Abiding, Accountability, Bible, Brokenness, Choices, Destruction, Enemies, Faithfulness, Fighting, Humility, Judgment, Obedience, Rescue, Scripture

NOTHING LEFT

AMOS 1:8

“‘I will also eliminate every inhabitant from Ashdod, as well as him who holds the scepter, from Ashkelon; and I will direct My power against Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines will perish,’ says the Lord GOD.”

Many years ago I served as a Group Leader for a boys’ cottage at a children’s home in Georgia. I took my boys, all 10 of them, to a pizza restaurant in a nearby town that had a pizza buffet. Now, I had ten teenage boys. Can you imagine the destruction they caused to that buffet? In fact, it was so bad the manager asked us to stop eating. Nothing was left!

The Lord is announcing total destruction to the Philistines. Even the remnant will perish. That’s pretty complete. God is thorough. He never does anything half-way. He is promising Israel this enemy will be destroyed in His time and in His way. I can just hear the people rejoicing.

APPLICATION

The Lord is still working that way. Everything He does in our lives is complete. The problem is we get in the way. We try to figure it out ourselves. And God will let us do that. He won’t move in and rescue us unless we seek Him. He is just that way. I guess you could say He is polite.

But listen, don’t depend on your smarts. Humble yourself and turn to Him. He will still ask you to be a part of what He wants to do in your life, but let Him lead. That’s hard for a lot of us, especially us men. We want to take charge. Lay it down. He will complete it if we will let Him. He will see it through.

I know the Lord will complete me, if I let Him. I have to come to the end of myself. When I do, He is there. And the finished product He produces is always better than what I could do. There is no comparison. So, why do I try to do it myself? I don’t know. I am still learning. I learn everyday.

I will lay my desires down, Lord, and let You lead. I know it always best when I do.

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Battles, Bible, Blessing, Encouragement, Faithfulness, Following, Judgment

IT WILL FALL

AMOS 1:7

“‘So I will send fire on the wall of Gaza and it will consume her citadels.’”

Have you ever seen a fort? I mean a real fort with high walls and towers. They are impressive. I’ve seen a couple. I can’t imagine anyone ever overthrowing those forts. The walls were thick and high. At the gates and every corner were guard towers with soldiers stationed. You would have to be very brave or very stupid to try to attack a fort like that.

Gaza was a strong and fortified city. So, when Amos proclaimed this prophecy, I am sure it amazed those who heard it. Many had tried to take Gaza and had failed. But Amos is proclaiming the Lord’s voice. He would ransack the city. He would send fire on its walls. He would consume its citadels. There is no city so strong that God cannot bring it to rubble.

APPLICATION

I want you to hear that very clearly. We can never get so self-reliant that God cannot bring us down. We cannot build our walls so high that He cannot penetrate them. But God will not force Himself on us. He may allow things to affect our lives that bring us to Him, but He won’t drag us out kicking and screaming. We have to choose to come to Him.

Have you come to Him lately? Have you laid down all those walls you have been building up? He wants to fellowship with you. He doesn’t want to defeat you. He wants to love you. He wants to bring you into the folds of His family. He wants to make you His own. Don’t you want that?

I know I need that today. During this month when we focus on giving thanks, won’t you pause and do that? Give Him praise for all He has done and will do in your life. Thank Him for the blessings you have received. And thank Him (are you ready for this?) for the trials in your life. Yep, I said it. If you do that, you will be amazed how much less weighty those trials feel.

Thank You, God, for saving me and giving me new life in You. Help me to keep from building any walls that may separate me from Your love.

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Advocate, Battles, Bible, Consequences, Encouragement, Enemies, Fighting, Judgment, Protection, Scripture

ALL OF THEM

AMOS 1:6

“This is what the LORD says: ‘For three offenses of Gaza, and for four, I will not revoke its punishment, because they led into exile an entire population to turn them over to Edom.’”

We recently had a battle with “sugar” ants. Those are the little, tiny ants you can hardly see, but they get everywhere. We had them in our pantry, on our kitchen counters and even in our bathroom. My wife sprayed and wiped them away. We had our pest control guy come out and spray. Still those little things kept showing up. We tried out best and finally we got rid of them. We exiled them all, lol.

The Lord turns His attention to the next enemy of Israel, and Israel cheered. Gaza was a hated enemy. Gaza was at the southern most part of the land of the Philistines, just before you hit the desert. They came into Israel, took its people captive and sold them to another bitter enemy, Edom. They left no one. They took them all. For that, God says, I will not ease up my punishment.

