today's meditation (Amos 7) Feelings as a Result of Perceptions

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Amos 7:1-17) This is what the Lord God showed me, and behold, He was forming a swarm of locusts when the spring crop began to sprout. And behold, the spring crop was after the king’s mowing. 2 And it came about, when it had finished eating the vegetation of the land, that I said,

     “Lord God, please pardon!
     How can Jacob stand?
     For he is small.”
3   The Lord relented of this.
     “It shall not be,” said the Lord.

4 So the Lord God showed me, and behold, the Lord God was calling to contend with them by fire, and it consumed the great deep and began to consume the farmland. 5 Then I said,

     “Lord God, please stop!
     How can Jacob stand?
     For he is small.”
6   The Lord relented of this.
     “This too shall not be,” said the Lord God.

7 So He showed me, and behold, the Lord was standing by a vertical wall with a plumb line in His hand. 8 And the Lord said to me, “What do you see, Amos?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said,

     “Behold I am about to put a plumb line 
     In the midst of My people Israel.
     I will not spare them any longer.
9   The high places of Isaac will become deserted,
     And the sanctuaries of Israel will be in ruins.
     Then I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”

10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is unable to endure all his words. 11 For this is what Amos says: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.’” 12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Go, you seer, flee to the land of Judah; and eat bread there and do your prophesying there! 13 But do not prophesy at Bethel any longer, for it is a sanctuary of the king and a royal residence.”

14 Then Amos replied to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet; for I am a herdsman and a grower of sycamore figs. 15 But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go prophesy to My people Israel.’ 16 So now hear the word of the Lord: you are saying, ‘You shall not prophesy against Israel nor shall you prophesy against the house of Isaac.’ 17 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword, your land will be parceled up by a measuring line, and you yourself will die upon unclean soil. Furthermore Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.’”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

It is important to note that our feelings do not lead us to truth.  Our feelings do not help us get closer to God.  We all will have different feelings attached to our various perceptions, depending on what we decide to hear, see and believe.  

Initially, Amos begged God to not harshly judge the people.  It's easy to become defensive and compromisingly sympathetic when we only consider our side of things.  To see things from God's side is humbling, as we see how far we fall short of God's glory and perfection.  So then, like Amos, when others go up against us because we are doing God's will, we can understand God's wrath and anger towards sin.  

Sadly, most people are like Amaziah.  It's our sinful nature that prefers to hear and believe lies - to hear what we want to hear - which only feeds our misguided feelings of pride, arrogance and greed.  So then, when anyone opposes what we think we want to believe, we will become indignant, frustrated, afraid and angry.  

Meanwhile, it is only through hearing, knowing and believing in God's truth that saves us and leads us to feelings of joy, contentment and peace. And in moving forward with God's wisdom and strength, daily trusting the Lord to manage everything for us, we will then experience courage, confidence and a steadfast certain hope.  

today's meditation (Amos 6) Finding Satisfaction

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Amos 6:1-14) 

1   Woe to those who are carefree in Zion,
     And to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria,
     The dignitaries of the foremost of nations,
     To whom the house of Israel comes.
2   Go over to Calneh and look,
     And go from there to Hamath the great,
     Then go down to Gath of the Philistines.
     Are they better than these kingdoms,
     Or is their territory greater than yours?
3   Are you postponing the day of disaster,
     And would you bring near the seat of violence?

4   Those who lie on beds of ivory,
     And lounge around on their couches,
     And eat lambs from the flock,
     And calves from the midst of the fattened cattle,
5   Who improvise to the sound of the harp,
     And like David have composed songs for themselves,
6   Who drink wine from sacred bowls 
     While they anoint themselves with the finest of oils—
     Yet they have not grieved over the collapse of Joseph.
7   Therefore, they will now go into exile at the head of the exiles,
     And the revelry of those who lounge around will come to an end.

8   The Lord God has sworn by Himself, the Lord God of armies has declared:
     “I loathe the arrogance of Jacob,
     And detest his citadels;
     Therefore I will give up the city and all it contains.”

