QT 21 Aug 2020, Hos 14:9, God's way is the only way toward true happiness

Hosea 14:9 (ESV) —

9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;

whoever is discerning, let him know them;

for the ways of the Lord are right,

and the upright walk in them,

but transgressors stumble in them.

NOTE: Real wisdom and discernment are found in God's word. There is a way, which seems right, but its end is destruction -- that way is the way of the world. My nation stumbles greatly right now. It sows destruction upon itself because it has rejected the ways of the Lord. It has convinced itself that God's ways are foolish and science has disproved God and his word. But, that is not true. Science has not disproved God or his ways or his word in the slightest. Nor has it proved it either because some of the things of God are beyond our understanding. But much is not, and those things are true and plainly visible. But Satan has deceived us by using corrupted men to carry forth lies. Men and women who even believe the very things that they know are lies (yes, that does sound confusing, but it is true).

PRAYER: Have mercy on us O Lord for our foolishness. Open our eyes to truth. Give us hearts that hunger after you.

QT 20 Aug 2020, Hos 14:3-4, The only answer is to repent and return

Hosea 14:2–4 (ESV) —

2 Take with you words

and return to the Lord;

say to him,

“Take away all iniquity;

accept what is good,

and we will pay with bulls

the vows of our lips.

3 Assyria shall not save us;

we will not ride on horses;

and we will say no more, ‘Our God,’

to the work of our hands.

In you the orphan finds mercy.”

4 I will heal their apostasy;

I will love them freely,

for my anger has turned from them.

NOTE: Politics will not save us. Alliances will not save us. Our own strength and hands (machinations) will not save us. Repentance can save us. We have turned away from God and loved the things of this world. We have forgotten God and we are being judged. This passage is about the Northern Kingdom, but it was also a warning to the Southern Kingdom as well. And, it is applicable to the church today. We will be judged for our sins. Our greatest sin (for believers) is forgetting God. Our greatest sin (for unbelievers) is the failure to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and God of our life. It's possible the upheaval of today will pass … this time. But ultimately, it will not end well. Satan is clever and deceitful and he has fooled the world that they are their own gods who can solve their own problems. It is not true. And we, as a nation, will fail if we do not recognize God and repent.

PRAYER: Father, forgive us for our arrogant stupidity. Forgive us for the apostasy that roams the land. People believe all kinds of garbage, and the message of the gospel is lost. Help me to live like Christ and to share my testimony with those around me.

QT 19 Aug 2020, Hos 13:9-11, Rely on God not others

Hosea 13:9–11 (ESV) —

9 He destroys you, O Israel,

for you are against me, against your helper.

10 Where now is your king, to save you in all your cities?

Where are all your rulers—

those of whom you said,

“Give me a king and princes”?

11 I gave you a king in my anger,

and I took him away in my wrath.

NOTE: The issue was not, wanting the king or even getting a king. The issue was relying on the king and not on God. Our trust and reliance must be upon God. To do that, God must be first, our first priority. How? We start our day with God and we end our day with God. We meet with God during the day and pray to God as situations come up. We meditate on the memorized word of God. The bottom line is that we make God the focus of the day. For too many in the church, God is the afterthought of the day and even the afterthought of the week. He is completely on the sideline when times are good and we only turn to him when our life starts to fall apart. This is not what it means to rely on God. It has to be daily and has to be now.

PRAYER: Father, I don't ever want to forget you. I want to make you the focus of my life in all situations. As an application, I am going to work at making a habit of reviewing my verses, and praying through scripture each day.

QT 18 Aug 2020, Hos 13:6, The key is not to forget God

Hosea 13:6 (ESV) —

6 but when they had grazed, they became full,

they were filled, and their heart was lifted up;

therefore they forgot me.

