Thirsting Souls Bible Teaching

(Zec 1:3) “Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.” This is speaking of repentance, which means a turning away from sin (it offends Him) with the desire of heart to do what is right: (Zec 1:4) “Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings…” One cannot come to Christ and be saved without this heart action of repentance. Have you come this way?

Oh the blessed peace of heart one receives from spending time talking with God the Father!

(Nah 1:2) “God is jealous,……”  How is jealousy not sin? There are things that belong only to God – no one or no thing else. That thing is worship – devotion. To give that which belongs to someone else IS sin! Example: my wife is mine. I am hers. IF I should give my affection to another, she would have every right to be jealous. Such jealousy would not be sin on her part. Give God that which He deserves. Put Him first in everything. That is the word, “Lord” – boss over me. I am His. I belong to Him!

(Micah 3:11) “The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.”  What has happened? They have bought into their own lie and have made the Lord a product of their imagination (He will bless me anyway), rather than the God that has said, (Deu 7:12) “Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: (13)  And he will love thee, and bless thee” Friend, it still works like that today. Obey God’s Word, and you will be blessed. Live in disobedience – then don’t expect it.

(Jonah 1:1) “Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai,…” Jonah’s dad’s name means “veracious” – to speak the truth. That’s all the Lord wanted from Jonah: “Be the son of your father and speak My truth”. Jonah didn’t want to. He didn’t like the folks he was being sent unto. Did you know the Lord can give you a heart to love the folks you now dislike? And guess what? He only desires for you to speak His truth.

(Amos 1:1) “The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa,….”  Ah, how often do we see the Lord speaking to and using shepherds! Even the first good son, Abel, was a shepherd. Abel, killed by his brother. Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the Sheep, killed by His brethren. Some of us have the privilege of being God’s Shepherds. Praise God, each of the saved have the privilege of being His sheep!

Prior to the 70 year captivity to Babylon, the Lord stressed His warnings through a lack of blessings. He also warned of the terrible day of judgment approaching. Yet, He offered a way of staying the Hand of Judgment: (Joe 2:12) “Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: (13)  And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.” Friend, a judgment is approaching like this world has never seen! It is called the Tribulation Period. One also awaits the lost individual – an eternity in hell. The staying of that judgment remains the same through Jesus: “Turn to Him with ALL your heart; remorse over your sins; rending your heart; turning to your God.”

(Hos 1:2) “The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD. (3 ) So he went and took Gomer….” I once knew a man who had impregnated a woman outside marriage. His pastor said, “If you do not love her you do not have to marry her.” What? Doing right before God comes before self. And besides, since when is true love an emotion? There are times my emotions say, “I don’t love my wife.” Yet, I choose to love her, be affection to her, and cling to her in obedience to my God. My reward – a joyful, God blessed, continuing marriage.