APPLICATION

Now, how can we apply this verse to our lives. After all, isn’t that why we read His Word? Why did God punish Gaza? Because they came against His people. If that was true back then, don’t you think that is true today? God still deals with our enemies. But look at what the verse tells us. Gaza still took the people and sold them. Bad things still happened to His children. It was later that God is going to issue punishment on Gaza.

Our enemies may seem to be getting away with hurting us. Don’t doubt our God’s resolve. He is totally aware of everything that is happening to you. He will deal with everyone who comes against you. But remember, He is allowing that for a purpose. He is trying to make you more like Jesus.

I am thankful for the Lord’s protection. I am thankful for His still, small voice in my ear telling me everything is going to be okay. I am thankful for His gentle embrace when I am feeling low. He is there. He is always there. I have learned to trust Him. Have you?

Father, I know You will deal with my enemies in Your time. I trust You.

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Accountability, Bible, Eternity, Witnessing

CAN’T LOCK HIM OUT

AMOS 1:5

“‘I will also break the gate bar of Damascus, and eliminate every inhabitant from the Valley of Aven, as well as him who holds the scepter, from Beth-eden; so the people of Aram will be exiled to Kir,” says the LORD.’”

I can remember my older brother taunting me when we were growing up. You see, there was this story of a black bear that had wandered into my uncle’s garden next door years ago. We all knew the story. So, my brother would lock me out of the house and start calling for the bear. I, of course, was terrified I was going to be eaten by that bear. Don’t worry – I got my brother back, lol.

God cannot be locked out. Here in verse five of Amos 1, He attacks the barred gate of Damascus. You need to understand that these gates were heavily fortified and the bars that shut the gates were made of bronze and strong. But no gate can hold out Jehovah. He was issuing out judgment on Damascus, and nothing would stop Him.

APPLICATION

In our society today, we don’t want to talk about a wrathful God. We just want to talk about how loving He is. And He is loving. But God also will hold every person accountable for their sins that are not under the blood of Jesus. Our lost friends and family members need to know that. We don’t need to shrink away from telling them that.

I know that sounds harsh. But no one can hide from God at the end. No one will have a good enough excuse to be spared judgment. Those without Christ will face a certain damnation. How horrible! We wouldn’t wish that on anyone. So, today ask the Lord who you need to share Christ with. You may just change someone’s destiny.

We all have people around us we know need Jesus. What is worse – being a little uncomfortable sharing with them or seeing them go to hell. I know this is a rough blog this morning, but I am bound by the verse of the day. This is the Lord speaking through Amos. Listen carefully.

Put people in my path today, Lord, whom I can share Jesus with. Open their hearts to hear from You.

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Accountability, Advice, Bible, Commands, Consequences, Destruction, Eternity, Fire, God's Will, Holiness, Holy Spirit, Inspirational, Judgment, Scripture

BURNED UP

AMOS 1:4

“‘So I will send fire upon the house of Hazael, and it will consume the citadels of Ben-hadad.’”

Fires burn everything in their path. Here in the U.S., forest fires happen occasionally. Our brave fire fighters risk their lives to protect people’s homes and property from the encroaching flames. Hours and hours are spent dousing the flames with water and flame retardants in an attempt to slow down their approach. But fires consume quickly and are very hard to stop.

God is promising fire, probably literal fire, upon the house of Hazael. He was a wicked ruler who gained his throne by bloodshed. He was told by the prophet Elisha about the evil things he would do. He fulfilled them all. So, God’s judgment upon him was right. Hazael thought himself above God. He found out differently.

APPLICATION

I don’t think we have to worry about God sending fire upon our citadels. But we do need to be aware of God’s commandments. He gives us His Word to follow to protect us, not deprive us. Some Christians live as if God is the ultimate party pooper. Not true. The “fun” of the world seldom, if ever, is productive. God would rather us live abundant lives in His presence.

Just as Elisha foretold Hazael’s sins, God knows how and when we will sin. He knows everything. He also knows you have the power to not sin, if you surrender to Him. Our hearts and our flesh are wicked. Left unrestrained we would slide right back into a life of sin. But because we have the Holy Spirit in us, we can resist the urge to sin. You do not have to sin!

When I read in 2 Kings 8 about the atrocities of Hazael, which Elisha predicted, I realize just how close I am to doing the same without Christ in my life. Evil will be around us until we are taken to heaven or until Christ returns to set up His reign here on earth. I choose to live holy because I love my Lord and want to please Him. Will you choose holiness today?

