Verse 1. "Hear this
word which I take up for you as a dirge, O house of Israel:"
Many have wondered about wars and death,
especially the many women and children who died terribly as
recorded in the Old Testament. There are lots of indications
in the Bible that God LOVES the people of this world.
In Malachi 1:2, God said through His prophet, "I
have loved you." 1 John 4:8 reveals God's character:
"God is love." 2 Peter 3:9
is very interesting in this regard, informing all of us that
God is "longsuffering;" He is patient
toward you and me, and He loves us all. Why then do so
many suffer?
That verse in Peter continues, He is
"not willing that ANY should perish, but
that ALL should come to repentance," followed by 2: Peter
3:10, in which we are told that this very earth will eventually
be utterly destroyed. Note in this verse in Amos,
the heart of God - He mourns the nation Israel by speaking a
"dirge," a funeral anthem over
them. It was customary for mourners to beat the breast
at such a time, expressing personal grief at the loss of a loved
one. Such was and is the heart of God for His people.
Alongside the suffering that fills this world, we are to notice
that God loves us all.
Verse 2. "She has fallen,
she will not rise again--the virgin Israel she lies neglected
on her land; there is none to raise her up."
The imagery of this verse in Amos is
that of a corpse who has "fallen"
on the battlefield, depicting the nation Israel, and there would
be "none to raise her up."
Death is both fascinating and tragic. It looms in the
future of everyone, and yet most spend their lives in denial,
refusing to even think it might happen to them. Death
is a wake-up call, a huge "sign" in our future, calling out
to us with "loudspeakers" and bright "neon lights" that we should
get right with God before it is too late!
Note that God speaks of "her"
(Israel) as a "virgin," tender
and pure, even though "she" has
sinned against God and must be judged for "her"
sins. He sees what might have been, He sees what was and
what will be; He sees through the love of God expressed in Christ
Jesus. There are many among us who have "fallen"
and "will not rise again," from
wheelchairs, sick beds and the like, and they are heroes, only
understood by a few. God intends a time in eternity when
ALL will be raised up to be with Him - and HE is the One we
must look to - He will bring it to pass for you and me.
Verse 3. "For thus says
the Lord GOD, 'The city which goes forth a thousand strong will
have a hundred left, and the one which goes forth a hundred
strong will have ten left to the house of Israel.'"
Israel would be decimated by the enemies
that were to come upon them. When God speaks through His
servants the prophets, those words WILL come to pass, but an
exception is seen in the Book of Jonah: "God
saw their (the Ninevite's) works,
that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from
the doom that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did
not do it" (Jonah 3:10). God will accept our earnest
repentance, though all have sinned in His sight.
Take a moment and consider the CERTAINTY
of this verse. God LOVED the Israel of 3,000 years ago
and He loves the Israel that occupies the land right now, and
it's true of everyone: He loves the Chinese, the Russians, the
Europeans, those in the Americas, the tribes and nations of
African descent... He loves us all, and yet our end is disaster,
unless we do our part and turn to Him. There is a higher
goal for us than physical safety and we will precisely see our
need in the next verse.
Verse 4. "For thus says
the Lord to the house of Israel, 'Seek Me that you may live.'"
Observe this verse carefully. In the
very midst of God's GUARANTEE, His WORD that Israel would be
destroyed, He gives them real hope. He said, "Seek
Me that you may LIVE!" The short term promise
of this verse is directed to the nation Israel. If they,
as a nation simply turned to God with everything they had, God
would spare them. It was (and is) His promise to individuals
and groups everywhere: "Seek Me that you
may live."
Daniel the captive, the prophet and
governor, was a man who sought and found the Lord; and God said
to him: "You (Daniel),
go your way till the end, for you shall
rest, and will ARISE to your inheritance at the end of the days"
(Daniel 12:13). Daniel, who had faith in the Lord, would
die, but then he would LIVE, and so will you live, when you
look to the Lord. Israel had been given that promise centuries
before: "You will find Him if you seek
Him with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deuteronomy
4:29). Jesus said, "Seek and you
shall find" (Matthew 7:7). Seek Him today. You'll
find the Lord and His safety - forever!
