There are some that say the Bible is filled with contradictions or that its message is too confusing to make sense of it.  Some lament the parts of the Bible that are hard to understand and wish that it could be a shorter, more concise book.

I’m not one of those people any more.  The more I read this book, the more amazed I am at the profound consistency and simplicity of its message.  The more I read this book, the more amazed I am that the message of the Old Testament so clearly lines up with the message of the New Testament.  Here is an example from the book of Amos:

“I hate all your show and pretense— the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living. Amos 5:21-24 (NLT)

These words could very easily have come from the mouth of Jesus Himself.  It was not uncommon for Him to simplify His message down to one specific point: “If you love me, obey me”, or maybe “Love God and love others”.  Stop with all the pretense and show!  Stop coming to church and thinking that you’ve checked off the spiritual box for the week!  Stop honoring Me with your lips and dishonoring Me with the rest of your lives!  Stop saying you love Me without acting like it! 

Instead, let your lives be controlled by the Holy Spirit, and then they will reflect your faith.  Then your lives will be a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living. 

Amen!  Father, thank You for giving me the Word to read today!  Jesus, thank You for making it possible to follow You!  Holy Spirit, help me to want to live for You and give me the ability to do it!

Perhaps even more than most prophets, Amos must have been surprised that he was chosen as God’s spokesman.  He was a shepherd and arborist without any formal “training” to be a prophet of God.  But God saw his character and chose him to speak a difficult message to the people of his day. 

As is the case with all the prophets, they spoke and wrote not only to the people of their day, but also to us.  I think you’ll find this text extremely relevant to today’s culture.  Things haven’t changed all that much since it was first written!  Amos chapter 1 describes God’s impending judgment on the nations surrounding Israel and Judea.  There would have likely been a murmur of approval at this…God would judge the nation’s enemies!

But chapter 2 may have shocked them into silence.  First, Amos turns his attention to the people of Judah:

This is what the Lord says: “The people of Judah have sinned again and again, and I will not let them go unpunished! They have rejected the instruction of the Lord, refusing to obey his decrees. They have been led astray by the same lies that deceived their ancestors. Amos 2:4 (NLT)

How had they disobeyed God?  They rejected His instructions to them.  What was the effect of their disobedience?  They were led astray by the same old lies as the people who came before them.

Why did they disobey God?  It was probably a combination of several things:

• Self-centeredness: They didn’t like His instructions.
• Pride: They didn’t think they needed His instructions.
• Ignorance:  They hadn’t taken the time to know His instructions.

Why did God give us the book of Amos?  Well, among other reasons, He knew that we would need the reminder that we are not all that different from the people that lived in Amos’ day.  It is kind of like a mirror for us to look into…and see our own reflection.  Like them, we reject God and His instruction, allowing ourselves to be led down the same old paths of sin.  Like them, we do it out of self-centeredness, pride and ignorance.  We would honestly rather do our own thing, or think we can dabble in sin without it effecting us.  Or maybe we have just never taken the time to find out what He wants from us.

Whatever the reason, I pray that the book of Amos will clearly reflect our own lives so that we can see ourselves in it and respond to it.

For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. James 1:23-25 (NLT)

Feeling defeated?  Worn out?  Depressed or repressed?  A million miles from God?  There are many reasons for all these feelings, but let me suggest a powerful one that spoke to me from yesterday’s Band of Brothers gathering.

"Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; Acts 3:19 (NASB)

This is as simple as it gets.  Oftentimes, our situation is due to sin in our lives.  God is holy and cannot come near anyone that is not.  He doesn’t move, but our sin moves us a long way away from Him.  So, Acts 3:19 tells us to:

1. Confess our sins.  Both to God and a trusted friend (James 5:16).
2. Repent (turn away) from our sins.  Don’t just say “I’m sorry to God”, but truly leave our sins behind us.
3. Return (turn toward) God.
4. Enjoy the times of refreshing that come from the presence of the Lord.

May you be refreshed by the Lord as you follow His Word.

You don’t bring a slingshot to a gunfight.  I mean, you could…but you’d lose.  It isn’t the right weapon.  Thought it has the power to kill, it doesn’t match up to the power of an M-16.  You could use a slingshot to kill a rabbit or break a bottle, but it won’t do much against an armored opponent with an automatic rifle.

Oh, how often I make this mistake!  How many times I bring a slingshot to a fight that requires something more powerful!  How many times I try every human tactic to change people hearts and minds!  Whether it is a co-worker, a friend, a spouse or a child…I try to convince them using my own intellect and reasoning alone.  Intellect and reasoning aren’t bad things, they just aren’t the only things, nor are they the most effective things.

Paul knew this.  When wrote to the Corinthians about his authority and forcefulness, he said this:

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NLT)

Paul was a master debater.  He had a God-given authority to do his work.  He had the credentials to demand obedience.  He had all those weapons at his disposal and used all them all, but he also knew that his greatest weapons were not worldly, but spiritual.  His greatest weapons were prayer and the Word.

It was these weapons that he brought to bear on his greatest challenges.  It was these spiritual weapons that he brought to fight spiritual battles.  THAT is what I often forget.  I forget that my physical and intellectual efforts must be preceded by prayer and time in the Word.  I forget that spiritual battles are best fought with spiritual weapons.

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:10-18 (NLT)

Did you know that Tommy Settipani from Grace Point has started a new blog devoted to end-times?  Per his home page, it is intended to “increase the alertness and readiness of the reader for the soon return of Jesus Christ & all events in Scripture that foretell this occurrence”. 

His entries include both historical and current events and helps discern what role, if any, that those events may play in Jesus’ return.

The web address is http://www.discerningthetimes.me. 

Check it out!

Enough people asked for some follow-up information from yesterday’s service that I thought I would do a quick post here.  The message centered around Psalm 119:105.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalms 119:105 (NIV)

Here are some follow-up resources you may find helpful in approaching and applying the Word of God to your life in this new year:

• A recent set of posts commenting on Tozer’s “The Pursuit of God”.
• One of a multi-part post about the specifics of spending time with God through His Word.
• Some resources on reading and meditating on God’s Word.
• Information on Grace Point’s Band of Brother’s gatherings.
• Information on Grace Point University, including upcoming classes.
• Information on Life Groups.

I hope one or more of these help!

I woke up today tired, and only got more tired as I thought to the week ahead.  It will be a busy one, with the days starting early and ending late.  There is much to do at home, church and in school.  I was discouraged and not very enthusiastic…and it was only 5:30am!

But then I cracked open my prayer journal, and near the top of the list of things to pray was this verse:

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (NLT)

What a GREAT verse for my attitude this morning.  It has a reminder to pray that God would move and a reminder that He will fill us up completely with joy and peace.  The world won’t do it, the mirror won’t do it, our job won’t do it and others certainly won’t do it…but HE will!  And He will do it if we will simply trust in Him.

But my favorite phrase is the last one.  It is a GREAT reminder that via the power of the Holy Spirit in us, we can overflow with confident hope.  This isn’t a man-sized hope in man-made things, but a God-sized hope in a God-made life.

We are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption and He works in us to produce a confident hope in the future!  He is the King!  He is coming again!  What I do today, I must do for Him!  Through His power, I have a confident hope that what I do today I WILL do for Him!

Now I’m encouraged and enthusiastic.  This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!!!