I'm Following Jesus – Page 1384 – Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34

Date: Monday, July 20, 20202
Chapters: Hosea 8-14
Message: Return To God

Hello My Friend,

As we watch the entire world unfold into something quite wicked, and our own nation falling quickly, it is as if we are no longer one nation under God, but one nation under Satan. So, how does a nation go from being one nation under God to one nation under Satan? Sin. Not one person, but a multitude of people living in sin, and people who are afraid to stand up and tell they that what they are doing is sin, and since God cannot force them, He gives them up to their sin.

[Romans 1:28-32 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.]

God is the same yesterday and today, if He judged Israel, He will judge every nation. Through Hosea, God expresses His anger toward Israel for doing things their own way, instead of consulting Him in their affairs, they chose to do things in their own reasoning, including appointing kings He did not appoint and making princes out of men He did not approve of, the result, a corrupt and wicked nation full of idols and false gods.

[Hosea 8:1-6,8 Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law. 2 Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee. 3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him. 4 They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off. 5 Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency? 6 For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces. 8 Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.]

[be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.] It is shocking to see how fast a nation falls, just ten years ago marriage was seen by the courts as the union of one man and one woman, now it is acceptable for two men or two women to be married. And there are even saved, born again Christians doing this.

[Hosea 9:5-9 What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD? 6 For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles. 7 The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred. 8 The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God. 9 They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: therefore he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.]
[but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways,] There comes a time when it cannot be said that they have no idea what they are doing is wrong and claim they are innocent. Ephraim was the youngest son of Joseph, before Abraham died he told Joseph that Ephraim would be a greater nation than his oldest brother (Genesis 48}. Then over eighty years later, Joshua, would lead the children of Israel (Jacob) into Canaan, where they would become the nation of Israel. Centuries later, after the death of Solomon, another son of Ephraim would be in charge of nine of the tribes of Israel, Jeroboam, and what he did was the worse thing any leader of any nation could have done, especially one in which God Almighty appoints. Instead of leading Israel on the path of God, he led them on a path of Satan, having two calves of gold made, setting one in Bethel, and another in Dan, and telling Israel that these were now their gods (I Kings 12:25-33). Now, centuries later, and after one corrupt king after another who led Israel further away from God, God has some words to say to Ephraim.

[Hosea 10:11-15 And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods. 12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. 13 Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men. 14 Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Betharbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children. 15 So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.]
[for it is time to seek the LORD,] You cannot love God and the world at the same time, it will always lead to destruction. In the midst of their troubles as a nation, they never thought of seeking help from God, they put their trust in men, and the result of that was worshiping false gods instead of the One True God. I think the one thing that angers God most next to a person rejecting Him is one who knows Him and leads a double life, they worship Him yet the world also. While the judgment God placed upon them stood that did not stop Him from wanting to save them from it. God continues to stress His anger toward all of Israel, bit still pleads with them.

[Hosea 11:7-12 And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him. 8 How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. 9 I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city. 10 They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west. 11 They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the LORD. 12 Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.]

[for I am God, and not man;] Let me tell you, you cannot turn to a place you never were to begin with, if you know Christ as your Saviour it is detrimental on you if should you even try to go back into the world, He will not let you, not if you are grounded in Him. Everyone sins, everyone stumbles, some of us backslide, but Jesus will not let one of His completely fall away from Him if they belong to Him. That is what God’s grace is for, when we stumble, He is there, when we backslide, He will be there for us when we turn to Him. The problem is not that these people are blind to that fact that what they are doing is sin, it is that they do not have Jesus. We are all sinners, we all need Jesus, He is the only one who can open our eyes to see that. Those who truly know their Maker will hear the Lion roar, will turn to Him, and will call on Christ to save them. And yet, God has a controversy with His people as well.

[Hosea 12:2-6 The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him. 3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God: 4 Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us; 5 Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial. 6 Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.]
[and there he spake with us;] This is none other than the Trinity of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, God recalls the time in which He met up with Jacob, wrestled with him, and blessed him in Bethel, where one of these false gods were now standing. [the LORD is his memorial.] Our greatest reason to remember our faith in Christ, and stay faithful to Him is the fact that He is full of mercy and judgment upon those who wait on Him. I think the one thing that angers God most next to the one who forgot God, it is one who knows Him and leads a double life. You cannot love God and the world at the same time, it will always lead to destruction.

[Hosea 13:1-4,9 When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died. 2 And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves. 3 Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney. 4 Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me. 9 O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.]

[but in me is thine help.] We cannot do anything about our past, but we can do something about today, and it does not matter what we have done, if we come to Christ, and seek Him, He will always help us, [Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.]

Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for loving me and never giving up on me, and for the day Your message of the Gospel pricked in my heart so much that I knew Your Son was the only one who could save me. Lord, There is no better feeling than accomplishing something great for You, and the thing that is great to You is merely living a godly life with You leading us. While we strive to be the best we can be, let us not forget that our best only comes as we yield to Your Spirit living is us. Open our hearts, help us understand, and grow us into Christians under Your grace, seeing the blessings unfold all on their own as we come to a complete dependence on You. And give us compassion on the lost, help us learn how to talk to them, and show them that You have not only pricked their heart, but opened it to Christ as well, I as this is Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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