What Does True Repentance Look Like?

What does true repentance look like? It turns our devotion 100% upon God. It makes God 100% our life. It refocuses our attention 100% upon Him. Our hearts and minds are now in sync with God.

6 “I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed. 7 Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned My decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.“But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’8 “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated Me!“But you ask, ‘What do You mean? When did we ever cheat You?’“You have cheated Me of the tithes and offerings due to Me. 9 You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating Me. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in My Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put Me to the test! 11 Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 12 “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.13 “You have said terrible things about Me,” says the Lord.“But you say, ‘What do You mean? What have we said against You?’14 “You have said, ‘What’s the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying His commands or by trying to show the Lord of Heaven’s Armies that we are sorry for our sins? 15 From now on we will call the arrogant blessed. For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them suffer no harm.’ ” Malachi 3:6-15

Flows Through This View Of Our Maker…

God is the unifying factor in life. We are all created by Him, making Him our Father, yet we betray each other, and violate His plan. If the world wants “life and peace”, why not follow the plans our Maker has designed. Instead of looking for ways to gain peace and live life by choosing our own plans, why not live the way we were designed to live? The entire book of Malachi is God’s message to a group that has became apathetic, insincere, and complacent in their worship. His remedy is to do things His way. Why? Because it works. How we see God, and relate to the world flows through this view of our Maker. Does this sound like today’s society? We are all related, like family (believers). Why don’t we treat each other like family? Spiritual health requires daily maintenance. If it’s neglected, apathy and insincerity follow. This breeds insecurity, anxiety, worry, and depression. Very popular descriptions of modern day America, yes? Neglecting our spiritual health shows up in how we treat each other. And the state our spiritual health reveals what’s in our hearts. If God is our father, why not start acting like it. Let’s treat others as members of our own family. The first step is accepting the fact that we are all created by God, which links us into one big family. If God is not our Father, then continuing to treat others without respect will only lead to a nation divided ready to fall.

10 Are we not all children of the same Father? Are we not all created by the same God? Then why do we betray each other, violating the covenant of our ancestors? Malachi 2:10

Only God Deserves Our Worship….

I wonder what people who practice the Catholic faith have to say about the application of this Bible verse and their worship, praise, and praying to Mary (the mother of Jesus)? I’ve witnessed it more than enough times to see the conflict between this verse and that practice. Only God deserves our worship. And only Jesus is to be prayed to and through His name.

10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers and sisters who testify about their faith in Jesus. Worship only God. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.” Revelation 19:10

Falling Into Eachother’s Hands….

America better wake up. It better learn from other nations. When you abandon God, He abandons you. The only thing left is falling into each others hands. A country divided will not stand. It becomes vulnerable, and it crumbles from within. Ask yourself, “Would I rather stand with God and be judged by the world, or stand with the world and be judged by God?”

6 Likewise, I will no longer have pity on the people of the land,” says the Lord. “I will let them fall into each other’s hands and into the hands of their king. They will turn the land into a wilderness, and I will not rescue them.” Zechariah 11:6

It Doesn’t Bring Him The Glory….

Never forget it’s by God’s Spirit that His will gets accomplished. It’s not by your strength, or might, or intellect, or popularity, or riches, or anything you can offer. It’s by His Spirit that the idea sprang up in your head, the desire infiltrated your heart, and abilities carry it out. Whenever we try to do things on our own, we are guaranteed one thing, it doesn’t bring Him the glory He deserves. Without guidance, we fail in honoring God. Our way is not His way. Even the best intentions won’t succeed if it’s not by His Spirit.

6 Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 7 Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain before him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place, the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it!’” Zechariah 4:6-7

Small Things….

Never despise or think small things done for the Lord are unimportant. Small beginnings bring Him much joy. Once you begin to act in obedience to Him, regardless of how big or small it may be, God rejoices. Your loyalty is never wasted or unimportant to God.

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” Zechariah 4:10a

Not Our Job To Convince Or Convert….

