Half-Baked

Daily Reading: Hosea 7

Ephraim is a cake not turned. (Hosea 7.8)

Devotional Thought: I love pancakes!  Particularly those pecan pancakes at Cracker Barrel, lots of nuts and griddled on both sides until there is a little crispy edge!  Yummy! 

In Hosea 7, today’s chapter, God said his people were like pancakes not turned over.  They didn’t want to go all the way with God.  They wanted to serve God in name only.  They were half-baked! 

Do you know some “half-baked” Christians?

·       Attend church, but don’t worship.  Being at church does not constitute worship.  Singing the songs does not mean that you are praising the Savior. 

·       Give offerings, but don’t tithe.  Or if they do tithe, they expect something in return.  Or maybe they don’t know how to compute 10%!  (It's easy - just move the decimal one place to the left!)

·       Enjoy God’s peace but fail to witness.  They know the forgiveness of sins, but neglect to tell others about it.

·       Relish the fellowship and relationships in the church but forget to invite and care for others.  They are quick to take encouragement from others, but slow to offer encouragement themselves.

·       Serve God, but only when it’s convenient. “It’s my only day to sleep in…”  “I would teach that class, but I don’t want to make a commitment…” “Sorry, I can’t practice this week.  I’ve got too much to do…”  You get the picture.

·       Live holy, unless tempted of course!  People intend to live a God-honoring life of purity and morality, but the temptations are just too big and their willpower just too small.  “I couldn’t help myself…”  “The Devil made me do it…”  “Don’t blame me; I’m red-headed…”  “I just say what’s on my mind…”  And then they become experts at self-justification.

Don’t be a half-baked Christian!

Prayer: Lord, I want my life to be fully turned, so I turn myself over fully to you!  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 82.1-8

"God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah. Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. ” They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.”  Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations!"