The Irony of Not Being Humble..

The major point in the book of Obadiah is the survival of a nation or group of people depends on its humility before God. We are never to gloat over the misfortunes of people. If you do, retribution usually follows in the form of irony. The attitude you display in someone else’s demise reveals the condition of your heart in relation to your walk with God. God resists the proud, often times than not, in repaying evil deeds with those same evil deeds falling back on their own heads. Humility is the right response to this kind of tragedy. For God gives grace to the humble.

“Because of the violence you didto your close relatives in Israel,you will be filled with shameand destroyed forever.11 When they were invaded,you stood aloof, refusing to help them.Foreign invaders carried off their wealthand cast lots to divide up Jerusalem,but you acted like one of Israel’s enemies. 12 “You should not have gloated when they exiled your relatives to distant lands.You should not have rejoiced when the people of Judah suffered such misfortune.You should not have spoken arrogantly in that terrible time of trouble.13 You should not have plundered the land of Israel when they were suffering such calamity. You should not have gloated over their destruction when they were suffering such calamity.You should not have seized their wealth when they were suffering such calamity.14 You should not have stood at the crossroads,killing those who tried to escape.You should not have captured the survivorsand handed them over in their terrible time of trouble. Edom Destroyed, Israel Restored 15 “The day is near when I, the Lord,will judge all godless nations!As you have done to Israel,so it will be done to you.All your evil deedswill fall back on your own heads. Obadiah 1:10-15

Remember God in Our Past….

When we are down and distraught or depressed, we need to remember God in our past, and go to Him now.

I am losing all hope;I am paralyzed with fear.5 I remember the days of old.I ponder all Your great works and think about what You have done.6 I lift my hands to You in prayer.I thirst for You as parched land thirsts for rain. Psalms 143:4-6

The Role Jesus Plays….

One common attribute all believers possess is the fact that we are all sinners, no one is innocent before God. This attitude helps shape our thoughts for the day. It keeps us humble, compassionate towards others, and accountable to God. The only difference between a saved believer and an unsaved unbeliever is the role Jesus plays in their life.

1 Hear my prayer, O Lord;listen to my plea!Answer me because You are faithful and righteous.2 Don’t put Your servant on trial,for no one is innocent before You. Psalms 143:1-2

True Confidence…

True confidence comes from the Lord. Only He can give the peace that surpasses all understanding. Knowing you are in the safest possible place, when you are in the will of God, beings a security like no other. The world longs for this kind of completeness, yet it looks everywhere except the One place it can find it. Point someone to Jesus today, they just might welcome the gift.

But I will never completely destroy the family of Israel, ”says the Lord. 9 “For I will give the command and will shake Israel along with the other nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, yet not one true kernel will be lost. Amos 9:8c-9

Who Is God Really Concerned About….

When people think the Israelites are the only special people, chosen by God, set apart, and are privileged, they are only half right. Why do I say this? In Amos chapter 9 there is a verse that raises question to Israel’s exclusivity to God. God may have chosen Israel to record His story, but His heart is for all people. Yes, Israel is special, but not better than other people who are faithful to God. Think about all the people in the Bible who were not Jewish, Who God rescued and honored. Rehab, the prostitute, from Jericho. Ruth, the great-grandmother of King David, was a Moabitess (enemy of God). Naman, a Syrian, Who God cured of leprosy. The Canaanite woman who Jesus referred to as a dog, had her daughter healed. Get the point. God is not for specific races, or groups, He’s concerned with individual people. Then made right with God through repentance, collectively form the only Group God is truly concerned about, the Church.

7 “Are you Israelites more important to Me than the Ethiopians?” asks the Lord. “I brought Israel out of Egypt, but I also brought the Philistines from Crete and led the Arameans out of Kir. Amos 9:7

Famine in America….

When I think about the absence of truth in society today, I wonder how much of it is believers’ fault and how much of it is God decision to withhold it? It says in Amos chapter 8 that God sent a famine to the land of Israel. This wasn’t a famine of food or drink, but a famine of hearing His Word. When God gets to the point of granting unbelievers their wishes of not hearing His Word, we all suffer. Never forget this.