One thing we must always keep in the back of our minds when we get into heavy discussion of the gospel with others, is that people who hate God will never repent. How are we to know who is and isn’t in this category? Well, a good rule of thumb is when you are clearly showing compassion to another, and they continue to spew venom at you, it’s a good sign to walk away. You see our job is to point others to God. That’s it. If God wants them, then He will make a way. It’s not our job to convince or convert. We just speak truth, put these ideas in the heads of our listeners, tie them together with eternity, and warn them of what’s to come for those who oppose God. I know you’ve been around people who no matter how much adversity or suffering they endure, they still refuse to give God any credit. It’s with those people, when in heavy conversation, you must decide to walk away. Speak truth with gentleness and respect, but know when there’s no progress due to their animosity towards God, you need to walk away. Still pray for these people, but know some people who hate God will never repent. God’s word is never wasted, so don’t try when you know you’re beating a dead horse. Get off and be on your way on foot.

8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, causing it to scorch everyone with its fire. 9 Everyone was burned by this blast of heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had control over all these plagues. They did not repent of their sins and turn to God and give Him glory.10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. His subjects ground their teeth in anguish, 11 and they cursed the God of heaven for their pains and sores. But they did not repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. Revelation 16:8-11

21 There was a terrible hailstorm, and hailstones weighing seventy-five pounds fell from the sky onto the people below. They cursed God because of the terrible plague of the hailstorm. Revelation 16:21

The Dichotomy Of Life…

The dichotomy of life. Human beings strive for success, progress, strength, abundance, and self-glorification. God longs for our dependence on Him, which happens mainly when we fail, digress, are weak, and lack necessities, which brings about His glorification. The difference isn’t reality, it’s how we see it; it’s in our attitude. Real success, progress, strength, and abundance are found in our faithfulness to God. The most precious gift God could’ve given us is our freewill, yet we mess it up. So the complimentary, finishing gift given to overcome our failure is the gift of grace. And grace has a name, Jesus. When we choose to embrace Gods calling, we start to see the world through spiritual eyes, and we slowly abandon our material view of things. This changes our goals and priorities, which shifts our focus off of ourselves (the pursuit of self-glorification), and onto God (His glorification). In turn He turns all of our failures, weaknesses, digressions, and lack of necessities into our greatest assets (His strengths and blessings). Oh, if the world could only see God’s heart, they would learn not to fight God, but rather embrace Him. The dichotomy of life is a matter of spiritual sight. Only God can grant this. Why not ask Him today to open your eyes to see the world for what it really is. Then your pursuits won’t (anymore) be in vain. 7 Sing out your thanks to the Lord;sing praises to our God with a harp.8 He covers the heavens with clouds,provides rain for the earth,and makes the grass grow in mountain pastures.9 He gives food to the wild animalsand feeds the young ravens when they cry.10 He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might.11 No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear Him,those who put their hope in His unfailing love. Psalms 147:7-11

Tormented Forever….

Tormented forever, with no relief night or day. Does that sound like something you want to experience? That’s exactly what the Bible says will happen to those who reject God in this life. Is your worldly pleasure enough to endure eternal torment? Is doing things your way, not giving God credit for all the good in your life, worth suffering without relief? Is your pride going to cost you eternal suffering? Eternal means forever, without end. Do you hate God so much that you’ve convinced yourself what I’m saying is not true? What if you’re wrong? What if the Bible is accurate when it comes to death and beyond? Come clean, be honest with yourself, the worst thing that could happen is, in your honest pursuit of seeking out truth about God, you find Him. Then your whole world will do an about face, and you’ll find your purpose, be given hope, and things will start to make more sense. Hell was never meant for human beings. The only reason people are sent there is because of their own choosing. God loves us enough, that He grants the wishes to be left alone to all that refuse Him. If you ask me, Hell is never a place I’d want to be. How about you?

