Follow His Leading

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 16:19:00 +0000

https://www.scribd.com/doc/248331463/December-Praise-and-Prayer

December Praise and Prayer

As we come into the month of December it is hard to believe that a whole year has nearly passed us by, where has the time gone. There are many things for which we can give praise and things for which we trust that you will be praying with us for God to answer.
We want to start by providing a picture of Quinn Alexander, our eighth grandchild.

Praise

That God has faithful used His people to meet our current support needs for 2014.
That my time as an interim at Camden, DE has been completed and they were able to call Dan Wagner. Now I am able to dedicate my time to the ministries with Church Extension.
The ladies study at New Life has gone well.
Several work projects were completed this fall.

Prayer

As we come to the time of year when many churches and individuals consider their budgets for 2015 pray that we would see some increases in support to cover increase cost for health care and other expenses for 2015.
Pray for folks from the community of New Life to join with us for a Christmas Eve Service.
Development of Townsend's community outreaches.
Continued work on several demographic studies in the Eastern Shore areas of Maryland.

We want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Your Partners in Missions,

Ray & Louise Bertolet

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 19:08:00 +0000

Greetings Warrior,

The season for giving Thanks is upon us and certainly we have much for which to be thankful. YOU are the big reason for our thankfulness and praise. We know that you are a vital part of our ministry.

Praise

The safe birth of Quinn Alexander Genua on 10/22, he was 7 lbs. 3 oz. 19 1/2” long. Mom and baby are doing well.
Good work team came to help at El-Faro in October, working to redirect water away from the property.
Several good contacts from the new movers in Townsend for theMission.
Positive growth at New Life BFC in Long Neck.
Praise for the completion of the first semester classes at Delmarva Bible Institute.

Prayer

New Life BFC will be holding a “Flag Football Sport Clinic”sin Nov. Pray for good contacts.
Additions responses from the family surveys in Long Neck.
New family will begin attending theMission in Townsend as a results of new movers contacts.
For the various demographic studies that I (Ray) am currently working on for Church Extension.

Your Partners in Missions,

Ray & Louise Bertolet

Revival!

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 15:42:00 +0000

Looking for Revival? Read the Word of God and allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An1wVA9Cb4g

Am I Absalom?

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 16:13:00 +0000

This past month I was working on a video devotional that I do. This one is working through the story of David and I came to part of Absalom. All that went well until the Holy Spirit began to bring a serious question to my mind. That question was, "Are you like Absalom?" Wait, what... no way! That was my thought. But the question lingered and there was more clarity. Not with people but with God. What the Spirit was getting at was do I sit around and mumble under my breath (or maybe not under my breath) that if I could change things it would be better. You see, I realized when I am doing that I am being an Absalom to God. I am trying to act like I could do it better than God. God is Sovereign! End of story! But, do I think that if I was in charge there would be some things that would have been done different. I would have been hired for that job, someone wouldn't have gotten sick or maybe some tragic event would have been stopped. When I do this, I am trying to tell God I know better. Well, I don't know better, He does! I do not know what God is doing and why He is doing. I must learn to trust Him and stop pretending that I know what is best.

Getting Sucked In

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:22:00 +0000

As a young boy, there were times when I would walk just on the edge of a mud hole or slippery slope only to fall in a get all messy. But being a boy, I didn't mind.

God is warning Judah don't fall into the same harlotry that Israel is involved with, this is leading to destruction.

Hos 4:15 Though you, Israel, play the harlot, Do not let Judah become guilty; Also do not go to Gilgal,
Or go up to Beth-aven And take the oath: "As the Lord lives!" NAS

Let this be a reminder to all of us who want to walk on the edge of the slippery slopes of life. Don't! You will get sucked into it.

Listen Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 10:40:00 +0000

You better be listening to me, I remember those words coming to my ear by my father. He has something to say and needed me to pay attention. Listen up! Critical words to all of us.

Sadly, Israel was not listening to God. They thought they were getting away with doing their on thing. God warns them that they are not getting away with anything.

Hos 5:1-2 Hear this, O priests! Give heed, O house of Israel! Listen, O house of the king! For the judgment applies to you, For you have been a snare at Mizpah And a net spread out on gone deep in depravity, But I will chastise all of them.

