I came across this scripture today. It hit me between the eyes. It came alive for me and was as if God was speaking to all of us. Very humbling and I think relevant for today. What came to mind was sweet and sour/ sweet and salty. I love sweet and sour meat balls and sweet and salty desert. I think grace and judgement is like that. They go together well and balance each other out. I think God intended it that way.
Amos 5: 18-24 The Message
" Woe to all of you who want God's judgement day! Why would you want to see God, want him to come? When God comes it will be bad news before it is good news, the worst of times, not the best of times. Here's what it's like: A man runs from a lion right into the jaws of a bear. A women goes home after a hard days work and is raped by a neighbor. At God's coming we face hard reality, not fantasy- a black cloud with no silver lining.
I can't stand your religious meetings. I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions. I want nothing to do with your religious projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I'm sick of your fund raising schemes, your public relations and image making.
I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to me? Do you know what I want?
I want justice- oceans of it.
I want fairness- rivers of it.
That's what I want. That's all I want.
Question: Would we need grace if there was no impending judgement hanging out there?
What keeps us honest?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Pretty serious stuff.
What keeps us honest? I don't know. I like to think it's more than looming judgement...I think it's about having chosen how I want to live, who I want to be. That I want to accomplish what God has for me.
Maybe there's some looming judgement in there too, i dunno.
Pretty shocking Scripture though.
First off, I think we have to consider the times in which this was written. Amos did not have the luxury of living in the period of Grace. " There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus ". I believe the judgment that Amos was talking about is reserved for those who reject Christ. The judgment that you and I are going to receive is for reward. " Store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven ".
What keeps us honest ? I can only see one answer - The Holy Spirit. If we don't have the Holy Spirit within us -" He who shows us all things " - then, we're subject to the condemning kind of judgment that Amos talked about.
I know one thing for sure, we are in the last days. I was listening to the Richard Syrett show on CFRB talk radio tonight. The guest was a Douglas James Cottrell, who is a psychic/clairvoyant/healer/prophet(self declared). This guy is scarry. By the way he talks, you would think he was a follower of Christ, but then he talks of reincarnation, altered states of consciousness, gifts of healing and laying on of hands, etc. A real mixed bag of biblical truth and occultish dogma. He was talking of this guy he met in India, I forget his name, but he was a very powerful, raising people from the dead etc. and was the most powerful part of some trinity and basically called him Jesus.
It just hit me. The Anti-Christ is alive as we speak and we are definetly in the last days and prophecy is coming true as we speak. The next few years are going to unfold pretty quickly. Keep looking up!
Mr Cottrell sounds like another person Oprah can have on her show to put forward the "New Gospel of Jesus."
Honestly, just another seer in the long line of seers. The mystic wannabees that have touched the demonic and thought they saw the light. Their eye have actually percieved darkness and oh, how great is that darkness.
Now... what keeps me honest? If I walk in the Spirit I am honest. Of course if I walk alone and carry the Spirit within me as baggage then I need to practice religion to try and keep out of trouble. And lastly... no walking as one... and no religion..? just an ordinary guy getting into more trouble than he should.
It is true... those who are lead of the Spirit are the sons of God. (ahem, and daughters) Of course there are the prodigal sons (and daughters) who are on their own voyage. They can be just leaving the house or out in a far country. Perhaps some are coming back home.
Aw... I could go on for quite some time...
I agree with you Joe----just another wanna-be seer, fueled by the evil one to deceive all the non-believers.
Also, I agree that we are in the end times. I'm no student of prophesy, although I have heard it said that most of the prophetic words in the Bible are already accomplished.But what strikes me as significant in God's plan, is the environmental condition of this world. At the rate it's deteriorating, we're not going to be able to exist here much longer.That's reason enough for God to get on with His eternal plan--which, as I understand it, is to create a new Heaven and a new Earth. I'm already a citizen of Heaven so, I'm not going to let these things bother me. Satan knows we're in the last days. He's scared out of his black spirit: that's why he's turning up the heat with all these abominations.
I agree with you guys!
Post a Comment