11 The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name.” Revelation 14:11

Take Account Of The Whole Man…

“The root difference between the conservatives and the liberals of today is that conservatives take account of the whole man, while the liberals tend to look only at the material side of man’s nature,” wrote Barry Goldwater. I don’t think this needs more explanation. I think it’s just an extension of today’s scripture verse. When we fail to see the spiritual side of life, we do just that, fail. Anyone who thinks man can solve the problem of sin, has to be spiritually blind, ignorant of God, or just flat out rebellious. Ask God today, to help you see spiritually; your eyes will be opened to a whole new world.

2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live.I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath. 3 Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;there is no help for you there.4 When they breathe their last, they return to the earth,and all their plans die with them.5 But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper,whose hope is in the Lord their God. Psalms 146:2-5

Look Into The Character Of God….

Here’s a passage that needs no commentary. It’s a pretty clear and accurate look into the character of God. Here are attributes to remember: righteous, kindness, intimate, dependable, consistent, giving, graceful, compassionate, empathetic, protector, provider, rescuer, and just. And this is only a tiny, minuscule list of what God’s character is like.

17 The Lord is righteous in everything He does;He is filled with kindness.18 The Lord is close to all who call on Him,yes, to all who call on Him in truth.19 He grants the desires of those who fear Him;He hears their cries for help and rescues them.20 The Lord protects all those who love Him,but He destroys the wicked. 21 I will praise the Lord,and may everyone on earth bless His holy nameforever and ever. Psalms 145:17-21

In Light Of The Truth….

When we truly see God for Who He really is, in light of the truth, and being honest with ourselves, we humbly accept His Sovereignty and trust Him fully to do as He pleases.

I will wait quietly for the coming day when disaster will strike the people who invade us.17 Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields,and the cattle barns are empty, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! Habakkuk 3:16c-18

When We Think Of God….

When we think of God, there are basically three views. One view is the doting Grandpa figure, showing excessive love, allowing us to do any and everything, without ever correcting or disciplining. Second is the disciplinarian, more of the OT God of judgement. Whenever we do something wrong, we know punishment is coming. It’s almost like living in a “gotcha lifestyle”; always thinking God is going to punish us for our inconsistent behavior. This view never really allows us to settle in and makes us want to pursue God fully because of fear that we won’t do it right. The third view is one of balance. Yes, God disciplines, but it’s because He loves us and wants what’s best for us. This view sees God as a teacher and developer of our character. Each time we go through a trial (because of our faith), we see it as an opportunity to grow and see things from a spiritual standpoint. This view sees God as a loving father, yet respects His position of authority, which keeps us humble, knowing His ways are best. When suffering happens, we ask the question “what are You (God) trying to teach me?”, instead of “why is this happening to me?” You see, your view of God determines everything; the quality of your relationships and the way you handle disappointment. Your worldview determines your mood, outlook on life, and quality of life. For me, I tend to bounce between the 2nd and 3rd views. I wish I could be solidly stable in view number three, but I guess it’s part of my spiritual development. Where do you stand (your view)? I’ll bet you’ll understand your moods a lot better when you determine which view you hold? Our view of God determines everything, so get to know Who He really is, and you’ll find yourself in a much better place, able to endure this crazy thing called “life”.

2 The Lord is a jealous God,filled with vengeance and rage.He takes revenge on all who oppose Himand continues to rage against His enemies!3 The Lord is slow to get angry, but His power is great,and He never lets the guilty go unpunished.He displays His power in the whirlwind and the storm.The billowing clouds are the dust beneath His feet.4 At His command the oceans dry up,and the rivers disappear.The lush pastures of Bashan and Carmel fade,and the green forests of Lebanon wither.5 In His presence the mountains quake,and the hills melt away;the earth trembles,and its people are destroyed.6 Who can stand before His fierce anger?Who can survive His burning fury?His rage blazes forth like fire,and the mountains crumble to dust in His presence. 7 The Lord is good,a strong refuge when trouble comes.He is close to those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:2-7

A Reality That Will Come….