Verse 5. "But do not
resort to Bethel and do not come to Gilgal, nor cross over to
Beersheba; for Gilgal will certainly go into captivity and Bethel
will come to trouble."
"Bethel"
("House of God") was a place in
Israel where Jeroboam the king had built a golden calf, an idol
for the people to worship. "Gilgal"
("the Circle") came to be considered
a "holy" place, but instead of worshipping God there, Israel
used it as an opportunity for the practice of idolatry.
"Beersheba" ("Well
of the Oath") was in the south, in the country of Judah,
and idolatry had become rampant in that place also.
Look around you at the world today.
It is full of substitutes for the love of God which is in Christ
Jesus. The great majority of those who live on earth are
"religious" in some way or another, but do they love the Lord?
Do YOU love the Lord? It's time to pray for yourself,
for your nation, and all you care about, to "seek"
the Lord (verses 4 & 6). He is your (and their) only hope
to escape the "trouble" that will
surely come upon this world.
Dear Father, we seek You now.
We believe, Lord - please heal our unbelief. We pray for
our church, our nation, our loved ones; ourselves. Let
our trust in the Son of God be real - deliver us from the wrath
that is to come. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study –
Amos 5:6-10
Verse 6. "Seek the Lord that you may live,
or He will break forth like a fire, O house of Joseph, and it will consume with none to quench it for Bethel,"
We have seen what happens when a forest fire and/or
brush fire comes out of the wilderness and advances toward a populated
community. Helicopters, airplanes and trucks, along with men and women
are dispatched and they fiercely defend the houses within the path of that fire.
And yet, all too often, many of those homes are destroyed and lives are lost.
It was sin that would destroy Israel, like a fire
sweeping out of the wilderness, and it is sin that has brought death and
destruction into every part of this world. This is a "fire"
that comes upon us all, just like that which came upon the "house of Joseph"
(Israel), including "Bethel," the place of the
golden calf. There is "none" on this earth
that can "quench it." Your only defense, your
only hope, is to "Seek the Lord that you may live."
Verse 7. "For those who turn justice into wormwood
and cast righteousness down to the earth."
"Justice" - it's a concept
that many hope for and yet few ever experience it in this life. "Justice"
in its highest sense, means that there is ultimate judgment upon every evil act
that is done, and a reward for the good that is accomplished in this world.
Israel had turned "justice into wormwood" (a bitter
tasting plant). Moses, who walked with God for many years, said of Him: "He
is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice. A God of truth
and without injustice; righteous and upright is He" (Deuteronomy 32:4).
"He is the Rock."
Paul the Apostle reported of Israel, that "all were
baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; all ate the same spiritual
food; and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual
Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ" (1 Corinthians
10:1-4). The sins of this world fell on Christ - we can be set free, SATISFIED in
Him. If you want "justice," if you hunger for
"righteousness," you will find what you need in the
"Rock" who is "Christ"
the Lord.
Verse 8. "He who made the Pleiades and Orion
and changes deep darkness into morning, who also darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea
and pours them out on the surface of the earth, the Lord is His name."
Job correctly observed that it was God who alone "made
the Bear (Arcturus), Orion and the Pleiades"
(Job 9:9). "Darkness" and "morning,"
"day" and "night," are
determined by the rotation of the earth in relation to the sun. There
would be no rotation except He made it so, and the sun, the earth and all that
is, only exist because He created them. Scientists have searched in vain for water
on the moon; and on the planets Mars and Venus, and the reason we have it here on earth is
because of God's love for you and me.
He (God) takes the "waters of the
sea," turns them into vapor that enters the atmosphere and subsequently "pours
them out on the surface of the earth." It was "the
Lord" who did this for Israel and it is "the Lord"
who does it and infinitely more for all mankind. The water you drink, the
darkness that gives you rest, and the light that enables you to see - "the
Lord is His name" who has done all this out of His love for the people of
this world.
Verse 9. "It is He who flashes forth with destruction upon the strong,
so that destruction comes upon the fortress."
God, in His indictment of Israel, is communicating with
us all. Almost everyone on earth responds to needs and problems, real and
apparent, by using HUMAN strength. Where we see a need, we strengthen
ourselves physically, intellectually, emotionally or whatever it takes in order
to meet and hopefully exceed the problem we have encountered. But our
"strength" is never truly enough.
