Tag Archives: Amos 7-9:15

December 12, 2014 Bible Study — What Kind of Church Are We Part Of? (Part 3)

For today, One Year Bible Online links here. Christmas is coming soon. Let us remember what it is truly about, the birth of Jesus Christ. Let us strive to not be caught up in the commercialism which is what this season is about for many in our society today.

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Proverbs 29:23

    If we allow our pride to drive our behavior we will be humiliated, but if we humbly admit our limitations others will honour us for what we do accomplish.

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Psalm 131:1-3

    Let us model ourselves after the psalmist. Rather than be proud and aloof, let us be humble and caring. The psalmist said that he would not worry about matters too great or awesome for him to grasp. When we come across matters which we have trouble understanding, rather than fret over them and allow them to undermine our faith, let us set them aside and focus on those things which we can understand. This does not mean that we accept the interpretations of those who claim to understand such matters. It just means that we reserve judgement on such matters until the Holy Spirit gives us an answer we do understand. Let us trust the Lord and put our hope in Him.

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Revelation 3:7-22

    Now John delivers the message for the church in Philadelphia. God has opened a door for them that no one can close. Despite their weakness they have obeyed God’s commands and refused to deny Him. There is an important message for all of us here, we do not need to be strong, we just need to persevere, to remain faithful in the face of opposition. We are not called on to defeat our opponents, nor to win the arguments. We are called on to remain faithful in the face of opposition and persecution.
    John has a message for one last church, the one in Laodicea. He tells them that they are neither hot, nor cold. They are confident that their material wealth provides them with all that they need. Their problem is that the things they, and we, truly need cannot be purchased with material goods. Until we recognize that our wealth is of no value to God, nor will it bring eternal salvation, we are spiritually poor. Let us give all of our material wealth in order to gain what God has to offer, if that is what it takes. No matter how much wealth we have, we cannot buy God’s favor. But sometimes we need to give away all of our material goods in order to accept it.
    If we go over the message to the churches, they really fall into three categories: two that are remaining faithful, two that are allowing sexual sin to creep in, and three that have become indifferent. In other words there are two traps the church can fall into. It can become enticed by sexual sin and other forms of debauchery. Or, it can become distracted and lose its enthusiasm for doing the Lord’s work (or perhaps, never actually have any enthusiasm for serving God). The latter seems to be the greater danger, but that does not mean we can drop our guard against the former. The two churches which were not condemned for a failing both appear to have been facing suffering, perhaps even persecution (or were about to do so). So, which type of church do we belong to? One faithfully facing opposition and persecution? One dealing with those endorsing sexual sin? Or one which has become indifferent to doing God’s work?

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Amos 7-9:15

    Amos proclaims that God will bring judgement against Israel for those who follow the forms of religion, but as soon as they are able return to cheating the poor and robbing from the helpless. In particular he condemns them for using false measurements and inaccurate scales. This is not just about those who use false measure, but about all who use misleading advertising to get others to buy what they are selling. God will bring judgement on any society which is dominated by those who mislead others into spending their money in ways which are foolish.

December 12, 2013 Bible Study — Categories of Christian Groups (Part III)

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

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Amos 7-9:15

     The high priest of the Northern Kingdom accused Amos of plotting against the king. He then told Amos to take his prophecies back to the Kingdom of Judah. Amos replies that he was not a prophet, nor the son of a prophet. The implication here is that the priest was implying that Amos was serving the interests of the Kingdom of Judah and his prophesies were meant to encourage the people of Israel to reunite with and submit to the rule of the king of Judah. That is, Amos’ prophesies were serving a political agenda. Amos’ reply was that he had no political agenda and was merely responding to the call of the Lord.
     Amos then prophesies once more about God’s judgment on those whose only interest in religious events is when they will end so that they can go back to taking advantage of the poor. He prophesies that the day is soon coming when the spiritual malnourishment that comes from worshiping something other than God will cause the people to starve spiritually and that starvation will be as devastating as physical starvation. This spiritual starvation will lead to destruction and death. Those who are true followers of God will not be lost, but those who wallow in sin will die by violence.
     This destruction will be followed by the day when God calls people from every nation to be His people. In that day He will build His kingdom with those who serve Him, no matter what their ancestry. The descendants of Jacob have a special place in God’s heart, but so do other peoples on the earth. God may have special plans for the descendants Jacob, but He loves all people.

