashing only drives others from the God I claim to serve. The Bible is also something of great worth. It is a love letter from my fiance’. It is my marching orders from the Supreme Commander. It is an instruction manual for how I can put my life back together. It is the promise of a better future. The Bible is also something whose constant use builds over time. It is my daily bread being stored away against times of hunger. It is a solid foundation I can build upon day by day, brick by brick.

React: The Bible is not a closet that I can throw something in and forget about it for the rest of time. I’ve got a book shelf next to me with a good 100 books on it or so. With the exception of a few reference and new purchase books, I’ve read all of them. Hipster Christianity was just recently, I could tell you all about it. Go The Distance I stole from my dad, its been over 15 years at least and I could only vaguely tell you what it is about. Back in my Sunday School days, and when I was at a Christian School, I had to regularly memorize scripture. Without reinforcement, I couldn’t quote them today. As a quizzer, I memorized books of the Bible, but that was over a decade ago. The question isn’t how much of the Bible I have read? The question is, what have I been reading from it recently. The question isn’t, what did I memorize as a child? The question is what have I been memorizing recently? A chapter read a year ago, a verse read at 8 years old will do me no good when faced with temptation today.

Respond: God, help me to conceal your word in my heart. Help me not to use it to abuse Your loved ones. Help me to use it as a weapon against Your enemies, not my antagonists. Help me also to treasure Your Word. Help it to be something I love and long to come back to again and again, not a chore that I have to tick off my daily checklist. Most of all help me to store up Your Word. Help me not to rest on past accomplishments but to daily, regularly, store it up inside of me. Give me this day, my daily bread.

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Read: Ezekiel 40:28-41:26, James 4:1-17, Psalm 118:19-29, Proverbs 28:3-5

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

Relate: Eli Sunday is a great preacher, but not a good pastor. He can stir up the crowd. He is charismatic, good with people. But he is proud. His primary concern is for his own aggrandizement and to have a bigger and better church. Humility is something that does not appear on his radar. Daniel Plainview is a cutthroat businessman. He is an oilman whose desire is to get richer and to step on whoever he needs to in his climb up the ladder of success. He wants Eli’s land. Eli wants to sell to help finance his growing church. The problem is that these two men, both alpha dogs, have been squaring off for as long as anyone can remember. The town isn’t big enough for both their egos. Eli finally approaches Daniel with an offer to sell. Daniel agrees on one condition. Temptation is staring Eli straight in the face.

[videoembed type=”youtube” width=”600″ height=”450″ url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyKNmvJYO7o” id=”0″]

React: When faced with temptation, Eli failed. The fact is, he never had a chance. Ultimately he was forced to submit, because he was not submitted to God. Ultimately he was brought to his knees, because he was not living on them. The worst part about it, it was all for nothing. He sacrificed what little integrity he had left for an empty promise. He sold his soul only to find out it had already been stolen from him.

When we are not submitted to God, we find ourselves in the same boat. We might think we have integrity, or holiness, but we have neither. Both are gifts from God and if we are not submitted, humbled before Him, then all we have are empty promises. Legalism. We may think we are resisting the devil but he ain’t runnin. The devil is stronger than us and will always win in a one-on-one fight. But we have a big brother who has been lifting the weights of the world. We have a daddy who owns this town (and then some). We have a Spirit that cannot be quenched. The devil sees them in us and guess what… he’s gonna run.

Respond: Dear God, keep me humble. Help me not to strive for myself but to always live for You. Help me to resist, but first help me to surrender.

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Read: Ezekiel 39:1-40:27, James 2:18-3:18, Psalm 118:1-18, Proverbs 28:2

So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.       (James 2:24)

Relate: “We are shown right by what we do.” In the NIV it says “a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.” When I am caught, what are some of my excuses that I might give? If I am confronted about something, how do I rationalize my actions? “You don’t understand.” Or, “You don’t know what I’m going through.” Or “That’s not what I meant to do/say.” Or, “You don’t see the real me.” Ever used any of these? They all, and many excuses like them appeal to the myth: “God is more concerned with who you are than what you do.” Or, “God is more concerned with my heart than my actions.”

React: These last two statements are a knee jerk reaction against legalism. It is true that do not do good works so that we might be righteous. No matter how much good we do, it will never be enough to earn anything from God. All we have from Him comes through grace. It is not earned. This is true, but sometimes we put so much emphasis on the fact that we are saved from works that we forget that we are also saved for work. (see Ephesians 2:10)

God looks at my heart. Nobody else does. Nobody else has x-ray vision. Nobody else can know my thoughts. Nobody else understands my motivations. The only way God’s holiness can be seen through me is by what I do. The only way His love can be made manifest is by my actions. God knows whether or not I am righteous. He knows He has made holy. The only way anyone else (including me) can know, is by how I live my life. So what am I doing to show His righteousness? Is my faith backed up by my actions?

Respond: God, I fall so short. I know how I am supposed to live but I never even seem to come close. Help me to be righteous. Help me to be holy. It can only come through Your grace, but let it come. I can never do right on my own. Help me to show this world that I am not on my own. Let the world see You, lived through me.

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Read: Ezekiel 35:1-36:38, James 1:1-18, Psalm 116:1-19, Proverbs 27:23-27

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. (James 1:2)

Relate: It was back in the 80′s when Russia was doing its best to bring Afghanistan under its thumb. Officially the US wasn’t in the conflict but unofficially it was doing its best to send in supplies to the Afghan freedom fighters. Colonel Sam Troutman was a part of this and went in with a supply of Stinger missiles. Everything on this mission went wrong and he was captured. A special forces fighter named John was tasked to go in and get him out.