I want to live holy today, O Lord. Help me surrender to Your Will today.

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Accountability, Battles, Bible, Enemies, Hope, Judgment, Opponents, Punishment, Scripture, Suffering

IN HIS CROSSHAIRS

AMOS 1:3

“This is what the LORD says: ‘For three offenses of Damascus, and for four, I will not revoke its punishment, because they threshed Gilead with iron sledges.’”

For you non-hunters reading my blog, the phrase “in His crosshairs” is a hunting term. It means you have your target in your sight. You are focused completely on the target you are aiming at. You may have other targets around, but at the moment, only this target is of importance. You have it right where you want it.

Damascus is the first of many targets the Lord had in His crosshairs. Of course, the audience that is hearing this from Amos is delighted he is talking about Damascus. They were an enemy of Israel. The Lord does judge our enemies in His perfect timing. Because of the way they had treated Gilead, they would be punished.

APPLICATION

Are there people in your life who are “threshing” you? Their treatment of you is harsh and unrelenting. They seem to get joy in seeing you hurt and suffering. Take courage, my brother. Have hope, my sister. The Lord is not blind to this. Remember that everything that touches us as believers has to go through His hands first. He is completely aware of what is happening.

We have to trust that if He is allowing these things in our lives, He is using them to make us more like His Son. He is allowing the “threshing” to knock off the chaff and reveal the pure grain underneath. The chaff has to be removed. It will be blown away revealing the grain underneath. Whatever is happening right now in your life, remember that God is aware.

I want my enemies zapped right now, don’t you? I want to see them pay for what they have done to me. That’s only human. Ah, therein lies the problem. We need to be concerned with the spiritual, not the flesh. As children of God, we trust Him to execute His judgment perfectly in His time. And He will. Trust Him.

As I see the “Damascus” in my life, I want relief. But Lord I trust You to teach me with whatever instrument You choose.

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WHERE THE LORD DWELLS

AMOS 1:2

And he said, “The LORD roars from Zion, and from Jerusalem He utters His voice; and the shepherds’ pasture grounds mourn, and the summit of Carmel dries up.”

I have mentioned a lot in my blogs that I grew up in South Georgia. That’s different that Georgia. I grew up so far south that I thought Atlanta, GA was in the northern states. Lol. So when I speak, people know I’m from the South. I have a southern accent that I can’t deny, nor would I. That is where I dwelt.

I love this imagery which Amos uses. The Lord roars from Zion. He dwells in Jerusalem. This is a clear message to the nation of Israel who had set up worship sites in the northern kingdom. No! God dwells in Jerusalem. That is where He chose to dwell. He didn’t change His location. And you can definitely tell where His voice is coming from. The world will know.

APPLICATION

Isn’t it glorious that now He dwells in us? When we receive His Son as our Savior, He immediately indwells us through the person of the Holy Spirit. We become His dwelling place. In 1 Corinthians, Paul reminds us that our bodies of the temple of the Holy Spirit. And our voice should now be His voice. People should know who indwells us by the way we talk.

Our language has to change. We can’t keep talking the same way we talked before we were saved. The words we choose to use have to reflect the one who indwells us. The words we put in print have to tell others that we are different. We can’t use the world’s words anymore. We are different. We are indwelt.

That’s hard sometimes. We slip up and fall back into the old way of talking. We use some of those old words that don’t sound like Jesus. I have had to confess that as sin too many times. I am thankful for a God who can override my tongue. He can choose my words for me when I want to say something different. I want my words to reflect Him and sound like Him. Don’t you?

Father, forgive me when I fail to reflect You in my speech. I truly want others to hear You and not me.

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Abiding, Bible, Calling, Career, Commands, Disciplemaking, Modeling, Obedience, Passion, Salvation, Scripture, Surrender, Teaching, Witnessing

FARMER PROPHET 

AMOS 1:1

“The words of Amos, who was among the sheepherders from Tekoa, which he saw in visions concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.”

I can recall when the Lord called me to full time ministry. I had only been a Christian for a few months. It was in the Fall of 1978. I was in my Senior year of high school. It was almost like my surrender to Him in salvation morphed directly into my calling as a minister. He took out some things I thought  were important and replaced them with a passion to serve in ministry. So, I can relate somewhat to Amos, as we begin this study.

