God has always in all times shown His people His great love for them. Unfortunately, even “His people” have always had issues returning love back to Him. This is a shocking reality concerning fallen man, but it gives rise to the immeasurable love of God as displayed most powerfully at the cross of His Son, Christ Jesus our LORD. Listen in today as Pastor Landis Fisher teaches as a guest at the Saint Timothy Missionary Baptist Church, Where the Pastor is Spencer Bartlet presides, a truly thought provoking message he has titled: “Returning The Love Of God”
Old Testament Scripture Reading: Hosea 5:1 – 7 (KJV)
Hosea 5:1 Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.
Hosea 5:2 And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have been a rebuker of them all.
Hosea 5:3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.
Hosea 5:4 They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD.
Hosea 5:5 And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them.
Hosea 5:6 They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them.
Hosea 5:7 They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.
New Testament Scripture Reading: Revelation 2:1 – 7 (KJV)
Rev 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
Rev 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
Rev 2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Rev 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.
Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Transforming Power Statements:
1) The primary things we must learn about God are that He is Holy and has always loved man from the very beginning, and being perfect there is, therefore, no changing nor shadow of turning in Him.
2) The Older Testatment shows in a myriad of passages how God expressed His love by the revelation, protection, and provision yet Israel still chose to wander after false gods as is the complaint through the Prophet Hosea against the covenant people.
3) As we learn more through the Holy Spirit from the Word of God, we are taught in a divine manner how to return the love that our great God has been displaying through out all of time, but especially during our personal individual lifetimes, so that we may glorify God through Jesus Christ.
