“But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”— Amos 5:24 (ESV) After rejecting Israel’s empty worship, God revealed what He desired. He wanted justice to roll down like waters and righteousness to flow like a stream that never runs dry. God was not asking for another ceremony. He was calling for a transformed life.Biblical justice is more than supporting a...  Read More

“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen.”— Amos 5:21-23 (ESV)“If I speak in the tongues of men and of ...  Read More

“Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! Why would you have the day of the LORD? It is darkness, and not light, as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him. Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?”— Amos 5:18-20 (ESV) The people of Israel eagerly anticipated “...  Read More

"Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said. Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph."— Amos 5:14-15 (ESV)"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."— James 4:7 (ESV) Reflect:Seeking t...  Read More

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together."— Colossians 1:15-17 (ESV)"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from ab...  Read More

"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."— John 4:23-24 (ESV) Reflect:At Gilgal, Israel had ritual without renewal — going through the motions of sacrifice and ceremony while their hearts stayed uncha...  Read More

"for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise."— Galatians 3:26-29 (ESV)"Do not be conformed to this...  Read More

"Hear this word that I take up over you in lamentation, O house of Israel: 'Fallen, no more to rise, is the virgin Israel; forsaken on her land, with none to raise her up.' For thus says the Lord God: 'The city that went out a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went out a hundred shall have ten left, to the house of Israel.' For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: 'Seek me a...  Read More

"Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel! For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind... the LORD, the God of hosts, is his name!"— Amos 4:12-13 (ESV)"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."— Ephesians ...  Read More

"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."— Romans 5:8 (ESV)"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures."— 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (ESV) Reflect: Amos 4 shows us that we, like I...  Read More

"I gave you empty stomachs in every city, and lack of bread in every town; yet you did not return to me, declares the LORD. I also withheld the rain from you... yet you did not return to me, declares the LORD. I struck you with blight and mildew... yet you did not return to me, declares the LORD. I sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt... yet you did not return to me, declares the ...  Read More

"Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days; offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, O people of Israel!" declares the Lord GOD.— Amos 4:4-5 (ESV) Reflect: Israel never stopped attending worship — they simply stoppe...  Read More