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Revelation 3:7-22

     The next category of Christian group is that of the Church in Philadelphia. They did not have much strength. Their power was limited. However, they obeyed God’s word and would not deny Him in the face of opposition. As a result of their faithfulness, God has opened a door for them and what God has opened no one can close. God has given them an opportunity to serve Him and they took it. Let us be this group. Let us recognize that we do not have much strength and must rely on God to open doors for us. I will also recognize that no one can close the doors which God opens for me. No matter what the opposition my path to serving the Lord will NOT be blocked.
     Finally we have the Church in Laodicea. They are neither hot nor cold, but merely lukewarm. I have seen different ways to interpret this. I think everyone understands the lukewarm part; they are the “go-along-to-get-along” sort. However, Christ says that He wishes they were either hot or cold. What does He mean by that? Which is which is a matter of little import, but I think He was saying that He wishes they were either those who are confrontational about their faith, “Are you Born Again?” Or those who are welcoming and gentle in their faith. The latter being those who are not judgmental about the sins of those who do not believe, but sacrifice to show them Christ’s love. God has a place in His kingdom for both sorts. For those who call out people for their sin and those who show His love to people despite their sin. I think that we are each called to sometimes be one and sometimes be the other. Further, this group is confident of their material possessions and think that this grants them security. Of the seven groups, this is the one furthest from serving the Lord. Christ tells us that even if we are here, He wants us to join Him. He is standing at the door and knocking. I pray that I am hearing Christ knock at my door and will open it to let Him in. Will you listen for His knock? Will you open the door to Him?

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Psalm 131:1-3

     I will not be proud. I will not demand that I understand all of God’s plans for me. I will calm myself and be satisfied that He has a plan. I will put my trust in God.

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Proverbs 29:23

     If we are proud, we will be humiliated. If we are humble, we will be honoured. Oh Lord, let me live in humility. I know that I am no one special. My only value is as someone who allows you to use me.

December 12, 2012 Bible Study

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.

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Amos 7-9:15

     Amos has two visions of destruction. After each one he pleads with God not to do it. In each case, God responds to Amos’ plea and tells Amos that He will not bring about that destruction. Then God gives Amos a vision showing God measuring a wall with a plumb line to see if it was straight (from top to bottom, not as it ran along the ground). God told Amos that He would measure Israel with a plumb line to see if they were righteous. He told Amos that He would no longer ignore Israel’s sin. God was going to bring Jeroboam’s dynasty to an abrupt end. How do we measure up against the plumb line of righteousness? Do we stand straight, or are we crooked?
     Amos utters a prophecy against those who rob the poor. He says that they are impatient for the end of Sabbath days and religious festivals so that they can get back to cheating the poor. They use dishonest measures and fixed scales. They adulterate food with things that are harmful to health. God told Amos that He was going to bring a time of judgment on them. He was going to bring famine on the land, but not famine of food. Rather God was going to bring a famine of His word. People will search for the word of the Lord and be unable to find it. When I read this I thought of all the businesses today that do not think they can be closed on Sunday, or on Holidays. I think of the stores that opened on Thanksgiving Day to get a jump on Christmas sales. Then I thought about how many places where you used to get exposed to God’s word in this country where it is no longer allowed. We regularly hear stories about a school forbidding a student to talk about God. I regularly hear trained ministers and leaders in Church bodies who deny the validity of some, or all, of scripture. In many ways we have a famine of God’s word in our country today. There are many seeking to find God’s word who are having trouble finding it. Let us plant a new crop and water it with prayer.

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Revelation 3:7-22

     Today I read the messages to the last two of the seven churches. The message to the church in Philadelphia begins by saying that it is from the one who has the key of David. What He opens cannot be closed, what he closes cannot be opened. The church in Philadelphia is told that God (or Christ, in this passage it makes no difference) has opened a door for them that no one can close. He knows that they have little strength, yet even so they have obeyed God’s word and remained faithful. They are commended for persevering and told that for this they will be spared from the coming time of great testing. Do I persevere despite my weakness? Do I acknowledge that I am weak? I pray to God that He grant me the strength to persevere. I strive to acknowledge that I am weak, that my only hope to hold on is for God to give me strength. Let me see the door that God has opened for me and go through it in order to serve Him.
     The final message is to the Church in Laodicea. It is in many ways the most scathing and probably the most applicable to the church in the U.S.. They are condemned for being neither hot nor cold, for being indifferent. They are a rich church that is convinced that they have all they need. This sounds like all too many Christians in the U.S., myself included. All too often I allow my Christian walk to become stale. Let me turn from my tendency to indifference so that I may become an enthusiastic disciple of Christ. Either a burning hot coal that sets hearts on fire for Him, or a cool drink of water that provides refreshment and relief to those who are suffering. I know that He is standing at the door and knocking, I will open it and let Him in. I will let Christ take over my life and use me to His ends.

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Psalm 131:1-3

     Let me follow the example of the psalmist and not be proud or haughty. Let me not concern myself with matters great and awesome. Rather I ask that God calm and quiet me as a child weaned from its mother’s milk. Prepare me, my Lord, to eat the meat of instruction that You put before me. Teach me to follow in Your ways and undertake the tasks which You give me. I will put my hope in the Lord.

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Proverbs 29:23

     What a perfect proverb to follow up on today’s psalm. If we are proud, we will be humiliated. Instead let us humbly acknowledge our limitations so that we may be honored.