One of the reason my father was stressing the importance of my listening to him was because there would be consequences if I failed to follow his instructions.

God is warning us. Listen UP! There are consequences when we fail to listen.

Easy Option?

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 19:48:00 +0000

Many times we like to choose the easier option. However, if an athletic decides not to train because he wants the easy option he will not continue to be a successful athletic. Training is required.

The Lord warns Israel that they are choosing some easy (and wrong) options.

Hos 4:13-14 13 They offer sacrifices on the tops of the mountains And burn incense on the hills, Under oak, poplar and terebinth, Because their shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters play the harlot And your brides commit adultery. I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot Or your brides when they commit adultery, For the men themselves go apart with harlots And offer sacrifices with temple prostitutes; So the people without understanding are ruined.

They are choosing to stay on the mountains, they don't want to travel to the temple to worship as required. But all of this easier option is leading them to having a lack of understanding.

I must ask myself, am I taking the easy road with my faith? Am I unwilling to seek the Lord diligently?

Consider your heart, are you taking the easy road?

Where does your GPS Take you?

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 19:50:00 +0000

GPS can be great unless it takes you to the wrong address. How can that be? Well, sometimes there are streets with the same name. GPS doesn't know which street you want so you are lead astray by the very thing that you thought was helping you. When that happen you would be the first one to say that the GPS was useless. However you don't usually find this out until you are not where you want to be.

Hos 4:11-12 11 Harlotry, wine and new wine take away the understanding. 12 My people consult their wooden idol, and their diviner's wand informs them; For a spirit of harlotry has led them astray, And they have played the harlot, departing from their God. NAS

God was telling the people of Israel and how they were being lead astray. Consulting "wooden idol" or the "spirit of harlotry" these things will lead us down the wrong path. We will look at our life and see how far away were are from where we want to be.

We need to be submitting ourselves to God and His Word.

Have it Your Way

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 17:52:00 +0000

Children often want things their way. They want what they want, when they want and how they want without any regards to knowing if it is really good for them. Sometimes a parent must make the hard choice of letting their child "have their way" in order to teach them some valuable lessons that not everything they want is good for them.

God sometimes allows us adults to "have our own way" as well. He lets us (with much sadness) learn that what we want will not provide what we expect. We need to learn that He knows what is best.

Hos 4:7-10 7 The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame. 8 They feed on the sin of My people And direct their desire toward their iniquity. 9 And it will be, like people, like priest; So I will punish them for their ways And repay them for their deeds. 10 They will eat, but not have enough; They will play the harlot, but not increase, Because they have stopped giving heed to the Lord. NAS

We better listen and obey the Lord's will for our lives and seek to avoid the desire to "have it our own way."

Study and Learn

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 19:31:00 +0000

Has your mom ever asked you "How did you get so messy?" Now as a boy, I was always getting messy, I just assumed that was my job. God describes some horrible things He is seeing done by the children of Israel. But God doesn't ask "How did this happen, He knows!" Notice what He says in verse six. He points to not only a lack of knowledge but a rejection of that knowledge. They had forgotten the law of God.

We are challenged to learn the Word of God. May we not be like the children of Israel and reject knowledge.

Study the Word and pass the Word along to our children!

Hos 4:2-6 There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing and adultery. They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed. 3 Therefore the land mourns, And everyone who lives in it languishes Along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky, And also the fish of the sea disappear. Yet let no one find fault, and let none offer reproof; For your people are like those who contend with the priest. 5 So you will stumble by day, And the prophet also will stumble with you by night; And I will destroy your mother.
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. NAS

Knowing God

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 21:15:00 +0000

Can you think of someone famous that you would like to meet and get to know? You may think of a number of individuals but now ask this question. Would they be interested in knowing you? Would they say, "who'?

God wants to be know by us. He wants us to know Him.

Hos 4:1 Listen to the word of the Lord, O sons of Israel, For the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land, Because there is no faithfulness or kindness Or knowledge of God in the land. NAS

If we are to get to know God we need to listen to His Word. He is sadden because of what He is finding in the land.