9 And it will be, if ten men are left in one house, they will die. 10 Then one’s uncle, or his undertaker, will lift him up to carry out his bones from the house, and he will say to the one who is in the innermost part of the house, “Is anyone else with you?” And that one will say, “No one.” Then he will answer, “Keep quiet! For the name of the Lord is not to be mentioned.” 11 For behold, the Lord is going to command that the great house be smashed to pieces, and the small house to rubble.

12 Do horses run on rocks?
     Or does one plow them with oxen?
     Yet you have turned justice into poison,
     And the fruit of righteousness into wormwood,
13 You who rejoice in Lodebar,
     And say, “Have we not by our own strength taken Karnaim for ourselves?”
14 “For behold, I am going to raise up a nation against you,
     House of Israel,” declares the Lord God of armies,
     “And they will torment you from the entrance of Hamath 
     To the brook of the Arabah.”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Nothing wrong with some leisure time, but we will never be satisfied if it is at the expense of others, and it pulls us away from God.  When we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ who paid the price for all sin, we will experience real joy.  When we understand that everything we have is because of God, we will be thankful and more content.  When we realize that God created everyone with gifts, talents and purpose, we will serve Him in His strength and guidance, and discover fulfillment.  Only the Lord can fully satisfy us.

today's meditation (Amos 5) Seeking the Lord

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Amos 5:1-27) Hear this word which I am taking up for you as a song of mourning, house of Israel:

2   She has fallen, she will not rise again—
     The virgin Israel.
     She lies unnoticed on her land;
     There is no one to raise her up.

3   For this is what the Lord God says:

     “The city which goes forth a thousand strong 
     Will have a hundred left,
     And the one which goes forth a hundred strong 
     Will have ten left to the house of Israel.”

4   For this is what the Lord says to the house of Israel:

     “Seek Me so that you may live.
5   But do not resort to Bethel 
     And do not come to Gilgal,
     Nor cross over to Beersheba;
     For Gilgal will certainly go into captivity 
     And Bethel will come to nothing.
6   Seek the Lord so that you may live,
     Or He will break through like a fire, house of Joseph,
     And it will consume with no one to extinguish it for Bethel,
7   For those who turn justice into wormwood,
     And throw righteousness to the earth.”

8   He who made the Pleiades and Orion,
     And changes deep darkness into morning,
     Who also darkens day into night,
     Who calls for the waters of the sea 
     And pours them out on the surface of the earth,
     The Lord is His name.
9   It is He who makes destruction flash upon the strong,
     So that destruction comes upon the fortress.

10 They hate him who rebukes in the gate,
     And they despise him who speaks with integrity.
11 Therefore because you impose heavy rent on the poor 
     And take a tribute of grain from them,
     Though you have built houses of cut stone,
     Yet you will not live in them;
     You have planted beautiful vineyards, yet you will not drink their wine.
12 For I know your offenses are many and your sins are great,
     You who are hostile to the righteous and accept bribes,
     And turn away the poor from justice at the gate.
13 Therefore at such a time the prudent person keeps quiet, because it is an evil time.

14 Seek good and not evil, so that you may live;
     And so may the Lord God of armies be with you,
     Just as you have said!
15 Hate evil, love good,
     And establish justice in the gate!
     Perhaps the Lord God of armies 
     Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

16 Therefore this is what the Lord God of armies, the Lord says:

     “There is mourning in all the public squares,
     And in all the streets they say, ‘Oh no! Oh no!’
     They also call the farmer to mourning 
     And professional mourners to mourning rites.
17 And in all the vineyards there is mourning,
     Because I will pass through the midst of you,” says the Lord.

18 Woe to you who are longing for the day of the Lord,
     For what purpose will the day of the Lord be to you?
     It will be darkness and not light;
19 As when a man flees from a lion
     And a bear confronts him,
     Or he goes home, leans with his hand against the wall,
     And a snake bites him.
20 Will the day of the Lord not be darkness instead of light,
     Even gloom with no brightness in it?