Amos was a farmer. He had sheep and also tended sycamore trees. Out of that unlikely vocation God called him to go prophesy against the nation of Israel. He had not been schooled in the school of prophets. He had been schooled by life. He obviously had a passion and desire for Jehovah, or he wouldn’t have been chosen for the task. God can use any instrument He chooses to accomplish His goals.

APPLICATION

Are you being used by the Lord right now? Perhaps you think He can’t use you. Wrong! Just like Amos, you just have to be available. It doesn’t matter what vocation you are in, the Lord can use you. The Lord doesn’t need more preachers. Now, hear me out. I am not knocking preachers. I am one. But you can reach so many more people in your circle of influence in your vocation, if you are willing.

God plucked Amos right out of the pasture and sent him on a mission. God may select you to do something extraordinary. He is just waiting for you to surrender to His will. Do you trust Him to give you the words? He gave Amos some very bold words. Do you trust Him to direct your path? He will. Just ask Him.

Oh, the things we can do if we are willing. God changed the world with 11 unlikely disciples, mostly uneducated men who had a passion for Jesus. They all laid down their lives for the mission. I often ask myself if I would do the same. I know I can through His power. I want Him to use me to change the world. Will you join me?

O Lord, use me like You did Amos. Give me the same boldness to speak truth in a fallen world.

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Advocate, Battles, Bible, Enemies, Judgment, Obedience, Protection

OUR AVENGER

JOEL 3:21

“And I will avenge their blood which I have not avenged, For the LORD dwells in Zion.”

My wife thinks I’m weird because I like all the movies with Iron Man, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Captain America, etc. I particularly like The Avengers.  Man, when they all come together it’s pretty awesome. They can take on anybody. Their combined strength is incredible.

But as strong as The Avengers are, they are no match for our Avenger. The Lord God avenged Judah for the atrocities that had been done to it. He restored them and continues to protect them generations later. He does the same for us. He is our Avenger. He watches over us and will take care of our enemies.

APPLICATION

Have you felt unprotected? Come to Him. Have you felt like your enemies are all around you? Call on Him. We don’t have to defend ourselves. He is always right there for us. We just have to call out. Jehovah God is still avenging His children. Now, we may never see our enemy suffer, but they will. One day, at judgment, all the enemies of God’s children will pay.

Until then, we have to rely on Him to protect us. He gives us spiritual insight on how to live our lives. As long as we are doing that, we are under the umbrella of His protection. But you need to stay under that umbrella. When we stray and venture outside that ring of protection, we have opened ourselves up to attack. Stay with Him.

I am thankful for His loving arms around me. I know I am safe in my Abba’s arms. He is able to safeguard me from any enemy attack. The only thing that can touch me is what He allows. And if He allows it, it is to make me more like Him. I live with that belief. How about you? Don’t complain and cry out to the Lord every time you run into a difficult situation. Ask Him what He is trying to teach you. Trust your Avenger.

You are my Avenger. I know You are aware of everything that happens in my life. I trust You.

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Abiding, Bible, Blessing, Encouragement, Eternity, Heaven

LONG TIME RESIDENTS

JOEL 3:20

“But Judah will be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem for all generations.”

Since my wife and I have been married we have lived in five states. We both lived in other states before we got married. So, between us we have in lived in seven states. You can’t exactly call us longtime residents of any state. Our ministry has taken us from place to place. Each time we have tried to make it our home.

I love this verse in Joel. Judah and specifically named, Jerusalem, will be inhabited forever. And it will. When Jesus comes back and establishes a new heaven and a new earth, there will be a new Jerusalem also. That city will literally be inhabited for eternity. We will dwell there one day. Isn’t that great?

APPLICATION

What are you a resident of? Carl, I am Tennessean. I am not talking about that. Did you know that if you are a Christian, a believer and follower of Christ, your home is heaven? We are just aliens and sojourners on this earth after salvation. Our real home is heaven. We have a celestial home. We have an eternal home just waiting for us.

If that is true, why do we fight so hard to stay here? It’s kind of crazy. We put so much money in earthly things that will rot and rust. We try to live for a hundred years using every essential oil (I’m not knocking those of you who use these) and herbal remedy known to man. We take tons of prescriptions to ward off death. If you think about it, it’s crazy.

Now, hear me out. I have gone through two stem cell transplants to extend my life. Why? Because the Lord lead my wife and I down this path. We both believed this was what the Lord would have me do. But I long for my heavenly home. Don’t you? One day we will be there. I can’t wait.

Thank You, Lord, for my heavenly home. I look forward to checking out my new digs one day.

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