We need the Lord. HIS strength IS sufficient for
our needs, including on the day of trouble that comes to us all. But when
human strength is found to be insufficient, the unfortunate tendency is to
attempt a "cover up" of the situation, through drugs such as alcohol,
entertainment, sex, games, and compulsive, destructive behavior of all kinds. And note that the Lord is not shy
about His actions: "It
is HE who flashes forth with destruction." The
whole IDEA is that we will see our need of the Lord and turn to Him who will save us.
Verse 10. "They hate him who reproves in the gate,
and they abhor him who speaks with integrity."
There were good people in Israel, who objected to the
idolatry and unfairness that filled the land, and among them was Amos, who spoke
these words and wrote this Book called "Amos." "Him who reproves in the
gate" included those who objected to the taking of bribes by public officials
(Amos 2:6). Those who spoke "with integrity" were the men and women
living lives of
faith, justice, truth and honor, who could indeed be found in that
land.
In the testimony God has been presenting against Israel,
He said they "oppress the poor" and "crush the needy" (Amos 4:1). Some
have condemned the concept of a "social gospel," remarking that our principal
aim should be to bring the needy to Christ rather than feed their bodies.
And
that idea does contain truth - we indeed may feed the body of someone who is
losing his soul. But both positions are true because God makes them
true. He wants us to help the poor of this world and He wants us to bring others to Christ.
Father, no matter WHAT the circumstances around me, I
want the "integrity" that only comes from You.
I "seek the Lord" right now. I place my trust
in You. Thank You, Father, that because of what the Son of God has done, I "live"
in Your sight. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study –
Amos 5:11-15
Verse 11. "Therefore because you impose heavy rent on the poor
and exact a tribute of grain from them, though you have built houses of well-hewn stone,
yet you will not live in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, yet you will not drink their wine."
For every landlord on this planet, there are many
tenants, and a lot of the latter are at least lacking in funds, or they likely would be landlords
themselves. Note that the landlord really owns NOTHING - everything (and
everyone) in the world belongs to the Lord. If God has given us access to
His resources through wealth and "ownership," it becomes a test.
The Lord gives, or rather, He lends to us, expecting that you and I will in turn, give to those
who are in need.
The leaders of a community, as reflected in pictures of
smiling faces on the society pages of newspapers, are SEEN by God. He
says, "I know your transgressions" (verse 12). If the rental payment is
excessive, He knows. If you take "grain" (or something else
they personally need) from them,
God sees what you have done. He was telling Israel that they would
experience the loss of EVERYTHING because of their actions - they would "impose heavy rent" no more.
Verse 12. "For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great,
you who distress the righteous and accept bribes and turn aside the poor in the gate."
God KNOWS "your transgressions"
(and everybody else's as well). Paul the Apostle put it this way: "ALL
have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). As
Amos states in this verse: "your sins are great."
God KNOWS everything about you and me, but don't be afraid, for our Judge has
become our Savior and He extends to us the grace of God. Amos now
continues with a description of the Lord's definition of sin.
He is especially offended at those "who
distress the righteous." Each of us is to "be kind
to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ has
forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:32), and yet those who purport to love Him
often divide with each other over minor issues, "distress(ing)
the righteous." Those in authority are NOT to "accept
bribes" and yet the practice is commonplace in the world. And
perhaps the most important of all; we are to help the "poor"
who are among us. James said, "religion...
is to visit orphans and widows in their trouble"
(James 1:27). We are to HELP others with a willing heart - the Lord is
PLEASED when we do.
Verse 13. "Therefore at such a time the prudent person keeps silent, for it is
an evil time."
There's a phrase we all need to have in our vocabulary:
"Stay out of it!" There are indeed times to remain silent, and God was
saying to those in Israel, Keep "silent, for it is an evil time." There
are times and situations when it is right to speak up, just as Amos was speaking
for the Lord right at that moment. But it is not for all.
There were others in the land beside Amos, who were
faithful to the Lord, but were not called to be prophets, as he was. They
had other functions, and faith itself is a "call" from God. There are
times to speak and there are times for silence - Look to the Lord, for He is the
One with the wisdom to know the difference. The BEST we can do in life is to follow
Him.
