Amos 4 - This AND That...

 Amos - Chapter 4

I want to focus on Israel, in verses 6 through 13.

Basically, God has made life difficult in many ways for the people of Israel, all in an attempt to turn their dependence back to Him and away from the blessings they receive from Him. I believe this flies south in comparison to the messages being shared by many of today's prophets, as well as by those who preach any form of a prosperity gospel. 

Verse 12 - "...prepare to meet your God, O Israel." Wow! Could not these same words be spoken today? We cling to a God who blesses us financially, and in our leadership, and in our health. But is that the God of the Bible? Yes, God blessed many godly people in the Bible. He also allowed many to suffer. The rain fell on the just and the unjust! (Matt 5:43-45)

Why do we believe those who prophesied that Trump would win? Is it because we serve a Republican God? Is it because we serve a God who always allows the righteous to win? Is it because we serve a God who would not allow us to suffer under unjust leadership? Have you read your Bible? What about the Israelites serving under Pharaoh? The Babylonian Captivity? The stoning of Stephen or the beheading of John the Baptist? The persecution of Paul, as well as the early Christians? 

Perhaps there is more truth in 2 Chronicles 7:13,14 than we want to see. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. When will God hear? When His people hear AND seek His face. I fear that many of the prayers that are being offered are more about relief from evil and persecution than they are about seeking His face. They are more about getting blessings than serving the giver of those blessings. 

God help us.

2 Thess 1:5-10

SCRIPTURE

This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

COMMENT

Suffering for the Kingdom of God, there are some words you don't hear in church very often. With the massive buildings (and mortgages that often accompany them), padded pews (well, now well spaced chairs or flashy video presentations), super awesome music, etc., where is the suffering? Not that I believe suffering is necessary, but how do we measure the genuine Christian from the passer by? Even the message preached is often free of suffering or even commitment. We don't have to suffer, just be willing should the occasion arise.

God will offer relief when Jesus comes, but who needs relief from this? Or is He just talking about the inconveniences of life, because we all have those (sarcasm intended here). And who will get God's vengeance? Those who do not know God and those who do not follow the gospel Remember Matthew 7:21-23? Scary stuff, if you happen to think about it. 

I am not advocating going out and seeking suffering. That would be adding to the gospel. But are we aware of what the gospel is? Do we know Jesus, or do we just want to be saved from the possibility of hell? You know, the idea where our faith is just fire insurance in case God is real?

Maybe you need a new insurance agent.

1 Thess 3:1-5

SCRIPTURE

1 Thess 3:1-5
Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

COMMENT

Paul did not want his suffering to cause the discouragement of others. Did you hear that? He was suffering for Christ, but did not want that to limit the faith of others. He did not want others to be moved (away from the faith?) by his afflictions. Not that he was hiding them, not that he was preaching some kind of gospel that said everything should go your way now, he just did not want to see others moving away from their faith because of his suffering. 

A few take-aways:

• Paul was not only passionate about Jesus, he was passionate about the genuine faith of others. I think that is part of being passionate about Jesus. How can we say we love Jesus while watching others go to hell?
• Paul suffered for his faith, but did not view that suffering as something to be avoided. He was content with his lot in life because of his passion for Jesus.
• Paul did not hide his afflictions from others. He even states that, "you yourselves know that we are destined for this." No "your best life now" stuff. And I believe that when he ways WE, he is referring to him and them and not him and those with him. WE will suffer afflictions for our faith. Do not let the suffering of others or of your own diminish your faith.

What Is Your Opinion? - 1 Thess 1:4-7

SCRIPTURE

1 Thess 1:4-7

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

COMMENT

Here we go again, so I will ask you, how do you understand the statement that God (he) has chosen you? If that is true, does it mean we have no role in the decision? Does God choose but we get to decide? If God chooses some to salvation, what about those not chosen by God? Are they without hope, or do they get to decide on their own. I know what I want to believe. I want to believe that all are capable of being saved. But what if I don't get what I want? Am I still willing to worship that God? These are tough questions, but questions that should be thought about if we are going to approach Scripture with the idea that maybe we are not the ultimate authority when it comes to how God should do things. So I pose questions without giving answers or opinions sometimes, because it is not what I think that matters, it is getting others to think.

It says that they received the word in much affliction. What??? No padded pews, pop music bands, funny preachers? How does that even work? (Heavy sarcastic tone should be noted.) In the midst of affliction, they were filled with joy. I wonder if that is why so many today seem so joyless? Perhaps where there is no affliction, the invitation to become a Christian is often not that Christ is the answer, it is that Christ will keep you from future affliction. Jesus is the vaccine shot that will keep you Corona free, and the cure for the common cold, and everything else for that matter. Maybe we need to read more Scripture.

I'll have an order of Christianity, hold the cross.

Post found here.

I read a post I had written before, it speaks of the fact that Satan offered Jesus a shortcut to achieve his mission, one that would bypass the cross. A legitimate temptation for Jesus, who while fully God, was also fully man. No cross means no suffering. What a deal!

But Jesus said, "No deal!"

He knew that to eliminate the cross was to fail. Can we think any less?

How did he do it? How did he overcome that immediate temptation and press on? Satan was not aware of one important thing about Jesus. He saw the cross as joy. "Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

How could the cross be a joy? Was it because he was going to be so happy he gave me salvation? I don't think so. I think it was because Jesus was not focused on himself (or me for that matter), but on his Father and the mission God gave him. Jesus relished in doing the work of God, no matter the cost.

We too, are called to take up our cross and follow Jesus. (Matt 10:38; 16:24 for starters) If we look at the cross, that is very unappealing. If we look at ourselves, it is still unappealing. But if we look to Jesus, if we understand that our cross is not ever going to be as big a burden as his. Even in death, we do not have to suffer the consequence of the sin of the world. I can and should take up my cross because I am focused on God the Father, and God the Son. I can bear my cross, because God has promised to see me through.

Try as you might, if you do not have the cross, you do not have Christianity.