DANIEL & HOSEA

It's Sunday!  Looking forward to God doing something very special today.  I'm in Daniel and Hosea today, and here are a few thoughts: 1) UP TO THE TEST- In Daniel 1:12-20 we see that God's Ways Can Be Tested!!  Daniel said "prove thy servants".  The proof is in the pudding!!  The Christian life is the best life, but that is not just a statement of hope, it's a observable statement of fact!  "Oh taste and see that the LORD is good."  Daniel and his friends were the proof and the proof is not marginal.  "ten times better" in "all matters of wisdom and understanding" from those "in all his realm".  WOW!! If we obey God's Word, we too can expect God to bless us exceptionally. 2) THE RISE AND FALL AND RISE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR- If you look at chapter four, and notice little words and phrases, you will realize how the king spoke when God exalted him and when God was ready to lower him.  Chapter four begins with Nebuchadnezzar using words like "His signs!"; "His wonders!"; "His kingdom"; and "His dominion".  The emphasis was on God, not upon himself.  But then later in the same chapter we start seeing words like: "I have built"; "my power"; "my majesty".  There words sealed the doom of the king.  Pride goeth before a fall.  We should never give into the sinful temptation to be proud.  God hates a proud and haughty spirit and will abase those who possess it.  So it happened to the king.  For seven years he was like a wild animal, but when he saw the light and came to himself, then he started again to use words like: "I bless the most High"; "I praised and honored Him";  "His kingdom";  "He doeth according to His will"; "His hand"; Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven".  BACK ON TRACK!!  3) SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET AN ANSWER - Dan. 9:3  "And I set my face unto the LORD God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:"  When you get this serious with God, God is going to answer you.... and He did Daniel. 4) LACK OF KNOWLEDGE- Hosea 4:6 says: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:"  Not knowledge concerning the secular things around us, but scriptural knowledge that comes from God's Holy Word.  If we don't know what the Word says, then we miss out by disobedience and ignorance of God's blessings!  We must get into God's Word and know what it says! 5) HOW GOD FELT ABOUT EPHRAIM- Ephraim was one of the tribes of Israel, and in Hosea, we see how God feels about them.  Notice this progression: Hosea 4:17 "Ephraim is joined to idols:  let him alone."  God said, that is enough!  But, later God said:  Hosea 11:8 "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim?"   Then in Hosea 11:9 "I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim:  for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee:  and I will not enter into the city."   Hosea 13:12  "The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up:  his sin is hid."  Then finally Hosea 14:4  "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely:  for mine anger is turned away from him."    The progression is that God is anger, God gives them up, God cannot give them up, God forgives their sins, God loves them freely.  Now let us learn something about how God loves us even when we have been wrong.  Hope you have a great Sunday!  May God bless!  Pastor Mike Mutchler