Leading The Way

Guest (Male): Thank you for joining listeners across six continents for Leading The Way Audio with Dr. Michael Youssef.

Dr. Michael Youssef: Hosea could never have comprehended how God feels. He could never have understood how God feels toward His unfaithful people who were receiving all the blessings from His hands and receiving blessings and receiving blessings and then they end up focusing on the blessings, not the Blesser. Hosea could never have understood how God felt until he himself married to unfaithfulness and an ungrateful spouse.

Guest (Female): God called Hosea to be His prophetic voice to Israel. But how could Hosea speak for God when his own wife was rooted in a destructive immoral lifestyle? Her unfaithfulness was breaking his heart. Well, Hosea's brokenness was actually used to unveil the Heavenly Father's heart and to give Hosea a louder voice to declare God's amazing grace. Here now is Dr. Michael Youssef to begin a powerful series on Leading The Way: "Hope and Forgiveness in Times of Judgment."

Dr. Michael Youssef: I was speaking with a woman who told me about her darkness of depression that she's going through, about pain and a horrible feeling that she is experiencing. As I probed a little further, it became very apparent to me that her deep emotional pain stems from a severe feeling of betrayal. This woman, for 25 years or more, nearly 30 years, she dedicated her life for the upbringing of her three orphaned nieces. She took care of them as they were growing up. She tutored them, she comforted them, she motivated them, she encouraged them. She did all that she could, all her life, committed to just helping those three girls to grow up.

When they grew up and they got married and they got busy with their lives, they literally, whether intentionally or not, turned their back on her. Her confusion gave way to anger, which turned inward and developed into a full-blown depression. I could not help but think that betrayal and rejection can cut a wide, gaping wound. Betrayal and ingratitude can truly create a deep and painful legacy in one's life. I could not help but think that betrayal and unfaithfulness can hurt more than a shotgun wound.

Probably there is no worse feeling than the rejection of love. Probably there is no worse agony than a betrayal of a trust. Probably there is no more demoralizing experience than self-giving and self-sacrificing that are met with indifference and unappreciation. I could think of no better example of a human illustration of this type of betrayal, this type of ingratitude, this type of unfaithfulness than the life of the prophet Hosea. This man of God, this prophet of God, Hosea, was called by God to speak to a generation that has turned its back on God.

Hosea was called of God not just to preach in words, but to experience what God is experiencing with unfaithfulness. He had to experience what God is experiencing when His people take Him for granted, take His blessings for granted. Hosea is called of God not just to proclaim the word of God, but he was called of God to know what God feels like when His people take all of His blessings and then pay Him a lip service, a tip-and-nodding acquaintance with Him once a week. Hosea was not just a preaching prophet, he was a practicing prophet. Hosea was not just a talking prophet, he was a walking prophet. He was not just a leading prophet, he was an experiencing prophet.

God said to Hosea, "Go, take a harlot for a wife." That needs explanation. Hosea is writing toward the end of his life, as the Holy Spirit is inspiring him to write his life story, what had happened. In retrospect, he realizes that Gomer was a harlot, but when he married her, she was not. When he married her, she was a wonderful woman, just as Israel began with God in obedience and in love, and entered voluntarily, willingly into a covenant with God. God was saying to Hosea, "I want you to know how unfaithfulness feels to Me."

I ask myself, why did Hosea have to endure the pain of unfaithfulness? Why did he have to endure the heartache of betrayal? I have come to certain conclusions, and it's this: brokenness is the only way that you will understand the heart of God. Through brokenness, you will comprehend the nature of sin. Through brokenness, you can fathom the strength of God's love. It is through brokenness that you begin to understand the heart of God. It is through brokenness that you will understand the enormity and the sinfulness of sin and the horrible nature of sin. It is through brokenness that you will understand and comprehend the incredible, unfathomable strength of God's love.

Look with me to Chapter 1, please, of the book of Hosea. First of all, Hosea's brokenness and terrible experience through which he is able to comprehend the heart of God. You know there are some Christians who think that they can grow in the knowledge of God, that they can grow in their walk with God when they are going from one mountaintop experience into the other. That is not true. A mountaintop experience will not last for very long. A mountaintop experience may give you a fuzzy and warm feeling, but is never lasting.

For true growth in the knowledge of God, you have to go to the valley. You can truly understand the heart of God when you are in the low places in life. You can truly know the heart of God when you feel limited, when you feel vulnerable. You can truly grow in the knowledge of God and truly know God best when you are at the lowest moments in your life. Hosea could never have comprehended how God feels. He could never have understood how God suffers and the pain that people bring to God's heart.

He could never have understood how God feels toward His unfaithful people who were receiving all the blessings from His hands and receiving blessings and receiving blessings and then they end up focusing on the blessings, not the Blesser. Hosea could never have understood how God felt until he himself was married to unfaithfulness and an ungrateful spouse. Someone said that brokenness is the only diet that will reduce a fat head. Be that as it may, it is only in brokenness that you will know God and you will know how God feels.

