FRUITFULNESS PRODUCED THROUGH RESTORATIVE FORGIVENESS

HOSEA, chapter 14, Verses 1-9 contains God's loving appeal to His Wife, Israel,
to return to His heart and blessing.

He asks for sacrifices from their lips--WORDS OF CONFESSION--and not, the sacrifices
of animals.

He promises to heal their backslidings [V. 4] and restore them to His favor.
Israel will be a fruitful nation in The Millennium.

PERSONAL MESSAGE
Backsliders may return to The Lord, experience His Forgiveness, and be restored to
usefulness.
Claim v.4 for yourself, and experience the healing of your backsliding, and the
blessing of sins FORGIVEN.

Our Lesson, Today, is ''FRUITFULNESS PRODUCED THROUGH RESTORATIVE FORGIVENESS.''

Revived Believers have spiritual beauty, and strength of character. They become
fruitful, as they grow, as the vine, because they discipline their lives.
The Lord enables them to produce fruit, for all fruit is from the Lord--
I Corinthians 15;10--''But by the grace of God I am what I am; and his grace which
was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labour more abundantly than they all; yet
not I, but the grace of God which was in me.''

No person produces fruit apart from Him. John 15;1-[Read].

As we have said, The Book of Hosea was written to correct Israel's backsliding,
yet, a message for God's people of all time is contained therein.

NOW, GET THIS TRUTH; CHRISTIANS DO NOT SUDDENLY FALL. . . Backslders begin to slide
SLOWLY--EFFORTLESSLY, NATURALLY. It may even be A PLEASANT SENSATION.

When the pace begins to acclerate, joy will give way to alarm.

Hosea was the prophet in ISRAEL'S ZERO HOUR,and his message was to sinning
believers. He understood the true meaning of Israel's sin--It was Spiritual Adultery
and Whoredom.

Now, get this truth; THOSE SEEKING SATISFACTION THROUGH UNLAWFUL PRACTICES, OR
RELATION, ARE GUILTY OF SPRIRITUAL ADULTERY OR WHOREDOM.
Christians are warned against such sin;
James 4;4--''Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the
world is enmity with God/ whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the
enemy of God.''
Things of The World are passing away--I Corinthians 7;31-''And they that love this
world, as not abusing it, for the fashion of this world passeth away.''
Christians, who court The World, are guilty of Spiritual Adultery.

Now, Listen; No transgression is so heinous, as that of those, who are DISLOYAL
TO KNOWN TRUTH. . . They sin against light and love.

FORGIVENESS MUST NOT BE VIEWED ONLY IN THE LIGHT OF GOD'S LOVE.

Three of God's Attributes are predominant in Hosea's prophecy;
[1] God is Holy; Therefore Israel's sin was intolerable [Verses 1-7].
God's holiness, not His love, is first in order. It is when one sees his sin in
the light of GOD'S HOLINESS, THAT HE SEES ITS SERIOUSNESS.
[2] God is Just; Therefore Israel was punished [Vss 8-10].
[3] God is Love; Therefore Israel was restored [Vss. 11-14].

Christians are comforted with the knowledge, that God forgives His Own in love.

Hosea 14;1-3-[Turn]. These 3 verses introduce the chapter.

Througtout The Old Testament, the words, ''turn,'' or ''return'' signify
Repentance. Hosea exhorted Israel To Repent.

The Necessity for Repentance indicates that one has sinned. That is humbling.
God made provision for the sins of His Own, that is encouraging.
Conclusively, the word ''RETURN'' both encourages and humbles Christians.

Here, in verses 1-3, to encourage His people to repent [turn] God put words into
their mouths, to teach them, what to say. THEY ARE;
1. PETITIONING WORDS--Verse2
a. Ask to be acquitted from guilt.
b. Ask to be accepted as Righteous in God's sight.

2. PROMISING WORDS--Verse 2 [Not to move God, but to move themselves].
2 things are to promise and vow
a. Thanksgiving
b. Love

3. PLEADING WORDS--Verse 3
Mercy, living above sin


The following important concepts, appear in The Introduction to Hosea 14;
[1] An awful fact is stated-''Thou hast fallen.'' The children of Israel had fallen,
by their own iniquity.
They were believers, but they had backslidden, from a higher to a lower state.