NOTE: This might as well be a broken record in scripture and throughout history. Prosperity can be a blessing but it usually ends up a curse. People, when they are well fed and satisfied (materially distracted), forget God. It is almost a rule of life. But I don't know if it has to be. I think there are ways to avoid the trap. The key is that we can't forget God. How? A person must meet with God every day in the word and prayer. The prayer can't just be requests but must be communication back and forth with God. We ask for guidance before reading the scriptures. After listening to your word, we share back what we see in the passage. We pray and ask for change. Throughout the day we remember to pray. Later in the day we read your word from the perspective of the big picture (whole chapters). During the day we memorize a verse and meditate on what it means. Once a month we get away and spend half a day praying, singing, reading, and listening to God through his word. Once a year or a quarter, we spend a whole day alone with God--it really is not hard, the time passes swiftly. Again, the key is to not forget God. I could also add the importance of applying the word, sharing the word, and giving resources as essential aspects of not forgetting God. But this will do …

PRAYER: Father, I do not want riches to crowd out my love for you. I do not want to forget you. I want to make you an essential joy of every aspect of my life. Help me to do better in these areas. They are all things I desire to do and can work at doing better.

QT 17 Aug 2020, Hos 12:8, We live too much for wealth, and not really for God

Hosea 12:8 (ESV) —

8 Ephraim has said, “Ah, but I am rich;

I have found wealth for myself;

in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin.”

NOTE: Riches are no excuse for behavior. Living for riches is the sin. Even if the person is so busy working for riches that he has no opportunity to sin. But he does sin. He does not find time for God or family or serving others because he is so busy making wealth. The rich man serves money, making decisions based on the accumulations of it, rather than on the use of it for the kingdom. Wealth is not sin, but living for wealth and worshipping wealth are indeed sin. We who are wealthy, which really is most of America, are guilty. We make little effort to serve God. We are absorbed in ourselves.

PRAYER: Father, forgive me for my focus on wealth. You have provided generously. You have given me much. I have not always used it as I should. I pray that I would be wise and generous with what you give.

QT 13 Aug 2020, Hos 11:8;11, Dealing with sin

Hosea 11:8–11 (ESV) —

8 How can I give you up, O Ephraim?

How can I hand you over, O Israel?

How can I make you like Admah?

How can I treat you like Zeboiim?

My heart recoils within me;

my compassion grows warm and tender.

…

11 they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt,

and like doves from the land of Assyria,

and I will return them to their homes, declares the Lord.

NOTE: I believe this is in reference to the end times. The cities mentioned in verse 8 were cities completely destroyed with Sodom and Gomorrah. Israel would be destroyed, but not in the same way. Even today, Israel returns to the land. It could be the final restoration, but I think the verse refers to the days after the tribulation. Near the end of the tribulation, Israel will flee the land and hide in the region of Edom. But after Israel calls upon the Lord, he will come and defeat the Antichrist, and the people will once again resettle the land, this last time in true belief and in true safety. Why did this happen? Because of apostasy, the same thing that is affecting many churches today. We have the truth of the bible and inserted our own ideas from the world's way of thinking. We have become inclusive, which is good, but we have also become inclusive of ideas that are not good (living together before marriage, sex outside marriage, same sex, sexual change, etc). We accept these things, but the bible says they are sin. Certainly, men can choose how they want to live and we can't force them to believe or behave a certain way, but the real danger is that the church accepts practices within the church that God has said are sin. In fact, these statements are almost certainly wrong to say in many churches today.

PRAYER: Father, give us courage to stand up for your truths. May we do it in a gentle and respectful way. I do pray we would be more inclusive and less judgmental. But for people who call themselves believers, we have a responsibility to rebuke sin in our midst. Give us the wisdom to deal kindly and appropriately.

QT 12 Aug 2020, Hos 11:1-5, Lets live as Jesus would during this time

Hosea 11:1–5 (ESV) —

1 When Israel was a child, I loved him,

and out of Egypt I called my son.

2 The more they were called,

the more they went away;

they kept sacrificing to the Baals

and burning offerings to idols.

3 Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;

I took them up by their arms,

but they did not know that I healed them.

4 I led them with cords of kindness,

with the bands of love,

and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,

and I bent down to them and fed them.

5 They shall not return to the land of Egypt,

but Assyria shall be their king,

because they have refused to return to me.

NOTE: The passage is very beautiful and painful. It describes the love of a mother or father for their child. When they were young, they were protected but they still made mistakes. We picked  them back up, bandaged the hurts, and took care of them. The protection (the cords and bands) around them prevented many worst choices. But at some point, we needed to let go. They have to face the results of their choices. Israel refused to return to God. Israel did not seek God. And now, Israel was to lose their land and serve another.

