Some Thoughts On Restoration Series

SOME THOUGHTS ON RESTORATION

HOSEA 14:

INTRODUCTION: AS WE COME TO THE END OF THE BOOK OF HOSEA, WE END ON A POSITIVE NOTE, THAT OF GOD’S FINAL EXHORTATION TO REPENTANCE AND RESTORATION. SO, IN THIS PASSAGE I FIND TEN SIGNIFICANT THOUGHTS ON REPENTANCE AND RESTORATION.

1. IN ORDER TO RETURN TO GOD WE NEED TO HEAR HIS CALL – VERSE 1

a. NOTICE IT IS GOD WHO DOES THE CALLING AND IS CALLING.

b. WE FIND A SIGNIFICANT PARALLEL TO THIS IN THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON. RECORDED IN LUKE 15

c. IN THIS PARABLE WE SEE MANY THINGS

i. THE FALLING AWAY OF THE SON

ii. THE REALIZATION THAT LIFE APART FROM THE FATHER IS NOT A LIFE AT ALL

iii. EVEN THE WORST OF THE FATHER IS MORE THAN WE HAVE WITHOUT HIM

iv. THE FATHER IS LONGING FOR THE RETURN OF HIS SON

v. OFTEN WE ARE HARDER ON OURSELVES IN RETURNING TO GOD THAN GOD IS ON OUR RETURNING TO HIM

d. IN MANY WAYS THE SEASON APART FROM GOD IS DISCIPLINE ENOUGH.

e. GOD DOES NOT NEED US TO BEAT OURSELVES UP IN RETURNING TO HIM!

2. WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT THE ISSUE IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN SIN.

a. REAL RETURN TO GOD NEEDS TO BE OVER CORE ISSUES, NOT TRANSIENT SYMPTOMS

b. THE TEXT SAYS OUR SINS HAVE BEEN OUR DOWNFALL, OR OUR INIQUITY.

c. THE ROOT WORD HERE MEANS TO BEND, TWIST OR DISTORT

d. THAT IS WHAT SIN DOES; BENDS US AWAY FROM GOD, TWISTS WHAT GOD SAYS, AND DISTORT OUR PERCEPTION OF THE ALMIGHTY – JUST LOOK AT EVE AND THE SERPENT IN THE GARDEN!

e. UNTIL WE REALIZE THE ROOT ISSUE IS SIN WE CAN NEVER HAVE TRUE RESTORATION OR SPIRITUAL VICTORY.

3. RETURN INVOLVES REPENTANCE

a. AGAIN IT IS THE TENSION OF TRYING TO COME BACK TO GOD ON OUR TERMS WHEN HE INSISTS THAT IT BE HIS TERMS.

b. SCRIPTURE REMIND US OF GOD’S STANDARDS. HIS WAYS ARE NOT OURS. HIS DESIRE IS HEART CHANGE, NOT SURFACE ADHERENCE.

4. MAN’S RESOURCES WILL NEVER SATISFY AND MEET OUR NEEDS.

a. JUST LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS WE KEEP COMING UP WITH TO FILL OUR EMPTINESS

b. LOOK AT ALL THE PATHS MEN CHOOSE TO TRAVEL – ALL THE VICES THEY CHOOSE TO INVOLVE THEMSELVES IN.

c. AND WITH EACH NEW ADVENTURE, WE ONLY SEEK SOMETHING BIGGER AND BETTER.

d. SOLOMON CONCLUDED THAT ALL IS VANITY -- ECCLESIASTES

5. GOD CAN AND WILL RESTORE US

a. NOT JUST THE ABILITY OF GOD, BUT THE DESIRE OF GOD AS WELL

b. GOD DOES NOT WANT US APART FROM HIM!

c. THAT IS WHY HE SAYS THE HE WILL.

d. SCRIPTURE TELLS US THAT GOD LOVES US WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE

6. GOD’S INTERACTION IN OUR LIVES IS A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP

a. WE OFTEN DO NOT FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

b. ONCE AGAIN THE SCRIPTURE TELLS US DIFFERENTLY. GOD’S CHASTISEMENT IS A RESULT OF HIS LOVE FOR US!

c. HIS LOVE KEEPS US FROM SOMETHING FAR WORSE. AND EVEN WHAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH IS NOT WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF HIS PRESENCE

7. EVERYTHING WE EXPERIENCE IS A RESULT OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

a. WHETHER GOOD OR BAD, EVERY AREA OF OUR LIFE IS A RESULT OF THE CHARACTER OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

b. GOD CAUSES THE RAIN TO FALL ON THE JUST OR UNJUST.

c. THE PARABLES RELATED TO OUR WISE USE OF GOD’S PROVISION AND RESPONSIBILITY WITH REGARD TO HIS RESOURCES AND OUR STEWARDSHIP.

d. GOD REMINDS US OF HIS LOVE EVEN WHEN WE ARE EXPERIENCING HIS DISCIPLINE.

8. GOD HIMSELF IS OUR PROTECTOR AND CAREGIVER

a. WE ARE PROMISED THAT HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US!

9. WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT ARE A RESULT OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

a. FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE – PROVERBS 1

10. A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS SURE FOOTED AND FIRM.

THE PSALMIST ENCOURAGES THIS IN PSALM