A Heart Problem

The book of Hosea is about a broken heart, and the heart belongs to God. Through his prophet Hosea and his subsequent marriage to the harlot Gomer, we see the striking imagery between the unconditional love Hosea has for his wayward wife and the unconditional love God has for the wayward children of Israel. In verse 14 of chapter 8 we come to the heart of the problem as God laments, For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples, and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities, but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.

The sad fact is the people of God had forgotten God by getting on a building program, much like we have today in this nation of big church campuses, and like the Jews had shifted their focus from spiritual things to mere brick and mortar, just like we have as well, friends. But God has a bone of contention with his rebellious and backslidden people who, by their actions and by their lifestyle and through their religious activity, are committing spiritual adultery against the very God they claim to serve. Now this is a serious situation, friends, when the people of God serve God with a divided heart that breaks the very heart of God.

Chapter 9 and verse 1 tells it like it is. Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy is other people, for thou hast gone a-whoring from thy God, thou hast loved to reward upon every corn floor. And we see a striking principle played out here, friends, in the book of Hosea, in the lives of the children of Israel, who, as they continue to worship idols, God keeps on punishing Israel.

Let me ask you a question, friend. Do you believe this nation of ours can keep on shaking her rebellious fist in the face of a holy God and get by? Do you? Do you believe a disobedient denomination can turn its back on the God of the Bible and get by? Do you? Do you believe a pastor that has traded God for gain and personal ambition can get by? Do you? Do you believe a church can conform herself to the world and compromise the gospel and still get by? Do you? I don't believe you can. I believe we are all experiencing the withdrawn presence of God today because of our divided hearts.

I believe the Jews in Hosea's day had a heart problem. This time last year I was in the hospital and my heart failed. The doctors didn't have much hope for me, and I came very close to dying and leaving this world for a better one.

But God wasn't ready for me yet, or I wouldn't be talking to you here today, friends. I know what it's like to have a physical heart problem, and I also know what it's like to have a spiritual heart problem, as I've had to learn from my departures from God to rely solely upon God for all things. I believe the church today, for the most part, has a heart problem.

I don't believe many of us are broken-hearted over the sins of the land. At least we're not losing sleep over it yet. I don't believe the churches in this land know much about the condition of the carpet in their sanctuary, because although the carpets are brand new, they are dry.

How can you call yourself a church and not have the carpet in your sanctuary, soaked wet by the tears of your broken-hearted congregation, with desperate nights of prayer over the lost and perishing souls in your community, let alone in your families? I believe we have more in common with the Jews in Hosea's day than we think we do, for I believe our hearts have grown cold and hard like fallow ground that lays out in an unused field. God had a solution for the wayward Jews, if they would only do it as seen in Hosea 10 and verse 12, which is our central text for today, friends. Let me read it to you now, and as I do, think about how it can apply to you personally.

So to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy, break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, tell He come and reign righteousness upon you. Oh friends, how we need to go get a pickaxe and bust up the fallow ground of our hard hearts and do what the text says and seek the Lord. Wouldn't it be something if our churches across this land began to do this very thing and set an example for this godless nation of ours who needs the Lord Jesus as badly as a dying man needs a remedy to save him.

God is faithful and true to His word, and I believe if we do a thing like He wants us to do, then He will honor that in our lives and in our churches and bless this nation of ours like He has in former times and reign righteousness upon us in revival and spiritual awakening. Will we do it or will we ignore the signs all around us and keep the status quo in church on Sunday and do business as usual. Oh great God, get a hold of somebody and break their heart so you can do your wondrous works again is the prayer of this poor preacher.

Amen.