The following verse in Hosea seemed to be highlighted for us.
“…like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.”

Hosea was speaking about kings and their false oaths and promises, but it seems to refer to spiritual leaders as well.

“…break up the ground.”
Plowed fields are ready to receive seed. For the spiritual leader, plowed ground is ready to receive the word of God, ready to receive seeds of righteousness. Are spiritual leaders planting those seeds of righteousness and preaching and teaching the truth of God’s Word? Or are many of them like the poisonous weeds in a plowed field? If the truth of God’s Word is not taught and compromises are made, “Thorns and thistles will grow up and cover their altars.”

Sounds a bit like the apostate church in THESE LAST DAYS.

“They will twist and distort God’s word. Many innocents will believe this distortion and be led astray by the errors of false teaching. Some people within the church will be lulled into a feeling of contentment as they listen to false teaching because that is what they want to hear. It will seem right to them because they have not been taught about the monument of truth, God’s word. They will not recognize any talk about sin and the consequences of sin. They will not understand the need for repentance. The leaders will not have taught the people the difference between good and evil. The leaders of the apostate church will place value only on feeling good about themselves as they occupy their time with worldly involvement and not about a relationship with God.”
Quote from the book THESE LAST DAYS
(Reference these verses: Matthew 24:5, Matthew 24:11, Matthew 24:24, Matthew 7:15, Jeremiah 23:25-26, I John 2:18, Hebrews 3:12, II Peter 2:1-3, II Timothy 4:3-4, I Timothy 4:1, Galatians 1:6-8, II Peter 3:17).

There are many thorns, thistles and poisonous weeds in the apostate church today.

So what can we as believers do? According to Hosea we can, “…blossom like a lily, send down roots, flourish like the grain, blossom like a vine…”

We can do all this in the midst of thorns and thistles. Why? Because… “The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.”