A dear friend of mine, Robin John, wrote me the other day with something God had put on his heart in regards to me and my life. I think it is worthy of blogging on this morning and might be a help to others who read these blogs. Notice the passage from Hosea 14:4-7.
“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from him. I will be like the dew to Israel; He shall grow like the lily, And lengthen his roots like Lebanon. His branches shall spread; His beauty shall be like an olive tree, And his fragrance like Lebanon. Those who dwell under his shadow shall return; They shall be revived like grain, And grow like a vine. Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon. (Hosea 14:4-7 NKJV)
Let's break this down a bit:
- "I will love them freely" - The Message Bible states it this way - "I will love them lavishly." Think about that statement and the fact that you are loved by God in this manner.
The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. (Jeremiah 31:3 ESV)
- "For My anger has turned away from him" - Think about that - God has turned His anger away from you. He has completely forgiven you.
The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. (Zephaniah 3:15, 17 ESV)
ALL that you've done in the past is now in the past. God has forgiven you completely and chooses to dwell in your midst right now.
- "I will be the like the dew of Israel" - I wrote yesterday about how dew brings a refreshing to the earth. It is the same with God's Word. Every morning I am refreshed from spending time in The Word and it penetrates (just like dew) my spiritual ground.
The Bible teaches that we will receive a fresh anointing every day (Psalm 92:1). The Holy Spirit is desiring to come into your life and fill you with His presence on a daily basis.
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; (Psalm 45:7 ESV)
But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. (1 John 2:20 ESV)
But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. (1 John 2:27 ESV)
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. (Isaiah 61:1-3 ESV)
- "He shall grow like the lily, And lengthen his roots like Lebanon. His branches shall spread; His beauty shall be like an olive tree" - This is a healthy growing plant or tree. It is one who is growing and spreading. It is a look of God wants each of us to live our lives in the spiritual realm - with much growth and much health.
But (the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly) his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1:2-3 ESV)
- "HE will lengthen your roots" - This speaks of greater stability and favor in the ministry that The Lord has called you. You will be marvelled and imitated by many and you won't get worn out easily or frustrated because you will be strongly rooted in the ways of The Lord.
There will be more and more stability and favor in the ministry the LORD has called you (marveled and imitated by many), so that you would never get easily worn out or frustrated because you are strongly rooted in the LORD.
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6-7 ESV)
- "His branches shall spread" - God will make your branches spread by enlarging your borders to the extent of influencing people. You will be a shade to many and you will walk in the ways of the LORD.
“Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities. (Isaiah 54:2-3 ESV)
- "His beauty shall be like an olive tree" - Olive trees are a vital part of the Israel landscape. Every part of the tree is used - the olives, the oil, the wood from the tree. This passage state that HE (God) will make you beautiful like an Olive tree speaking of fruitfulness and productivity.
But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. (Psalm 52:8 ESV)
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8 ESV)
He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1:3 ESV)
- "And his fragrance like Lebannon" - Your fragrance will be like a sweet aroma unto the LORD which would draw people to you and you would in turn point them to the LORD JESUS.
But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, (2 Corinthians 2:14-15 ESV)
Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. (John 12:3 ESV)
"Those who dwell under his shadow shall return; They shall be revived like grain, And grow like a vine. Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon" - Those who dwell under your shadow or being ministered through you will return to the LORD, be Revived and Spiritually grow and be blessed like the Vine and bear good fruit and lasting fruit.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1 ESV)
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. (John 15:16 ESV)
Have a blessed and fruitful day!
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