There will come a day when judgement will be proclaimed on every soul. God will judge the living and the dead. He will reward the servants, those true followers of Jesus. And He will punish all of those who chose not to know Him with an eternity of never knowing Him in Hell. I know no one wants to hear this, but it’s a reality that will come. If you believe this to be true, why aren’t you out there witnessing the Good News, and warning about this terrible fate for those who don’t know about it? Death will come, and once it does, there are no second chances. Be the light in this world. Give the world a glimpse of Who God is, in your words and deeds. And as Romans 2:4 says, when you give what God gives you, the world will get a clear picture of God’s kindness that will lead them to true repentance. We can’t save the world, but we can be an effective witness to one person at a time for the One Who can. Ask God to convict your heart about this truth, and let it become an issue that you do something about.

18 The nations were filled with wrath,but now the time of Your wrath has come.It is time to judge the dead and reward Your servants the prophets,as well as Your holy people,and all who fear Your name,from the least to the greatest.It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth.” Revelation 11:18

Care Of All Living Things….

Here’s a truth that rarely gets talked about: God takes care of all living things on earth. He provides for them until they serve His purpose. God always opens His hand to quench the thirst and satisfy the hunger of all living things. For example, less than 1% of humanity knows what goes on under the oceans. They have never seen any of the animals and activities that go one under the seas. Yet God takes care of every living creature, large or small. People long to be satisfied. Why not embrace the hand that can quench your thirst and satisfy your hunger? When is the last time you thanked Him for this?

16 When You open your hand, You satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing. Psalms 145:16

What Does God Want From Me?

Every human being on the planet will at some point in their life ask this question: what does God want from me? Many will say it out of frustration, never really wanting to know the answer, but some will be sincere. Here in Micah chapter 6 we get the answer. For those who really want to know the answer, here it is and it’s simple. God wants us to be like Him; to imitate Him. When we act and think like God it brings Him honor, glorifying Him. This is His purpose for us. When you strip away all the theology, all the so-called rules, all the rigamarole, it’s simply aligning our character with His character. And the only way that’s possible is you have to know Him in order to imitate Him. And after that it’s about emptying oneself of oneself in order for His Spirit to fill us up. This one theme is consistent throughout scripture. Does this make sense? Is this something you want? Are you one of those who really want to know the answer to the question? If so, you’ve got your answer. What are you going to do about it?

3 “O My people, what have I done to you?What have I done to make you tired of Me? Answer Me! Micah 6:3

6 What can we bring to the Lord? What kind of offerings should we give Him?Should we bow before God with offerings of yearling calves?7 Should we offer Him thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins? 8 No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,and this is what He requires of you:to do what is right, to love mercy,and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:6-8

Loyalties….

What’s sad to think about, but definitely beneficial to know, is there are two kinds of people in this world. Those who’s loyalties belong to God and have their priorities set in Heaven. And there are those who will never repent; forever in rebellion towards God. The latter folk’s focus is set on worldly, temporary things, which bring only a tiny bit of fleeting happiness. So when you are sharing your faith with others, don’t lose sight of this truth. We may not know which category the recipient might fall under, but there are sure signs people will give us that tells us to move on. Those who oppose God only have a limited number of times in which God will allow a faithful follower to present the Gospel. After that, there is no more hope for them, saving the witness a lot of time and effort.

20 But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood–idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk! 21 And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts. Revelation 9:20-21

Rationalizing Our Behavior…

People don’t want to hear truth when they are comfortable in their sin. As Chuck Colson often said, “there is no limit to the human capacity to rationalize anything”. This goes for every one of us. Never allow yourself to rationalize your behavior, regardless if it’s good or bad. If it’s good, it needs no justification. If it’s bad, no amount of rationalization could ever make it right. People involved in sinful behavior only want to hear things that condone their sin. Don’t allow yourself to believe in the fairy-tale of sinful behavior. If you do, you’ll wind up creating a regrettable reality from a fictitious world.

