What a hypocrite looks like (Hosea 7)

Hosea 7 gives an image of sin like a fire in a burning oven, it's embers hot and ready to burn because of delight in wickedness and refusal to call to God, return to him or search for him. People not turning to the Most High are half-baked bread, a faulty bow, a senseless dove.

1-2) Israel healed, Ephraim's sin exposed; deceit, thieves, sins engulf them. God sees

 - Counterfeit Christians live a lifestyle of deception

3-7) Drunken, passion, lust, entertainment devours our future, yet none call on God

• Calling on the name of the Lord is central to our faith (Gen 4:26, Romans 10:13, Acts 2:21)
• Wisdom is understanding the will of the Lord and sacrifice (altar) are linked (Eph 5:15-17, Romans 12:1-2) leading us to honest humility (Romans 12:3)
• Wisdom and grace from calling on the name of the Lord (James 1:5, 3:17; Proverbs 3:13-18)
• Principle: God’s grace in us blesses others. God’s grace equips us for spiritual victory in our lives and in the lives of others. 

8-10) mixed with pagans, dissipating himself, unnoticed, dying, oblivious to God, despite all the signs, ignoring God

 - King Belshazzar’s self-inflicted ignorance of God ruins his life

 - Hear God's promise, don't neglect salvation in Jesus (Heb 2)

11-12) Like silly witless doves, easily captured, God punishes for the evil they do

13-16) Sorrow awaits those who deserted God, who wanted to redeem them but they told lies

 - Insincere hearts, crying to themselves, turning away from God (Hosea 7:14)

 - God made them strong, yet they plot evil against God (15)

 - Looking everywhere except the Most High, like faulty equipment they are useless and laughable. MSG says Ridiculed in the court of world opinion (16)

From What does it mean that the love of many will grow cold (Matthew 24:12)?

How can we be sure that the love we have for Christ will never grow cold? We begin by examining ourselves to be sure we are truly in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). If we truly belong to Christ, we can be confident that we possess the love from the Spirit that never grows cold. Then we should make every effort to increase our love:, “This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9–11).