Amazing Grace

9 January 2011

 

1. Introduction

“Let us come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and grace to help in time of need”.

 

2. Sin has consequences that are Generational

           

Hosea 1:1 – 3

 

a)         Hosea was called to live out prophetically the relationship between Israel and God.

Prostitute   = person who trades body, talents, gifts for personal gain, money.

= promiscuous sexual intimacy, idolatry.

 

(i) Jezreel = place of deception and Jezebelic control.

(ii) Lo Ruhama = no mercy, harsh life, constant judgement.

(iii)Lo Ammi = Not my people, unable to enjoy identity and blessing of

     being joined to Christ = rejection/orphan spirit.

 

b)         In spite of Sin – God promises Restoration – God is a God who restores

Hosea 1:10 – 11 Restore        to blessing and increase

                                                            to identity as child of God

                                                            to greatness and enlargement

 

c)         God is willing to, and has paid the price for us to be set free

Hosea 3:1-3 Love a woman who is loved by a lover – so I bought her.

 

3. God’s Promises of Restoration

           

a)         vs.14 Fresh revelation/experience of God’s love and kindness

 

b)         Renewing of Hopes and Dreams

-       consequences, defeat in battle, men lost lives

-       sin, holding back affects the people we love.

Hope = expectation of future, restored dreams

 

c)         Renewing of Intimacy with God

      v2:19 I will betroth you (3x)

 

4. What God Requires of Us – Trust

            Hosea 2:16 “You will call me my husband not my Baal”

·         Control over finances, prosperity

·         Source of sexual perversion

·         Destroyed next general – children

- Abortion – Goth – Vampire – Cutting – Piercing

·         Source of witchcraft and occult

 

(ii) Wrong concepts of God as a taskmaster to be served

·         Legalism – serving as a slave, duty, doing what we have to.

 

·         God wants us to abandon the substitutes we have traded with

to believe He is a loving, generous, abundant lover

to enter into new intimacy – worship and love relationship

to believe the truth about Him and experience abundance.