The Lord’s Controversy

I have always been a voracious reader and have interest in many subjects in addition to the scriptures.For example;I love to read historical accounts of the people who settled this nation and learn how they overcame immense odds in a time without technology as we know it today.

The concept of a nation divided against itself as it was during the Civil War is another subject I love to read about.What was a subject barely touched upon in history class I now have the luxury of studying to my hearts content thanks to this marvelous thing we call the internet.

I am also a lover and seeker of truth who long ago came to the conclusion that while truth may be found in the pages of many great works,there is no truth that can compare to the truth found within the Bible.

Funny thing,this word truth.Funny in that according to some there are varying degrees of it.But if that were so,wouldn’t that make it less than true?

And if it’s less than true,doesn’t that make it a lie,and not the truth?Sorry…back to the point of all of this.

The Bible is a book of truth,often very hard to swallow truth.It’s pages are filled with joy,compassion,mercy,love,and much grace.Wonderful,awesome truths!

Yet it’s pages are also filled with things we don’t like to hear about.Things such as wrath,judgement,punishment,you get the picture.Truths that make us wonder,that make us question,that make us shudder.

Wouldn’t it be great if the Bible only spoke about the nice things,the pretty things,the easy things?

Yes,that would be nice,but then the Bible wouldn’t be a book of truth would it?

Like the world that we live in today,ancient Israel found itself having wandered far from the truth and because of it God declared to them that He had a controversy with them.

That’s what God does with His children when they step out of line and refuse His gentle nudging them back into the fold.He calls them out,just as He did here in the book of Hosea.

1 Hear the word of the Lord,

You children of Israel,

For the Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land:

“There is no truth or mercy

Or knowledge of God in the land.

2 By swearing and lying,

Killing and stealing and committing adultery,

They break all restraint,

With bloodshed upon bloodshed.

3 Therefore the land will mourn;

And everyone who dwells there will waste away

With the beasts of the field

And the birds of the air;

Even the fish of the sea will be taken away.

4 “Now let no man contend, or rebuke another;

For your people are like those who contend with the priest.

5 Therefore you shall stumble in the day;

The prophet also shall stumble with you in the night;

And I will destroy your mother.

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Because you have rejected knowledge,

I also will reject you from being priest for Me;

Because you have forgotten the law of your God,

I also will forget your children.

7 “The more they increased,

The more they sinned against Me;

I will change their glory into shame.   

Hosea 4:1-7  NJKV

The Lord told Israel that there was no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land.What a horrible statement…no knowledge of God in the land!

Not only that but He goes on to say that “my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”.

God told His people that because they had rejected knowledge they had also rejected the law of their God.

These are harsh words aren’t they? Stinging words of rebuke.Crushing words coming from the very God who loved them so.

Words of truth.

Which brings me to the point I wanted to make with this post:are we who claim His name today really any different than the children of Israel who had abandoned the Lord?

Does the Lord have a controversy with His church today?

Something to think about on this very rainy night.

Ron

A Post Easter Observation

Yet another Easter has come and gone and Christians all over the world gathered to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.A time for all of us to pause and reflect upon God’s love for mankind.A time to remember the love of the Father who so loved you and I,as impossible as it sounds, even before we were born.

That He would give us the best that He had….

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16   KJV

God gave us,you and I,his only Son.

I don’t know about you but when I read that verse it stops me in my tracks.How in the world could I be worth such a price? Doesn’t God remember how awful I was? Has he forgotten that I was unlovable?

Well,actually…..He doesn’t remember that “me”.

A week from now I won’t remember the tie that I wore this past Easter Sunday. I won’t remember the songs that were sung at church. I’ll probably remember only bits and pieces of the sermon I heard.For sure I won’t remember an Easter egg hunt.

But I WILL remember what Easter represents. I WILL remember how I who was once so lost discovered an unimaginable grace one night so long ago.I WILL remember that there is a name that is so different than any other name.A name that causes demons to tremble.A name that causes the angels of heaven to bow down and worship.

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”    Acts 4:12   KJV

Only one name can lead us to eternal salvation.Jesus…what a lovely name.

Be blessed,

Ron

Change is Coming

Good morning everyone! Just wanted to inform the followers of this blog that I have moved the blog to:

http://www.whitedministries.com/

This is being done to allow me to greatly expand the blog and gain better control over it. Please be patient as I will be experimenting with many new things as I try to make the new site more professional, informative, and ultimately a greater source of inspiration and encouragement. At some point I will wipe the slate clean but I haven’t figured out yet how best to do this while maintaining the integrity of the site.

For the next few weeks I will continue to post at both locations but of course will eventually stop posting at ronwhited.wordpress.com, which is the current home of A Front Row View of The Church.

Please change your bookmarks to the new site address http://www.whitedministries.com/

Thank you and have a blessed day!

Ron