Verse and a Quote

Verse: They are all adulterers; they are like a heated oven whose baker ceases to stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened. (Hosea 7:4)

Quote: "First we make our habits and then our habits make us." Charles C. Noble

As I studied Hosea 7 this morning this verse stuck out to me. In the time that Hosea is writing and saying this to the nation of Israel the people would constantly have to stoke and stir the fire when cooking. This would create the desired heat to cook what ever was in the oven. The verse here speaks of unleavened bread being in the oven. So when Hosea here writes that Israel is a heated oven that does not need to be stirred, what is he talking about?

In Israel's case it was a lack of self discipline, a lack of self control and a total giving in to it's sinful lifestyle. They had so given in to the pleasures of the world that they really needed no temptation at all, they would see something, desire it and whether or not it was right they would give into it. In today's culture we would say, "If it feels good, do it" or as a co-worker of mine so aptly put it, "party like a rock star because you never know when your time is up". This is much like the attitude of the rich fool in Luke 12:13-21.

I believe that many in the church today have given into some of the things of the world and have lost their ability to discern. I see people who attend churches looking for their pastor to be the next great entertainer. I sometimes feel like we are looking for our evangelistic pastors to be like Bob Barker from The Price is Right and say "Come on Down" when there is an alter call. In many ways our churches have turned into that oven that needs no stoking. We live in an entertainment driven culture that has to be entertained or they are bored. I struggle if I see the church that way. If my pastor isn't teaching and the guy up front isn't entertaining me with his sermon, am I bored or am I listening to what God's Word has to say?

I like this mornings quote, because it states that the habits we sow are the habits we reap. If I sow entertainment in my life, I reap entertainment. If I sow sex and pornography in my life, I reap sex and pornography. The question I asked myself this morning is "what am I sowing and am I a fire that needs not stoking?". I also asked myself, "do I exercise self-discipline and self control or do I give into my hearts desire?"

I pray we all would learn fro Israel and the example Hosea gives us here.

Peace!