- "The people of Israel love their rituals of sacrifice, but to Me their sacrifices are all meaningless. I WILL HOLD MY PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR SINS, AND I WILL PUNISH THEM. They will return to Egypt.
- Israel has forgotten its Maker and built great palaces, and Judah has fortified its cities. Therefore, I will send down fire on their cities and will burn up their fortresses."
Hosea 8:13,14 (NLT)
• It is erroneously taught in some quarters that once you are saved, born-again, you can go ahead and live whichever way you like.
EVEN if you live in sin, you should be unperturbed, Jesus has paid for your past sins, present sins, and future sins.
- The proponents of the idea Or teaching have not considered the Scripture that says:
"FOR THIS YOU KNOW, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, HAS ANY INHERITANCE IN THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST AND GOD.
- Let no one deceive you with empty words, FOR BECAUSE OF THESE THINGS THE WRATH OF GOD COMES UPON THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE.
- THEREFORE DO NOT BE PARTAKERS WITH THEM.
- For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT."
Ephesians 5:5-8 (NKJV)
• Our text, Hosea 8:13b, says "I will hold MY PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR SINS."
GOD will call you to account for the habitual SINS found in your life.
- Many attend Church meetings as a mere formality, they neither genuinely saved nor transformed (Romans 10:9,10; 12:2).
GOD said the rituals of sacrifice of the Israelites are meaningless to Him (Hosea 8:13).
IF you are not born-again and transformed inwardly, your outward appearance and activities in the kingdom are nothing.
ATTENDING church services would be a mere ritual of Sacrifices, if your life DOES not change character-wise. - You need to check your life if you actually had a relationship with God.
IF you are not saved, you have no part in God's programme for His church on earth.
YOUR name must be written in the Book of Life to be one of His (Revelation 20:15; 21:27).
WHAT is that Sin in your life that you need to deal with?
• Some who claimed to be born-again, who are still indulging in one sin or another, know the SINS, but for their inabilities to Discipline themselves, they refuse to deal with such SINS.
HOW long would you indulge in Sin?
WHAT you are losing is more than what you think you are gaining or getting in the sinful acts.
• Idolatry is one of the most grievous sins in the sight of God.
GOD sent the Israelites into captivity mainly because of the sin of IDOLATRY.
- God is a jealous God, He does not want to share your affection with any other gods.
WHAT you give your affection MORE than God has become another GOD to you. - You may have not bow down to any graven image, but if the place God should occupy in your heart is being given to another thing or PERSON, that is IDOLATRY.
- Some who want to get additional certificates opted to attend weekend classes, lectures, thus they stop attending church meetings on Sundays.
THEY prefer Sunday classes or lectures, they would not want their secular works to be affected, but their works in the church could be affected and cancelled.
THEY believe God understands!
• It is foolishness to kick against your God, the Rock who begotten you: "Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, AND HAVE FORGOTTEN THE GOD WHO FATHERED YOU" (Deuteronomy 32:18).
- Your SUCCESS, ambition or goals, should not be your GOD.
WHEN you become fat, you should not forget your God who made you: "But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; you grew fat, you grew thick, you are obese!
THEN HE FORSOOK GOD WHO MADE HIM, AND SCORNFULLY ESTEEMED THE ROCK OF HIS SALVATION" (Deuteronomy 32:15). - Has not the blessing of God in your life BECOME an idol?
HAVE you not allowed comfort to make you think your time is yours?
IF you have no time for the things of the kingdom any longer, when you also need Him, He may not be there for you.
IF you honour Him, He also will honour you: "But now the LORD says: 'Far be it from Me; FOR THOSE WHO HONOUR ME I WILL HONOUR, AND THOSE WHO DESPISE ME SHALL BE LIGHTLY ESTEEMED" (1 Samuel 2:30).
- "This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him.
- IF WE ENDURE, WE SHALL ALSO REIGN WITH HIM. IF WE DENY HIM, HE ALSO WILL DENY US.
- If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself."
2 Timothy 2:11-13 (NKJV)
• You cannot do without God.
- Those who claimed there is no God regret at the end of their journey on earth.
SOMEONE who claims to have known God, who would not acknowledge Him as they should, and wanted to live independently of Him, would start descending in his or her Life.
GOD is the reason why things are working FOR you!
• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
Peace!