You can’t wait for the Sabbath day to be over and the religious festivals to end so you can get back to cheating the helpless. You measure out grain with dishonest measures and cheat the buyer with dishonest scales. Amos 8:5

11 “The time is surely coming,” says the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine on the land–not a famine of bread or water but of hearing the words of the Lord. Amos 8:11

Always Enemies….

There are two kinds of people: righteous and wicked, i.e. saved and lost. We all start out as wicked (lost), enemies of God. When we are redeemed through repentance and God’s grace, we become righteous (saved). Believers aren’t any better than the wicked, just better off, because God uses righteous people to carry out His eternal plan, and they are rewarded with His blessings. Yes, God does use wicked people to carry out His will at times, but they don’t benefit from it like the righteous do. They will always be eternal enemies. They will always oppose each other. The concern for the believers is that they don’t confuse showing compassion with sugar coating truth. Truly righteous people know what sin is, and they know the only remedy for it is truth found in the Gospel. If you truly care for another’s soul, you will never compromise or distort the whole truth of the Gospel. Like lions and hyenas, the righteous and the wicked will always be enemies, and the only reconciliation possible is through the power of God.

27 The righteous despise the unjust; the wicked despise the godly. Proverbs 29:27

The Reason We Make God Our Home…

The reason we make God our home, is because He is the only One that will stand by your side when everyone else abandons you. He’s where we find rest, comfort, and security. Who doesn’t like going home after a long day of work? He is the only One that refuses to leave a faithful soul. God knows which path to take, so we need to ask Him for guidance and listen to His answers and take heed. The ideal place to be spiritually in this life, is when you make God you’re home. God always sends the right person at the right time, because He loves and cares for your soul. Making God your home guarantees you’ll never be alone; you’ll always have a Place to go to find rest and peace for your soul.

I cry out to the Lord;I plead for the Lord’s mercy.2 I pour out my complaints before Himand tell Him all my troubles.3 When I am overwhelmed,you alone know the way I should turn.Wherever I go,my enemies have set traps for me.4 I look for someone to come and help me,but no one gives me a passing thought!No one will help me;no one cares a bit what happens to me.5 Then I pray to You, O Lord.I say, “You are my place of refuge.You are all I really want in life.6 Hear my cry,for I am very low.Rescue me from my persecutors,for they are too strong for me.7 Bring me out of prisonso I can thank You.The godly will crowd around me,for You are good to me.” Psalms 142

Obedience, If They Like It Or Not….

Amos, the prophet, is a great example of being obedient to God’s calling. He prophesied in Israel, even though he was from the southern kingdom of Judah. When he was confronted by Amaziah (northern kingdom) and told to go home because they didn’t want to hear God’s truth of their destruction, he refused to back down. He told them what was going to happen if they didn’t repent. How much more should we as Christians be like that when it comes to standing up for truth in our politically correct society? Shouldn’t we present the gospel, with both our sinful nature and the solution to our sinful problem? Unless someone realizes they are born broken, and are an enemy of God destined for Hell, why would they embrace Jesus? They have no need. To them, Jesus is a good teacher or passive leader Who lived over 2000 years ago. I’ve even had a person tell me Jesus was a Yogi. Without a proper diagnosis of a disease, the only medication to cure it, is seen as unnecessary. It’s our job to present the gospel, every aspect of it: Hell, sin, death, evil, enemies of God, hopeless on our own, not works righteous based, rescue, redemption, grace, our position in Christ when we repent, salvation, and Heaven, but do it with gentleness and respect. All of these factor into the proper presentation of the gospel. The gospel is only good news when a person realizes the bad news first. Then we leave it to God to penetrate their soul, if it’s His will for them. Our job is to present it to everyone we come into contact with, it’s God’s job to change a hardened heart. We don’t know who will respond or who won’t, we just continue to speak truth and do our best to model it. That’s our commission, to make disciples of all nations. Amos did exactly what he was told to do, and so should we. It starts with a commitment to truth, regardless if people like it or not.

