Prepare To Meet Thy God

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Sunday, September 20, 2015
Chapters: Amos 1-5 http://imfollowingjesus.com/Bible-Reading-263.html
Message Title: Prepare To Meet Thy God

Hello My Friend,

The Book of Amos is the thirtieth book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains nine chapters. The author of the book is Amos and it was written to all the children of Israel. The timeline is approximately 776-763 BC. The purpose of the book was to call Israel back to God. What we are to learn from the book is that God calls all nations to prepare for the day they will meet Him. “For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name.” - Amos 4:13.

Transgression, the act of passing over or beyond any law or rule of moral duty. As Christians, it is our moral duty to obey the laws of God. And this is what the problem has been since the world began. Amos, was of the house of Judah, but God sent him to the northern kingdom (known as Israel) during the reign of Jeroboam II, to warn them of their transgressions and why they are being judged.

“Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked: But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem. Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes; That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name: And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.” - Amos 2:4-8.

They sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes. Let me tell you, and if you didn't notice this by now, it's time to start, we are in a me, myself, and I generation, and people will sell you out in a second to satisfy their lusts, including some Christians. Now, these were prophesies that came to pass, Judah in the 70 years of their captivity and Israel in their world-wide dispersion which still continues today. However, the same warning still applies to today, for our transgressions we will be judged because we are all guilty of despising the law of God. Our only safety net, Jesus Christ, and while we do not have hell and the lake of fire to look forward to, we do have some suffering to look forward to if we do not get in that safety net. “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4.

God sends Amos to Bethel to deliver the prophecy of judgment there, the site of one of Israel's two false worship centers and one of several homes of Jeroboam II. God addresses all of Israel, not just the northern kingdom as a whole. “Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying, You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord GOD, the God of hosts, That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground. And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the LORD.” - Amos 3:1-3,13-15.

Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Do you know how many religions claim to know God, and Christ for that matter, but certainly do not walk together with God? They too will face judgment from God, all their altars and comforts and pleasures will be destroyed. We cannot pretend to worship God and live under the laws of false religion. We must give Him our all, and we must follow His law, not some book created by man that claims it knows God. Anyone can take some verses out of Scripture and say they know God, only those who read it and study it completely can walk together with Christ, agree, and truly know God. “Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” - 2 Timothy 2:14-16.

If you ever wondered where God is with all the crazy things that are going on in the world today, the answer is, He is right there waiting for His people to return to Him. While God does not want to see any of His people suffer, quite often He allows war, natural disasters, even things like the recession and famine to influence His people to return to Him. Through Amos, He tells Israel no matter what He has done to them, whether it was helping them prosper or chastening them, they never returned, and this is why they were facing judgment.

“The Lord GOD hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks. And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.” - Amos 4:2,6-9,12.

Prepare to meet thy God. One way or another we are all going to come face to face with Christ, and personally I'm glad I am on the right side. Quite often, God allows destruction and turmoil to influence people to turn to Him. Believe it or not, until a person repents of their sins their troubles will get worse and worse, especially if they are someone who has received Christ. Constant rebelling forces God to do what He does not willingly want to do, but what is necessary to bring them to their senses. “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” - 1 Peter 4:16-19.

While judgment day is not avoidable God does make a way for a person to escape it or find peace through it. Through Amos, He reminds us that all we have to do to be saved is seek the LORD. “Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name. Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.” - Amos 5:8,14,18,20-22.

Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! So many people do some crazy things as if Judgment Day will be very soon. While we will never know the day in which Christ will return it is not an excuse for reckless behavior. “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” - Revelation 16:15.

Today's Prayer: God, Thank You for loving us so much to warn us repeatedly of Your judgment so that all can have a chance to know Your Son, and thank You for showing us the right path of life. Lord, keep us faithful and growing as we await the return of Your Son. Give us Your power and strength to reach whoever You place before us with the Gospel, and let us be the godly example You need us to be to add to the family. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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