Also through brokenness, God can use you. I want to tell you in all honesty, brokenness can do one of two things: it can either make you bitter or it can make you better. The choice is yours. I believe that it was only through the breaking of Jacob's natural strength at Penuel that he came to the place of spiritual power. It was only through the breaking of the rock of Horeb by Moses that cool water flowed out and quenched the thirst of God's people.

It was only when Gideon's chosen 300 broke their pitchers, which is a symbol and a type of breaking of themselves, that the light shone and the enemies were absolutely confounded. It was only when Jesus took those five loaves and broke them and distributed them that they multiplied and were used to feed more than 5,000 people. It was when Mary took that beautiful, expensive alabaster box and broke it that the pent-up perfume filled the house. It was only when the Lord Jesus Christ allowed His body to be broken with thorns and nails and a spear that redemption poured forth like a crystal stream from which sinners could drink and live eternally.

In brokenness, you know God. But secondly, in brokenness you comprehend the nature of sin. The two greatest sins of the Christian church are that we have done two things. Number one, we have lost the sense of the awesomeness and the majesty and the splendor of God. We have undermined the sinfulness of sin. We have undermined the horrible nature of sin. We rationalized it, we tranquilized it, we counselized it. We did all kinds of things except deal with it.

You cannot read the story of Hosea without coming face to face with the agony of his heart. I want to tell you in this day of sexual promiscuity and marital infidelity, in these days of easily broken marriage vows, we do well to see how sin creates havoc in the heart of God, how sin creates pain to the heart of God. Hosea probably spent many a sleepless night weeping over the unfaithfulness of his wife. Hosea probably agonized for days on end. Probably Hosea's body shook with convulsion and inner pain. Through it all, he was able to comprehend the sinfulness of sin, the horrible nature of sin.

This has nothing to do with an unfaithful woman and a faithful husband. Really has nothing to do with that. This is just an imagery because God is the faithful spouse in this relationship and He's the perfect one. It has nothing to do with male/female gender. You can have an unfaithful husband as well. In fact, that's more often the case than it is in a normal situation. The Bible presents the Lord as the husband of His people. The Lord Jesus Christ, He is the bridegroom and the church is the bride. That's the imagery here. He is the perfect spouse.

You cannot comprehend the sinfulness of sin until you are on the receiving end of sin. I really believe that. Some of you will know that. You cannot understand how God feels about the nature of sin and about your indifference toward Him until you've experienced indifference by someone you love. You cannot understand how God feels about your unfaithfulness to Him and my unfaithfulness to Him until you've experienced the unfaithfulness of the dear and the near. You cannot understand how God feels about ingratitude to Him until you've experienced the ingratitude of others, even especially those toward whom you have shown love, the recipients of your love and affection. For it is only in brokenness that you can comprehend the nature of sin.

That is why I love our confession. Because you see, David came to a point in his life when he was confronted by his preacher, Nathan, about his sin. He came to the point in his life and all of a sudden it dawned on him, he didn't only sin against Uriah, but he sinned against the Holy God. That is why in the words of the confession of Psalm 51, you see him crying out to God and saying, "Oh, against You, God, have I sinned." In brokenness, you'll understand how God feels. In brokenness, you comprehend the nature of sin.

Thirdly, only through brokenness will you fathom the strength of God's love. It's incredible to me when you think of this wayward wife and wayward children. Gomer and her three children were given some ominous names. I mean horrible names: Jezreel, where all the violence and the bloodshed is associated with that name. He gives them Lo-Ruhamah. The word "Lo" in Hebrew means "no." "Ruhamah" means "mercy." "No mercy." "Lo-Ammi." "No, you're not My people." Incredible words.

If you read on, you will see how despite sin, despite unfaithfulness, despite ingratitude, God is always ready to forgive those who turn to Him. You're going to notice this theme comes on again and again and again throughout this book. Hosea was given the privilege of looking down in history and prophesying that while God is rejecting Israel because Israel rejected God, while God called them Lo-Ruhamah, while God called them Lo-Ammi, "Not My people," yet He is saying that one day, one day it's coming when God is going to show His incredible mercy. He's going to show His incredible love. He's going to show the depth of His love by coming down from Heaven Himself, not sending somebody, coming down from Heaven and then dying for their sin.

You and I are privileged to be the chosen people of God. You and I are privileged to be called the children of God. We were not His people, then we became His people. We had no mercy, then He gave us mercy. That's the fulfillment of that prophecy in the book of Hosea. Peter was thinking of the book of Hosea when he's saying these words. Let me read them to you: "Who in times past were not My people," that is Lo-Ammi. "But now My people. Who had not obtained mercy," that is Lo-Ruhamah. "But now have obtained mercy."

