Christian Commentary Encouraging Devotions

From a little book in the Old Testament.

I will save them - not by bow, sword or battle,

or by horses and horsemen,

but by the Lord their God. Hosea 1:7

I will free them from their enemies -

not with weapons and armies or horses and charioteers,

but by My power as the Lord their God. Hosea 1:7

So it's not our battling that'll bring the victory,

although we are called to do battle,

but it's a different kind of warring.

It's not trusting in our own strength.

It's trusting in Him.

And that's a daily deal, isn't it?

We tend to default to our own strength.

We need a conscious choice of turning from that.

And turning to Him.

He promises to make the valley of trouble

into a door of hope. Hosea 2:15

What are you going through right now?

Financial strain?

Health issues?

Relationship problems?

Whatever it is God can use it.

He will turn that trouble into hope,

if we consciously, willfully, give up and let Him take over.

That's not as easy as it sounds.

Take two scriptures and call me in the morning. No.

It's a continuous coming to Him.

The moment we feel the strength issue coming up,

as soon as we recognize what we've been trusting in other than Him,

confess it, ask for His forgiveness

and for His help in doing what He wants us to do; namely, trust Him.

The problem in the OT days is the same problem today...

A spirit of prostitution leads them astray;

they are unfaithful to their God. Hosea 4:12

A spirit of prostitution in in their heart;

they do not acknowledge the Lord. Hosea 5:4

Come, let us return to the Lord.

He will heal us.

He will bind up our wounds.

He will revive us.

He will restore us.

Let us acknowledge the Lord;

let us press on to know Him. Hosea 6:1-3

Sow for yourselves righteousness,

break up your unplowed ground,

for it is time to seek the Lord

until He comes and showers righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12

You have depended on your own strength. Hosea 10:13

Let today be marked in your diary/journal as the day you turned

from your strength to His.