Reaping The Whirlwind

Hosea 8:7

The spiritual decline of God’s chosen people, as detailed in the Old Testament, includes some of the saddest passages in the Bible. God dearly loved the children of Israel, but they continually rejected Him and turned away.

God appointed King David to unite the nation and focus their worship on the One True God. David made plans for the construction of a temple and King Solomon built the temple a few years later. But toward the end of Solomon’s reign, “his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God” (1 Kings 11:4). The spiritual decline began with the leadership and then flowed quickly down to the people.

When Solomon died, the nation of Israel divided and the northern kingdom immediately began to pervert their worship; “The king made two golden calves {and said} ‘Here are your gods'” (1 Kings 12:28). Then, after almost 200 years of continual disobedience, the northern kingdom had hardened their hearts so that repentance was no longer even possible; “their deeds do not permit them to return to God” (Hosea 5:4). God is ready, willing, and able to forgive every sin, but continual disobedience removes the desire to draw near and seek His forgiveness. After so many years of false worship, the people would not return to God and would now experience His wrath.

Hosea 8:7
“They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.”

The people of Israel had planted evil seed into their lives for many years – now the time had come to harvest the destruction they had planted. Soon after Hosea spoke these words of God, the Assyrian army invaded and destroyed the northern kingdom.

God demonstrated His love for us long before we ever loved Him; “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). This love was unconditional since we did absolutely nothing to deserve His favor. But if we do not receive His love, through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus, and allow His Spirit to begin to transform us from within, we too will one day feel His wrath.

The wind of unbelief and lack of trust, false worship and a cold heart, will one day yield an eternal whirlwind which cannot be stopped. And the wind of open sin in the lives of spiritual leaders, or the spiritual compromise in the lives of parents, can lead many generations down a path of destruction.

Let’s plant and nourish seeds of truth and love which will thrive in His presence for all eternity. Let’s trust Him with a faith which walks into the unknown without fear because we know He is by our side. Let’s determine once and for all to live an uncompromising life which brings glory and honor to God; and on the great day of harvest, let’s joyfully enter His embrace without the fear of reaping the whirlwind.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

                                                   What It Means To Forgive
                                                       Ephesians 4:31-32
In the message “Forgive As He Forgave” we saw that our forgiveness of others should be based on recognizing the magnitude of forgiveness we have been given through faith in Jesus. A true understanding of God’s mercy toward us ought to compel us to be merciful to others. But still, forgiveness remains difficult and somewhat hard to define. Some hurts last a long, long time!
There are those today trying to forgive child abusers, murderers, habitually unfaithful spouses, and a whole list of emotional and physical pain. I have seen many relationships where small hurts have piled up for several years and now there is nothing but a tangled mess of pain. How do we truly forgive when it hurts so much? Where do we even begin? And how do we know when we have properly forgiven?
Ephesians 4:31-32
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
All forgiveness begins with a belief that God desires us to forgive in any situation; “If you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:15). I’m not sure how to fully interpret this verse, but one thing we know…our call to forgive is serious! If we are unable, or unwilling, to forgive we need to spend more time reflecting on the forgiveness of Christ. Do we really understand? Do we really believe? Our ability to forgive identifies our focus: Is our priority on Christ or on our own needs and desires, hurts and pain?
But forgiveness is not simply saying the words “I forgive you.” Rather, forgiveness is canceling the emotional debt. It means we love and earnestly pray for blessings in the other person’s life; “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). We should be able to think about the other person without bitterness, rage, or anger. We should be able to pray for an increase in their ministry or business, more peace in their family, and a closer relationship with Jesus. It’s amazing how much healing takes place in our own heart when we sincerely pray for those who have caused us pain.
However, forgiveness does not necessarily mean a relationship must continue as if the hurt never occurred. Our heart may be free of all anger and bitterness – we may earnestly pray for the one who caused us pain – and yet, we no longer trust or enjoy their company. My forgiveness of a child abuser does not require me to leave my children in their care. I can love with a Christ-like love and pray without anger and yet guard my physical body and emotional and spiritual heart. We must trust God to guide our steps in this area.
It’s unfortunate, but most of us are carrying some bitterness toward another person today. These burdensome emotions should not continue in the heart of a Child of God, and the only road to release them is through the gate of forgiveness. Let’s ask God to purify our heart. Let’s refocus on the cross and release our burdens to Him. Let’s honor our Father by showing the world what it means to forgive.