Lesson's Learned or Chances Lost...

Scripture:

Hosea 14

Matthew 14:22-34

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If anyone had a right to complain it was Joseph.  Spurned by his brothers sold into slavery his life turned for a spell upside down.  He went from joyous times with his father and younger brother to the hardships of slavery.  He could have blamed God and walked away.  However, Joseph kept his faith through everything and eventually become second only to pharaoh in Egypt. Genesis 41:41-43 

⁴¹

So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt." ⁴²Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. ⁴³ He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, ^[c] and men shouted before him, "Make way ^[d] !" Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

  God used the years in between to test and shape Joseph.  In those years trying years Joseph was prepared for what was to come.

How often do we look at hardships as punishment or abandonment?  James 1:2 tells us this " ²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,"  instead of looking at hardships negatively we need to look at the positive.  Too often we turn our backs to God when thing do not go as we plan.  

We look around and see our nation falling apart at the seems.  We can either blame God or we can turn our eyes back to him.  Hosea 14:1 "¹ Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God. 

       Your sins have been your downfall!"  You can replace Israel with United States.  As a nation we have sinned against God, we have left Him.  If we turn to God He will be faithful to us. Verse 4 tells us " ⁴ 'I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.'" Finally in Verse 9 states "⁹ Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them."  As a people and a nation we can learn from our mistakes and grow through these hard times. Or we can blame God and continue to stumble.

"...But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD" Joshua 24:15.