Hosea 6:6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

In the book of the prophet Hosea, God strongly expressed his will for us TO KNOW HIM DEEPLY.

Because for God, superficiality, mere ritual or simple theory, are of no use.

God doesn't want people who know Him just by hearing about Him, but God wants people who know Him by walking with Him and Job was a great example of this when he joyfully reported his experiences with God.

Job 42:5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.

Knowing God, his character, his power, his greatness, his mercy, his love, his justice, his will, his Word, are fundamentals that we must seek, because the more we know God, the less susceptible we will be to the devil's lies and with the discernment of the Word of God, we will not be deceived by the different situations that appear in our daily lives, to confuse or harm us, after all, what seems good, is not always good and what seems bad is not always bad.

Jesus used the Word of God to overcome the devil when he was tempted in the desert (read Matthew 4), quoting in his answers: "IT IS WRITTEN...".

In the book of Ephesians, Paul made it clear that our offensive weapon against the devil is the Word of God.

Ephesians 6:17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Without knowing the Word of God, the Christian becomes an easy target for Satan.

Hosea 4:6 my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.

Hosea 5:4 Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. A spirit of prostitution is in their heart; they do not acknowledge the LORD.

Go on to know God, read the Bible more, pray more, worship more, then knowledge will generate wisdom for you to discern the devil's lies that try to deceive you, make you sin and make mistakes.

Knowing God will generate the faith and power and conviction necessary for you to practice the attitudes God desires.

Consequently, you will SANCTIFY YOURSELF and HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD and feel the peace and joy of God in your life.

Hosea 6:3 Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.

The Lord bless you and keep you.

Pastor Val Martins