21 “I hate, I reject your festivals,
     Nor do I delight in your festive assemblies.
22 Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
     I will not accept them;
     And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fattened oxen.
23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs;
     I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.
24 But let justice roll out like waters,
     And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

25 “Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, house of Israel? 26 You also carried along Sikkuth your king and Kiyyun, your images, the star of your gods which you made for yourselves. 27 Therefore I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is the God of armies.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

When reading these warnings that God delivered through the prophets, one might wonder - how could a loving God hate, or allow destruction?  Well, God in His love created us with a free choice.  When a person chooses sin and destruction, this is what they have chosen for their life and their eternal state.  But why focus on that?  Why not look to the hope and grace that God offers to all of us.  To be saved from His wrath, so we can embrace His peace and joy.

God is holy and cannot have a relationship with sin.  Yet He still loves us and desires that all come to know Him and have a personal relationship with Him.  This is why He came to die for all sin and rose again to have victory over death.  He did all of this so He could offer freedom from sin and eternal life to anyone who believers in Him.  So, why turn to creation, when we can turn to the Creator!  He is more powerful than all other powers put together.  Simply put, in our free will, do not look to mankind for your hope and strength, but seek the Lord and be saved.   

today's meditation (Amos 4) Knowing God

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Amos 4:1-13)
1   Hear this word, you cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria,
     Who exploit the poor, who oppress the needy,
     And say to their husbands, “Bring now, that we may drink!”
2   The Lord God has sworn by His holiness,
     “For behold, the days are coming upon you 
     When they will take you away with meat hooks,
     And the last of you with fish hooks.
3   You will go out through holes in the walls,
     One in front of the other,
     And you will be hurled to Harmon,” declares the Lord.

4   “Enter Bethel and do wrong;
     In Gilgal multiply wrongdoing!
     Bring your sacrifices every morning,
     Your tithes every three days.
5   Offer a thanksgiving offering also from that which is leavened,
     And proclaim voluntary offerings, make them known.
     For so you love to do, you sons of Israel,”
     Declares the Lord God.

6   “But I gave you also cleanness of teeth in all your cities,
     And lack of bread in all your places;
     Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.
7   “Furthermore, I withheld the rain from you 
     While there were still three months until harvest.
     Then I would send rain on one city,
     But on another city I would not send rain;
     One part would be rained on,
     While the part not rained on would dry up.
8   So the people of two or three cities would stagger to another city to drink water,
     But would not be satisfied;
     Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.
9   “I struck you with scorching wind and mildew;
     The caterpillar was devouring 
     Your many gardens and vineyards, fig trees and olive trees;
     Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.
10 “I sent a plague among you as in Egypt;
     I killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses,
     And I made the stench of your camp rise up in your nostrils;
     Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.
11 “I overthrew you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
     And you were like a log snatched from a fire;
     Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.
12 “Therefore so I will do to you, Israel;
     Because I will do this to you,
     Prepare to meet your God, Israel.”
13 For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind,
     And declares to a person what are His thoughts,
     He who makes dawn into darkness 
     And treads on the high places of the earth,
     The Lord God of armies is His name.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

As it says here in verse 13, God, who created everything, also gave us His word, the Bible, in order to communicate with us everything we need to know.  In it, there are directions to follow for every circumstance in order to have a fuller life.  Much more than that, salvation and fullness of life is NOT about being religious and carrying out a bunch of do's and don'ts, it is about having a personal relationship with God.  And because He is a loving God, He wants to help us along the way... in His way.  But because He is a loving God, He will never force anyone to believe or to do as He teaches.

One day, all of us will stand before the Lord to be judged.  Unbelievers will be judged according to their sins.  And because they rejected Jesus and what He did on the cross for all of us, they will go to a place void of God and all of His goodness.  Believers will be judged according to their good deeds.  Because we accepted Jesus and His forgiveness of sins, He will judge and reward us for all good deeds done in His righteousness.