Verse 14. "Seek good and not evil, that you may live;
and thus may the Lord God of hosts be with you, just as you have said!"
So many times our choices in life are more simple than
they seem to be. What will the outcome of our decision be? Will it
HELP others, or will it HARM them? We should always pray about our
actions, asking God: will this result in "evil," or will it lead to
"good?"
So often we do not know WHAT to do, and even worse, we think we do, but really
don't. We need to PRAY about ALL of our decisions.
There is a "key" in this verse, opening a "door" to LIFE
for you. We often have turned to Him in desperation, not understanding
that He wants not merely occasional moments in our week, our lives - He wants
ALL of us, ALL our time. Somewhere down inside, everyone would like the "Lord
God of hosts (to) be with (us)." He is "good," and we can trust in Him.
Make it more than mere words; do YOUR part - look to Him right now!
Verse 15. "Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the
Lord God of hosts may be gracious to the remnant of Joseph."
One of the biggest problems within humanity is that most
spend all of their time looking out for themselves! To "hate evil" and
"love good" is to reach outside of merely our own needs and begin to really CARE
for someone else's problems. When you think about it, "justice" is rare in this
world. The "gate" was the place at that time where legislators and judges
met to discuss and determine the issues of the day. God says, "Establish
JUSTICE in the gate."
Are any of us able to bring "justice" to our land,
our nation?
No, it is likely we are not, but everything is different when we look to the
Lord. Start now. Personally decide to "hate evil" and "love good."
Look to the Lord your God in prayer, and it may be that He will "be gracious" to
your land, establishing the "justice" we all need, and maybe the judgment that
must come to all nations, will be stayed from YOUR land, until yet another
future generation. Your prayers (and you) MATTER!
Father, we pray for the nation in which we live and
for those in authority over us. Let justice be established in this land.
Let Your GOOD come to this place. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study –
Amos 5:16-20
Verse 16. "Therefore thus says the
Lord God of hosts,
the Lord, "There is wailing in all the plazas, and in all the streets they say,
'Alas! Alas!' They also call the farmer to mourning and professional mourners to
lamentation."
The disaster that would come upon Israel, was to strike
all layers, all levels of society. The religious and political leaders
were to be hit, and so it would be for everybody else. "In all plazas and
in all the streets," the end was near. As in this verse and in the next,
we see that ruin would come not only to urban areas, but also in the
countryside. The "farmer" would be called to "mourning," just as
surely
as those in the cities.
"Alas" ("ho") was a cry of mourning (see also Jeremiah
22:18), and given any choice at all, NO ONE wants occasions for mourning in
their lives. In the Israel of that time, "professional mourners" were
hired to attend funeral services and loudly wail at the loss of the departed.
We should note that the disaster and resulting mourning described in relation to
ancient Israel, is in the future of all nations that reject the Lord. The
time to turn to and trust in Him is NOW!
Verse 17. "And in all the vineyards there is wailing,
because I will pass through the midst of you," says the Lord."
Farming, the growing of crops, including the production
of grapes, not only for domestic use, but also for trade with other nations, was
a mainstay of the economy in ancient Israel. To even THINK of losing their
economic base was IMPOSSIBLE for the country to contemplate. Their
economy would collapse. As a nation they would be bankrupt!
Everything in life has a reason, and God here, as
always, is being very open that He is the ultimate cause of - EVERYTHING!
As usual, there are intermediary factors, and a key intervening cause of
Israel's loss would be - SIN! They had turned away from God; He had
offered them ample opportunity to repent and return to Him. They did not
return, and national "wailing" would be the result. Too late, too late,
but in captivity, some might still look to the Lord.
Verse 18. "Alas, you who are longing for the day of the
Lord, for what purpose will the day of the Lord be to you? It will be darkness
and not light;"
Have you noticed those who don't really live in "today,"
but keep their focus on the
future? They look intently to a time and circumstance when the Lord will return
and the people of God will be rescued from the world. Israel was like that
and so are many among us today. God has in mind that we will be useful to
Him right NOW. He expects that we will "hate evil, love good, and
establish justice" (verse 15) - right now!
Look around and see - it may be that God will point out
areas of inequity in your immediate environment that you can do something about.
