678. Hosea - Chapter 14 (#1) - For in You, the Fatherless Finds Mercy - November 6, 2024

[00:00:06] Welcome to Wisdom Today. My name is Bill Kelley and I'll be your host. In this podcast we will be exploring the book of Proverbs.

[00:00:21] Let's open in prayer. Father God, I thank you for anyone listening to this podcast today. Lord, I pray that you open everyone's ears to hear and heart to receive everything you have in store for them today. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

[00:00:38] This is Proverbs 6, beginning in verse 1.

[00:00:43] My son, if you become surety for your friend, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, you are snared by the words of your mouth. You are taken by the words of your mouth.

[00:00:57] So do this, my son, and deliver yourself. For you have come into the hand of your friend. Go and humble yourself. Plead with your friend. Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.

[00:01:15] Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

[00:01:25] Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer, or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.

[00:01:41] How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep.

[00:01:54] So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, and your need like an armed man.

[00:02:01] A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth. He winks with his eyes. He shuffles his feet. He points with his finger.

[00:02:14] Perversity is in his heart. He devises evil continually. He sows discord. Therefore, his calamity shall come suddenly.

[00:02:25] Suddenly, he shall be broken without remedy.

[00:02:29] These six things the Lord hates. Yes, seven are an abomination to him.

[00:02:38] A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil,

[00:02:50] a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.

[00:02:57] My son, keep your father's command, and do not forsake the law of your mother.

[00:03:05] Bind them continually upon your heart. Tie them around your neck.

[00:03:11] When you roam, they will lead you. When you sleep, they will keep you.

[00:03:16] And when you awake, they will speak with you.

[00:03:19] For the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light.

[00:03:24] Reproofs of instruction are the way of life, to keep you from the evil woman, from the flattering tongue of a seductress.

[00:03:34] Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, nor let her allure you with her eyelids.

[00:03:42] For by means of a harlot, a man is reduced to a crust of bread, and an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.

[00:03:52] Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?

[00:03:58] Can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be seared?

[00:04:03] So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife.

[00:04:07] Whoever touches her shall not be innocent.

[00:04:12] People do not despise a thief, if he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving.

[00:04:20] Yet, when he is found, he must restore sevenfold.

[00:04:25] He may have to give up all the substance of his house.

[00:04:29] Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding.

[00:04:34] He who does so destroys his own soul.

[00:04:39] Wounds and dishonor he will get, and his reproach will not be wiped away.

[00:04:45] For jealousy is a husband's fury, therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

[00:04:52] He will accept no recompense, nor will he be appeased, though you give many gifts.

[00:05:01] Friends, today I'd like to take a closer look at verses 27 and 28.

[00:05:08] And Proverbs 6, verses 27 and 28 tell us this.

[00:05:14] Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?

[00:05:20] Can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be seared?

[00:05:26] Now friends, we will take a closer look at that verse prior to closing today.

[00:05:31] But what I'd like to do is to revisit the three points I made on Monday's podcast.

[00:05:38] Now today we will be beginning the last chapter of the book of Hosea.

[00:05:45] Now we have been in this study about three months, and we are reaching its conclusion.

[00:05:51] But I would like to review the three points that I made on Monday's lesson.

[00:05:59] Because the Israelites are coming to their senses.

[00:06:03] They have come to the point where they have tried Baal worship.

[00:06:08] They've tried acquiescing and trying to get along with the Egyptians and the Assyrians.

[00:06:15] And basically they feel that they have come away with nothing.

[00:06:20] And I believe they're ready to repent.

[00:06:23] And we're going to begin that process in today's lesson.

[00:06:28] But let's go over one more time the three points from Monday.

[00:06:33] When they had pasture, they were filled.

[00:06:37] And the Israelites are realizing.

[00:06:41] Friends, when things were good, when everything seemed to be going our way, we were filled.

[00:06:48] God was meeting our needs.

[00:06:50] And we didn't have any reason to go away from God.

[00:06:55] Number two, O Israel, you are destroyed, but your help is from me.

[00:07:01] And friends, that very simply means that the Israelites basically hurt themselves by getting away from the commandments of God.

[00:07:14] And that's what the second part of this verse says is your help is in me.

[00:07:20] Friends, there are times when things in life are not going to go our way.

[00:07:25] And whether we have successful lives are going to depend on what we do when those situations arise.

[00:07:35] Are we going to panic?

[00:07:37] Are we going to turn away from God?

[00:07:40] Or are we going to go to Him in our greatest time of need?

[00:07:46] And that's basically what we're going to be learning in today's lesson as well,

[00:07:52] is let's go back.

