March 26, 2009 7:15 AM
rik wrote:
I 'hate'(such a strong word) bowling, yet I love fellowship. So I will ignore my 'lack of love' for the game of bowling and follow the desire I have to fellowship with my brothers and say I am in. Reply to this
March 26, 2009 8:37 AM
Dustin wrote:
there is no shame in needing to use the bumpers......lol.
still nothing from this book. i am just not understanding i guess. Reply to this
March 26, 2009 8:47 AM
Rich wrote:
I didn't mean to start a griping session about a book in the Bible, however, I must admit that it was good to see from yesterday that I am not alone. Hosea is a difficult book to read.
Today, however, I decided to face, read and try to put in my two cents. First, I just need to do it because ... well I NEED to spend time reading God's word - regardless of what book we are reading. Second, I decided to try to look for the good in everything. If nothing else, if you, like me, feel like you are "suffering" reading this book, then recall that God says that suffering produces perseverance - which is part of a production process plan of God that eventually leads to hope! So perhaps in some strange twisted way, Hosea is a book of HOPE!!! (Maybe Mac will tell us all that in fact in some ancient language - that he well knows and perhaps even speaks - Hosea actually means hope).
Chapter 10. More of God's wrath. But some very interesting verses here. Verse 1 - could almost substitute America for Israel: "Israel was a spreading vine; he brought forth fruit for himself. As his fruit increased, he built more altars; as his land prospered, he adorned his sacred stones." I am not a doomsday person, but we have become a land of exceeding greed and much corruption - such is evident in the news every day (subprime loans, Madoff, AIG, earmarks, spend-spend-spend, etc). As our wealth grew, we continued to build altars and adorned them with many jewels and stones.
I particularly like verse 12b: "it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you." In fact, the Lord has already come and showered righteousness on us. When God looks at us he sees Jesus - we are clothed with Christ! Just as God showered righteousness on Jesus (now seated at the right hand of God in heaven), he will also shower righteousness on us. What an awesome thought! No matter how bad we FEEL or how dismal things look, we can always hang on to the FACT that God has, is and will SHOWER his righteousness on us. It is raining outside right now (showering). I was out a little while ago walking. No matter where I went, I felt the rain drops hitting my body. It actually felt good just thinking of the healthiness and cleansing power of the rain. Being continually showered with righteousness is an awesome thought!
Finally, verse 13b is a warning to me about what I shared two days ago (rounding up my wagons and relying on myself in times of difficulty): "Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors, ...." I really do what to learn how to turn turn to God in 'good times and in bad' instead of turning to my habit of relying on myself. This is a sobering (but good) warning to me. Reply to this
March 26, 2009 12:11 PM
rik wrote:
LOL on the mac language thing. good to see you on the site. it is things like this that make the blog so much fun! (Yes mac reading the bible is also fun, it is just that some books are funner then others) Reply to this
March 26, 2009 4:33 PM
Johnbob wrote:
Very good comments Rich. I was going to say the some similar things about this could be written about America and other 1st world countries today - it even talks about lawsuits that have sprung up due to people's dishonesty - and this 2500+ years ago.
I like your comments about showers in 12b, but I also think 12a is part of how to get there - by "breaking up your unplowed ground". There are certain parts of our heart and character that have been untouched, beaten on, neglected, etc. God says to 'break it up'- this requires effort on our part. We need to be willing to examine things we haven't in a while, to be open about our sins, to do something different, etc.
As an update, I really thought I would stay on at Sprint under a different role - it was a perfect role for me and I have done certain things at Sprint that are unique to the company in terms of analysis, but for some reason, I wasn't chosen. So I am sad to an extent. But the big picture is that I need to 'endure hardship as discpline' (Hebrews 12?) - So God loves me! So while I am sad now, I don't want to be shortsighted in regards to what God can do and where my life is going. I do feel like I have failed, though - at least in the short run. That isn't really true per se, but the feeling is real. Anyway, I have a lot of thoughts and feelings regarding my next steps - we will see where it goes. Reply to this
March 26, 2009 11:31 AM
Sam wrote:
Guess I forgot to push "Submit" this morning...hope my comments are still on my home computer...will check/blog tonight. Reply to this
March 26, 2009 12:17 PM
rik wrote:
I see this as where we all were befor we were found by Christ. how grateful (greatful) I am to no longer be a slave to the sinful world. Reply to this
March 26, 2009 6:58 PM
Sam wrote:
"Double sin"!!! Didja read that? What the heck is a "double sin"? (Verse 10). As if sin itself wasn't bad enough, God is punishing Israel for their 'double sin'!
Whatever it is, it must be bad. I simply LOVE the symbology used in this chapter. "...will float away like a twig on the surface of the waters." "...spring up like poisonous weeds in a plowed field." "...put a yoke on her fair neck." "...reap the fruit of your unfailing love." "...the roar of battle will rise."
Now don't tell me this is a boring book. Or even a hard one. We are all beyond the 'milk' stage (or at least should be), and from reading some of the blogs on this book, it is obvious some of you are. There is SO much in all of God's Word, and SO much just in this little chapter.