12 Then Amaziah sent orders to Amos: “Get out of here, you prophet! Go on back to the land of Judah, and earn your living by prophesying there! 13 Don’t bother us with your prophecies here in Bethel. This is the king’s sanctuary and the national place of worship!”14 But Amos replied, “I’m not a professional prophet, and I was never trained to be one. I’m just a shepherd, and I take care of sycamore-fig trees. 15 But the Lord called me away from my flock and told me, ‘Go and prophesy to My people in Israel.’ 16 Now then, listen to this message from the Lord: “You say,‘Don’t prophesy against Israel.Stop preaching against my people.’17 But this is what the Lord says:‘Your wife will become a prostitute in this city,and your sons and daughters will be killed.Your land will be divided up,and you yourself will die in a foreign land.And the people of Israel will certainly become captives in exile,far from their homeland.’ ” Amos 7:12-17

Calling Evil Good…..

Here’s the problem with the people who oppose God and want to change America: they care nothing about the ruin of our nation. All due to selfish desires trumping the overall good of others. Calling evil good, doesn’t change evil. It only deceives people and leads them closer to their own destruction.

What sorrow awaits you who lounge in luxury in Jerusalem,and you who feel secure in Samaria!You are famous and popular in Israel,and people go to you for help.2 But go over to Calnehand see what happened there.Then go to the great city of Hamath and down to the Philistine city of Gath.You are no better than they were,and look at how they were destroyed.3 You push away every thought of coming disaster,but your actions only bring the day of judgment closer.4 How terrible for you who sprawl on ivory beds and lounge on your couches,eating the meat of tender lambs from the flock and of choice calves fattened in the stall.5 You sing trivial songs to the sound of the harp and fancy yourselves to be great musicians like David.6 You drink wine by the bowlful and perfume yourselves with fragrant lotions. You care nothing about the ruin of your nation.7 Therefore, you will be the first to be led away as captives. Suddenly, all your parties will end Amos 6:1-7

Approval We Seek….

We must always be aware of what kind of approval we seek. Is it approval from man, or approval from God? Approval of man is temporary. It may not even be right. God’s approval is just and right. And even more important, it’s eternal. Which benefits us more? I guess that depends on what outcome you’re really seeking?

26 Many seek the ruler’s favor, but justice comes from the Lord. Proverbs 29:26

One Guarantee in Life….

When it’s all said and done, there is one guarantee in life. You will die, and when that happens, you will meet God. No one can escape death. And no one can escape this meeting. You can postpone it for only so long, but that day will come. How you prepare yourself for this meeting will determine the experience you will encounter. Blow Him off, take Him for granted, give half effort, and it will be a terrifying, and regretful one. Repent, submit, and whole-heartedly follow Him, and it will be a joyous occasion. It will either be excitement in seeing for the first time the One Who shapes your thinking, rewards you with blessings, and extends to you His grace. Or it will be a stranger Who tells you to your face, “Away from Me, I never knew you”. With this new acquired knowledge, what are you going to do?

12 “Therefore, I will bring upon you all the disasters I have announced. Prepare to meet your God in judgment, you people of Israel!” 13 For the Lord is the One who shaped the mountains, stirs up the winds, and reveals His thoughts to mankind. He turns the light of dawn into darkness and treads on the heights of the earth. The Lord God of Heaven’s Armies is His name! Amos 4:12-13

18 What sorrow awaits you who say,“If only the day of the Lord were here!”You have no idea what you are wishing for.That day will bring darkness, not light.19 In that day you will be like a man who runs from a lion–only to meet a bear.Escaping from the bear, he leans his hand against a wall in his house–and he’s bitten by a snake.20 Yes, the day of the Lord will be dark and hopeless,without a ray of joy or hope. 21 “I hate all your show and pretense–the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies.22 I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings.I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings.23 Away with your noisy hymns of praise!I will not listen to the music of your harps.24 Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice,an endless river of righteous living. Amos 5:18-24

Refocused on What Matters Most….

When believers get confused, or down, and they lose focus, the one thing that must be brought back to mind is the simple concept of “doing good and running from evil”. If we hate evil and love what is good, it eliminates many options we have. This is what God wants from us. When you align your heart with His, you will limit your choices on what to do, and get refocused on what matters most, the essentials of life.

Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper, just as you have claimed.15 Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will have mercy on the remnant of His people. Amos 5:14-15

Fakebook Mentality…..

In Amos chapter 4 we read about how the Israelites like to brag about things that they think makes them look good. As I read through it I can’t help but bring this practice into the 21st century. As I read it, my mind can’t stop comparing these acts with the writings on Facebook. Social media is a platform designed to help connect people. For families to stay connected. When the true nature of man takes over, given a “feeling out” period, he starts to corrupt it with his agenda. The blatant “see what I’m doing, what I’ve eaten, where my vacation took me, or what accomplishments my kids have done”, only breeds comparison. Comparison is a “joy killer”. Then he starts in on his belief system and agenda. Showing no respect for the target of his attacks. The left with their PC agenda, and the right with their retaliation. Social media has changed the outlook and attitudes of people here in America. Maybe not changed, rather revealed the true nature of man. As we read here in Amos, God is not pleased when we elevate ourselves higher than we need be. I’d like to change the name to “Fakebook”, because the true underlying motive does not accomplish the goal of social media. It drives more people apart, than brings them together.

4 “Go ahead and offer sacrifices to the idols at Bethel. Keep on disobeying at Gilgal. Offer sacrifices each morning,and bring your tithes every three days. 5 Present your bread made with yeast as an offering of thanksgiving. Then give your extra voluntary offerings so you can brag about it everywhere! This is the kind of thing you Israelites love to do, ”says the Sovereign Lord. Amos 4:4-5

Getting Into You….

When reading through the first 3 chapters of Revelation you find the issues going on in the churches that concerned God. Losing their first love, or allowing their love for God to grow cold. The inability to endure suffering with the right attitude. Tolerance of false teaching, and sexual sin. An almost dead faith. Weak faith. And finally, indifference; being neither hot or cold. Has the time that has passed since this was written, over 2000 years, changed the church? Do we still have these same problems in the church? You have to ask yourself why? The answer is simple. It starts with me. If you’re not getting into God’s word on a daily basis, then I can guarantee God’s word is not getting into you.

1 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Sardis. This is the message from the One who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars: “I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive–but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of My God.3 Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to Me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.4 “Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.5 All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before My Father and His angels that they are Mine.6 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches. Revelation 3:1-6

14 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the One who is the Amen–the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation: 15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth!17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.18 So I advise you to buy gold from Me–gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from Me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. Revelation 3:14-19

Under the Influence….

People use alcohol and drugs to escape their reality. Being under the influence leaves a person out of control. Actually, they are under the control of Satan when they are “high”. How many stories have you ever heard of people helping others while being “high” or drunk? What good comes when a person is under the influence? We have laws for these type of events. An example would be DUI; driving under the influence. Now, think about this: how many stories have you heard about people doing good when they are under the influence of the Holy Spirit? When you are under the influence of God’s Spirit, good things happen; great things happen. News worthy events happen. Lives are changed for the better. Why don’t more and more people see that drugs are a dead end street? Why don’t they abandon drugs for God? Why don’t they want a real solution to their problems? Is it their ignorance that keeps them away? Satan’s deception? It’s our job as Christians to expose Satan’s lies, and deceptive practices. But we are to do it with love and respect, not the kind of love the world promotes, that involves accepting every kind of behavior. The way we start this practice is going to the Lord in prayer, on our knees, and asking Him to control our thoughts and desires. By asking Him to allow us to be under His influence, we can help start to heal a hurting world, one person at a time. We need to be ticketed with an UGI (under Gods influence). Imagine how many more people will be in Heaven because of this decision?

3 Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips. 4 Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness. Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who do wrong. Psalms 141:3-4

Imagine If…..

