Welcome!
Today: Prepare to (really) meet your God!
Passage: Amos 4 (NIV 84 & AMP)
12 “Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel, and because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel.” 13 He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth —the Lord God Almighty is his name. (Amos 4, NIV 84) – emphasis added
“Prepare to meet your God” – that was the theme of a recent conference I attended
Here, this verse is not about getting ready for the second coming of the Lord; this is about the Lord who was going to come soon for the punishment of Israel, who were leading a prayerless and careless life
The messages from the boof of Amos are hard; they are not like parable or a miracles of Jesus, which people love to hear
When Jesus spoke, people generally liked it; they would sit for three days in a row! But once Jesus spoke some hard facts (John 6) all the people left Him
So, once in a while we need some messages like these from the book of Amos
What happens in our lives is not very different from what happened to Israel. When blessings come, we forget the “blesser” and make some of these blessings our “god”
That happens automatically; some “worship” their education; some, their job or position in the secular or spiritual world; some take pride in their relationships or connections with certain people; some take pride in their richness and some in their beauty. But God is telling the truth that these things will all vanish
23 This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. (Jer 9, NIV 84)
Apostle Paul was very careful about this. He had so many things to boast about, but he would rather boast in the “cross of Christ”. He had crucified all his fleshly desires, and his “self”. He said, “for me to live is Christ, to die is gain”
20 I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (Gal 2, AMP)
To what extent have we crucified our self, our ego?
If someone disregards us or does not give us the opportunity we expected, how would we feel?
When God comes to us, should he come with a stick in His hand, or a reward?
Think about it. If we take time to pray and cry and meditate on His word and worship God, that is good
Have a blessed day!
BG
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I am sorry for my sins. I have lived carelessly when you have done great things and miracles for me. Help me to return to you, understand your will/plan for me and to live a life that is pleasing to you. Thank you. Amen
When we wait for God, He comes with a reward; when God has to wait for us, He may come with a “rod”!