Just a Thought

We are wrapping up our journey through Amos. It has been a wild ride and we are still looking at judgment, but that's not all...

God declares that He will send a new famine on the land, a famine of silence from Him. This is the worst thing imaginable for the people of God. To not hear the voice of God is terrible and frighting. Without God speaking to us, we do not have wisdom, direction, healing, or anything of value in life.

In Amos 7 we get this story that is a back-and-forth between God and Amos and then between Amos and Amaziah the priest in Bethel.

Amos chapter 6 covers two important topics that are connected. In all of Israel’s sin, they had Pride and Compliancy. They thought themselves something special, they assumed themselves well off. They had a lot of stuff. Before we jump on them and condemn them, we have to ask "do we do that?"

Hebrews 4 talks about rest for God’s people but no rest for the disobedient. Hebrews 4 and 4:5 is a callback to Psalm 95 and Numbers 14. The idea is this; God has rest for people to enter into but the disobedient do not and cannot enter into that rest.

God is calling the people to seek Him and do right. The Bible equates seeking God with living and hiding your sins with dying. The people thought that they could do what they like and then bring sacrifices, but God calls them out for this.

I do not think there has ever been a time when calling someone a cow was a compliment. It is not one here either.

This week we look at Amos Chapter 3. Israel is being punished because they should know better. God chose them, He loved them tenderly, He cared for them, and they responded with violence and selfishness.

Here God is judging Judah and Israel. They both have guilt, but their guilt is different from the nations around them because they have the Law of God. They have the statutes of the Lord. This should be exciting!

No one can escape the judgment or justice of God. All are under His authority and no one gets to claim ignorance. 

We are going to kick off 2023 with a bang. We will go through a nine-week series looking at the prophet Amos. It's going to be a blast. 

We don't always know where we are going, sometimes we get a little turned around. God will guide our steps. We fear failure, making a wrong choice, or messing up but God is able to keep us. Even if we miss it and make a mistake God is able to keep us from being overwhelmed.

Lately the idea that we do not wrestle or fight against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces has been ever present in my mind. I feel like I talk about it a good deal too. This week we will look at the Armor of God even though it does not have pants. 

This week we are looking at The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. What an amazing book. My raw and unprepared wrap up of my reading. 

This week we are talking about, talking about Jesus also known as evangelism. What is it, what is our motivation, and how can we do it? 

Does it matter if we are training or fighting? Yes, absolutely because if we are being hindered by the enemy then we can pray against that and push into God for victory. However, if it is a situation where God is the one stopping us then we need to submit and seek His will. The type of situation makes all the difference.

This week we are looking at two passages and asking why are we still a little blind and what can we do about it? 

In the Bible God is continually reminding His people of who they are. He does this so that they and we might remember who we are and in remembering that we can remember who He is. 

What does self-talk and crucifixion have in common? This week we take a look at that. 

I know that Babette ate oatmeal but I have no idea what that means. I do know that we all have questions about God and that He has answers. 

What's in a name, and why is God jealous for His name? What does that even mean? Today we briefly look at that very question. 

Jesus' actions in the Bible often cause His disciples to wonder who He is. Throughout the Bible, God does things that go beyond our comprehension and cause us to ask the same question. He does this because He is beyond our full understanding and because He can.