Sermon Central
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Attitude (Part 1) Series
Contributed by Shawn Drake on May 29, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: This is the 2nd stuyd in the study "Faithful Or Unfaithful".
ATTITUDE (Part 1)
In our last study we found the problem of personal agendas. The Nation of Israel had turned from God over and over through the years. Jeroboam and Jehu had both done all they could to discount God and focus on their remaining king.
In this study we are going to look at Gomer, Hosea’s wife. Gomer was a prostitute. Gomer was being unfaithful to her husband although he loved her very much. To Gomer, Hosea wasn’t enough. This is also a picture of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. To the Nation of Israel, God wasn’t enough. Proverbs 7 is a good example of the destructiveness of a prostitute.
As we look at Gomer, we are going to look at some of the attitudes found in one who is unfaithful.
You must take an inventory of your own life. Are you one who is unfaithful to God or are you committed to Him with all of your heart. Here is some of the indications of unfaithfulness.
Pursuit
What are you pursuing in life? Some are pursuing happiness, others an easy way of life, and others power and prestige. As our text shows, when we pursuit happiness through anything besides God we will be thirsty? Have you ever been thirsty for peace, joy, and happiness? There is only one Who can quench that thirst.
Our text also shows us that the pursuit of the easy life brings disaster upon our lives. Remember, Jesus said that the road to destruction is broad. Following the world is easier and even brings temporary satisfaction; but many times it leads straight to the “bottom”.
Have you ever “hit bottom”? Most of the time we must “hit bottom” before we realize that we cannot do it on our own. The story of the “Prodigal Son” is one of the best examples of “hitting bottom” and God being there for us when we have no other hope.
The pursuit of things or people other than God is an indication of unfaithfulness. Another indication of unfaithfulness to God is…
Pride
Notice verse 3. God is saying after all of your unfaithfulness to me it doesn’t even faze you. What would cause this type of attitude? Pride.
In the verse above circle the words I, my, me, or mine. These words are always a good indication of pride. Everything is mine or done for me. Nothing is ever my fault. It is someone else’s fault and if there is no one else to blame then it must be God’s fault. Has pride caused you to blame the whole world for your problems instead of realizing that your pride may be the cause?
Another indication of unfaithfulness to God is…
Perspective
What do you feel like the proper relationship between you and God should be? Often times our perspective is that it is all God’s fault for the things that happen to us so He owes us. The Jewish people felt like God owed them something because they were Jewish. Christians often times feel like God owes them something because they are Christian. Remember, it is God who sent His only Son Jesus to the cross to die for our sins although what we deserved was eternal death in Hell.
As we studied last week, let me ask you this same question, “What kind of God do you have?” Some people think of God as a higher power. Star Wars made it popular by calling it “the Force.” The New Age movement just refers to it as a higher power, but what is significant is that God has been changed into this higher power which is just there to help people achieve their own goals. All you have to do is “tap into that higher power” to do whatever you want. Just visualize it and it will happen.
Or maybe our concept of God is not so obviously wrong. Instead we make God into the grandfather image. What do I mean by the grandfather image? God is seen as the kind, loving grandfather, sitting in heaven and not really concerned with what his grandchildren are doing. You know that typically it is the grandparents who spoil the children and let them do what they want and it is the parents who have to discipline them. We want a grandfather God who will indulge and spoil us and not make us obey the rules.
Maybe we have a genie image of God. This is one that makes God into someone who we can pray to for things we want. Can you think of other images of God? What kind of a God do you have?
Are some or all of these indications of unfaithfulness a part of your life? If so what are you going to do to change that?
Wednesday Evening Bible Study
Series: Faithful Or Unfaithful (Study In Hosea) #2
May 21, 2003
Bel Aire Baptist Church
Pastor Shawn Drake
