December 6
Hosea 4:1-5:15 | PS 125:1-5 | Prov 29:9-11 | 2 John 1:1-13
If we are not honest and faithful in our human relationships, with those we can touch and see, how can we be faithful with our more important relationships, those with our heavenly Father, and our Lord, Jesus Christ, both who we cannot literally see or touch. The fifth commandment says, "Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you." (Deuteronomy 5:16). But many choose to make a list of all that their parents have done wrong as reasons for not giving them honor. How can we embark on a true relationship with God, the Father, and honor Him who we can't see, if we choose to forsake His commandment with those we can see and touch in real time. We read the seventh commandment, "You shall not commit adultery" (Deuteronomy 5:18). But many choose to fornicate, engage in pornography, commit adultery, etc. If we can't remain faithful and steadfast with our spouse who we can see and touch, how can we remain faithful to our Bridegroom, Jesus, who we can't see or touch. We don't want to admit it, but so many have set up idols which block their relationship with the Father and the Son. When we elevate your reasons to disrespect our earthly parents, when we spend our time lusting after another, we have erected idols which cloud our ability to honor and worship the Father and the Son.
We read in Hosea 4:2, "By swearing and lying, Killing and stealing and committing adultery, They break all restraint, With bloodshed upon bloodshed." So, you don't commit actual murder (though Jesus gives clarification on this in Matthew 5:21-26), do we make our own list of sins which we deem worse than others, even though God never made such lists. Do we seek to vindicate our own sinful condition by elevating ourselves by ranking sins that we struggle less with than those we struggle more with. We read in Hosea 4:13-14, "They offer sacrifices on the mountaintops, And burn incense on the hills, Under oaks, poplars, and terebinths, Because their shade is good. Therefore your daughters commit harlotry, And your brides commit adultery. "I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry, Nor your brides when they commit adultery; For the men themselves go apart with harlots, And offer sacrifices with a ritual harlot...". God was emphatic about pointing out their guilt of spiritual adultery. So, you don't commit actual adultery (though Jesus gives clarification of this in Matthew 5:27-30), do we casually write off Jesus' statement on this casually as struggling with the flesh. God did not give us a random set of commandments. He gave them to us for a reason.
Our "reality", that which we can currently touch and see will last up to one hundred years. After that the longer reality, eternity, will be that which we can touch and feel. Yes, we are all sinners (read 1 John 1:8-10), but, we cannot continue to live a life out of relationship with God. He desires relationship, not religion. He desires our love and attention, not the formalities and rituals that many have erected. How we like to minimize or write this off. Many like to point out David's faults, yet called a "man after God's own heart". Yes, he committed actual adultery and actual murder, yet read his words in Psalm 51:3-4, "For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight-...". He was in a real relationship with God. Realize Ephraim was guilty of blatant spiritual idolatry, and we read in Hosea 5:9, "Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke; Among the tribes of Israel I make known what is sure." When you go through the tribes mentioned who have had men sealed during the tribulation in Revelation 7:4-8, make note that Ephraim is missing from the list of twelve that are mentioned. Just remember what was written in 2 John 1:6, "This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: