Sermon Central
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Attitude (Part 2) Series
Contributed by Shawn Drake on May 29, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: This is the 3rd study in the study "Faithful Or Unfaithful".
ATTITUDE (Part 2)
In our last study we looked at the attitude of unfaithfulness. Basically the problem is putting ourselves first. Like Jeroboam, Jehu and Gomer we seek after our own interests and ignore or distort God in the process. What are the symptoms? We don’t recognize God is the source of life, and we pursue the things we think will satisfy. We experience a dryness in our soul because our own methods do not work. They do not satisfy. We are proud and don’t recognize our sin. We expect God to bless us because we think we deserve it because we think we are good. We think He owes us. We blame God when things don’t go just the way we want them to. So, ask yourself if you are guilty of doing this. What is God’s response to all this? What is God’s reaction to Israel forgetting Him in verse 13? After describing their sin and bringing them to the wilderness, our text shows that God is also merciful and now He is drawing them back to Him. God uses these wilderness experiences to bring us closer to Him.
Being In The Wilderness
Notice that God lead them into the wilderness. God must first lead us to the place where we have nothing left on our own and then we will be more likely to turn to God. Remember, when the children of Israel were in the desert, what did they do for food? God gave them manna. How much did He give them? God didn’t give them a surplus, but He provided for their needs. When God leads us into the wilderness, we must understand He isn’t taking good things away from us; He is taking away things that we thought were good for us, so that all we will have left is what really is good for us, and so we will depend on Him. What is the result of being in the wilderness? God speaks kindly to us. Being in the desert makes us more receptive to God’s words.
Just A Thought
Has God brought you to the place where you are receptive to His Word? If so, what is He showing you?
God is telling them that He would bless them. The valley of Achor was not a good memory for Israel. That was where Achan committed his sin and God caused the Israelites to be defeated by Ai, but God can turn our times of defeat into a time of hope. After the Israelites stoned Achan and got right with God, they were able to defeat Ai. This verse also says that Israel will sing a song like she did in her youth. What song will Israel sing?
This song is totally about God. The song they would sing and the song we need to sing is one that is so focused on God that it leads to forgetting self. This is a good definition of worship. When we begin to forget self and focus God, we are then able to worship God.
Being Restored
Verse 16 says that they will call God husband and not owner or slave-master. This is an excellent picture of God renewing the intimate relationship with us that we once had. The solution to our problem of pride is having a relationship with God. We can know that God loves us perfectly, that He accepts us the way we are. We can be secure in Him and depend on Him. The solution is having a relationship with Him.
As a Christian, this is great news. This simply tells me that although as a Christian I still sin that God is patiently waiting for me to renew my relationship with Him. This is something that must be done daily.
Praise God that His attitude is not like ours. Thank God that He will take us back after we have went whoring around with things other than Him.
Wednesday Evening Bible Study
Series: Faithful Or Unfaithful (Study In Hosea) #3
May 28, 2003
Bel Aire Baptist Church
Pastor Shawn Drake