Putting the two thoughts together, it is clear.  We should desire to be in God's word daily in order to know Him and His will better.  And we should desire to carry out His will - all in His righteousness - while asking Him for His strength, guidance and help.

today's meditation (Amos 3) Knowing God

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Amos 3:1-15)
1 Hear this word which the Lord has spoken against you, sons of Israel, against the entire family which He brought up from the land of Egypt:

2   “You only have I known among all the families of the earth;
     Therefore I will punish you for all your wrongdoing.”
3   Do two people walk together unless they have agreed to meet?
4   Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey?
     Does a young lion growl from his den unless he has captured something?
5   Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no device in it?
     Does a trap spring up from the earth when it captures nothing at all?
6   If a trumpet is blown in a city, will the people not tremble?
     If a disaster occurs in a city, has the Lord not brought it about?
7   Certainly the Lord God does nothing 
     Unless He reveals His secret plan 
     To His servants the prophets.
8   A lion has roared! Who will not fear?
     The Lord God has spoken! Who can do anything but prophesy?

9 Proclaim on the citadels in Ashdod and on the citadels in the land of Egypt and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria and see the great panic within her and the oppressions in her midst. 10 But they do not know how to do what is right,” declares the Lord, “these who store up violence and devastation in their citadels.”

11 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says:

     “An enemy, one surrounding the land,
     Will take down your fortifications from you,
     And your citadels will be looted.”

12 This is what the Lord says:

     “Just as the shepherd snatches from the lion’s mouth a couple of legs or a piece of an ear,
     So will the sons of Israel living in Samaria be snatched away—
     With the corner of a bed and the cover of a couch!
13 Hear and testify against the house of Jacob,”
     Declares the Lord God, the God of armies.
14 “For on the day that I punish Israel’s offenses,
     I will also punish the altars of Bethel;
     The horns of the altar will be cut off,
     And will fall to the ground.
15 I will also strike the winter house together with the summer house;
     The houses of ivory will also perish,
     And the great houses will come to an end,”
     Declares the Lord.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Verse 7 tells us that the Lord doesn't do anything unless He tells us about it.  Because the Lord is fair and just, He is not only going to tell us His law, but also what will happen to those who reject Him as Lord, and what will happen to those who accept Him as Lord.  Just like in parenting, it is not fair to a child to be told what is expected of them without explaining to them the importance of listening, and it is not fair to a child to suddenly be rewarded or disciplined for something they didn't know about.

Since the Lord is God and we cannot see Him fact to face right now, we cannot know Him unless He tells us what we need to know.  So, the Lord lets people know what will happen if they reject Him, as a warning so that they have an opportunity to change their mind.  He also tells us the good news of His certain hope that we can have when we accept Him as our Lord and Savior, because He desires that all come to know Him.  To actually KNOW Him and know what to expect from Him, as well as what He expects from us so that we can have a life of purpose, in His love, grace, guidance and strength.

today's meditation (Amos 2) Being an Encouragement

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Amos 2:1-16)
1   This is what the Lord says:
     “For three offenses of Moab, and for four,
     I will not revoke its punishment,
     Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime.
2   So I will send fire upon Moab 
     And it will consume the citadels of Kerioth;
     And Moab will die amid the panic of battle,
     Amid war cries and the sound of a trumpet.
3   I will also eliminate the judge from her midst 
     And slay all her leaders with him,” says the Lord.

4   This is what the Lord says:
     “For three offenses of Judah, and for four,
     I will not revoke its punishment,
     Because they rejected the Law of the Lord 
     And have not kept His statutes;
     Their lies also have led them astray,
     Those which their fathers followed.
5   So I will send fire upon Judah,
     And it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem.”

6   This is what the Lord says:
     “For three offenses of Israel, and for four,
     I will not revoke its punishment,
     Because they sell the righteous for money,
     And the needy for a pair of sandals.
7   These who trample the head of the helpless to the dust of the earth 
     Also divert the way of the humble;
     And a man and his father resort to the same girl 
     So as to profane My holy name.
8   And on garments seized as pledges they stretch out beside every altar,
     And in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined.

