10/16/11 The Day fo the Lord ends False Worship

¹⁸ Woe to you who long for the day of the LORD! Why do you long for the day of the LORD?
That day will be darkness, not light. ¹⁹ It will be as though a man fled from a lion only to meet a bear,
as though he entered his house and rested his hand on the wall only to have a snake bite him.
²⁰ Will not the day of the LORD be darkness, not light— pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?
²¹ “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. ²² Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. ²³ Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. ²⁴ But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! (Amos 5:18-24)

(Nimrud Ivories of cherubs from Assyria- probably taken captive 750 BC from Hebrew as has Hebrew writings referring to Yahweh.  Amos condemned the ivory inlaid luxury that neglected the poor)

Thoughts: The worship in Amos' day is a bit like the worship of those maffia bosses who think they can kill, foster prostitution, push drugs, and then come to church- say a few repeated prayers and then start over again.  God wants justice and compassion on the needy.  He does not want people who seek to enthrone themselves and preserve their false security and temporary wealth at the expense of apathy toward neighbor. Worship is enhanced by caring for neighbor.  Worship is NOT just the songs with the best beat, the great knowledge, and the right liturgy.  Jesus always taught about the heart of the matter- which shows with holy love.  This is not love without holiness; or a false sense of justice without holiness.  But holiness-justice-and love together.  The Day of the Lord is a day when evil is condemned.  Amos reminds us that we need

Prayer: Give me a heart like your heart- O God.  A heart of love and compassionate, merciful hands that reach out to my needy neighbor.

10/15/11 Amos 5:10-15 Seek Good not Evil

¹⁰ There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court and detest the one who tells the truth.
¹¹ You levy a straw tax on the poor and impose a tax on their grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine. ¹² For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts. ¹³ Therefore the prudent keep quiet in such times, for the times are evil. ¹⁴ Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. ¹⁵ Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts.  Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph. (Amos 5:10-15)

(Desperate beggar while people walk by)

Thoughts: If the prudent keep quiet in such evil times, what was Amos doing talking so boldly about it?  Prudent people try to stay safe and prosper, but sometimes the godly are called to leave prudence behind to speak up for God.  Amos knew it would cost him his reputation, his respect to condemn the leaders and the people. However he was more concerned about pleasing God than individuals. 
     The poor were doubly taxed and deprived of justice, while those with money gave bribes to preserve and enhance their fortunes.  The people were loving evil and seeking it more and more like a drug to which they were addicted.  Amos calls them to love God, seek God, and seek what is good in order to live.  Being apathetic toward God breeds apathy toward neighbor.  But seeking justice ends up seeking God.  While seeking God means not neglecting justice or the poor.  God created and defines justice, and is the ultimate judge of right and wrong.  So we should seek Him, love Him, follow Him.  We also should not be afraid in evil times to speak up and encourage others to seek what is good- in order to live.

Prayer: Help me, O Lord to seek you.  Give me strength and courage to speak up for truth in a world of spin. 

10/14/11 Seek God and Live

¹ Hear this word, Israel, this lament I take up concerning you:
² “Fallen is Virgin Israel, never to rise again,
deserted in her own land, with no one to lift her up.”
³ This is what the Sovereign LORD says to Israel:
“Your city that marches out a thousand strong will have only a hundred left;
your town that marches out a hundred strong will have only ten left.”
⁴ This is what the LORD says to Israel: “Seek me and live;
⁵ do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba.
For Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will be reduced to nothing.”
⁶ Seek the LORD and live, or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire;
it will devour them, and Bethel will have no one to quench it.

(William Hole- prophet denouncing Jeroboam's altar at Bethel/Dan)

Thoughts: Where do you seek God?   Does it matter at all?  The people of Israel thought they could seek God at Bethel, or Gilgal, or Beersheba.  These were three special places in Israelite history and they stood at the border of Juah to the north, east and south.  They were holy places that became corrupted with idolatry.  Bethel was the place where Jacob had a dream of the angels descending and ascending.  The northern king of Israel indicated was a holy place- there he set up an altar to the Lord for worship in order to keep the people of the north from going back to Jerusalem in the southern kingdom of Judah (1 Kgs. 12:25-33).  Gilgal was seen as a holy place, for it was the headquarters for Joshua (10:43), and was the first place the Israelites set foot on when they crossed into the promised land and were circumcised.  Beersheba was a spot where Abraham and Isaac dug wells.  Elijah took refuge there from Jezebel.  But Amos 8:14 speaks of Beersheba as a center for idolatry.  It is clear that a holy place where God met someone once, can be corrupted. 
    I have heard many say, "I can meet with God any place.  I can meet him on the lake, or on the river, at the ocean, on the mountain top or on the golf course."  I have heard people say, "He leads me beside the still waters and green pastures" (semi-quoting Psalm 23 to justify their seeking God other places); Beautiful places, where God perhaps has met people before.  But such places are not prescribed by God for worship.  When we think we can meet God in our own way, on our own terms, at our own place, we are setting ourselves up to corrup the holy.  We should seek God, and seek Him by submitting to His voice- listening for His direction for how to seek Him. 
    In God there is life.  When we leave God, or seek other gods, we are moving away from life toward death.

Prayer: Lord, you asked us to meet together for the sole purpose of seeking you.  We need your help, your presence, your joy, your peace, your provision.  Give us ears to hear you once more, and call us back to you.  Instill in me a never-ending desire to seek you first.