F O O T H O L D

READING

89 JUSTICE LIKE A RIVER

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PRAY Give me an understanding mind and a receptive heart, as I study

your word, Lord.

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READ Amos 5:1-27.

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THINK Try to summarize in one sentence what Amos wants to see in the

lives of the people.

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FOCUS THE CHOICE (1-13). Amos faced the people with a choice - that

would first affect their lives here and now, and secondly would

affect their destiny forever. It was choice between law and love,

between treating those under them severely and relating to them

in love and personal concern (10-12). But the choice runs deeper

than this. In fact, it's a matter of choosing between life with

God and living death (4,6).

THE RESPONSE (14-25). SHALLOW OPTIMISM. These people make an easy

assumption that the Lord is with them and that when 'the day of

the Lord' comes they will have their eternal reward (18-20). But

it's not that simple. Their hope is based solely on WORDS and not

DEEDS - in fact, their deeds clearly deny the truth of what they

claim to believe, as the rest of the reading shows.

SINCERE OBEDIENCE. Thank God, there were people who lived by the

spirit of verses 14, 15 and 24, and there still are. Their true

goodness is fixed (15) and flowing (24) - fixed, because it is

settled and determined manner of living, and flowing, because it

is constantly bringing blessing to new lives and situations.

'Shallow optimism' is, imagining that merely SAYING that we

believe in the Lord is all that is needed. 'Sincere obedience' is

that quality of daily life which is seen when we genuinely open

up our lives to God.

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PRAY Pray for a holiness that results in greater awareness of God's

presence and of people's needs. Ask God to show what needs to be

done in your church.

 


Index - Foot Hold in the Bible

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