[00:07:55] And the third point was,

[00:07:57] then His spring shall become dry and His fountain shall be dried up.

[00:08:03] And friends, the Israelites are coming to the conclusion,

[00:08:08] if we don't seek God in our time of need,

[00:08:13] then things are not going to go well.

[00:08:17] And that is basically what has happened in this entire study of the book of Hosea.

[00:08:24] They thought that the Assyrians may be their friends,

[00:08:30] and they were not their friends.

[00:08:32] And that was very clear throughout the course of this study.

[00:08:36] But let's begin chapter 14 today in verse 1.

[00:08:41] O Israel, return to the Lord your God,

[00:08:46] for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.

[00:08:50] So friends, the very first point today is,

[00:08:54] O Israel, return to the Lord your God.

[00:08:57] And friends, I'm speaking to everyone within the sound of my voice right now.

[00:09:04] God wants the same thing from us today.

[00:09:09] Return to the Lord your God.

[00:09:12] Now there may be some people listening today,

[00:09:15] and you have never received Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

[00:09:20] You've heard people talk about Him.

[00:09:22] You've often asked yourself what it would be like to receive Jesus.

[00:09:28] What exactly does that mean?

[00:09:30] What does that look like?

[00:09:32] How might my life change if I did that?

[00:09:36] And I'm glad you asked,

[00:09:38] because later, before we close this podcast today,

[00:09:42] I will give you an invitation to do exactly that.

[00:09:47] Let's go to verse 2.

[00:09:49] Take words with you,

[00:09:52] and return to the Lord.

[00:09:54] Say to Him,

[00:09:56] Take away all iniquity.

[00:09:59] Receive us graciously,

[00:10:01] for we will offer the sacrifices of our lips.

[00:10:07] And the second point today,

[00:10:09] we will offer the sacrifices of our lips.

[00:10:14] And friends, if you're listening today,

[00:10:17] I'm going to say the same point again.

[00:10:21] We will offer sacrifices of our lips.

[00:10:26] Friends, God is God,

[00:10:28] and we are not.

[00:10:30] As we are closing out this study,

[00:10:34] the Israelites have come to the determination that,

[00:10:40] wow, we need to do this.

[00:10:43] We need to come back to God.

[00:10:47] He can be trusted.

[00:10:48] He's always met our needs.

[00:10:50] He's always been there for us.

[00:10:54] Let's go to verse 3.

[00:10:56] Assyria shall not save us.

[00:10:59] We will not ride on horses,

[00:11:02] nor will we say any more to the work of our hands,

[00:11:08] you are our gods.

[00:11:11] For in you,

[00:11:12] the fatherless finds mercy.

[00:11:17] Friends,

[00:11:18] my third and final point,

[00:11:20] for in you,

[00:11:23] the fatherless finds mercy.

[00:11:26] Now friends,

[00:11:27] there's two points I want to bring up

[00:11:29] in that third verse.

[00:11:32] Listen to these words once again.

[00:11:35] Nor will we say any more

[00:11:38] to the work of our hands,

[00:11:41] you are our gods.

[00:11:44] Now friends,

[00:11:46] that means that we cannot rely on ourselves.

[00:11:53] Friends,

[00:11:54] this is how many of the people in our world

[00:11:58] live their lives today.

[00:12:00] Many people live their lives

[00:12:03] without thinking about God.

[00:12:05] They don't even know if God exists.

[00:12:08] They don't even take consideration

[00:12:12] that God should be prayed to,

[00:12:17] that God should be consulted

[00:12:19] before making major decisions in their life.

[00:12:23] Not less,

[00:12:24] little menial,

[00:12:26] everyday decisions.

[00:12:27] But friends,

[00:12:29] we need to involve God in our life.

[00:12:33] And I know there may be some people listening today

[00:12:35] and say,

[00:12:36] oh,

[00:12:37] you don't need God.

[00:12:39] God is just a crutch.

[00:12:41] Friends,

[00:12:42] many people in our society

[00:12:44] think that way today

[00:12:45] because that is what

[00:12:46] our federal government

[00:12:48] is trying to push down

[00:12:50] our throats.

[00:12:52] Forget about the leadership

[00:12:55] of this country.

[00:12:56] Do the right thing.

[00:12:59] In Proverbs 29, 25,

[00:13:02] it says,

[00:13:03] the fear of man

[00:13:04] brings a snare.

[00:13:07] Do not think

[00:13:09] about what the world

[00:13:11] around you

[00:13:12] is telling you.