6 “Don’t say such things,”the people respond.“Don’t prophesy like that.Such disasters will never come our way!” 7 Should you talk that way, O family of Israel?Will the Lord’s Spirit have patience with such behavior?If you would do what is right,you would find My words comforting.8 Yet to this very hourMy people rise against Me like an enemy!You steal the shirts right off the backsof those who trusted you,making them as ragged as menreturning from battle.9 You have evicted women from their pleasant homesand forever stripped their children of all that God would give them.10 Up! Begone!This is no longer your land and home,for you have filled it with sinand ruined it completely. 11 Suppose a prophet full of lies would say to you,“I’ll preach to you the joys of wine and alcohol!”That’s just the kind of prophet you would like! Micah 2:6-11

Struggling With Resentment, Hurt, Or Wanting Revenge….

Are you struggling with resentment, hurt, or wanting revenge? Stop. Connect with God. Get right with Him. You’ll realize His judgements and justice are 100% effective. His retribution is dead on accurate and justified. He repays evil with evil. We reap what we sow. The offender will not be able to escape. His discipline is effective. It will either lead to repentance, or to destruction. Leave revenge up to God. It will free you from its entangling, sinful process. And He does a way better job at it than we ever could. Plus, it serves a greater purpose than just personal satisfaction. Revenge belongs to the Lord. Give your bitterness and unforgiveness to Him, and let Him do His job.

3 But this is what the Lord says:“I will reward your evil with evil;you won’t be able to pull your neck out of the noose.You will no longer walk around proudly,for it will be a terrible time.” Micah 2:3

Turn Our Back On His Mercies…

People blame God for all types of reasons, but it’s mainly because of this: when we worship false gods (choose other things over God) we turn our backs on all of God’s mercies. Any time we try to replace God with anything, we no longer get to experience His blessings. Sure they are still there, but we don’t appreciate them. It’s like we lose the ability to be grateful. We fail to see all the things He protects us from. We forget all that He holds back from us for our own good. We, in essence, turn our back on His mercies, and thus self-inflict the inability to handle situations in the right manner (at least view them from the proper perspective). In doing so, we blame God for what we have done to ourselves. C.S. Lewis said, “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." We can’t serve two masters. We either serve God, or serve something else. When we choose the latter, we turn our backs on God’s mercies, then wonder why things are happening the way they are.

8 Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God’s mercies.9 But I will offer sacrifices to You with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.” Jonah 2:8-9

The Hope Of Heaven….

The Hope of Heaven. No more hunger or thirst. No more sunburns or overheated days. Forever nutrition without disease. And no more sorrow, suffering, or tears. This sounds exactly like every tv commercial, magazine ad, or marketing call, doesn’t it? The only thing is, these attempts to get you to purchase whatever it is they are selling won’t deliver on their promises. God’s promise of Heaven will be delivered to those who accept His gift of salvation through Jesus. Who wouldn’t want to have this kind of hope, the kind that anchors your soul? Yet for those that deny God in this lifetime, they too will receive from God’s promises. Unfortunately, it won’t be the above mentioned rewards; for those things are only possible in Heaven.

16 They will never again be hungry or thirsty;they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun.17 For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd.He will lead them to springs of life-giving water.And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:16-17

Living By “Feelings”…..

When we get to a place where our feelings overwhelm us, we must examine the factors that contributed to it. We must examine it under the microscope of God’s word. Only then can we see true life. For those who live without God’s guidance, wonder around, as if in the dark, never really knowing which direction to take. And the worst part about living by “feelings” is the lack of hope it entails. Without God there is no truth. Without God there is no hope. Without God, there is no security. You can count on God to take care of you, even in your darkest hour.

5 Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to Him for protection. Proverbs 30:5

Misdirected Zeal….

Here are two things that characterize true believers: they don’t take advantage of people, and they never gloat or celebrate when calamity falls on people (even if it’s deserved). If you find yourself doing either of these, you need to go before the Lord, humble yourself, and ask Him to restore your heart, made to be right with Him. God never enjoys punishing or disciplining people. And neither should we. We trust God in His sovereignty, and know His purpose for us is to carry out His plan. That always involves love and respect. Disciplining, retribution, and destruction belong to Him, not us. Edom, relatives from Esau (Jacob’s brother), didn’t humble themselves. Instead they took advantage of Israel when they were being exiled into Babylon. They gloated and robbed their own relatives, all the while arrogantly believing nothing could harm them. Obviously God was displeased. And with their misdirected zeal, God punishes them, by doing to them what they had done to Judah. The moral to this study is to examine our own heart, see if there are any offensive ways in it. Then ask God to set us straight. For we are never to take advantage of others, especially when they are down. And we are to never celebrate the calamity of others either.

