“HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD!”

Hosea 4:1-3                        (ESV)

“1 “HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD”, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a CONTROVERSY with the inhabitants of the land. There is NO faithfulness or steadfast love, and NO KNOWLEDGE OF GOD in the land; 

2 there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. 

3 Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it languish, and also the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens, and even the fish of the sea are taken away.”

A friend of mine recently shared a meme showing an infant laying on a Holy Bible with the caption “They do come with a manual!”   The Bible not only has the answer to all of the problems men face today (Ronald Reagan Quote), but it is a light unto my path (Psalms 119:105), and a source of strength (Isaiah 41:10)!  

Why do I (and others) only look to the LORD when we cannot figure things out on our own???   HE pleads with us throughout the Bible to TRUST IN THE LORD, and not just when we are in a tight spot.  In Hosea 4:1 GOD instructs us to “HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD”!  But for us to “HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD”, we MUST READ HIS WORD!  

Believers don’t set a very good example of living by the WORD, so people who are blinded by the enemy can’t be convicted that they are living in sin.  Believers don’t have a true picture of WHO GOD really is because we don’t get close enough to HIM, probably because we will have to clean up our lives from the the sin we are so comfortable with.  

We aren’t very likely to “HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD” listening to the television the entire time we are at home!  Hosea 4:1 says that GOD has controversy” with the inhabitants of the land.  Other translations says GOD has “charges”, or “a case”, or a “covenant lawsuit” against the inhabitants of the land!  What will your excuse be for not being able to “HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD”??  For me, I am convicted that I will not be guilty of allowing this world to hold me attention when GOD is an option!  I will listen to “HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD” for HE is my rock and fortress!!!