Just imagine the imagery in this chapter. God has painted a bright (as in colorful, but not favorable) picture of what the people of Israel has done. ANd what they can expect.
What colorful images are GOd creating about YOUR life? Reply to this
I 'hate'(such a strong word) bowling, yet I love fellowship. So I will ignore my 'lack of love' for the game of bowling and follow the desire I have to fellowship with my brothers and say I am in.
Reply to this
there is no shame in needing to use the bumpers......lol.
still nothing from this book. i am just not understanding i guess.
Reply to this
I didn't mean to start a griping session about a book in the Bible, however, I must admit that it was good to see from yesterday that I am not alone. Hosea is a difficult book to read.
Today, however, I decided to face, read and try to put in my two cents. First, I just need to do it because ... well I NEED to spend time reading God's word - regardless of what book we are reading. Second, I decided to try to look for the good in everything. If nothing else, if you, like me, feel like you are "suffering" reading this book, then recall that God says that suffering produces perseverance - which is part of a production process plan of God that eventually leads to hope! So perhaps in some strange twisted way, Hosea is a book of HOPE!!! (Maybe Mac will tell us all that in fact in some ancient language - that he well knows and perhaps even speaks - Hosea actually means hope).
Chapter 10. More of God's wrath. But some very interesting verses here. Verse 1 - could almost substitute America for Israel: "Israel was a spreading vine; he brought forth fruit for himself. As his fruit increased, he built more altars; as his land prospered, he adorned his sacred stones." I am not a doomsday person, but we have become a land of exceeding greed and much corruption - such is evident in the news every day (subprime loans, Madoff, AIG, earmarks, spend-spend-spend, etc). As our wealth grew, we continued to build altars and adorned them with many jewels and stones.
I particularly like verse 12b: "it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you." In fact, the Lord has already come and showered righteousness on us. When God looks at us he sees Jesus - we are clothed with Christ! Just as God showered righteousness on Jesus (now seated at the right hand of God in heaven), he will also shower righteousness on us. What an awesome thought! No matter how bad we FEEL or how dismal things look, we can always hang on to the FACT that God has, is and will SHOWER his righteousness on us. It is raining outside right now (showering). I was out a little while ago walking. No matter where I went, I felt the rain drops hitting my body. It actually felt good just thinking of the healthiness and cleansing power of the rain. Being continually showered with righteousness is an awesome thought!
Finally, verse 13b is a warning to me about what I shared two days ago (rounding up my wagons and relying on myself in times of difficulty): "Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors, ...." I really do what to learn how to turn turn to God in 'good times and in bad' instead of turning to my habit of relying on myself. This is a sobering (but good) warning to me.
Reply to this
LOL on the mac language thing. good to see you on the site. it is things like this that make the blog so much fun! (Yes mac reading the bible is also fun, it is just that some books are funner
Reply to this
Very good comments Rich. I was going to say the some similar things about this could be written about America and other 1st world countries today - it even talks about lawsuits that have sprung up due to people's dishonesty - and this 2500+ years ago.
I like your comments about showers in 12b, but I also think 12a is part of how to get there - by "breaking up your unplowed ground". There are certain parts of our heart and character that have been untouched, beaten on, neglected, etc. God says to 'break it up'- this requires effort on our part. We need to be willing to examine things we haven't in a while, to be open about our sins, to do something different, etc.
As an update, I really thought I would stay on at Sprint under a different role - it was a perfect role for me and I have done certain things at Sprint that are unique to the company in terms of analysis, but for some reason, I wasn't chosen. So I am sad to an extent. But the big picture is that I need to 'endure hardship as discpline' (Hebrews 12?) - So God loves me! So while I am sad now, I don't want to be shortsighted in regards to what God can do and where my life is going. I do feel like I have failed, though - at least in the short run. That isn't really true per se, but the feeling is real. Anyway, I have a lot of thoughts and feelings regarding my next steps - we will see where it goes.
Reply to this
Guess I forgot to push "Submit" this morning...hope my comments are still on my home computer...will check/blog tonight.
Reply to this
I see this as where we all were befor we were found by Christ. how grateful (greatful) I am to no longer be a slave to the sinful world.
Reply to this
"Double sin"!!! Didja read that? What the heck is a "double sin"? (Verse 10). As if sin itself wasn't bad enough, God is punishing Israel for their 'double sin'!
Whatever it is, it must be bad. I simply LOVE the symbology used in this chapter.
"...will float away like a twig on the surface of the waters."
"...spring up like poisonous weeds in a plowed field."
"...put a yoke on her fair neck."
"...reap the fruit of your unfailing love."
"...the roar of battle will rise."
Now don't tell me this is a boring book. Or even a hard one. We are all beyond the 'milk' stage (or at least should be), and from reading some of the blogs on this book, it is obvious some of you are. There is SO much in all of God's Word, and SO much just in this little chapter.
Just imagine the imagery in this chapter. God has painted a bright (as in colorful, but not favorable) picture of what the people of Israel has done. ANd what they can expect.
What colorful images are GOd creating about YOUR life?
Reply to this