The Word: Hosea 6: 3a(KJV)
3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord:….
Dig Deeper: Hosea 6: 3b (KJV)
3 …his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
Think about it
FOLLOWING TO KNOW….
Our text on follower-ship today is simple
Hosea 6: 3 – (KJV)
3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
It seems a play with words on face analysis: Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: but it is not a mere play with words
1. Fans or followers are usually interested and passionate.
Fans of football players or rock stars tend to follow their idol passionately on media platforms: instagram, twitter etc. Fans are usually interested and keen to know any new little information about their idol. The word ‘interest’ is important. If we want to know God better, we will need a level of passion and interest atleast similar to those exhibited by fans or followers over their rock star or football idol. Follower-ship is impossible without some level interest and passion.
2. Intimate knowing:
We know, if we follow on to know… Though a fan may be following his rock star passionately on social media, the truth is there is a limited level of closeness or intimacy that will be between them due to access. The rock star may not even know the fan. You can only follow someone on social media to a level. However, assuming the rock star hires this fan to work with him in his office, the level of knowing and closeness will be more because they now see each other all the time. There are information, that a staff will have access to but which a fan will not be privy to. Jesus had a lot of fan followers who followed him from one crusade to another, who ate some of the bread and fishes during the miracle of multiplication. They talked passionately about Jesus, they invited their friends to crusades, they are followers because they followed him from one town to another but it was follower-ship at a level. However there was the 12 disciples. These are not only fans, but they lived together and ate together and slept together. They knew more about him. There is a level of revelation in God which is only reserved for close disciples or close followers.
Close followers are intimate. If we want to know God at a higher level of revelation, a fan level of interest and passion will not be enough. That is only for beginners class. We will need a deeper level of personal concentration and focus on God’s word. Not only what is preached in church on Sunday but personal study. Want a revelational level of knowing? then personal intimate follower-ship is the key
Nuggets:
Intimacy gives access to a higher level of knowing
Our memory verse for February 2018
John 3: 3
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Let’s take a few moment to learn our memory verse for this month by heart. It can be memorised in 2 lines:
Line 1: Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Line 2: Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Once you say it a few times it will stick.
Prayer focus: Our prayers for the next level project:
LORD help me to know you better.
On Grace:
Masterlife Workbook: The Church is embarking on weeks of discipleship workbook study: Masterlife now on the 2nd workbook: The Disciple’s personality