Pastor Bob DuPar
December 5, 2008

Journal Entry



Scripture

Hosea 1:1-3:5; 1 John 5:1-21; Psalm 124:1-8; Proverbs 29:5-8

Observation

Hosea 2:7-8a sounds a lot like the parable of the prodigal son:

“When she runs after her lovers, she won’t be able to catch them. She will search for them, but not find them. Then she will think, ‘I might as well return to my husband, for I was better off with him than I am now.’ She doesn’t realize it was I who gave her everything she has…”

“Loving God means keeping His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:3

“All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about His Son. And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.” 1 John 5:10-12

“All wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death.” 1 John 5:17

“And we know that the Son of God has come, and He has given understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and He is eternal life.

Application

It’s one thing for me to obey God and keep His commandments. It’s another to do this without a reluctant spirit or a bad attitude. And, John says that this demonstrates the depth of my love for the Lord.

How often I forget that everything I have is from God. Every good and perfect gift is from above… (James 1:17)

It’s impossible to be in fellowship with God the Father unless we are in fellowship with God the Son.

Prayer

“Lord, thank You for Your relentless, compassionate love. Thank You for never giving up on me. Thank You for pursuing me when I wander, for loving me in the midst of my sin. Help me to live in Your presence, and never lose fellowship with You.”