[00:13:14] If you have been

[00:13:15] a Christian

[00:13:16] for any period of time,

[00:13:18] you know

[00:13:19] that God

[00:13:20] can be trusted.

[00:13:21] You know

[00:13:22] that your needs

[00:13:23] are going to be met.

[00:13:24] So put

[00:13:25] your

[00:13:26] trust

[00:13:27] in him.

[00:13:29] Friends,

[00:13:30] before we close today,

[00:13:31] I'd like to go back

[00:13:32] to our proverb

[00:13:33] of the day

[00:13:34] and we are in

[00:13:35] Proverbs 6

[00:13:37] and we are going

[00:13:39] to look at verses

[00:13:40] 27 and 28.

[00:13:42] I want you to listen

[00:13:43] to this

[00:13:44] very carefully.

[00:13:46] Can a man

[00:13:47] take fire

[00:13:49] to his bosom

[00:13:50] and his clothes

[00:13:52] not

[00:13:53] be burned?

[00:13:54] Can one walk

[00:13:55] on hot coals

[00:13:57] and his feet

[00:13:58] not be seared?

[00:13:59] Now friends,

[00:14:00] once again,

[00:14:01] many people

[00:14:03] in our world

[00:14:03] today are doing

[00:14:05] all

[00:14:05] they can

[00:14:08] basically

[00:14:09] to sin.

[00:14:10] They're not

[00:14:11] thinking about,

[00:14:12] well,

[00:14:12] should I do this?

[00:14:13] Shouldn't I do this?

[00:14:16] Knowing

[00:14:16] that

[00:14:17] a lot

[00:14:18] of things

[00:14:19] that they do

[00:14:20] they probably

[00:14:21] shouldn't do.

[00:14:22] And friends,

[00:14:23] if you get close

[00:14:24] to that fire,

[00:14:26] you're going

[00:14:27] to be burned.

[00:14:28] If you

[00:14:29] tempt

[00:14:30] yourself

[00:14:31] by

[00:14:32] being

[00:14:33] around

[00:14:34] people

[00:14:35] of the opposite

[00:14:36] sex

[00:14:36] that are going

[00:14:37] to dress

[00:14:38] seductively,

[00:14:39] there is a

[00:14:40] chance

[00:14:41] and

[00:14:42] an added

[00:14:43] chance

[00:14:43] that you're

[00:14:44] going to be

[00:14:44] sucked in

[00:14:45] to a relationship

[00:14:47] with somebody

[00:14:48] that you

[00:14:48] shouldn't be

[00:14:49] with.

[00:14:50] Do not

[00:14:51] allow

[00:14:52] yourself

[00:14:53] to get

[00:14:54] in

[00:14:55] a position

[00:14:56] where you

[00:14:57] can be

[00:14:57] tempted.

[00:14:58] That you

[00:14:59] have to,

[00:15:00] oh my gosh,

[00:15:00] can I do it?

[00:15:01] Will I,

[00:15:02] should I do it?

[00:15:03] Friends,

[00:15:05] stay

[00:15:05] away

[00:15:06] from

[00:15:07] situations

[00:15:07] like that.

[00:15:09] And friends,

[00:15:10] my call

[00:15:11] to action

[00:15:11] today,

[00:15:11] what I'd

[00:15:12] like for

[00:15:12] you to

[00:15:13] do is

[00:15:13] just think,

[00:15:15] are you

[00:15:16] doing

[00:15:16] what God

[00:15:18] has called

[00:15:19] you

[00:15:19] to do

[00:15:20] in this

[00:15:22] life?

[00:15:22] Are you

[00:15:23] doing

[00:15:23] everything

[00:15:23] that he's

[00:15:24] asked you

[00:15:25] to do?

[00:15:26] Are you

[00:15:27] doing

[00:15:27] your job

[00:15:28] well?

[00:15:29] Do you

[00:15:30] skimp

[00:15:31] on your

[00:15:31] job?

[00:15:32] Do you

[00:15:33] steal

[00:15:33] pencils,

[00:15:35] erasers,

[00:15:36] little

[00:15:36] things from

[00:15:37] work,

[00:15:37] work,

[00:15:37] and not

[00:15:38] even

[00:15:39] bat an

[00:15:39] eye that

[00:15:40] you're

[00:15:40] doing

[00:15:40] stuff

[00:15:41] like

[00:15:41] that?

[00:15:42] Friends,

[00:15:42] we are

[00:15:43] to be

[00:15:43] above

[00:15:44] board

[00:15:44] in all

[00:15:45] we do.

[00:15:45] We are

[00:15:46] to have

[00:15:46] integrity

[00:15:47] in all

[00:15:48] situations.

