September 22, 2024

To Fellowship With God You Must Agree With Him.

INTERESTING FACTS : Frederick Douglass  - Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, (February 14, 1818 - February 20, 1895) was an American abolitionist, newspaper publisher, orator, author, statesman, and reformer. Called "The Sage of Anacostia" and "The Lion of Anacostia," Douglass was among the most prominent African-Americans of his time, and one of the most influential lecturers and authors in American history. [1]
 
"I have one great political idea. . . . That idea is an old one. It is widely and generally assented to; nevertheless, it is very generally trampled upon and disregarded. The best expression of it, I have found in the Bible. It is in substance, "Righteousness exalteth a nation; sin is a reproach to any people" [Proverbs 14:34]. This constitutes my politics - the negative and positive of my politics, and the whole of my politics. . . . I feel it my duty to do all in my power to infuse this idea into the public mind, that it may speedily be recognized and practiced upon by our people."[2]
 
Frederick Douglass was a key figure in the abolition of slavery in the United States. His motivation was based on his early life as a slave and his conviction, rooted in Holy Scripture, that all people are equal in the eyes of God. Douglass was a firm believer in the equality of all people, whether black, female, or recent immigrant. He spent his life advocating the brotherhood of all humankind. One of his favorite quotations was, "I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong."[3]
 
Daily Reading : Amos 1 - 5
 
TEXT : Amos  3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?  3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.  3:8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?  4:12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.  5:14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.  5:15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.  5:18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.  5:20 Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?  5:21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.
 
THEME : Fellowship
 
Introduction to Amos
 
The prophecy of Amos is one of those that speak of the moral condition of the people, and especially of Israel, who, as we have already seen in the historical books, represents more particularly the people as such; while Judah was but as an appanage of the house of David, although containing always a remnant of the people.
 
This prophecy, which does not extend so far down in the history of Israel as that of Hosea, is less fervent than the latter; sin is not pursued with that consuming fire of jealousy and of moral revenge, which characterises the burning and broken style of the prophet Hosea. Nothing, doubtless, can be more decided against evil than Amos; but, although very simple, he speaks, as it were, from higher ground. In Hosea we see the anguish of heart produced by the Holy Ghost, in a man who could not endure evil in the people whom he loved as being the people of God; while in Amos there is more of the calmness of God's own judgment. There is much less detail with respect to sin. Certain prominent transgressions of a special character are pointed out, and the most complete and absolute judgment is proclaimed. [John Darby][4]


Amos

Key Thought: Number of Chapters: Key Verse: Christ seen as:
Punishment 9 Amo_4:12 Thy God, O Israel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Writer of the Book: Date: Conclusion of the Book:
Amos 870?783 B. C. National sin inevitably spells national judgment.


[Summarized Bible] [5]
 

TRUTH FOR TODAY : "TO FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD YOU MUST AGREE WITH HIM."
 
Imagine a pastor telling you God is angry with you going to Church. Further, that the LORD is displeased with you singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. In addition, your prayers annoy God and He is unresponsive and unwilling to hear them. He will not listen anymore. If a preacher told you that, you would quickly remove yourself from that place of fellowship and find another. Moreover, if you were an average individual, you would be vocal and register a strong complaint about that pastor and the things he said to you. You would be indignant and defensive. More than likely, your new pastor would agree with you. Such was the case in the days of Amos. He told the people God "hated" their feast days [which were actually God's commands], and would not smell the sweet savor of their sacrifices. He told them - through Amos, I hate your songs and will not hear your prayers.
 
A contemporary of Isaiah, Amos had the difficult task of telling God's people that He, the LORD, was not interested in them performing His commands in [His] religious services with their wicked hearts. Isaiah and Amos both told the nation, God did not want them going to services with an evil heart and immoral mind. Thus, Isaiah and Amos told the people so, and said the LORD was not interested in their songs, burnt offerings, incense, or prayers.
 
Isa 1:10  Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. Isa 1:11  To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. Isa 1:12  When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Isa 1:13  Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Isa 1:14  Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. Isa 1:15  And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
 
Amo 5:21  I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Amo 5:22  Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. Amo 5:23  Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.
 
Further, Amos declares that Israel must prepare to meet [their] God, and that this would not be in their favor.
 
Amo 4:11  I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. Amo 4:12  Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.
 
Some believe because they are Christians - in the New Covenant and under grace, these judgments of the Old Testament no longer pertains to them. However, numerous warnings are given in the New Testament concerning departing from the LORD, as well as going to Church services not being right with the LORD in thoughts and deeds. For instance, the writer of Hebrews states -
 
Heb 10:26  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, Heb 10:27  But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. Heb 10:28  He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Heb 10:29  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? Heb 10:30  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. Heb 10:31  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
 
To be under the Grace of God means to put an end of [willful] sinning against God.
 
Rom 6:12  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Rom 6:13  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Rom 6:14  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. Rom 6:15  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Rom 6:16  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Rom 6:17  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Rom 6:18  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. Rom 6:19  I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
 
To walk with God in fellowship, you must agree with Him through the Bible [Amos  3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?] Thus, if you are to walk with one another in true Christian fellowship, you must all be likeminded. That is, each individual must agree with God, and then all who walk together are in true fellowship.
 
1Jn 1:6  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
 
One of my favorite quotes is the words of George Santayana - the Spanish born [Madrid] American philosopher, who coined this critical truth - "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it"[6]
 
As you read the Word of God, learn from the examples - good and bad, of those who went before you. As American Christians, let us be concerned about the Church - all fellowships and denominations, which as you can see, are repeating the sins of an ancient Israel. Agree with God through the Word [that is what "repentance" means] and fellowship with Him. In Him, you are safe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


  • [1] New World Encyclopedia, http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Frederick_Douglass , Accessed September 21, 2012
  • [2] [Frederick Douglass, The Frederick Douglass Papers, John Blassingame, editor (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1982), Vol. 2, p. 397, from a speech delivered at Ithaca, New York, October 14th, 1852.]
  • [3] Ibid,
  • [4] Darby, John. Synopsis of the Old and New Testaments. Public Domain, [1800 - 1882].
  • [5] Brooks, Keith. Summarized Bible, Complete Summary of the Bible. Public Domain, 1919.
  • [6] George Santayana (1905) Reason in Common Sense, volume 1 of "The Life of Reason - The Phases of Human Progress", [1905 - 1906] Public Domain,
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