Imagine if every single person on the face of this earth lived according to God’s design? If we followed God’s design for sex and marriage? Would rape exist? Or abortions? Or incest, sex trafficking, sexual assault? How about pornography? Or homosexuality? What if everyone adhered to observing the Sabbath? Do you think anxiety and depression would be so high? Do you think ‘burn out’ would even be a concept? God’s ways are designed for our best, but unfortunately, Satan wants to corrupt every single thing God designed for good. Living on this earth will never be perfect, for where man is there will be corruption. It’s why Heaven is what we look forward to with anticipation, when everything will be made right. In the mean time, when we personally live our lives within God’s intended parameters, it gives the world a small glimpse of what Heaven will be like. Our joy shows others that God knows what He’s doing. God has our back. It’s His design that creates security, joy, peace, confidence, which shows His love for us. When we live within the realm of His design, we get to experience Him, AND get a little taste of what Heaven will be like. Are you living with eternity in mind? Are you being refreshed weekly?

16 The people of Israel must keep the Sabbath day by observing it from generation to generation. This is a covenant obligation for all time. 17 It is a permanent sign of My covenant with the people of Israel. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He stopped working and was refreshed.’ ” Exodus 31:16-17

Sometimes It’s Too Late…..

Sometimes it’s too late to respond to God’s call. That’s why it’s important to respond when you are called. You’ll never regret answering God’s call. You’ll always regret not answering it. Be proactive instead of reactive, the consequences can be deadly.

This is what the Lord says: “A shepherd who tries to rescue a sheep from a lion’s mouth will recover only two legs or a piece of an ear. So it will be for the Israelites in Samaria lying on luxurious beds, and for the people of Damascus reclining on couches. Amos 3:12

Refusing to Listen…

In most of the wars recorded in history, the moral countries always warned the invaded countries either to surrender or flee before it was destroyed. During WWII, the Americans warned the Japanese weeks in advance, warning them to surrender or flee from the destruction awaiting them from the atomic bomb. The Japanese government refused, not once, but twice, only reluctantly agreeing after the second bomb was dropped. God does the same thing. He always warns before He punishes. He uses people (prophets) to warn nations, before His judgement is carried out. It’s our obligation to listen, and take heed. When we refuse to listen, how much are we like the Japanese leaders whose prideful decision allowed thousands to die because of their rebellious attitude? Hear truth when it is spoken by the people of God, and take heed, it just might save a nation from falling. God is good, listen to Him when He speaks.

7 Indeed, the Sovereign Lord never does anything until He reveals His plans to His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7

A Personal and Intimate Relationship….

If God doesn’t want a personal, intimate relationship with each of us, then why would He document these types of statements in His Word? This is just one of many throughout scripture. There must be a reason.

2 “From among all the families on the earth, I have been intimate with you alone. That is why I must punish you for all your sins.” Amos 3:2

Slavery….

This may come to as a shock to many, but I have not found a place in scripture that condemns or condones slavery. It was a way of life. Maybe it’s just misapplication of the concept, slavery, or just the misinterpretation of the word that’s the issue. Slavery was an economic practice. It was a political practice. It was a social practice. The thing that God condemns is evil practices. How we treat others is what matters to God. Slavery was both, in some instances, acceptable (allowed) and unacceptable (not allowed). When it involved voluntary mutual agreement, it worked and benefitted both parties (called bond servants). When it was through oppression and evil, it was eventually punished (nations capturing other nations and making them slaves). An example of this would be Egypt and the Israelites. Another would be here in Amos. God says He would punish the people of Gaza. They sold entire villages as slaves to Edom. This would fall under the oppression and evil category of slavery. Again, this just shows you, what the world sees and interprets as evil, may not always be 100% accurate. God has established boundaries and procedures, and sometimes things that are considered “wrong” by the world, fall within these boundaries, and are permitted. On the opposite end of this, is the fact that God doesn’t tolerate evil behavior very long. He punishes it. The way we treat people with the power we’ve been given is the real issue. I wish people could see this in their confusion of trying to interpret the world without God.

6 This is what the Lord says: “The people of Gaza have sinned again and again, and I will not let them go unpunished! They sent whole villages into exile, selling them as slaves to Edom. Amos 1:6

Times Change, People Don’t….

