Daily Devotional

It Shall Not Be

Scripture Amos 7:3 So the LORD relented concerning this.
“It shall not be,” said the LORD.

Observation: This is what God says when Amos asked to forgive Jacob. There must be a point where God won’t forgive or He won’t be just. You can’t keep sinning without consequences. Our country must be at that point now. The people continue to cry out and God has answered our prayers, but we continue in sin and have become worse. There is no reason for God to answer our prayers any longer.

Application: I need to help people prepare for what might happen. I don’t know for sure the end is near, but it could very well be. I need to be obedient to God’s calling in my life and pray for those He puts in my path.

Prayer My Lord we ask so much from you and you are a generous God. I don’t know what your plan is, I just want you to open my eyes to what part you desire me to play.

Perverting Justice

Scripture Amos 6:12 Do horses run on rocks?
Does one plow there with oxen?
Yet you have turned justice into gall,
And the fruit of righteousness into wormwood,

Observation: If you look around us all you can see is justice being perverted and righteous acts being mocked. Our evil leaders are getting away with injustice and gaining wealth as they do it with no concern for the innocent. There is nothing we can do and we need to lay this injustice at God’s feet for Him to do what He feels is right.

Application: It’s hard not to get caught up in all that is happening, but I need to be focused on my Lord and what He desires of me. I must trust Him with the outcome and encourage others to do the same. I need to stay in prayer asking for God’s will to be done.

Prayer My Lord I kneel before You and ask what your commands are for me today. I thank you for yesterday and the many blessings You gave me and I ask You to guide me again today and put the people You desire for me to speak to in my path.

Hate Evil, Love Good

Scripture Amos 5:15 Hate evil, love good;
Establish justice in the gate.
It may be that the LORD God of hosts
Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

Observation: You would think that would be common sense to hate evil and love good, but not in this world. It’s as if we can’t distinguish from good and evil anymore. There isn’t much justice as child molesters and criminals go free and if you have enough money you won’t have to suffer the consequences of your crime. When Jesus said the ruler of this world is Satan, you can see it all around.

Application: Even though Satan might rule this world, Jesus will intercede if we call on Him. He wants His children to cry out and hate evil and love goodness. We each have a small part we can play, but if we all do our part it will make all the difference in the world.

Prayer Dear Lord I pray that your return will be soon, but may your children do their part in making sure justice is done. Hear our cries as we come to you for help and guidance.

Our Posterity Gone

Scripture Amos 4:2 The Lord GOD has sworn by His holiness:
“Behold, the days shall come upon you
When He will take you away with fishhooks,
And your posterity with fishhooks.

Observation: Our posterity is our future generations and when Jesus returns that will be the end of future generations. If we don’t receive God’s gift of salvation we will be taken away to a place of eternal suffering and all that we have done on this earth will be gone. However, if we receive God’s gracious gift our life just begins.

Application: Do what God calls me to do by introducing others to my savior, Jesus. God wants none to perish but all have knowledge of His son and saving grace. God has blessed me and I know my home is heaven and I need to be vocal in telling others about God’s grace.

Prayer My Lord You deserve all that I have and am. Give me the wisdom and courage to bring others the knowledge of the precious gift You have blessed me with. I’m here only as your servant command me to do Your will.

The Adversary Saps Your Strength

Scripture Amos 3:11 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:
“An adversary shall be all around the land;
He shall sap your strength from you,
And your palaces shall be plundered.”

Observation: Our adversary is the devil and he is doing his job well. I do feel as if my strength is gone from me at times, but when I do God’s will it returns. Each day I go to the beach and pray for others as God wills and that brings me joy and recharges me, but when my thoughts go back to this world, I get so tired and it’s hard to go on.

Application: I need to be focused on God and not the things of this world. It’s difficult because I’m constantly bombarded with conflicting information and almost all of it is discouraging. My Lord gives me the option to be focused on Him and His word and to fulfill the purpose He has created me for and I need to give Him my full attention.

Prayer Dear Lord please command me to do what You desire of me. My nature is to worry and be focused on the negative things in this world and I need your help to keep me on the path you have chosen for me. I love you and what to finish this race in the way that pleases You.

Punishment of the Rich

Scripture Amos 2:6 Thus says the LORD:
“For three transgressions of Israel, and for four,
I will not turn away its punishment,
Because they sell the righteous for silver,
And the poor for a pair of sandals.

Observation: Our leaders and the very rich have power over most of us. They don’t care and abuse their power and treat the poor with contempt. If they would only give from their massive wealth and help those in need this world would be a different place, but I’m sure that won’t be happening. We are going to have to wait for the new earth before we see the love for each other the way God desires it to be.

Application: I need to help whenever I can and wherever God leads me. I’m not here for me but for my Lord and the people He surrounds me with.

Prayer Good Morning Lord, it’s a new day. Please guide me through it and put people in my path that I can help and pray with. Thank you for each day and the opportunity to serve You.

Ripped Open the Women with Child

Scripture Amos 1:13 Thus says the LORD:
“For three transgressions of the people of Ammon, and for four,
I will not turn away its punishment,
Because they ripped open the women with child in Gilead,
That they might enlarge their territory.

Observation: I’ve seen this verse in other scriptures in the Old Testament that they ripped open the women with child and the thought is so disgusting it’s hard to imagine. Isn’t that what we do today? We may not rip the woman open but they go into the womb and either poison the baby or remove their brain. It is being done now in the ninth month just before they are to be delivered. These babies are God’s creation even before they were conceived. He knew us before we were born and knitted them together in their mother’s womb. God is just and this will be punished. One of the reasons this is done is because of a group that wants to control the population so they can enlarge their territory.

Application: We need to stand up for the rights of unborn children and do what we can to stop this sin against God. God will not let this go unpunished, because He is just.

Prayer Dear Lord I don’t know how you forgive us for allowing your children to die. We deserve your judgement as a country, but we beg for mercy and ask for guidance on how to stop this slaughter of children. Repay the evil to those who are in control of doing this.