the word of the Lord

Listen to the word of the LORD,
For the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land,
Because there is no faithfulness or kindness or knowledge of God in the land.
There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing, and adultery.
They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed.

The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame. They feed on the sin of My people, And direct their desire toward their iniquity. And they will eat, but not have enough; They will play the harlot, but not increase, Because they have stopped giving heed to the LORD.

Yet let no one find fault, and let none offer reproof

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest.
Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

My people consult their wooden idol, and their diviner's wand informs them;
For a spirit of harlotry has led them astray, and they have played the harlot, departing from their God.
They offer sacrifices on the tops of the mountains and burn incense on the hills, Under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is pleasant.

So the people without understanding are ruined.

Hosea 4


Where are the Tozers and the Oswald Chambers and the Charles Spurgeons of our times ?
Where are the teachers of righteousness and holiness and who talk about God's disdain for sin ?
Where are the preachers who preach the need for repentance and how our sin has separated us from our Creator and how His grace and mercy through the atonement of His Son, Jesus Christ, have redeemed us from eternal separation from Him ?
Where are those teachers and preachers who balance the teaching of grace with truth?
Where are the teachers and preachers who stand firm on the complete truth of God’s Word ?
Where are the elders who are to edify, exhort, encourage and rebuke the body of Christ ?
Where are we exhorted to follow Christ's command to love the Lord your God with all your heart, your mind your strength AND love your neighbor as yourself (with the love of God NOT man's version of love) ?
Where is the teaching of the Bible (God's Word, the bread of life) from Genesis to Revelation so that the complete Word of God is taught and exhorted to feed the minds and souls of the body of Christ ? If you love me feed my sheep – that is the role of the elders (pastor included)…

The gathering of the believers (the church) is to be a time of equipping the body for their work of ministry - not for seeker sensitive moments to get more people in the doors - the gospel is to be preached to all creation and that means OUTSIDE the doors of the gathering of the body by all who proclaim to be believers by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ

No, we in America like the modified version of Christianity. We believe that we know better because we are smarter now and have the ability to 'market' our version of Christianity better.
No, we are more concerned with how many can we get into our church doors, how successful have our business and growth plans become, how many people we can get to like us, how many people can be entertained so that they will come back tomorrow. We don't even talk about sin anymore let alone teach and preach on it ! We dare not even go the way of teaching and preaching the righteousness and holiness of our God - that might scare people away. And sanctification: not that - that takes faith and perseverance and dedication…and complete surrender to the Lord !

Just as the people where in Hosea’s time – so it is in our times:
Because there is no faithfulness or kindness or knowledge of God in the land…
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…
Because you have rejected knowledge…
So the people without understanding are ruined.

Let us move beyond where we are and get back to where we need to be…