Israel’s sins were named in being called out by Amos the prophet. They unequally treated people based on their social-economic status. They committed sexual immorality (incest). They abused their (perceived) power. They abused their (I’ll-gotten gain) money. They caused good, moral people to sin (making people who don’t touch alcohol, drink it). And they banned truth (silencing the prophets). Does this sound like America today?

This is what the Lord says: “The people of Israel have sinned again and again,and I will not let them go unpunished!They sell honorable people for silverand poor people for a pair of sandals.7 They trample helpless people in the dustand shove the oppressed out of the way.Both father and son sleep with the same woman,corrupting My holy name.8 At their religious festivals,they lounge in clothing their debtors put up as security.In the house of their god,they drink wine bought with unjust fines. 9 “But as My people watched,I destroyed the Amorites,though they were as tall as cedarsand as strong as oaks.I destroyed the fruit on their branchesand dug out their roots.10 It was I who rescued you from Egyptand led you through the desert for forty years,so you could possess the land of the Amorites.11 I chose some of your sons to be prophetsand others to be Nazirites.Can you deny this, My people of Israel?”asks the Lord.12 “But you caused the Nazirites to sin by making them drink wine,and you commanded the prophets, ‘Shut up!’ Amos 2:6-12

Thoughts and Intentions Matter…

If you don’t think your thoughts and intentions matter, think again, they matter to God. If they didn’t, why would He search them out? What we allow into our mind eventually comes out in some form or fashion in our behavior. Let in evil, evil comes out. Let in good, good comes out. Let in good and evil, and you get a deceptive mess that you’ll spend a lifetime trying to figure out. How about taking Paul’s advice (God’s words), be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom 12:2). You can overcome, but it takes a collaborative effort, with God doing the thought replacing, and us allowing God to do it. When a negative thought enters your mind, immediately replace it with a godly thought. If that doesn’t work, ask God to replace the thought for you. Our thought life matters to God. It should matter to you too.

Then all the churches will know that I am the One who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve. Revelation 2:23c

Void of Hope….

What people fail to realize about evil behavior is that it has zero hope of ever being made whole. Can you imagine what it would be like, knowing what you’re doing is wrong (dealing with a highly functioning conscience), and not being able to conceptualize the possibility of ever being delivered or forgiven? That’s what sin does to us. It destroys the concept of healing, redemption, and forgiveness. Imagine living life with no hope? The woke culture of our day wants to cancel everything that disagrees with them. The problem with that mentality is it’s promoting a world without the possibility of redemption. This is why suicide is so rampant today. Without hope, the will to live diminishes greatly. God can and will rescue those who cry out to Him with sincere hearts, but you have to seek Him out, and accept His terms of rescue. You can live 40 days without food. 3 days without water. 3 minutes without oxygen. But you can’t live (really live and not just exist) 30 seconds without hope. This is why it’s believer's responsibility to continue to share the gospel with everyone. It grants hope to a world void of the concept. And hope anchors our soul.

12 What are worthless and wicked people like?They are constant liars,13 signaling their deceit with a wink of the eye,a nudge of the foot, or the wiggle of fingers.14 Their perverted hearts plot evil,and they constantly stir up trouble.15 But they will be destroyed suddenly,broken in an instant beyond all hope of healing. Proverbs 6:12-15

Karma….

You hear people talk about karma a lot these days. Karma is a Hindu term from their religion. Karma has been modernized to mean “what goes around, comes around”, or better put, “do good, good comes back to you, do bad, bad comes back to you”. Well, today I’m going to introduce the source of its origin. Karma didn’t come from Hinduism, or any other religion. The concept of karma comes from the Bible. It comes from God Himself. Here it is, in psalm 18. David makes it crystal clear. When you honor God, God honors you. When you dishonor God, He allows your sin to dishonor you. God is good, faithful, honest, and true. When we display His qualities, honor follows. When we violate His qualities, we corrupt ourselves. Karma isn’t a mysterious force that equals things out. It’s just a worldly explanation for God being sovereign. So the next time you hear someone mention the word karma, smile, because you know it’s God being God.