Nothing seemed to go right for John. The freedom fighters that  were supposed to help him, at first refused to do so. The terrain itself is both unforgiving and difficult to cross. He finally does manage to pull the Colonel out but they don’t get very far before the two are surrounded by a very, very large army. The two are trapped by a few hundred soldiers, a bunch of tanks and a few helicopters. When ordered to surrender, Colonel Troutman turns to John and asks if they should. John Rambo offers up his very famous two word reply and we all are launched into a movie climax of pure joy. Grenades are launched, machine guns fired, a tank commandeered, and the enemy falls in a blaze of glory.

React: Of course everything above is completely fictional. Rambo 3 is one of dozens, no hundreds, of movies I could have used to illustrate my point. It is simply the first one to come to mind. The fact is every great movie has some difficulty, some conflict that needs to be overcome. For that matter, every poor movie and every TV show… even the Hallmark movies have conflict. The only movies where there is no trouble, no difficulty that must be overcome are called art house movies and are so boring (with so few people watching) that they don’t really count.

Without difficulty, there is no excitement. Without trouble, can there be any joy? So now lets flip this around. How exciting is my life? Am I actively trying to avoid conflict and difficulty? Perhaps not, but am I living an adventurous life? Am I taking risks? Am I stepping out of the boat? Or am I just drudging my way through life withing nothing amazingly good or potentially bad coming down the pipeline. Without the latter, can I really have the former?

Respond: You have come that we might have life… abundant life. Help me to live abundantly. Help me to be more willing to take risks. Help me to look at difficulty not as an evil to be avoided but an opportunity for joy. Help me to live the adventurous life that is part and parcel of following you.

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Read: Ezekiel 33:1-34:31, Hebrews 13:1-25, Psalm 115:1-18, Proverbs 27:21-22

But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn’t sound the alarm to warn the people, he is responsible for their captivity. They will die in their sins, but I will hold the watchman responsible for their deaths. (Ezekiel 33:6)

Relate: On March 3, 1918, the New York Times carried an article about 4 men who were sentenced to death for falling asleep on sentry duty during World War 1. Two British soldiers and one Canadian were also killed for the same crime. Perhaps the most famous sentry to fall asleep at his post was William Scott. He, along with his four brothers, was a volunteer who joined the Union Army near the beginning of the Civil War. Shortly after the battle of Bull Run, Scott offered to volunteer for a sick friend to cover sentry duty at a strategic bridge. The thing is, he had just done duty the night before for himself and after spending the day marching, was in no condition to be out there again. Scott was caught sleeping at his post, court marshaled and on September 4 sentenced to be shot at dawn the following Monday.

Reverend Moses Parmalee, a chaplain with the army gathered signatures from 191 of Scott’s fellow soldiers. It was because he was helping a friend, not because he neglected his duty that they wished his pardon. On Sunday evening Parmalee presented this petition to Lincoln. The President wrote a note to General Smith and, according to one version of the story, ordered his personal carriage to take the chaplain back to the front lines.

The next morning William Scott’s brigade was ordered into formation and Scott, bound and blindfolded was brought before them. His crime and an order of his execution was read to the men, then they also heard read Lincoln’s pardon. After believing for the past five days that his life was forfeit, Scott was released.

Relate: We are the watchmen on the wall. As Christians we are aware of the immanent danger to those around us who do not yet know Christ. They are destined for hell. Scott thought he was doing a favor for his friend by taking his watch, but if the enemy army pressed its advantage, many men could have died. He was doing no favors. In the same way, our failure to share the love God has so richly poured out on us is a crime. We do our friends no favors with our silence. It is better that they be offended, and repent than that they skip their way to hell in ignorant bliss. When they die, they will be judged for their sin… but their blood will be on our hands.

Respond: God, I repent for my silence. I repent for the attitude that says my good actions are enough. It takes more than being kind and generous and patient. It takes opening my mouth. I have a warning for the world You have ordered me to cry out. Give me courage to shout it.

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Read: Ezekiel 31:1-32:32, Hebrews 12:14-29, Psalm 113:1-114:8, Proverbs 27:18-20

(For our God is a devouring fire. Hebrews 12:29)

Relate: What did you do yesterday? When you got up in the morning, how long did it take you to get ready? What did you have for breakfast? Did you even have one? How long does it take you to get to work? What do you drive? What did you listen to on the radio? Where do you work? What do you do? Who did you chat with on facebook when you were supposed to be working? Over lunch break, did you hang out with others? What did you talk about? Where did you go after work? Did you watch any TV? What shows? Did you play any games? Watch any movies? Did you have a snack? Around what time did you head to bed?

Obviously, not all these questions apply to every one, but fill in the gaps of your day with whichever other questions might be applicable. Now take all those questions and think about June 17. Can you answer any of them? How about March 11 last year? What about September 23, 2006? A huge percentage of what we do is transient. It is purposeless. There is no lasting value. Yet these little things are what we spend such a large majority of our time, thought, effort, and money on.

React: What do I eat? It doesn’t matter. Where do I work and what do they do? It doesn’t matter. What are my hobbies? It doesn’t matter. Only two things I do have eternal value. Everything in this world will be shaken, when everything in this world is consumed, only the eternal things will remained. When God consumes it all, all that will be left to me is what I did for Him, and what I did with others. Perhaps that is why the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love others. Only what I do in obedience to these commands will last. Everything else… it doesn’t matter.

Respond: God, help me to invest in the eternal. So much of my life, so much of my time is invested in things that just do not matter. This seems unavoidable. I can’t escape it. Help me to keep perspective through all this. Help me to remember that all of this meaningless stuff is nothing more than a tool to enable me to better invest in eternal things. Help me to constantly come back to this perspective.

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