“Because of the violence you did to your close relatives in Israel, you will be filled with shame and destroyed forever.11 When they were invaded, you stood aloof, refusing to help them. Foreign invaders carried off their wealth and 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 survivors and handed them over in their terrible time of trouble. Obadiah 1:10-14

Does It Set Your Priorities Straight?

Can you imagine when God comes to destroy the earth? It will be the most frightening time the earth has ever experienced. There will be nothing anyone can do to stop or change it. And most importantly, those who don’t know God, who’ve abandoned Him, or never tried to know Him, will be petrified with fear, so much so they will wish they were dead. Imagine that. Does it set your priorities straight?

15 Then everyone–the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every slave and free person–all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?” Revelation 6:15-17

His Word Means Everything….

Knowing God will never allow a true, faithful follower to be lost, keeps me going, even in the hardest of times. Knowing I can trust Him at His Word means everything. Do you trust Him? With your life?

8 “I, the Sovereign Lord, am watching this sinful nation of Israel.I will destroy it from the face of the earth.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 9:8-9

The Difference Between Being Hungry And Starving Yourself….

Reading through the book of Amos, you reach chapter 8. Here Amos is telling Israel (the split Northern Kingdom) about how God is about to exile them into the North. He then goes on to tell them there will be a famine. However, this famine will not be one of lack of food, but of lack of His presence (His Word). Can you imagine God pulling back? Allowing us to live on our own? A world with no truth? No morality? A world void of order? Scary, isn’t it? Now think of all the people who reject or deny God’s existence. Do their lives resemble any of the above mentioned things? How do they live? Have order in their lives? Have hope? Find meaning? When God calls a man, and he doesn’t respond, God’s answer is a famine, a life without His presence. That’s scary. And to think our nature welcomes that. Yet our spirits fear it. The most important aspect of all of this is which one takes precedent, our spirit or our flesh? The answer lies in what lasts. Our spirit will continue on throughout eternity, while our flesh will someday cease to exist. Does this change your perspective? It should. Our spirit feeds off what is eternal, and that is God’s Word. There’s a big difference between being hungry and starving yourself. One is mis-management of your resources, while the other is self-imposed. Our lack of pursuit of God eventually leads to a famine. And when it goes on long enough, there is no going back. Feed your spirit daily. God’s word is complete nutrition for your soul.

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.12 People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from border to border searching for the word of the Lord,but they will not find it.13 Beautiful girls and strong young men will grow faint in that day,thirsting for the Lord’s word.14 And those who swear by the shameful idols of Samaria–who take oaths in the name of the god of Dan and make vows in the name of the god of Beersheba–they will all fall down,never to rise again.” Amos 8:11-14

Laws Don’t Save People…

When will we ever get it? Laws don’t save people. Yes, they may tell us how far we can go, but you’ll always have law-breakers, rule-violators. New laws by our government doesn’t solve our problems. Laws don’t bring about justice. You can’t legislate morality. Only God can do that. It’s only by coming back to God, repenting for abandoning Him, revering Him, and holding Ourselves accountable to Him, that these “laws” actually serve their purpose. The most important thing about laws isn’t the words, it’s the One Who stands behind it, ready to carry out true justice. Once we understand this, laws begin to serve their purpose. It’s all about God Being our supreme Justice, and our responsibility to Him, by abiding by these laws. Make sense?

