Three strikes - and four, YOU'RE OUT!

Current morning devotion finds this believer in the book of Amos. 

When reading Amos 3.3, the familiar words begin to take on new meaning.  

Well, "CAN two walk together, except they be agreed?"  
(Amos 3.3)


This verse is sandwiched between the following:
"For three transgressions...and for four...I WILL NOT turn away..." 
(Amos 1.3, 6, 9, 11, 13; 2.1, 4, 6)

Most preach/say that Amos 3.3 is meant for repairing fellowship between Christians.  While that makes for good preaching, this voice is moved to dig a little deeper.
The verses quoted in parenthesis occur before and after Amos 3.3.  
In  vulgar vernacular terminology, "fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me."  So, whattya do with the third and fourth "transgressions?"

Well, lets look a bit at the meaning of numbers in scripture:

1. Unity, Beginnings 
2. Union, Division, Witnessing 
3. Resurrection, Divine Completeness 
4. Creation, World, Worldliness
   

Looks pretty simple to me:

One -    the One, the only Triune God is always right

Two -    Maybe one didn't comprehend the error/sin the first time.  Then, preaching of the  Word (which "does not return void (Isa 55.11) should move correction/repentance in the heart of the believer.  That is  "in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established."  (Mt 18.16, 2 Cor 13.1, Deu 19.15) 

Three -  If you have to be told a third time, then judgment will be "complete," swift and sure. (I Pet 4.17)  If judgement begins at the house of the Lord, i.e., if one repents and makes any restitution necessary to set all aright, then the severest punishment may be stayed.

Four -    If, a fourth warning is sounded, the only hope is by way of the grave.  The Lord will never allow His Name to be reproached by sinful behaviors in the believer.  (Mk 3.29), Thus stubborn, stiff-necked rebellion is "without remedy." (Prov 29.1)  


Conclusion:  This heart believes the familiar verse in Amos 3.3 refers to the relationship
between the Lord and His people.  If all scripture is given for "...doctrine and reproof," a whole new light is shed on this passage.  The only relationship of importance is that between the Father and His children.  If that relationship is right, others will follow suit or fall away because of the truth.  In any case, to God be the glory for His Word, Truth and Will!

	XXX X, you're OUT! Unlike the human heart, the Heavenly Father is slow to anger and full of mercy to allow such stubborn,  stiff-necked behavior.  However, heed the warning in (Deu 6.16); "Ye SHALL NOT tempt the Lord your God..."  Because, "the wages of sin IS death..." (Rom 6.23)

Psalm 100

Psalm 100
1. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
"Joyful noise:Happy sounds"
 What are we to do?  Make a joyful noise
To Whom should we do it? unto the Lord
Who should be doing it? all ye lands

2. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing.
"Serve the Lord."  Sure but how? "with gladness"
What does one do to to "serve the Lord?" 
Put Him first in every decision. Think of others before oneself.  Then attend to one's personal needs.  In other words: "J(esus 1st) O (thers 2nd) Y (ourself, last).  Real, "JOY" is this formula.

3. Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
"It is He that hath made us."  "The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."  Gen 2:7
So, who do we think we are to boast in anything?

Simple and succinct. 

Praise Him, Sing songs to/about Him, Serve Him.  

Why?  because "it is He that hath made us and not we ourselves..."

GOD, the SON

The next lesson in the Young Teen class is about, "God, the Son."  The first thoughts when teaching about Him are all His Names; "Messiah, King of Kings, Prince of Peace, the last Adam, Bread of Life, Chief Shepherd, Saviour..., to name just a few."  However, the name that we are to focus on, as noted in the title of this post is, "Son."  We would tell that He is the second person in the Godhead, which we discussed last week.  It is no surprise, then, in the Sovereignty of God, that the date we will be talking about the Lord Jesus Christ, is Valentine's day.

• What greater thought and emphasis on all that HE is, than LOVE?

