Post 249

Consistent Obedience in Ministry

Amos 7

This is during the time of the divided kingdoms. The tribe of Judah had succeeded from the nation of Israel. So now there are two separate nations, Judah and Israel. The words Jacob, Israel, King Jeroboam, and the city of Bethel are all referring to the same nation, Israel.

Read Amos chapter 7 straight through. Then go through section by section explaining and reading them.

God gives Amos 3 visions. (v. 1-9)

1.       Grasshoppers v. 1-3

2.       Fire v. 4-6

3.       A Plumbline v. 7-9

Who   What    Where   When

Amos prophesied:

·         To Who – The people of Israel (v. 15)

·         What – Destruction (v. 11)

·         Where – Israel (v. 16)

·         When – When God said “go” (v. 15)

 

Amaziah the priest criticizes Amos to their king.

Read verses 10-11.

10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.

11 For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.

 

Amaziah thought Amos could prophesy:

·         To WHO he wanted

·         WHAT he wanted

·         WHAT he wanted

·         Start and stop WHEN he wanted

Read verses 12-13.

12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:

13 But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court.

Amaziah probably thought that because that’s how he operated. He just did whatever he wanted. Does that sound like a good way for a priest to minister for God?

Amos knew that he could only prophesy:

·         To WHO God wanted

·         WHAT God wanted

·         WHERE God wanted

·         Start and stop WHEN God wanted

Read verses 14-15.

14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:

15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

 

Challenge:
Be consistently obedient in the ministry God has called you to.

·         Minister to WHO God wants you to minster to, not to who you want.

·         Say or do WHAT God wants, not what you want to say or do.

·         Be WHERE God wants you to be, not where you want to be.

·         Only stop WHEN God wants you to, not when you want to.

Why

Because God says so.

15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

God called Amos, and God is calling you.

Amos goes right on consistently obeying in the ministry God has called him to. See the last two verses of the chapter, and the first 3 of the next. (Amos  7:16-17, and Amos 8:1-3)

Pumpkin bowling with the Alessios












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...it didn't last long though.



What fun!



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Community Thanksgiving Dinner with our church...

We had Claton - the world class juggler.

Mt 22:9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
Lk 14:23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.





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My boy, Shiloh


My girl, Amity



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Thanksgiving Dinner...







My dad turned 60 this thanksgiving. He's officially an elder now.