God allowed (or caused) this pandemic to happen to the entire world. Of course, it is not the first, there have been many over the course of human history. Modern medicine (science) has made us seem invincible to 'plagues,' and yet here we are. The pandemic is worldwide. Also, riots have broken out and people have turned against each other. You might think the pandemic would be a time to band together in love rather than to burn down buildings and hurt others, but alas, as a people, we don't seem to care for each other. We won't wear masks because we don't like them and we have rights. We won't stop destroying property because we feel it is our right (reparations for something that never happened to the particular individuals burning things). We are as Paul described in 2 Tim 3 living in the last days--caring more for ourselves than for others.

PRAYER: Father, I would hope that the church, of all people, might care for others. We don't need to insist on our rights. It makes very little difference in the eternal scheme of things. I don't think that you, Jesus, would have refused to wear a mask. You didn't even refuse to pay taxes to the conquering Roman empire. Lord, change our hearts in the church. Help us to see the need to love others.

QT 11 Aug 2020, Hos 10:12, We must return to God in heart

Hosea 10:12 (ESV) —

12 Sow for yourselves righteousness;

reap steadfast love;

break up your fallow ground,

for it is the time to seek the Lord,

that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

NOTE: This is a call for repentance. Instead of sowing sin, it is time to sow righteousness. Instead of reaping injustice, it is time to reap love. We need to change our approach to God, judgment is coming. We need to seek God with whole hearts. God allowed this time to come upon us. He may or may not have cause it, but he did allow it, and why? Maybe because when life is easy, we forget how much we need him. We have become fat on riches, and we starve spiritually. As the bride of Christ, we are in pitiful condition. We attract very few to Christ, because we have nothing to attract them to Jesus. Our lives are no different from our neighbors. We show no love or service or care for anyone but ourselves. We have failed as witnesses.

PRAYER: Father, forgive us for falling in love with things. Draw us back to you. Teach us to pray. Teach us to love our neighbors. Show grace to us and through us to others.

QT 10 Aug 2020, Hos 10:1, Wealth has a tendency to drive people away from God

Hosea 10:1 (ESV) —

1 Israel is a luxuriant vine

that yields its fruit.

The more his fruit increased,

the more altars he built;

as his country improved,

he improved his pillars.

 

NOTE: The prophecy and picture is that of Israel, the Norther Kingdom. But it really is a principle, and it could be any nation that worships the one true God. When riches increases, two things happen. 1) People's hearts grow cold to the true God. They don't see that they need him. 2) People increase their number of idols and passionately give their time and worship to their idols. An idol is anything that demands our time, our energy, our passion, and our allegiance (commitment). This is happening in my country today. The more we grow in riches, the more we fall away from the one true God, and the more we live for the creation (and not the creator).

 

PRAYER: Father, forgive us for our sin. Open our eyes by the power of your Holy Spirit. Cleanse us from our sins. Let us Jesus. Let us be like Jesus. But, also, be merciful.

QT 6 Aug 2020, Hos 9:7, We are supposed to be ambassadors for Jesus, not a political movement

Hosea 9:7 (ESV) —

7 The days of punishment have come;

the days of recompense have come;

Israel shall know it.

The prophet is a fool;

the man of the spirit is mad,

because of your great iniquity

and great hatred.

 

NOTE: This is how the prophet is viewed by a nation that does not want to repent of its sin. All prophets are fools and mad men. They hate God and his commands so much, they can't see truth. They seethe when they hear His commands repeated. They want nothing to do with God. This is not Israel I describe but my country. Love is lost, evil runs wildly. Everything is hatred and the problem is defined to be some systemic bias. But the real problem is our sin nature. The real problem is a heart hardened by sin. And the real answer is the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to change a person's heart. Oh church, why does the world not see it in us? Are we such poor witnesses? Do we engage in the same degree of hate? Is politics more important than our relationship to Jesus Christ? I think we watch the news more than we read our bibles, and that pretty much communicates our priority and our first love.

 

PRAYER: Father, wake your church to our role in the world. We are not a political machine, we are ambassadors for Jesus Christ -- God making his appeal through us to the world. Give us love and gentleness and a message of true hope to the world around us.

