Week 3 - Steps to Calf Making

 

Link to Sunday Service Recording

Text: Hosea 2:7 (ESV)
 

She shall pursue her lovers but not overtake them, and she shall seek them but shall not find them. Then she shall say, I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now.

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Main Message

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• Sometimes God puts a fence in our way so that we can go back to him, but we ignore the sign and push our way through the barriers that God has provided for us.

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• Just like Gomer, we continue to pursue other gods that we can worship and serve because we think that the real God that we are suppose to be worshipping is not enough, not powerful enough to meet our needs.

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• God sometimes provides a barrier opposing our way. Out of protection and love for us, He plants thorns in the avenue and our turnpike becomes a turn-around!

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• Desire

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• If I had to choose between faithfulness to Jesus and that person or thing, would the struggle be difficult for me? 

• Our desire can lead us to idol worship, idol worship is putting something before God.

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• Dwell

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• Ask yourself, “Do my thoughts create an idol?

• What do you dwell on?

• When our thoughts gravitate to things, people, situations, and objects that soothe you, please you, identify you, affirm you.

• Philippians 4:8 (ESV) - Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

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• Depend

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• Ask yourself, “On what do I depend to make me feel complete or OK?”

• ​On what do I depend? Where is God in your “depend” totem pole? Is God at the top or something or someone else?

• If you feel you depend on something other than God to make you feel complete and accepted, then it is idolatry.

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• Dedicate

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• Are we dedicating our life to be pure and holy before Lord?

• ​Joshua 14:7-8 (ESV) - I returned and gave an honest report, 8 but my brothers who went with me frightened the people from entering the Promised Land. For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God.

• Caleb wholeheartedly followed the Lord, because he was devoted and dedicated to his Lord.

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Reflection Questions:

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1.  If I had to choose between faithfulness to Jesus and that person or thing, would the struggle be difficult for me?

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2. On what do your thoughts most often dwell?

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3. TOn what do you depend? What does that tell you?