With that established, it is also no coincidence that current morning devotion brings us to Isaiah 50.6; "I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting."
Love defined in Websters 1828 dictionary; "In a general sense to be pleased with; to regard with affection, on account of some qualities which excite pleasing sensations or desire of gratification."
In the Hebrew, love is seen as from human to human or "be attached to or long for."  In the Greek, love is defined as "affection or benevolence (disposition to do good will or be kind to with a desire to promote happiness).
Then, in the next verse (7), we read; "For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I 'set my face like a flint,' and I know I that I shall not be ashamed."
So, what do all the explanation(s) mean?
To think on the love of Christ, is to acknowledge that every human should have been destroyed, annihilated, cast into hell with no hope because we turned our back on Him.
To think on the love of the Lord Jesus Christ is to repent and humbly admit we deserved death and no hope.
To dwell on the love of Jesus is to realize;

• we have hope, we do not have to go to hell and 
• we have someone who promised to "never leave or forsake us."

1. His love in Salvation, is unparalleled
2. His love as the Saviour is unimaginable
3. His love as the Sinless one is uncomprehensible

One must ask:
"Why? Why would He go to Calvary, why was His lifeblood shed for me? Why did He suffer as no man has ever done? There's just one reason, I am the one!"  "He loves me, He loves me, Jesus loves me. He loves me, He loves me. Jesus, loves me." (Of course, that is the lyrics to a song) but still the question is, "Why would He love me?"
I had/have nothing to give. I am weak and helpless without Him. The scripture also tells us why we should love Him, "because He first loved us." (I Jn 4.19).  But "why," why would He love me? Ephesians 1.4, 2 Thessalonians 2.4, He "chose us" to Himself because He wanted to!  Amazing, incomprehensible thought that He would "include" me in His purpose, will and plan.  Thus acknowledged, what am I to do with such an love?
"Set my face like a flint (Isa 50.7)" and do His will as much as lieth in me, no matter the cost.  To understand His love will take eternity, to respond to His love will take my lifetime from the change at Calvary.  In my case, that will be 34 years, this June.
In a word, don't try to understand it, just enjoy it, respond to it and share it!

Quiet Confidence

So it is with a happy heart, I turn yet another corner on life's journey.  I want to post a little of my heart in these days.
Recently, devotion has led me to Isaiah 30:15; "...In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength:..."  Obviously, this is a prophetic text but I would share illumination as given by the unction of the Holy Spirit.

• 38 years finds me "back at the house of bread"
• 11 of those years brought me to the Lord's perfect will
• 5 of those years taught trust that He did know best and Ps 57.7 - "my heart is fixed, O God, I will sing praises, my heart is fixed."

Flash to recent days and Isaiah 30:15.  To be sure, 30.18 "...blessed are all they that wait on Him" but there is more in verse 15.  I have "returned" and begun to "rest."   Then, the truth resounding in the heart of this believer, "quietness and confidence is (my) strength."  The truth is, "I have no need nor should I want to struggle, worry or fret because I know where stillness and confidence lie, "in HIM."

Dear believer, you have already been given the promise that one is "blessed" who "waits for Him."  In that, you may;

1. return, to the place you left Him
2. rest, where you find Him
3. quietly, wait on Him
4. confidently, know you can trust Him

My Lord and my God, in the Name of Thine Only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, I humbly submit these truths and hope that whoever may find these words will be renewed, refreshed and helped in the daily walk with Thee.

It's been a while.  Sorry about that.  This morning I am reading and pondering Isaiah 2.2, 4;

• "...the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established...
• and exalted...
• and ALL nations shall flow into it...
• and He shall judge among the nations, 
• and rebuke many people
• and...shall they learn war (no) more."

This sounds like the new Jerusalem.  However, the question that sounds in my heart is this;
If this is after the rapture of the church and peace reigns, what is the judging, rebuking and ceasing war all about?

I'll be back, Lord willing if other thoughts or inspiration on the matter.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, all!  The risen Saviour and soon coming King came to us in human form one day - absolutely incomprehensible love manifested for eyes to behold.