QT 5 Aug 2020, Hos 8:14, It is not instinct, it is sin

Hosea 8:14 (ESV) —

14 For Israel has forgotten his Maker

and built palaces,

and Judah has multiplied fortified cities;

so I will send a fire upon his cities,

and it shall devour her strongholds.

NOTE: Israel pursued idols. Israel pursued its selfish desires. Funny, I read an article only this morning which tried to make some stupid excuse that our survival instinct, caused by years of evolution, is the reason for our bad decisions, our inability to delay gratification. That is not true. It is our sin nature, not our desire for survival. Israel built palaces and then when in search of treaties to protect herself. Judah fortified her cities to exist without help. It doesn't really matter. Neither walked with God as they should, but instead lived for themselves and their own pleasure. Israel was destroyed in 722BC for her sins. Judah saw and did not heed. Judah was destroyed in 586BC. It wasn't the survival instinct that betrayed them, it was sin. It seems like the culture of today can't accept the fact that we are sinners! We have a serious life-ending disease called sin. And there is only one cure, faith in Jesus Christ who died in my place and promises resurrection and life for all who believe.

PRAYER: Father, open the eyes of our hearts Lord. Open the eyes the of our heart, We want to see you. It starts with the church. Open our eyes I pray.

QT 4 Aug 2020, Hos 8:4-6, A government that will really work

Hosea 8:4–6 (ESV) —

4 They made kings, but not through me.

They set up princes, but I knew it not.

With their silver and gold they made idols

for their own destruction.

5 I have spurned your calf, O Samaria.

My anger burns against them.

How long will they be incapable of innocence?

6 For it is from Israel;

a craftsman made it;

it is not God.

The calf of Samaria

shall be broken to pieces.

NOTE: There is so much to this story and it is evil all around. Rehoboam was stupid to answer the people as he did. The people rebelled against the authority placed over them. Jeroboam instituted two calves at the northern and southern ends of the land for the people to worship. Rehoboam, the people, and Jeroboam all sinned. The worst sin of all, was Jeroboam's sin. It was in complete defiance of God's law. It was an irrevocable decision by Israel. From that point on, no family ruled Israel (the Norther Kingdom, also called Samaria) longer than 4 generations and many only ruled for one, as individual after individual killed off the previous ruling generation. David would not lift his hand against the Lord's annointed despite Saul's evil. Israel would not stop lifting their hands against their authorities. The idols, the two calves, clinched Israel's destruction. It was a repeat of what happened when Moses went up the mountain to get God's law. Rebellion, without God's blessing and leading, is a terrible thing. We are all a rebellious people. We will ultimately destroy ourselves.

PRAYER: Father, I so look forward to the Millennial kingdom when you shall rule on earth. For once, there will be godly leadership in the land. For once, there will be true peace and a government that works. Open our eyes to our failure as a people. I pray you would draw people to yourself.

QT 3 Aug 2020, Hos 7:13, There is no coming back from outright rebellion

Hosea 7:13 (ESV) —

13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from me!

Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me!

I would redeem them,

but they speak lies against me.

NOTE: I see three key points in this verse. First, a woe is pronounced for the discipline promised because of their sin. This is how God deals with persistent sin, he disciplines us for our good. But, discipline is almost always quite painful. Second, while he intended to discipline them, to bring them back to him, they have gone from disobedience to outright rebellion. In God's eyes, this is not something you can come back from--these actions have irrevocable consequences, much as is later explained in the book of Hebrews. These are physical consequences, most likely in accord with Deut 28. Third, God is still willing to redeem the people, here is where I am unsure of the physical or eternal aspect of the statement. Because of the previous rebellion and irrevocable consequences, this might be spiritual and eternal. But the problem is that the people's heart is not right--it lies as it entreats God for salvation. Consequently, there can be no spiritual redemption either; they lie, they really do not believe in God.

PRAYER: Father, I believe this is also true for my nation. I don't know that they can call out to you but in a lie, since they do not believe and refuse to believe. We are on a path of destruction because of our rebellion. It will not be discipline, but it will be destruction, much like Israel of the past.