This is not you merely functioning by yourself, but God WITH you. If He points out a need, He
is likely calling you to ACT in relation to it, and He will work with you in
order to make it right. He who calls is also willing to bring it to pass.
Verse 19. "As when a man flees from a lion and a bear
meets him, or goes home, leans his hand against the wall and a snake bites him.
"
The Lord uses such WONDERFUL imagery in revealing us to
ourselves! Many in Israel had been looking for the advent of the Lord upon
this earth. They wanted to be RESCUED, but like so many, they viewed it as
a deliverance from paying bills, from disobedient children, from marital
problems, and so on. They wanted FREEDOM from the loss of loved ones and
the sad problems of life. God is saying, "You have misunderstood; My
deliverance is not what you are expecting!"
Life's problems can seem like a "lion" that roars and
frightens us. For those today who are always looking for the return of the
Lord in order to escape the problems of life (and He WILL return), for
many it will be like fleeing "from a lion and a bear meets him." Finally,
after a difficult time, he returns home, in this case to be with the Lord, and
"a snake bites him." WE often want our circumstances to be different, but
the Lord has a better focus - He wants our HEARTS to be made NEW in Christ.
Verse 20. "Will not the day of the
Lord be darkness
instead of light, even gloom with no brightness in it?"
The "day of the Lord" was about to come upon Israel, but
it would not be what they had in mind. Like most people, they thought of
themselves as the "good guy!" They liked themselves and expected others to
like them, too. They were surprised and irritated by the prophets, such as
this man, Amos; the "country bumpkin" from Judah, as they thought of him, who
said insulting things to and about them!
When the Lord came for them, it would be a day of
"darkness." All would be confusing, for instead of pleasant new
circumstances, their whole world would come apart. Their nation, their
families, everything they held dear, was to be destroyed! Their lives
would become "gloom with no brightness in it." These verses literally
SHOUT: Give yourself to the Lord! Let your heart and life be changed by
Him! Trust in Him now! - Or trouble will find you.
Lord, we do NOT want trouble. We want You!
Please come into our hearts and lives in ways we never previously saw or
understood. Forgive us our sins and let Your will be done in our lives.
In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study – Amos 5:21-27
Verse 21. "I hate, I reject your festivals, nor do I
delight in your solemn assemblies."
You may attend a synagogue, church, ashram or other
religious body on a regular basis, and feel you have somehow pleased God by
doing so. There is a mistaken conviction among many in humanity that if we
are religious enough, it will please God. They feel He somehow won't be
able to help Himself; He will just LOVE you and me because of our dedication to some
practice or another. The problem is - HE does not agree with that idea.
These verses just don't support such a concept.
God says, through the prophet Amos: "I HATE, I REJECT your
(religious)
festivals." There have been few nations in history who have dedicated
themselves to religious activities to the extent ancient Israel did. And
much of their actions were ostensibly on behalf of the One who spoke the words
of this verse through Amos. His response: "I do NOT delight in your solemn
assembles."
Verse 22. "Even though you offer up to Me burnt
offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them; and I will not even look at the peace offerings of your
fatlings."
The Lord God, maker of heaven and of earth, wants
infinitely more from us than our periodic religious activities - He wants our
hearts. The people of Israel CONTINUALLY offered up sacrifices of cattle,
sheep, and other creatures, along with offerings of bread, leavened and
unleavened, and God was not pleased. He said, "I will not accept them!"
The various sacrificial "offerings" of Israel each had a purpose,
but they
mostly did not understand the "peace" that would come to them through the offering
of God's Son, centuries later.
Look at your life - Do you set aside a part of your week
in honor of God? Do you give offerings of money to Him? Does some of
your time and money go to the poor? Why do you do such things? Many are like Israel of that time,
giving out of social custom, because you
think you ought to do it. God is not pleased with that motive. He
wants your heart, your repentant spirit, your faith and your love.
He will "not accept" anything less.
Give yourself to Christ, and THEN He will accept your religious activities
(Psalm 51:16-19).
Verse 23. "Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I
will not even listen to the sound of your harps."
In many churches today, singing, led by a "worship"
group and/or leader, precedes the giving of a sermon to a congregation.