[00:15:49] You know,

[00:15:50] when people

[00:15:50] think of

[00:15:51] us,

[00:15:51] they should

[00:15:52] go,

[00:15:52] oh my

[00:15:53] gosh,

[00:15:54] that guy,

[00:15:56] you want

[00:15:57] to follow

[00:15:57] that guy's

[00:15:58] example.

[00:15:58] You know,

[00:15:59] he comes

[00:16:00] to work

[00:16:00] early,

[00:16:01] he's never

[00:16:02] right on

[00:16:03] time,

[00:16:04] he gets

[00:16:04] here early

[00:16:05] and tends

[00:16:06] to stay

[00:16:06] late,

[00:16:07] you know,

[00:16:08] he's always

[00:16:08] doing his

[00:16:09] job,

[00:16:09] he's never

[00:16:10] loafing,

[00:16:11] never

[00:16:11] taking time

[00:16:12] off.

[00:16:13] Golly,

[00:16:15] boy,

[00:16:15] when people

[00:16:15] talk about

[00:16:16] you,

[00:16:17] that's what

[00:16:19] they should

[00:16:19] be saying.

[00:16:20] You can

[00:16:21] be trusted,

[00:16:22] you're a

[00:16:23] man of

[00:16:23] integrity,

[00:16:24] you tell

[00:16:25] the truth,

[00:16:26] you tell

[00:16:26] things the

[00:16:27] way they

[00:16:27] are.

[00:16:29] Friends,

[00:16:30] I hope

[00:16:31] that I am

[00:16:32] speaking to

[00:16:34] many of

[00:16:34] you today,

[00:16:35] and that

[00:16:36] you take

[00:16:37] my words

[00:16:38] seriously.

[00:16:40] Friends,

[00:16:40] I will

[00:16:41] never end

[00:16:42] a podcast

[00:16:42] without giving

[00:16:44] anyone an

[00:16:45] opportunity to

[00:16:46] receive Jesus

[00:16:46] as your

[00:16:47] Lord and

[00:16:48] Savior.

[00:16:49] I mentioned

[00:16:50] earlier in

[00:16:51] the podcast

[00:16:51] that today

[00:16:53] could be

[00:16:54] your day

[00:16:54] of salvation.

[00:16:55] If anything

[00:16:57] that you've

[00:16:58] heard today

[00:16:59] is kind of

[00:16:59] touching your

[00:17:01] heart and

[00:17:01] saying,

[00:17:01] wow,

[00:17:02] I want to

[00:17:03] just give

[00:17:04] it a shot.

[00:17:04] I want to

[00:17:05] just say

[00:17:06] yes to

[00:17:07] God.

[00:17:07] You know,

[00:17:08] I'm hearing

[00:17:09] the truth.

[00:17:11] And friends,

[00:17:11] the Bible

[00:17:12] tells us

[00:17:13] that the

[00:17:13] truth will

[00:17:14] set us

[00:17:15] free.

[00:17:16] Friends,

[00:17:17] if you know

[00:17:18] the truth,

[00:17:19] you just

[00:17:20] know it's

[00:17:21] the right

[00:17:22] thing to

[00:17:22] do.

[00:17:23] So if you

[00:17:24] would,

[00:17:25] repeat a simple

[00:17:26] prayer after

[00:17:26] me today.

[00:17:27] Jesus,

[00:17:28] I confess

[00:17:29] that I am

[00:17:30] a sinner

[00:17:30] and in

[00:17:31] need of

[00:17:31] a Savior.

[00:17:32] I ask

[00:17:33] that you

[00:17:33] come into

[00:17:34] my heart.

[00:17:34] I make

[00:17:35] you my

[00:17:36] Lord and

[00:17:37] Savior.

[00:17:38] Friends,

[00:17:39] that's all

[00:17:39] you have

[00:17:39] to do.

[00:17:40] Now,

[00:17:41] may the

[00:17:42] Lord bless

[00:17:42] you and

[00:17:43] keep you.

[00:17:44] The Lord

[00:17:45] make his

[00:17:45] face shine

[00:17:46] upon you

[00:17:47] and be

[00:17:47] gracious to

[00:17:48] you.

[00:17:49] The Lord

[00:17:49] lift up

[00:17:50] his countenance

[00:17:51] upon you

[00:17:52] and give

[00:17:53] you peace.

[00:17:54] Friends,

[00:17:55] please join me

[00:17:56] again tomorrow

[00:17:56] as we further

[00:17:57] explore

[00:17:58] wisdom today.

[00:18:00] Amen.