Author Archive for: meiling

Hi GAMErs,

Amos 3:1-2 (NIV)
1  Hear this word the LORD has spoken against you, O people of Israel–against the whole family I brought up out of Egypt:
2  “You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins.”

On verses 1-2:  The Lord chose Israel especially to be a light to other nations.  However, Israel was not faithful to the Lord, breaking His heart and defaming His name with their continual idolatry.  The fact that God would punish Israel for their sins shows us that with authority from God comes accountability from God.

What can we learn from this?  God holds accountable those to whom He has given authority.  If we are faithful with the authority He has given us, He will reward us.  If we are unfaithful with that authority, He will discipline us.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Amos 2:1-16.  Let’s go!
 
Amos 2:1-8 (NIV) 
1  This is what the LORD says: “For three sins of Moab, even for four, I will not turn back [my wrath]. Because he burned, as if to lime, the bones of Edom’s king, 
2  I will send fire upon Moab that will consume the fortresses of Kerioth. Moab will go down in great tumult amid war cries and the blast of the trumpet. ……

On verses 1-8:  Whether it’s treating our neighbors dishonorably like Moab did (v1-3), rejecting the Lord to follow other gods as Judah did (v4-5), abusing the poor (v6-7), committing sexual immorality (v7-8), and ignoring God’s holiness as Israel did (v8), God sees all the ways that we sin against Him.  Nothing is hidden from His view.  Yet what amazes me is that as holy and just as God is, God is equally loving and merciful, so much so that the wrath God feels toward our sin He placed on His own Son instead so that ultimately we could be spared the punishment we deserve for our sin.  God did not turn back His wrath from our sin.  Instead, He directed His wrath against our sin toward His own Son instead, so that we could go free.  It is at the cross where Jesus died that we see all at once the incredible holiness, justice, love and mercy of God.

Hi GAMErs,

Today we begin our look at the book of Amos, written in approximately 762 B.C. Today we start with Amos 1:1-15.  Let’s go!

Amos 1:1 (NIV) 
1  The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa–

On verse 1a:   Who was Amos?  In addition to being a prophet, Amos was a shepherd, but no ordinary shepherd.  The word Amos uses for “shepherd” in verse 1 is not the common Hebrew word for shepherd but a rare word that suggests that Amos was more a breeder of sheep.  In other words, Amos was a businessman who probably owned large herds of sheep and had many shepherds working for him.  Later on we will learn that Amos also planted and harvested sycamore trees.  A man of standing in his community of Tekoa (about 10 miles south of Jerusalem), Amos was a ranch owner, a farmer and a prophet.  

What can we learn from this?  Don’t type cast yourself by your profession or job.  No matter what your profession or job is, God wants to use you in His kingdom.  You can be a businessman and God can use you to speak prophetically in a person’s life.  God calls people from all walks of life to serve Him and to represent Him.     

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Peter 3:10-18.  Let’s go!

2 Peter 3:10-14 (NIV) 
10  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
11  Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives……

On verses 10-14:  In these verses Peter is talking about “the day of the Lord” (v1)?  The “day of the Lord” is a term found in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.  It refers to the end times, or more specifically as we see in the New Testament, the time when Jesus will return to earth, physically raise Christians who have died back to life, gather His people, establish His kingdom and issue His final judgment on those who have rejected Him. 

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Peter 3:1-9.  Let’s go!

2 Peter 3:1 (NIV) 
1  Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.

On verse 1:  As an ongoing theme in 2 Peter, we see that successful Christian living is not just about constantly learning new things; it’s just as much about reminding ourselves of the truths of God’s Word that we often forget or take for granted.  How well you recall the promises of God’s Word will determine how well you live and deal with life’s challenges.

2 Peter 3:2 (NIV) 
2  I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.