Instead of the "harps" that were common at the time of this verse, "guitars" are
at the forefront of many religious services. "Music" isn't just "music"
anymore, it's "Worship Music," and the thought is that the singing and playing
of those events constitute "worship" that pleases God.
It may be that some of it, perhaps a lot of it, DOES
please Him. But not all. Our focus is on the words that may be
portrayed in a song book or on a screen from a slide projector, and to some
extent we look at the music leaders and (hopefully) enjoy the music. But
God's attention is on you and me. He is looking at our hearts, and if they
are far from Him, then our "songs" are just "noise," and He rejects, He "will
not even listen" to our attempts at "worship" when our hearts are not right.
Verse 24. "But let justice roll down like waters and
righteousness like an ever-flowing stream."
In this verse, we find the problem of not only Israel,
but also mankind as a whole. As a people, we are simply unjust.
Israel was a nation of law, and yet their judges could be bought for a bribe.
They would "accept bribes" (verse 12) and give judgment in court to the one who
paid the most. The needs of the poor in that land were not being met.
And take a look around at our world - what are we like today?
Do you want justice to reign in the lives of those you
love? Do you want justice to become real and alive in your nation?
In your life? God wants justice, too, and He SEES the lack of just
thoughts and behavior in humanity, now and at the time of these verses.
I'm sorry to tell you, but again: we are an unjust race! However, God, who is
JUST beyond our ability to comprehend, let the judgment on us fall upon His
Son. If you want justice, look to Him and TRUST in the Son of God.
Verse 25. "Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain
offerings in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel?"
When you attend church, synagogue, or some other
religious gathering, have you ever asked yourself, "Why am I here?" Are
you in attendance because of social custom? Is it because your spouse or
some relative EXPECTS, even demands you to be there? Do you want to GET
something because of your attendance? Or are you there simply out of your
love for the Lord?
God, through the prophet Amos, is asking such questions
of the nation Israel. They gave "sacrifices and grain offerings in the
wilderness for forty years" ostensibly to the Lord, but where were their hearts
in this supposed service to Him? Did they act out of love for Him, or was
it just out of duty? Did they sacrifice to GOD or did they have another,
hidden motive in what was done? God knew, just like He knows you and me.
Verse 26. "You also carried along Sikkuth your king and
Kiyyun, your images, the star of your gods which you made for yourselves."
"Sikkuth" is thought to be the terrible "god" Molech, the
idol that was heated red-hot and then small, screaming children were placed into
its "arms" as sacrifices. "Kiyyun" is "Saturn," another idolatrous "god"
who is also said to have carried the name, "Rephan." It's incredible that
Almighty God, Maker of heaven and earth, the One who delivered them so many
times, offered His love to them, but they chose idols
instead!
Many do much the same today. As a nation, Israel
always pretended to be monotheistic, worshipping God only, but for a variety of
reasons, they remained inveterate idolaters, clutching at false "gods" from the
beginning. In the "wilderness" (verse 25) they served God outwardly out of
fear and custom, but had idols hidden in their tents. A term for such a
practice is "syncretism," where people draw from various religions to create a
system of their own.
Verse 27. "Therefore, I will make you go into exile
beyond Damascus," says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts."
The end of "syncretism," as described in verse 26, is
destruction. It may seem "modern" or "clever" to seem to be one thing,
whereas you actually are something else, but it's not. God, who created
us, reasonably views us as His, and He expects us to not divide our allegiance.
He's the One who loves you - an "idol," whether it's a car, a TV set, or a
computer, cares nothing for you at all.
Even the "loners" of this world, have a deep-seated need
to belong, to be a part of something worthwhile. God is honorable, just,
righteous, pure, full of truth, and He loves you without limit. He proved
it when He sent His Son to die for your sins. He is the One you have
always wanted, and He is expectantly waiting for you to put away your "idols"
and trust in Him alone. Will you trust in Him now?
Father, all too often I have looked to "things" when
I should have looked to You who loves me. I look to You now and trust in
Your Son. Thank You for loving me. I trust in You alone. In
Jesus Name. Amen.
Ron Beckham,
Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
The First Church On The Net
www.FridayStudy.org
www.FirstChurchOnTheNet.org "While
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
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