God suffers in the presence of sin. But His love is so deep and so wide that He keeps the door open. No matter what you have done, He keeps the door open and He says, "Come, I've been waiting for you. Turn to Me, repent." I'm told that the Earth and the Sun are part of a galaxy that contains more than 100 billion planets or stars. In addition to our cosmic system, there are billions of other planets spinning out through what appears to be unending space. For convenience, scientists use the term "light years" when they are referring to these enormous distances that are so hard to understand.

Since light travels about six trillion miles a year, you can see how far away those solar masses really are. In fact, the nearest major galaxy is two billion light years away. But here's the good news. Are you ready for it? Here's the good news that the Psalmist, Psalm 108 verse 4, declares. Psalm 108 verse 4 declares that the Lord's mercy is greater even than this expansive universe. In fact, God's mercy and God's grace are too expansive to be measured by light years.

Despite the mercy of God, there's one thing that God does not appreciate. That is when His mercy is taken for granted, when His grace is taken for granted and ignored, as we're going to see in this message from Hosea. That is why one day God is going to reveal His complete justice when He judges the world. I want to tell you, if I was you, I would plead the mercy of God, not His justice. Back to the woman who was in deep depression over the unfaithful and ungrateful niece.

I said to her, isn't it amazing, I'm preparing a series of messages from the book of Hosea. Let me tell you about Hosea, let me tell you about God. I said to her that what you are experiencing is what God experiences toward the unfaithfulness of His people toward Him. God can use your brokenness and your pain if you let Him. I said to her that what you are experiencing is the very ugliness of the nature of sin. But also you can experience the power of God to love through you again.

Let me say this as I conclude. You do not know my heart any more than I would know your heart. I want to say to you, those of you that the Holy Spirit has spoken to, who are experiencing brokenness right now, listen to the voice of God because He's saying, "Trust Me. Trust Me to walk with you through it. I know how you feel. Allow Me to use you and use your brokenness." To some of you, the Holy Spirit is saying you have been taking My love for granted. You have been taking My mercy and grace for granted. Stop! You have grieved the heart of God long enough.

Cease your indifference toward God. Cease your indifference toward God's work. Stop your lip service to God and to His church. Turn and be renewed today. To some of you, the Holy Spirit is saying something else. He is saying that you have lost your way, but out of love, He wants you to hear His message of infinite love, His open arms of forgiving you when you repent. The Bible said today is the day of salvation. The hour is now, don't put it off.

Years ago, somebody said that impression without expression leads to depression. I want to invite you today, if you have been convicted, make an expression of that conviction and say, "Holy Spirit, I'm responding to Your voice." That's between you and God. It has nothing to do with me, it has nothing to do with the person next to you. It's between you and God. God loves you. If He has spoken to you, respond to Him today.

Guest (Female): If you'd like to talk further about God's grace, consider a conversation with a Leading The Way pastor or counselor. It's easy to connect. Start at LTW.org/Jesus where you'll find a contact form. LTW.org/Jesus. Thank you for making Leading The Way Audio with Dr. Michael Youssef part of your listening day. And as Dr. Youssef continues this series digging further into the life of Hosea, you will see how brokenness grew into a blessing by shining a light on God's grace. And if you'd like to learn more about and experience more of God's amazing grace, then allow me to recommend My Faith Assistant. This is a powerful Bible study and learning tool from Leading The Way.

Guest (Male): 37 years ago when Dr. Michael Youssef founded Leading The Way, he had a bold vision to harness the most advanced technology of the time to proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the Earth. And now, once again, Leading The Way is leveraging cutting-edge technology with our Gospel innovation, My Faith Assistant. This powerful digital tool allows seekers and believers alike to ask spiritual questions and receive clear, biblically sound answers. Try it out at MyFaithAssistant.com or on the mobile app. With questions such as, "How do I share my faith with a hostile family member?" or, "Is it unloving to say Jesus is the only way?" Carefully designed to provide responses rooted solely in the Bible and the trusted teaching of Dr. Michael Youssef, it is also a milestone in Leading The Way's Open Door campaign. My Faith Assistant: anytime, anywhere. Share it with someone you love who's searching for answers today.

Guest (Female): Experience My Faith Assistant today at LTW.org or on the Leading The Way app. You cannot be unfaithful to the Lord, you cannot lower your own spiritual temperature without affecting your family. You cannot be unfaithful to the Lord, you cannot lower your own spiritual temperature without affecting the whole body of Christ. That was just a preview of what Dr. Youssef will be teaching next time on Leading The Way. Make plans to join Dr. Michael Youssef right here next time and glean more truth from the life of Hosea on Leading The Way. Learn more about Dr. Youssef's worldwide ministry too through a free subscription to My Journal. Just go to LTW.org or call and ask a ministry representative to get you started with My Journal. Call 866-626-4356. Or you can write to us at Leading The Way, Post Office Box 20100, Atlanta, Georgia 30325. This program is brought to you by Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef. Connect further with audio and video content at LTW.org.