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

When A Person Runs From Justice…

I used to have a dog. He was very loyal to me, so much so he was very protective. One day when he was still young I thought it would be funny to tie a helium balloon to his tail (he was desperately afraid of them). When he looked back and saw it, he ran as fast as he could to get away. He’d be out of breath running, so he’d stop, thinking he escaped the evil balloon. He’d look directly behind himself and not see the balloon. He would relax thinking he was safe. When he saw me, he’d start wagging his tail, only to find that menacing balloon had followed him, and he’d start running in another panic-mode. It was rather humorous watching this happen (I only did it once). Thinking back about this experience I can’t help but think this is exactly the same thing we experience when we run away from God. We perform all kinds of evil acts, all types of injustice, thinking no one is watching. We think justice will not be served. Regardless of what we think, justice will always be served. God is the God of Justice. It has to be served or God isn’t of His Word. When a person runs from justice (just like my dog), they run enough, stop to catch their breath, only to find the guilt and shame of their evil act right there still with them. They run some more, stop and repeat, only to find justice still looming at their door. As today’s scripture reads, “they escape a lion, only to run into a bear”. “Then escape the bear only to be bitten by a snake”. You can’t escape justice. It’s as if a balloon of justice is tied to your tail. The more you run, you make yourself believe you’re getting away from it, only to find something new, something that hadn’t crossed your mind, chasing you down. It’s best to come clean, surrender to God, repent, and ask for forgiveness. It’s exactly what God wants from us. He right there waiting to forgive, and restore the relationship we severed with Him. The best part is that when we choose God, by repenting, He rids us from all that guilt and shame that went along with it. Sounds like a win-win to me. How about you? Do you want relief? Then come clean. Or do you like running from that self-tied balloon around your tail, never being able to escape?  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

Is It Ever Okay To Hate?

I had a conversation with a friend one time. He is not a believer, but also doesn’t dismiss Christianity as being legitimate. Deep into the conversation, I presented the question, “do you believe in absolute truth?” He responded, “no”. I then asked him, “are you absolutely sure?” 😁 He then proceeded to ask me (to counter his blunder), “is it ever okay to hate?” How would you have responded? I mean Jesus was all about love, right? It was one of those questions all Christians should be all to answer correctly, agree? Well, I didn’t answer the way I could have, but I did answer correctly. When is hate allowed? When did Jesus hate? What does God hate? The answer is simple. We are to hate what is evil. We are to hate what God hates, and love what God loves. The only way we can ever know this is to know God personally. How do we do that? Read His Word. Know Jesus. That’s it. When we come to know God, and continue to pursue Him daily, these things become second nature to us. We learn to hold people dear to our hearts and hate behaviors that are self-destructive, harmful to others, and disrespectful to God (that violate His order). God didn’t create evil, He merely gives us free will, a choice, to either follow Him, or not follow Him. Evil is simply not following God, and we are clearly instructed to hate what is evil. So the next time you’re in a conversation, and the question of hate comes up, you’ll know exactly how to address it.

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 5:14-15a

If It Feels Right, It Must Be True….

There are many different kinds of tragedies in our lives: murder, disease, accidents, betrayals, and the list goes on. Personally, I think the greatest tragedy of all is not listening when God speaks. Why do I say this? By ignoring the voice of God it keeps us in the dark. Never knowing truth, not knowing our purpose, and not having hope turns a fully functional human being into a mess. Anxiety, depression, anger, and discontentedness, are but a few of the dilemmas that escort this type of behavior. This mindset turns a normal human being that has a sense of places and purpose into one that depends totally on how they feel. “If it feels right, it must be true”. How often have you been led astray by the wrong feelings. Depravity sets in when your sole guide in life is based on “how you feel”. God’s voice, His truth, command obedience from the earth and all of its inhabitants. Things work smoother, restore order, and give us a sense of peace when we adhere to it. The moral to this story: don’t ignore God’s voice. If we do, we create our own reality, that the only guarantee that follows is self-inflicted chaos. If you like that kind of lifestyle, be my guest, but when it doesn’t turn out the way you thought it would, you’ll have no one to blame but yourself. God’s voice is the most important thing we can ever take in.

“I destroyed some of your cities,as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.Those of you who survivedwere like charred sticks pulled from a fire.But still you would not return to Me,”says the Lord. 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 4:11