SCRIPTURE: Hosea 5 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: When they go with their flocks and herds to seek the LORD, they will not find him; he has withdrawn himself from them. [Hosea 5:6] The people have ignored God for so long that when they finally go looking for Him, they will not find Him. I have known people who never bothered…
helping or hindering others
SCRIPTURE: Hosea 4 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: You stumble day and night, and the prophets stumble with you. So I will destroy your mother— my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children….
loving the unloveable
There are two readings for today. SCRIPTURE: Hosea 3 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: The LORD said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.” [Hosea 3:1] Why…
a bride only a husband could love
There are two readings for today. SCRIPTURE: Hosea 2 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: The prophecy of Hosea is a love story with a twist. It is about the persevering love of a betrayed husband. Yes he is angry, he refuses to enable her self-destructive behaviour, but through it all he still loves her, and is endeavoring to bring her…
scandalous love
SCRIPTURE: Hosea 1 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘children of the living God.’ The people of Judah and the people of Israel will come together;…
known by our love
SCRIPTURE: Philemon 1 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people. [Philemon 1:7] Paul writes this letter to Philemon while in prison, on behalf of a runaway slave, asking that he forgive the slave and release him from his servitude and welcome him as…
Being the Church
[May 30, 2011] On the weekend of May 28 and 29, Crossroads Church practiced “being the church” in our community. We cancelled our Sunday service for community service! Everyone was encouraged to find some way to serve others.
devoted to doing good?
There are two readings today. SCRIPTURE: Titus 3 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us…
redemptive subversion
There are two readings today. SCRIPTURE: Titus 2 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about…
actions that deny
SCRIPTURE: Titus 1 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. [Titus 1:16] Paul’s concern as a missionary is not just to start new churches, he is also concerned to support and sustain strong churches. This letter is his words of encouragement…