QT 30 Jul 2020, Hos 6:6-7, Put God first

Hosea 6:6–7 (ESV) —

6 For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,

the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

7 But like Adam they transgressed the covenant;

there they dealt faithlessly with me.

NOTE: Verse 7 indicates that Adam was under a covenant, the Adamic covenant. This is different from the Edenic covenant (the covenant of innocence). Differences and descriptions can be found at http://www.messianicassociation.org/ezine17-af.covenants.htm. Verse 6 references the Mosaic covenant, but what was lost was the purpose behind the rules. The covenants were not intended to be a rule system for access to God, but rather a protection from the impact of the world. Actually, there are quite a few reasons for the Mosaic covenant and they can be found at http://lighthouseclass.org/dev/images/pdf/mbs006_the_law_of_moses.pdf.

The principle behind verses 6 and 7 is still true today. Our heart is what most important to God. Our works and even our behavior if done out of rote reasons is not what God desires. A good example is our giving. Ten percent is a good thing to do, but for those who make much more than the average, ten percent is essentially a burnt offering with no love. For those who rely on tithing, the Jewish tithe (https://www.ariel.org/FAQRetrieve.aspx?ID=64296&Q=) amounted to an average of 23 percent per year, not the ten percent we like to point to. Also, the NT does endorse tithing. The NT principle is expressed 2 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV) — Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

So, what is the point? Our heart needs to be tuned to God first. Our heart needs to be changed. The word of God can transform our heart and mind. I was reminded of a great verse the other day, James 4:4 (ESV) — You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Let's be friends of God, not friends with this world. Put God first.

PRAYER: Father, forgive us for loving the world. We need to love you first and foremost. May we make you THE priority of our life.

QT 29 Jul 2020, Hos 6:1-2, We need repentance before we can experience healing

Hosea 6:1–2 (ESV) —

1 “Come, let us return to the Lord;

for he has torn us, that he may heal us;

he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.

2 After two days he will revive us;

on the third day he will raise us up,

that we may live before him.

NOTE: I believe this verse is literal and refers to the period at the end of the tribulation period, an actual 3 days at the very end.

I wonder if it has a double meaning and is also prophetic where one day equals one thousand years. In which case, it takes two thousand years from the rejection of Christ to Israel's repentance. And then one thousand years of healing in the millennial kingdom. There are a lot of problems with this view. One, Israel's rejection and judgment started in 722BC with the destruction of the Northern Kingdom by Assyria. But it could refer to both Israel and Judah (the two kingdoms). Will the tribulation start in 2023 or 2026 (2000 years after the crucifixion minus 7 for the tribulation) or 2073 (2000 years after the destruction of the temple minus 7 for the tribulation length)? Each data is a significant event in Jewish history. The year 2026 is only 6 years away.

But all that is speculation. The real point of the passage is that repentance and healing is available to those who turn to God and repent of their sins. There is still hope for the lost. There is still redemption. There is still peace available to all who call upon the Lord from a pure heart.

PRAYER: Father, may we turn from our wickedness and sin. May we embrace the love you showed to us on the cross where your son died for our sins. May we experience the life-changing power of the risen Christ entering into our hearts. May your Holy Spirit work through us and in others to bring them to salvation.

QT 28 Jul 2020, Hos 5:15, A day of wrath is coming upon the world

Hosea 5:15 (ESV) — 15 I will return again to my place,

until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face,

and in their distress earnestly seek me.

NOTE: There is a time still coming, at the very end of the 7-year tribulation period where Israel will acknowledge her sin and call on the name of Jesus. And He will come in his glory and with the church, and he will slay the enemies of Israel and rescue her. And she, once again, will be restored to the land and  to the blessings God has promised her. We have a promise that we will not have to live through that wrath to come. We, who have believed in the Lord Jesus, will be rescued from that awful time period. We will be raptured. We will go to the place Jesus has prepared to wait for the end of the tribulation. And then we will serve Jesus during his millennial reign on earth.

PRAYER: Father, in the midst of this mess on the earth, I do look forward to that day. I think it will be much different than even "politicized-Christians" can understand. We worry about the wrong things. We are weighted down in rebellion and selfishness. We have a lot of growing still needed. I wonder how that change will occur. I pray for your mercy. We need your mercy.