9   “Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them,
     Though his height was like the height of cedars 
     And he was as strong as the oaks;
     I also destroyed his fruit above and his roots below.
10 And it was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt,
     And led you in the wilderness for forty years 
     So that you might take possession of the land of the Amorite.
11 Then I raised up some of your sons to be prophets,
     And some of your young men to be Nazirites.
     Is this not so, you sons of Israel?” declares the Lord.
12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine,
     And you commanded the prophets, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy!’
13 Behold, I am making a rut in the ground beneath you,
     Just as a wagon makes a rut when filled with sheaves.
14 Refuge will be lost from the swift,
     And the strong will not strengthen his power,
     Nor the warrior save his life.
15 The one who grasps the bow will not stand his ground,
     The swift of foot will not escape,
     Nor will the one who rides the horse save his life.
16 Even the bravest among the warriors will flee naked on that day,” declares the Lord.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

The simple answer to avoiding any sort of punishment is to accept the Law of the Lord and His statutes.  And the only way to do this and be in complete obedience, is to be saved through the Lord Jesus Christ.  Placing Him first in our lives and believing in Him gives us eternal life and freedom from sin, saving us from punishment and eternal death.  It is not about do's and don'ts; it is about having a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior.

Once we are saved, we have eternal security through God's grace, but this should not be an excuse to sin.  From verses 11-12, we can see that our lives can either help to demoralize - or - help to edify even our spiritual leaders.  It only benefits us to live in God's will.  In His wisdom and strength, as we allow, He will work in and through us.  In this way, we be a testimony to those around us, as well as an encouragement to other Christians.  

today's meditation (Amos 1) Looking to the Judge

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Amos 1:1-15)
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.

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.”

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.
4   So I will send fire upon the house of Hazael,
     And it will consume the citadels of Ben-hadad.
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.

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.
7   So I will send fire on the wall of Gaza 
     And it will consume her citadels.
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.

9   This is what the Lord says:
     “For three offenses of Tyre, and for four,
     I will not revoke its punishment,
     Because they turned an entire population over to Edom 
     And did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.
10 So I will send fire on the wall of Tyre,
     And it will consume her citadels.”

11 This is what the Lord says:
     “For three offenses of Edom, and for four,
     I will not revoke its punishment,
     Because he pursued his brother with the sword 
     And stifled his compassion;
     His anger also tore continually,
     And he maintained his fury forever.
12 So I will send fire upon Teman 
     And it will consume the citadels of Bozrah.”

13 This is what the Lord says:
     “For three offenses of the sons of Ammon, and for four,
     I will not revoke its punishment,
     Because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead 
     In order to enlarge their borders.
14 So I will kindle a fire on the wall of Rabbah,
     And it will consume her citadels 
     Amid war cries on the day of battle,
     And amid a storm on the day of tempest.
15 Their king will go into exile,
     He and his princes together,” says the Lord.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

God will fight His own battles.  And - God wants to fight our battles!  Even when nations like the Philistines were attacking Israel, God wanted them to rely on Him and not their own strength.  We do get into trouble when we think we know best.  This can lead to people taking verses out of context, thinking that to do God's work they need to eliminate certain nations or cultures or people with a particular skin color...  This is so very wrong!  

We can see from verse 8, that God made sure the Philistines would become extinct, as they were part of the curse of Canaan, the son of Ham.  It was NEVER the curse of Ham, who went on into Africa to become many nations!  There are no longer "cursed" nations or people.  And it is not our place to judge others.  God, who is all-knowing, sovereign, righteous and just, is the judge, and He will determine who will be punished, and how they will be punished.

Regarding our "enemies" and our neighbors, we are told to love them, pray for them and share the gospel with them as God gives us opportunity.  Regarding fellow believers, we are to love, encourage and equip one another.  As parents, we are to love, equip, teach and discipline our children.  And we are to do all these things in God's love, allowing Him to guide, strengthen, equip and help us in carrying out His will.  We don't have to worry about the big picture.  God's got this!!!