“I will heal their apostasy;
I will love them freely,
for my anger has turned from them.”
– Hosea 14:4

God is certainly a just and righteous God. He will not be mocked and our many sins must be dealt with. However, His desire isn’t to bring wrath or punishment on evil-doers. His desire is for people to repent and return to Him. His desire is to pour out grace and mercy on sinners, fools, and failures who turn toward Him. God asks for nothing in exchange other than a heart that’s rejected its sins and submitted to His love and mercy.

God’s love is gracious. It’s never about what anyone deserves. It is free and unconstrained. His justice and righteousness are satisfied because Jesus already dealt with our sins on the cross. The Son of God paid the penalty so that everyone who believes in Him and entrusts their life to their crucified and resurrected Savior is made new, clean, forgiven, and free.

If you’ve been lost and wandering in your own ways, don’t stay that way! If you’ve strayed away from God’s good will and design for your life, don’t stay that way. Turn back to God. Confess your sins in the name of Jesus. Let God’s forgiveness, healing, and love wash over you. Then #FollowJesus. It’s His hearts desire!

“Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord;
his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers,
as the spring rains that water the earth.”
– Hosea 6:3

It’s one thing to know about the Lord. It’s another thing completely to know the Lord. Don’t settle for the former! Always pursue the latter! Know the Lord. God isn’t a distant, impersonal being too busy to have time for you. He is an intensely relational God Who has numbered the hairs on your head. He made you in His image for relationship with Him. Though sin has interfered with that relationship, God values relationship with you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to deal with your sins by giving His own life to pay the penalty for them.

That’s how much God wants to welcome people like you into His family. Into His presence. Into a relationship that will never end. Following Jesus isn’t about a religion, it’s about a relationship with our Triune God, Father, Son, and Spirit. When you make Jesus the Lord of your life, you’re invited and empowered to know God Himself. You are united with Christ, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and adopted by your Father in Heaven.

Unfortunately, too many Christians settle for a limited, safe, stagnant relationship with God. Don’t settle for less than what God wants to give you! Draw near to Him in worship, through the study of His Word, by Scripture meditation, through service to His Kingdom, and by fellowship with His people. Delight in God. Pray and press on to know God ever more richly. He will answer your prayers and make Himself known. #FollowJesus

“At that time the Lord spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, ‘Go, and loose the sackcloth from your waist and take off your sandals from your feet,’ and he did so, walking naked and barefoot.” – Isaiah 20:2

Being a genuine prophet of God was seldom easy, comfortable, safe, popular, or glamorous. Poor Isaiah had to walk around naked and barefoot for 3 years as a visible prophetic warning. That had to be extremely uncomfortable for everyone involved – Isaiah and everyone who crossed his path. But he did it! Isaiah was faithful to obey God, even when it was embarrassing, awkward, uncomfortable, and even painful.

Christian, there will be times when following Jesus is embarrassing, awkward, uncomfortable, or painful. Will you follow Him anyway? There may be times when God asks you to do something that doesn’t make any sense by the standards of the world. Times when even your believing friends ask discouraging questions and try to talk you out of doing such a thing. Are you prepared to be obedient to whatever God asks? Even when every other believer thinks you’re out of your mind?

It could not have been easy to be Isaiah. Especially not with his family, friends, or the local authorities. But he was faithful. Are you willing to be faithful even when that puts you in an awkward situation with those closest to you or those with power over you? Think about it carefully. Then #FollowJesus

“For the Lord of hosts has purposed,
and who will annul it?
His hand is stretched out,
and who will turn it back?”
– Isaiah 14:27

Consider this a helpful reminder that the universe is not a democracy. It is a monarchy and our King is the infinitely powerful, infinitely wise, all-knowing, ever-present God of Universe. The Lord of Hosts. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

The will of God can’t be canceled by anyone, even if they would prefer something else. Even if they argue for something else. Even if they celebrate something else. God’s power can’t be stopped. Sometimes, He doesn’t seem to be very active, but He is always active. Sometimes His power seems insufficient in face of the world’s evil, but His power is always enough. Sometimes His will seems hard to understand or even unkind because of our limited knowledge and short-term, self-centered perspective.

Ultimately however, God’s will is always for the best. Our King, the Lord of Hosts, is merciful, gracious, patient, faithful, loving, and just by nature. Therefore, you can , and should, trust God’s working and will, even when you would prefer something simpler, less confrontational, and more comfortable. Trust God’s will. Obey God’s word. Follow God’s Son. #FollowJesus

“Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, ‘Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.’” – 2 Kings 17:13

The Old Testament is, among other things, a long record of the extraordinary patience of God. When He brought them out of slavery, God was extremely clear with His people about how they needed to follow Him and what the consequences would be if they didn’t. And yet, when generation after generation disobeyed, God was truly long-suffering in His patience. He sent prophets and seers to remind Israel of the Law and the consequences for breaking it. Usually, they were ignored. Often, they were abused.

God did this for hundreds of years. That was because His desire is always for people to come to repentance. Therefore, God is merciful and patient beyond anything we can possibly imagine. Nonetheless, His patience has limits. God is no fool and His patience should never be presumed upon. He is just and He will justly punish those who scorn Him to pursue gods of their own making. Eventually, God’s patience with Israel ran out and they were taken away by the Assyrians. Eventually, God’s patience with Judah ran out and they were taken into exile to purify the small faithful remnant.

The New Testament letter of 2 Peter explains that God is still patient. He still longs for people to come to repentance and entrust their lives to His Son, Jesus Christ. That is why Jesus hasn’t yet returned to usher in God’s final just judgment. Nonetheless, people still should not presume upon God’s patience. This is a time for believers to live holy lives, bless others, and share the hope of Jesus with unbelievers. This is a time for unbelievers to repent and put their faith in Jesus. Because eventually, God’s patience will come to an end and Jesus will return to bring judgment and renew creation. #FollowJesus