QT 27 Jul 2020, Hos 5:1, Judgment is coming

Hosea 5:1 (ESV) —

1 Hear this, O priests!

Pay attention, O house of Israel!

Give ear, O house of the king!

For the judgment is for you;

for you have been a snare at Mizpah

and a net spread upon Tabor.

NOTE: God called out judgment on the entire nation of Israel, from one end to the other. All groups: the priests, the people, and the King were guilty. They were to be judged. The king's job is to execute justice. The priests job is to teach and discern truth. The people's job is to seek God and obey his commands. Everyone failed. And so judgment was decreed and later executed.

My world and more specifically my nation have also failed. The evil is great. The sin is great. The disregard of law is rampant. Sexual sin, the destruction of the family and marriage weighs heavy on us. We have chosen teachers from universities who have filled our minds with useless garbage. The teachers in our churches have mixed God's word with the worldview of the culture. The body fails to live differently. Judgment is coming for my nation.

PRAYER: Lord, open our eyes to our sin and need for you. I pray that as believers we would live differently and that we would speak up for the gospel. Let us not be ashamed. Come Lord Jesus, come.

QT 24 Jul 2020, Hos 4:19, There is only one definition of God and it is revealed in the bible

Hosea 4:15 (ESV) —

15 Though you play the whore, O Israel,

let not Judah become guilty.

Enter not into Gilgal,

nor go up to Beth-aven,

and swear not, “As the Lord lives.”

NOTE: People have attached God's name to all kinds of falsities. They bring up the "Lord," but their beliefs are completely contrary to God's teaching about himself and his commands on how to live life. The have actually fashioned idols of 'God' according to what they think God is like or should be like rather than what the bible reveals is the only true God. If it does not match the bible, it is an idol.

PRAYER: Father, expose our human beliefs about you. Let us not be ashamed of the bible. It reveals you. If we can't accept it, we can't accept knowing you.

QT 23 Jul 2020, Hos 4:13, God over comfort

Hosea 4:13 (ESV) —

13 They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains

and burn offerings on the hills,

under oak, poplar, and terebinth,

because their shade is good.

Therefore your daughters play the whore,

and your brides commit adultery.

NOTE: This verse is interesting, because their religious observance (to idols) was partly based on comfort. Other pleasures of the flesh included temple prostitutes and wine (lots of wine). They liked idolatry because it fed their flesh and made them feel good. We are just as guilty. Most people choose a church based on their feelings of comfort. Maybe those feelings are not fleshly, but some are. The color of a carpet or the number of times hymns are sung is getting pretty close, especially when we demand these things. A believer should not demand service fits his or her desire. Our focus needs to be on Jesus and our relationship to him. We need to hear the word, but even more importantly, we need to obey the word. That is our greatest failing in the church today. We don't apply the word of God.

PRAYER: Open our eyes Lord to our shallowness. Help us to see the weakness of our faith and our need for a deeper relationship with you. Help us to see the need to apply the word and not to fool ourselves.

QT 22 Jul 2020, Hos 4:1;4:6, We have lost our most important weapon, the word of God

Hosea 4:1 (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;

Hosea 4:6 (ESV) —

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge;

because you have rejected knowledge,

I reject you from being a priest to me.

And since you have forgotten the law of your God,

I also will forget your children.

NOTE: Israel's problem, like our problem today, is that there is no knowledge of God in the land. We have replaced biblical truth with an empty worldview that has the power to cancel (remove) anyone from any position if they do not agree with the narrative. It is incredible powerful and frightening. And, it is amazing that we have allowed it to happen. We have failed to teach God's word rightly. We have failed to teach morality. It has been slowly chipped away, beginning with creation, and then to absolute moral law, and then sexual design, and then marriage, and now unity of a people. The failure is that people chose not to believe. But the failure of the church body is also not to believe biblical truth and even worse, not to live out that truth. We too have failed. Lack of knowledge is a failure, but lack of obedience to the knowledge is a deception and a failure.

PRAYER: Father, as a teacher of your word, this hurts. I am part of the problem. I have not taught your word fully or strongly encouraged people to obey the word enough. I can say I have done those things, but have I really? Am I obeying your word in my own life? Help me to see where I am a hypocrite. Forgive me for my part in our societal failure.