May He find you faithful!

Love Again

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:32:00 +0000

Over the winter a garden is brown, dusty and full of let overs from the previous season but no gardener says, I am done. Just look at how brown everything looks. No, they prepare for spring because they know that when they provide all the attention their garden needs it will once again to be fruitful. They are not guaranteed that this will happen but they work hard expecting positive results.

God tells Hosea to once again pursue Gormer. God instructed Hosea to love her just like any other woman who is loved by her husband. Now that is the full display of forgiveness. No conditions or restrictions to His love...just simply love her to the fullest.

Hos 3:1-5 1Then the Lord said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes." 2 So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley. 3 Then I said to her, "You shall stay with me for many days. You shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man; so I will also be toward you." 4 For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar and without ephod or household idols. 5 Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days. NAS

Do you need to forgive and love like this? This is the love God has for you, an unconditional love. We are called to do the same to those around us.

Go again and love them as Christ has loved you.

Calling you "Sweetheart" I Am In Love with You!

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:04:00 +0000

Remember those dating years? I know for some of us it was a long time ago. However, you can still remember how it was never a problem stopping at your girl friends home. You would drive an hour just to spend ten minutes. You wanted her to know that you cared. Ladies, you would gladly sit through an afternoon for baseball or football just to be next to your boyfriend. You wanted them to know that you hoped they would be in your life forever.

God has a call on Israel's life. He did all He did to pursue them and seek to win their hearts again. They had walked away but He was gently and carefully seeking to win their hearts again. Notice how He sought them.

Hosea 2:14-23 "Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. 15 There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt. 16 "In that day," declares the Lord, "you will call me 'my husband'; you will no longer call me 'my master.' 17 I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips; no longer will their names be invoked. 18 In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the creatures that move along the ground. Bow and sword and battleI will abolish from the land,so that all may lie down in safety. 19 I will betroth you to me forever;I will betroth you in righteousness and justice,in love and compassion. 20 I will betroth you in faithfulness,and you will acknowledge the Lord. 21 "In that day I will respond,"declares the Lord—"I will respond to the skies,and they will respond to the earth; 22 and the earth will respond to the grain,the new wine and oil,and they will respond to Jezreel. 23 I will plant her for myself in the land;I will show my love to the one I called 'Not my loved one.' I will say to those called 'Not my people,' 'You are my people';and they will say, 'You are my God.'" NIV

Remembering how your spouse sought you can refresh those wonderful memories and renew the love you have for one another.

Remembering how the Lord had sought and bought you can also renew the love you have for Him.

Think about the time you were drawn to Christ. Thank HIM and tell Him that you Love Him because He loves you.

Best to Give Praise

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Tue, 11 May 2010 21:17:00 +0000

Growing up mom always made sure that we Thanked God for each meal. It might seem like a small thing but it helps us focus our praise to God and provides a regular understanding that all we have comes from God.

Gomer had run away from Hosea and she failed to recognize that he was still providing for her. Despite his care, he was now going to remove those provisions.

Hosea 2:9-13 9 "Therefore, I will take back My grain at harvest time And My new wine in its season.
I will also take away My wool and My flax Given to cover her nakedness. 10 "And then I will uncover her lewdness In the sight of her lovers, And no one will rescue her out of My hand. 11 "I will also put an end to all her gaiety, Her feasts, her new moons, her Sabbaths And all her festal assemblies. 12 "I will destroy her vines and fig trees, Of which she said, 'These are my wages Which my lovers have given me.' And I will make them a forest, And the beasts of the field will devour them. 13 "I will punish her for the days of the Baals When she used to offer sacrifices to them And adorn herself with her earrings and jewelry, And follow her lovers, so that she forgot Me," declares the Lord. NAS

But before you think this has no impact on us we must take another look. God saw the same response from Israel. They failed to recognize that all they received was from HIM.

Do you and I recognize that what we have come from HIM? Take time right now and Thank Him for what he has provided. Clothes to wear, work, food and all that we need comes from Him.

If we fail to praise Him what will he do next?

