"TO KNOW GOD"

>>>Message was born out of personal retreat.

>>>The title is “To Know God”.

>>>Book of Hosea is a record of the prophecies of Hosea, a prophet to Israel.

>>>The main plot of Hosea is in the first three chapters (keeping it G), but the prophecies continue in eleven more chapters.

>>>Chapter is a call to Israel to repent and see revival in their land.

Hosea 6:3 ““So let’s learn, let’s press on to know the Lord. His appearance is as sure as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, As the spring rain waters the earth.””

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Hosea 6:3 ““So let’s learn, let’s press on to know the Lord. His appearance is as sure as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, As the spring rain waters the earth.””

>>>Hosea calls on the people to know God-broken in two parts.

>>>He said “let’s learn”.

*“Learn” means “search for”/ “cognitive knowledge”. The people need to know Who God is and about Him.

Isaiah 2:3 “And many peoples will come and say, “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; So that He may teach us about His ways, And that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go out from Zion And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

>>>A relationship with God begins with learning about Him and His ways.

LEARNING ABOUT GOD

>>>It is in our nature to be curious-to learn about something/someone.

>>>We spend many church efforts in learning how to better evangelize/disciple (trainings, books, meetings, etc.).

>>>What is being said in the passage is learning about God-Who He is.

>>>How would we know anything else (evangelism, discipleship, etc.) if we are not seeking to learn more about God?

*These efforts should reflect what we know about God.

>>>Learning also can mean acknowledging God-recognizing there is a God to learn.

>>>The next part is about pressing on to know the LORD.

*“press on” means “persevere”/ “refuse to stop”

*The people did not need to just know about God but strive to know Him personally

KNOWING GOD PERSONALLY

>>>This knowledge is not just knowing His commandments but experience Who He is as a person.

>>>The lack of relational knowledge about Who God is was a central part of why Israel was in the state it was. The kept rejecting knowing God (all throughout Minor Prophets).

>>>How often does God come to meet with us? Not just learning about Him but really sensing His presence and His voice?

*What about the balance of facts vs. relationship?

Revelation 2:2–4 “‘I know your deeds and your labor and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people, and you have put those who call themselves apostles to the test, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured on account of My name, and have not become weary. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”

>>>The believers in this church, while commended for the things they did for God, stopped knowing God.

>>>Idolatry may be a part of our lives (desiring worldly things), but idolatry or something taking our focus off God could be our ministry/service.

>>>We can preach/teach/praise/lead/etc. but not have God ministering to us and our hearts (dry spiritual walk).

>>>We put much emphasis on “things” we need to do and do them because that’s what Christians do.

*“doing” should not be out of obligation but an overflow of what God is doing in our personal relationship with Him.

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Hosea 6:3 ““So let’s learn, let’s press on to know the Lord. His appearance is as sure as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, As the spring rain waters the earth.””

>>>Just as sure as the sun rises, God will come to His people when they seek to know Him.

>>>He comes as rain.

*Rain that is refreshing

*Rain that is needed

>>>This is a promise.

>>>What also come with a dawn/spring rain is a new beginning and life. God brings about renewing in His people as they learn about/from and know Him more relationally.

>>>(Illust.) Put too much of my identity in ministry (not reading the Bible for myself).

>>>Did ministry based on my own leading.

>>>Disicipleship/FBCW fell through-no longer doing ministry.

>>>Doubting my call and even salvation.

>>>Had to ask why I even read my Bible-there was a relationship.

>>>The Bible overwhelms me, and I NEED God to help me understand/do ministry.

>>>That time I had to just be in a learning state (Men’s Bible Study).

*Being “rebuilt”

>>>God met me as a refreshing/needed rain.

>>>This was when I was subbing at NHA-had an opportunity to preach, ended up teaching full-time, now the Youth Pastor.

>>>God showed me I need Him and a relationship more than anything else, including ministry.

>>>We cannot drift away from simply knowing God. Without knowing Him, there’s no point in anything.

>>>What if we really sat and marked out what God truly wants from us? It may all be things that are relational.

>>>Maybe need to repent/let go of what’s hindering walk and know how to better pursue Jesus.

>>>Maybe need to repent and enter into salvation in Jesus.