2) Our Daily Bread for 25 June 2026 titled

The Father's Open Arms

by Tom Felten



Hosea 14:1-7,9



Hosea 14



A Plea for Repentance

1 (Hos 6:1; 12:6) Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,

for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.

2 (Heb 13:15; Ps 69:30-31) Take words with you

and return to the Lord.

Say to Him,

"Take away all iniquity,

and accept that which is good;

and we will offer the fruit [Gk. Syr.; Heb. bulls.] of our lips!

3 (Ps 10:14; 33:17) Assyria will not save us,

we will not ride on horses.

We will no longer say, 'Our God,'

to the work of our hands.

In You the orphan finds mercy."

4 (Zep 3:17; Isa 12:1) I will heal their backsliding;

I will love them freely,

for My anger has turned away from him.

5 (Isa 35:2; Job 29:19) I will be like the dew to Israel;

he shall grow like the lily

and shall strike his roots

like Lebanon.

6 (Ps 52:8) His branches will spread out,

and his beauty shall be like the olive tree,

and his fragrance like that of Lebanon.

7 (Ps 91:1) Those that dwell under his shadow will return,

they will flourish like the grain

and grow as a vine.

Their fragrance will be like the wine of Lebanon.



9 (Ps 107:43; Pr 10:29) Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;

whoever prudent, let him know them.

For the ways of the Lord are right,

and the just will walk in them;

but the transgressors stumble in them.



Hosea 14

[1] O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine

iniquity.

[2] Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all

iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.

[3] Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we

say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the

fatherless findeth mercy.

[4] I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger

is turned away from him.

[5] I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast

forth his roots as Lebanon.

[6] His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree,

and his smell as Lebanon.

[7] They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the

corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of

Lebanon.



[9] Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall

know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in

them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.



Mary Slessor's compassionate heart led her to open her arms to those in need.

The Scottish missionary, born in 1848, served among the people of Okoyong in a

distant land. Superstition led people of that region to believe that when

twins were born, one was good and one was the child of a demon. This often led

to both twins dying - being abandoned to starvation or other dangers.

Reflecting the loving heart of God, in time Mary helped save hundreds

of the at-risk children, adopting nine as her own!



In his inspired words to the rebellious nation of Israel, the prophet Hosea

offers a glimpse into God's caring heart for children. The prophet said of

Him, "In you the fatherless find compassion" (14:3). Hosea stated that God

cared for His own and desired to "love them freely" (v. 4). But they needed to

turn from their defiance of Him and embrace His ways. They were instructed to

turn from pagan deities to the true God who cares for the most helpless, the

orphans. And if they returned to God, they'd find forgiveness from the one who

would "receive [them] graciously" (vv. 1-2).



As we open our arms to those around us, including at-risk children, we reflect

the love of God. Let's embrace His compassionate heart and extend His care to

those in need as He helps us.



Reflect & Pray



How has God's loving example led you to care for those in need? How does it

encourage you to know that in Him "the fatherless find compassion"?



Compassionate God, please open my heart and my arms

to children and others who are in need around me.



3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation



Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools



Week 1 Knowing God's Word Day 5 - Learning by Heart



Ps 119:9,11



9 (Ps 38:6; 18:2) How shall a young man keep his way pure?

By keeping it according to Your word.

11 (Ps 42:5; 43:5) Your word I have hidden in my heart,

that I might not sin against You.



9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?

By taking heed thereto according to thy word.

11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart,

That I might not sin against thee.



"His heart is not just in it," a gifted musician commented about the

pianist onstage. "He's here at the Orchestra Hall, playing for

thousands of people, an his technique is flawless, but something

is missing - his heart is just not in it."

The psalmist , in Psalm 119, draws a similar parallel. We "Keep our

way pure" through obedience of his Word, by ordering our lives according

to the commands of the Scriptures. But outward behaviour is not the only

essential factor in purity of life. The changes in our behaviour need to

come from the heart, from the inside out. Our "technique" for living

the Christian life may be flawless, but our obedience is founded

in heart motivation, something is certainly missing.

"I seek you with all my heart," the psalmist declares in verse 10.

Thus he can say in verse 11, "Your word I have hidden in my heart,

that I might not sin against You."

Often we refer to memorisation as "learning by heart" - and indeed

"by heart" is the biblical mandate for assimilating God's truth

into our daily lives. "By rote" or "By Mind" leaves us

intellectually overstuffed, yet spiritually starving.

When we try to apply the Word outwardly to our behaviour,

we end up in a tangle of legalism, a log "do list" by which

we hope to please God. But when we set our hearts toward God first,

then changes in our behaviour grow out of love for God and a deep

desire to serve him. Then we are truly loving and obeying God with

our whole hearts.



Application



a) In what ways have I tried to apply God's word to my behaviour

without having the truth firmly in my heart? What was the result?



b) How can I set my heart toward God and give myself more fully

to his Word?



c) What areas of my life need "purifying"? How can these verses

help me to "make my way pure"?



4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland



Luke 16:10-12



10 (Mt 25:21; Lk 19:17) "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful

also in much. And he who is dishonest in the least is dishonest also

in much.

11 So if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth,

who will commit to your trust the true riches?

12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another man's,

who will give you that which is your own?"



10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much:

and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon,

who will commit to your trust the true riches?

12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's,

who shall give you that which is your own?



5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:



God's Reconciling Peace



Col 3:12-17



12 (Eph 4:2; Lk 1:78) So embrace, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,

a spirit of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and longsuffering.

13 (Eph 4:32; Mk 11:25; Eph 4:2) Bear with one another

and forgive one another. If anyone has a quarrel against anyone,

even as Christ forgave you, so you must do.

14 (Eph 4:3; 1Co 13:1-13) And above all these things, embrace love,

which is the bond of perfection.

15 (Jn 14:27; Eph 5:20) Let the peace of God,

to which also you are called in one body,

rule in your hearts. And be thankful.

16 (Eph 5:19; Col 1:28; Ro 10:17 ) Let the word of Christ dwell

in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing

one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

17 (1Co 10:31; Eph 5:20 ) And whatever you do in word or deed,

do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through Him.



12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies,

kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

13 forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have

a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

14 And above all these things put on charity,

which is the bond of perfectness.

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye

are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;

teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God and the Father by him.



Remember God's promises when You pray



The Lord's prayer



Matthew 6:9-13



9 "Therefore pray in this manner:

Our Father who is in heaven,

hallowed be Your name.

10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;

Your will be done

on earth, as it is in heaven.

11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.

12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors.

13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."



9 After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.