21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;I have not turned from my God to follow evil.22 I have followed all His regulations;I have never abandoned His decrees.23 I am blameless before God;I have kept myself from sin.24 The Lord rewarded me for doing right.He has seen my innocence. 25 To the faithful You show Yourself faithful;to those with integrity You show integrity.26 To the pure You show Yourself pure,but to the wicked You show Yourself hostile.27 You rescue the humble,but You humiliate the proud. Psalms 18:21-27

Sexual Sin….

Reading through the first few chapters of revelation you come to discover the problems in the church. Sexual sin, tolerance of false teaching, dead faith, and being luke warm. These are all prevalent in today’s churches as well. The one sin that seems to be dominating our culture today is sexual sin. You can’t look at your phone, turn on the tv, or even drive down the highway without being plastered with reminders of it. “Sex sells” people say, but is it healthy? According to scripture, it’s not. Two of the seven churches addressed were reminded of their tolerance for this specific sin. Sexual sin includes a myriad of acts, none of which are more serious than others. They are all equally bad. In society today, sex is the cause of so many problems: suicide rates, domestic violence, mistreatment in the workplace, to name a few. But I think the biggest problem caused by tolerating sexual acts is abortion. The root cause is a sexual one, not a political controversy, as most think. People don’t want to be told what they can and can’t do when it comes to sex. Even if it means killing an innocent child. Sexual immorality includes so much more, but imagine if people treated sex within the realm of God’s plan? Think of how many problems that wouldn’t exist. Sin is sin, but some sins have a greater effect on society than others. Sexual immorality is one of them.

18 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Thyatira. This is the message from the Son of God, whose eyes are like flames of fire, whose feet are like polished bronze: 19 “I know all the things you do. I have seen your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance. And I can see your constant improvement in all these things.20 “But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman–that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet–to lead My servants astray. She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat food offered to idols.21 I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to turn away from her immorality.22 “Therefore, I will throw her on a bed of suffering, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer greatly unless they repent and turn away from her evil deeds.23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the One who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve.24 “But I also have a message for the rest of you in Thyatira who have not followed this false teaching (‘deeper truths,’ as they call them–depths of Satan, actually). I will ask nothing more of you 25 except that you hold tightly to what you have until I come.26 To all who are victorious, who obey Me to the very end, To them I will give authority over all the nations. Revelation 2:18-26

Cold and Insensitive….

I find myself getting more and more fed up with people. I get frustrated when I ask people questions and they don’t give me answers that are one bit true. When people just say things to shut you up, I get irritated easily. I find my love growing colder for people everyday. I know it’s wrong, and I don’t like it. I wish people would just act with some accountability, or have an ounce of integrity. But then I think about it, and the answer comes easily: how can a man act in love or walk with integrity if he doesn’t know the Author of love and integrity. It’s my job to show them what these terms are. It’s my job to speak and demonstrate truth in their lives. Christians need to rise up and start being the light that Jesus talked about. Even the dimmest of light shines brightly in a dark and lost world. Lord, forgive me for allowing my love for people to grow cold. Bind Satan’s ploy to confuse me into seeing people as the enemy. Yes, help me recognize sin, and be responsive and sensitive to it. But keep my eyes on you, and help my love for You and others grow deeper and hotter. Only then will I be able to overcome a cold and insensitive attitude towards people I should be loving.

1 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven gold lampstands: 2 “I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars.3 You have patiently suffered for Me without quitting.4 “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love Me or each other as you did at first!5 Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to Me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.6 But this is in your favor: You hate the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do.7 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God. Revelation 2:1-7

Consistent With Its Outcome….

Sin has a way that blinds us. Without a conscientious effort to recognize sin, we become insensitive to it. Once that happens, our spirituality suffers tremendously. We know truth but fear man more than God, and thus fail to act on what we know to be true. Think about it, when you get high on a drug, are you in your right mind? Of course not. So when a man dives into sin, he can count on one thing: he will only hurt himself, with the likelihood of dragging others down with him. And the saddest part is that he won’t realize it until it’s too late. Sin has this effect, it’s consistent with its outcome.

24 If you assist a thief, you only hurt yourself. You are sworn to tell the truth, but you dare not testify. Proverbs 29:24