God Cares- Despite Our Actions

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 10:40:00 +0000

Sadly when things go wrong we blame God for "failing" us. We don't give credit to God for keeping things away from us because of our unwilling to accept what God has provided for us.

Hos 2:8 "For she does not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the new wine and the oil, And lavished on her silver and gold, Which they used for Baal.

When we waste God's provisions why should He continue to provide.

Take a moment and take stock of what God has provided for you. Then examine your heart and be certain that you are not using these things to serve "other gods".

Will Not Satisfy

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 22:39:00 +0000

How many times have you looked to find something to satisfy you? Maybe a job, a new community, even finding a wife.... only to decide that it doesn't satisfy. Sadly we look for other things.

Have you every given thought to the fact that God is trying to get us to find our satisfition in Him. God tells us that He place a "hedge" around her in order to get her to return to her husband.

Hos 2:6-7 6 "Therefore, behold, I will hedge up her way with thorns, And I will build a wall against her so that she cannot find her paths. 7 "She will pursue her lovers, but she will not overtake them; And she will seek them, but will not find them. Then she will say, 'I will go back to my first husband, For it was better for me then than now!' NASU

God calls us through Isaiah to come to HIM! HE provides the things that satisfy.

Isa 55:1-3 55 "Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost. 2 "Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance. 3 "Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, According to the faithful mercies shown to David.

Coming for you

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:12:00 +0000

Hos 2:2-5

When a child is lost we call upon all our resources to find them. God is telling Israel that despite their actions He was going to continue His pursuit of them

Hosea 2: 2 "Contend with your mother, contend,For she is not my wife, and I am not her husband;And let her put away her harlotry from her faceAnd her adultery from between her breasts, 3 Or I will strip her nakedAnd expose her as on the day when she was born.I will also make her like a wilderness,Make her like desert landAnd slay her with thirst. 4 "Also, I will have no compassion on her children,Because they are children of harlotry. 5 "For their mother has played the harlot;She who conceived them has acted shamefully.For she said, 'I will go after my lovers,Who give me my bread and my water,My wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.' NAS

Notice their behavior. They have acted like they weren't married. They chased after other "gods" and ran from God. They must turn away or God will expose them for who they are. Without God we too are nothing.

Things that are acheived through our actions of harlotry are worthless to God. He has no compassion on the products of harlotry. Dispite God's providing for Israel, they continued to chase after other gods. They think what they have has come from the gods of the world.

We too, can be like Israel. We rely on our education, wisdom and strength to gather things in the world without one thought that God has provided for us.

Turn today and Praise God for all you have received. Do not chase after the things of the world thinking that you by your strength have obtain this thing.

Family

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 20:12:00 +0000

Family, they are the ones we do not choose. Well, there are times when we are chosen to be part of a family. A young man chooses a lady to be his wife and invites her into his family. She by accepting, accepts his family as well. Family can be helpful but sometimes family can be a heart wrenching experience.

God instruct Hosea with this, Hosea 2:1 Say to your brothers, "Ammi," and to your sisters, "Ruhamah."

Ammi = my people.
Ruhamah = she has obtain compassion.

God wanted to tell the people of the nation of Israel that they were His people who have received compassion. They started out well but............... his heart is breaking for the chooses they are making.

Were you walking close to God at one time in your life? Have you walked away from that close fellowship. Why not return to Him today. He longs to fellowship with you again.

Who Is Gomer

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:24:00 +0000

What is in a name? We think long and hard about what name to give to our children. Sometimes as they grow up we can see how that name "fits" them. Other times we may wonder, maybe we should have given them a different name.

So who is Gomer? Her name means, complete. She is the unfaithful wife of the prophet Hosea; Hosea's relationship with her was symbolic of God's relationship with wayward Israel

Gomer also stood as a symbolic example of Israel's relationship with God. Her waywardness paralleled that of the nation.

But I believe these individuals also are examples for us today. We too are in danger of being like Gomer. We are in danger of turning away from God and His commands.

No one wants to be called a harlot, but when we dishonor God and put other things before him we are in danger of become the same kind of harlot as was Gomer.

Today, examine your heart and be certain that you don't have any other god's in your life except the One True God!