Christians do not remain on a single plateau. They are either progressing, or
regressing. Their desire should be continual progress.

Regression in Christians is not grievous. Their fall is not attributed to
circumstances, although their circumstances may reveal their inward desires,
which cause them to lust.

[2] Israel was affectionatelly ''exhorted to return'' to The Lord.

[3] They were given ''Instructive Direction''.

Our opportunity dictates the degree of our responsibility.

Israel was admonished to be sincere in confession and prayer.
''The calves of our lips,'' refers to the sacrifice of lips, and that includes
Faithfulness and Praise.

Israel was warbed againist placing confidence in the creature. . .
V.3--
Neither circumstances nor individuals, can deliver anyone.

When God alter's one's heart to repentance, He, Alone, removes carnal confidence.
Repentant persons recognize God's All-Sufficiency to satisfy their desires. They
find their mercy and satisfaction in Him.

Three primary thoughts appear in Hosea 14;4-9--
[1] God restores backsliders [V.4].
[2] The Dew of Heaven symbolizes the method, God uses, to restore backsliders [V. 5].
[3] God's restoration of backsliders is effective [verses 6-9].

1. God restores backsliders--''I will heal...I will love... I will be ''
[Verses 4-5].
A backslidden person and an apostate person differ in that, there is no hope for the
apostates. They have heard the truth, but turn from their knowledge of truth.

Born-again persons may backslide, but their backsliding is NOT FATAL.

God's people are strongly inclined, to backslide, but the Lord loves them freely.
That love IS NOT INCITED by man-it is impelled by God, Alone,
gOD GRANTS REPENTANCE. He alone enables an Awakened Sinner to repent.

2. Dew symbolizes God's method of restoration--V. 5-''I will be as The Dew.''
The dew comes silently, when the winds are hushed, and the night is still.
It has a reviving effect on vegetation.
It represents The Spirit's WORK OF RESTORING BELIEVERS; ZECHARIAH 4;6-[TURN].

''Dew'' in Hosea 6;4 is contrasted with the dew in Hosea 14;5. Hosea 6;4; 14;6-
[Turn].
In 6;;4 dew shows that man's goodness soon passes; in 14;6 shows restoration by the
Holy Spirit refreshes.

Dew symbolizes The Spirits Restoration of sinning believers. It is Heaven-born, and
it descends silently. So The Holy Spirit works silently in the hearts of His people,
giving them, strength and conviction, to do God's Will.

The Nature of Dew is to soften and moisten. Only the Holy Spirit can soften
calloused hearts. He causes confession, restoration, cleanliness, and fruit bearing.

Dew falls after the sun has withdrawn its shining. The Lord told His disciples, that
it was expedient, that He go away. It was after He had ascended to the Father, from
the Earth, that The Holy Spirit came.

Dew is supplied daily, and the Holy Spirit gives daily strength, to meet a
Christian's Need.

The Joy of Restoration recalls first deliverance. The soul is brought to a fresh
starting point, and becomes a fragrant garden.

3. God's Restoration of backsliders is effective--[Verses 5-6]-- They grow as a lily.
Lilies grow in unseemly places, where their beauty is outstanding. Sometimes, they
spring up, in the midst of The Storm.
In same way, restored believers radiate the beauty of Christianity.

Dew causes lilies to grow; The HOLY SPIRIT produces spiritual strength in restored
believers.

Beauty alone is insufficient; Restored backsliders need strength. God promises
restored believers THE Strength of Lebanon. The Cedar of Lebanon, with its roots and
spreading branches symbolizes this kind of strength.

One, who has been restored to fellowship, not only manifests beauty, but he also has
spiritual strength of Character.

The branches of the restored one spreads as the fruitful branches of The Olive Tree.

The aroma of restored is as Lebanon, denoting the frangrance of a fruitful life.

Restored ones grow as the vine.

God restoratively forgives sinners, because Jesus is their advocate. He reveals that
His character is light, by HIS RESTORATIVE FORGIVENESS.

Individuals must confess their sins to God, to receive His Forgiveness. Not until
then, can they bring forth fruit, to glorify the LORD.

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