Good Morning “Grandpa Lovers”. Today we are in Hosea 5.
I now have 6 grandkids. I love them all, and yes am probably guilty of being soft… letting them get away with stuff. I have to try hard not to spoil them for that is my inclination. My son and daughter look at me and often wonder, and even say… “Who are you?” Apparently I was a bit different when they were growing up.
We all love grandfathers for that reason. Fathers can be harsh, and frankly because they bear the responsibility before God, for their children’s spiritual condition, and their children’s discipline - they need to be.
Is it any wonder the modern church has begun to view God more as a benevolent grandfather? One who only spoils and never disciplines his grandchildren? I once had a parent reach out and check me up for preaching about the judgment and discipline of God on us… HIS CHILDREN. The message also contained discussion regarding our recent loss of fear of God. “I don’t believe we should fear God, she said. I want my child to want to crawl up in His lap, not shutter in His presence.”
Sure… however, according to Scripture fearing God is the thing that keeps us from sin. (Exodus 20:20, Proverbs 16:6, Proverbs 3:7). We’re told more than 300 times throughout Scripture to “fear” Him. Yes that “includes” standing in awe of Him, but that’s not the end of it. Each time the word is used, it’s a word that means shuttering fear or terror - in the original languages. (Yare or Yara - Hebrew, Phobeo in the Greek NT. Phobeo is where we get our English word Phobia).
When I say I am afraid of heights, it’s my phobia… I don’t mean I stand in awe of them. I may do that, but it’s accompanied with sweats, nervousness, shaking, terror.
But how can I fear God - He’s so sweet? Ummm, read this chapter… and/or pretty much any of the Prophets, and… well really, just read The Bible.
Fear is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). We might define wisdom as knowledge applied. Knowledge apart from application is useless. Apart from fear of God Scripture doesn’t get applied. Frankly we don’t grow up. Look at the current state of the church globally, lack of fear, and immaturity… any connection? According to Gods Word there is.
Books like Hosea and horrifying chapters like this one, get avoided because we don’t like them. The mess with the idea of OUR god. The one we put in a box. One can hardly read it and hang on to the “benevolent grandfather with endless lap space” idea. Here’s the Truth… HE WILL NOT and CANNOT BE BOXED. He is The God of The Bible and frankly Who He Is - is made abundantly clear.
God is our FATHER, not our grandfather, and as such He will bring the hammer to spur our repentance, ultimately restoration and growth. (Hebrews 12:4-13)
Love you all! Dig in, and live it out!
I now have 6 grandkids. I love them all, and yes am probably guilty of being soft… letting them get away with stuff. I have to try hard not to spoil them for that is my inclination. My son and daughter look at me and often wonder, and even say… “Who are you?” Apparently I was a bit different when they were growing up.
We all love grandfathers for that reason. Fathers can be harsh, and frankly because they bear the responsibility before God, for their children’s spiritual condition, and their children’s discipline - they need to be.
Is it any wonder the modern church has begun to view God more as a benevolent grandfather? One who only spoils and never disciplines his grandchildren? I once had a parent reach out and check me up for preaching about the judgment and discipline of God on us… HIS CHILDREN. The message also contained discussion regarding our recent loss of fear of God. “I don’t believe we should fear God, she said. I want my child to want to crawl up in His lap, not shutter in His presence.”
Sure… however, according to Scripture fearing God is the thing that keeps us from sin. (Exodus 20:20, Proverbs 16:6, Proverbs 3:7). We’re told more than 300 times throughout Scripture to “fear” Him. Yes that “includes” standing in awe of Him, but that’s not the end of it. Each time the word is used, it’s a word that means shuttering fear or terror - in the original languages. (Yare or Yara - Hebrew, Phobeo in the Greek NT. Phobeo is where we get our English word Phobia).
When I say I am afraid of heights, it’s my phobia… I don’t mean I stand in awe of them. I may do that, but it’s accompanied with sweats, nervousness, shaking, terror.
But how can I fear God - He’s so sweet? Ummm, read this chapter… and/or pretty much any of the Prophets, and… well really, just read The Bible.
Fear is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). We might define wisdom as knowledge applied. Knowledge apart from application is useless. Apart from fear of God Scripture doesn’t get applied. Frankly we don’t grow up. Look at the current state of the church globally, lack of fear, and immaturity… any connection? According to Gods Word there is.
Books like Hosea and horrifying chapters like this one, get avoided because we don’t like them. The mess with the idea of OUR god. The one we put in a box. One can hardly read it and hang on to the “benevolent grandfather with endless lap space” idea. Here’s the Truth… HE WILL NOT and CANNOT BE BOXED. He is The God of The Bible and frankly Who He Is - is made abundantly clear.
God is our FATHER, not our grandfather, and as such He will bring the hammer to spur our repentance, ultimately restoration and growth. (Hebrews 12:4-13)
Love you all! Dig in, and live it out!
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