Number 3 Born

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 09:56:00 +0000

Hosea and Gomer had their third child [a son], Lo-ammi, which means "for you are not My people and I am not your God." Wow, why would God tell them to name a child "unwanted"?

Consider this, "How many times has God provided instruction into your life"? How many times have you decided, "I won't obey"? Who decided not to be obedient, you or God?

Sometime we think we can simply run around and do whatever we want without suffering any consequences in our relationships. News stories repeatedly show the surprize of individuals when the are "caught". They can't believe that many are upset with them. They fail to see that actions have consequences

Don't assume on the grace of God! If their are actions which you need to confess as sin to God, do it today. Start fresh, 1 John 1:9 tells us the He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Total Obedience/Not Particial

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:45:00 +0000

Raising three children taught me the importants of "long term" obedience. There were times when the children obeyed if I was watching or just for the short haul but they thought after doing something a few times they didn't have to do it any longer. aka..cleaning their rooms.

Hosea was obedient to God's command, not just having one child but by being the father to additional children.

Hos 1:6-7 Then she conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. And the Lord said to him, "Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel, that I would ever forgive them. 7 "But I will have compassion on the house of Judah and deliver them by the Lord their God, and will not deliver them by bow, sword, battle, horses or horsemen." NAS

The name of the second child was to show that God's compassion has reached a limit. He would not show compassion on Israel. Judah was restored but now my their own strength but by the Lord.

Depend on God, not on your own strength.....be completely obedient.

Obeying is Hard!

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:22:00 +0000

Obedience can be hard. When our boss give us instructions we must decide to obey or not obey. Often we will obey but if the danger is great or the consequences of our action could have serious impact on our life we might choose not to obey.

Hosea was given a command. Hos 1:2-5 2 When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, "Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the Lord." 3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. 4 And the Lord said to him, "Name him Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will punish the house of Jehu for the bloodshed of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5 "On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel." NASU

God was going to use Hosea's obedience to teach both him and the nation of Israel some lessons. Lessons which can apply to us as well. No, we are not commanded to go marry a woman of harlotry. We are to consider where we place our affections. Are things more important than God in your life?

Gomer obeyed and Gomer had a son named Jezeel (as God instructed). God was showing that he would punish Israel for unrepentance and the sin of Jehu.

Will you obey the hard things that God calls you to do? Is there unconfessed sin in your life? Confess you sins to God, be forgiven and seek to be obedient in all things.

Word of the Lord

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:17:00 +0000

Hosea 1:1 The word of the Lord which came to Hosea the son of Beeri, during the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. NASU

If your home is like our home you have a good number of Bibles. Each one containing the Word of the Lord. However, having many Bible sitting around, maybe even on the coffee table, does not provide for us a benefit. We need to pick them up (or a least one of them) and begin to read and apply it to our life.

We will begin to discover the message given to Hosea and how he respond. We will also see how the message contained in Hosea applies to our life.

Today: Ask yourself, what did I receive from God's word today? If you haven't read anything from the Bible NOW is a great time to begin.

I love you mom mom

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 16:41:00 +0000

Don't delay

noreply@blogger.com (Ray Bertolet) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 08:46:00 +0000

To many times in our life we wait for just the right moment to do something. We know it needs to be done, we just choose to wait till some other time...just not now.

There can be many blessing that we miss or are delayed simply because we wait & wait. I remember delaying taking my Pastoral exams. I delayed them because of wellll.... fears... that I should not have worried about anyway.

After finally, taking and passing them a good friend chided me... "see now, what were you waiting for".

We Rebekiah heard how God brought all the events together she chose to go immediately with the servant and meet her new husband.

If God is calling you to obedience, Don't Delay, Obey Today!

Gen 24:54-59
54 Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night. When they arose in the morning, he said, "Send me away to my master." 55 But her brother and her mother said, "Let the girl stay with us a few days, say ten; afterward she may go." 56 He said to them, "Do not delay me, since the Lord has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master." 57 And they said, "We will call the girl and consult her wishes." 58 Then they called Rebekah and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" And she said, "I will go." 59 Thus they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse with Abraham's servant and his men.
NASU