Time To Shine
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Jonah 4:1-11, Luke 15:7 May you have time to reflect today on Jesus's sacrifice on the cross. It is Good Friday, a day when he gave his life for sinners like us. In today's reading of Jonah, we find a Jonah who was very upset about the forgiveness God extended to the Ninevites. He knew God was and is a compassionate father and does not want anyone to perish. The Ninevites were cruel people, just as we are today. Still, God brought hope and salvation to them through Jonah, which Jonah did not like because he knew they were perverse and evil people who deserved death, but God here showed his compassion for them as a gentile nation, so there is salvation for Jews and us wicked gentiles. On a day such as this, Christ died on the cross for all humanity for all the 8. plus billion people in the world, and so he did then with the Ninevites to save over 120,000 people and flocks. Today, extend grace to your enemies, for it might be the person God may use to bring even more people to salvation. God's plans are great, just as he is Great.
Jonah 3:1-10, Genesis 19:25, Hebrew 4:12 The people of Nineveh, from the greatest (their king) to the least of them, believed in Jonah's message. The word of God is "active and sharper than any two-edged sword," as it stays in Hebrew 4:12. This means it can change the direction of a person's life and even nations, as we see here in Jonah chapter 3, where the nation of Nineveh repented. The people believed in Jonah's message sent by God to them, and the Lord saved them. He relented from the harm and destruction he was going to bring to them. When we allow God to use us to deliver a message to someone, it is not our words that change that person, but God's substance and active word that can change that person. We are to speak His truth, for we never know who is actively listening, analyzing in their heart, and is determined to change. So, today, let us tell his truth, and He will do the rest of convicting people through his word.
Jonah 2:1-10, 1 John 1:9, Matthew 12:40, Proverbs 28:13, Psalm 86:5 The Lord is gracious with us. He does not use force for us to ask for forgiveness, but with his gentleness, he reminds us of a time when we had a peaceful and close relationship with him to bring our hearts back into repentance. I encourage you to ask God for forgiveness, no matter where you are physically located. If you are alive today, you have a chance to reconcile with the Father. He is always ready to hear our repentant hearts. Jonah was in this big fish or whale for three days and three nights and was submerged in water and debris of the sea. In his moment of distress, Jonah asked God to forgive him, and God heard his cry for help. So, it is with us today. God is not far away; he is right here with us. We do everything in his presence while living on this earth, for nothing is hidden from him. Ask God for forgiveness today; he will reconcile your life and change your trajectory completely.
Jonah 1:1-17, Luke 8:24, Matthew 12:40 Jonah wanted to hide from God, but we can't hide from God's presence, for He is everywhere. Jonah thought that by going in a different direction, God would excuse him from going to Nineveh. But God had other plans, and He was seeking Jonah's repentance for his reluctant attitude. During Jonah's reconciliation with God, God sent a great storm, but Jonah slept on the ship's hold. Perhaps there, Jonah asked for forgiveness, but the storm continued. Then, the sailors noticed that their gods were not helping in the outcry, and they threw lots. It felt to Jonah the true living God was causing the storm. In the process, the sailors were saved from their storm and recognized the true God. In order for the storm to stop, the sailors threw Jonah outboard, and a great whale swallowed him. Jonah was there three days and three nights. Jonah perhaps had asked for forgiveness from God on the boat while he was asleep, for God did not allow Jonah to perish once thrown overboard. So, as the word says, "...not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9 This includes Gentiles, and that's why God sent us Jesus; thus, in this instance, God saved Jonah and the sailors.
2 Peter 3:9, Romans 1:16 and Jonah 4:11 In this book of Jonah, God shows his most significant compassion towards unbelievers and even to other nations regarded as His enemies. Jesus is the bridge that brings salvation today. Back then, it was through sacrifices and by priests and prophets to get his word of salvation. God is not slow about Jesus' second coming, but He desires all to be saved. We can't hide from God's presence, for He is omnipresent, meaning he is everywhere. In this book, Jonah tries to hide from God, but God is with him the whole time; he is in Jonah's next move. So, is God with us now? Yes, he is, and we can't hide from his presence. As it's stated in this verse in Psalm 139:7-12: "Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there, your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast". Summarizing God's redemption opportunity is for all people of the earth, first to the Jews and then to all Gentiles like the Nineveh people. And all our sins are laid bare before our God as stated in Hebrews 4:13, for He is everywhere.
Obadiah 1:1-10, 15-18 and 2 Chronicles 20:1-27 (praise led battle). In this case, the Lord sent Obadiah to prophesy against Edom—the Edomites, descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother. Because of their pride the Lord brought this prophecy to cut them off forever because of the pride they had in their land and wisdom. Proverbs 16:5 says, "The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished." Thus, the Lord really did not like their attitude, for God was the one who provided them with their land and wisdom. This applies to us in the sense that we are to be humble people. Nothing we have comes to us from our own doing, but it comes from God's hand. No earthly wisdom or material possessions can be obtained if they are not freely given by God. God is the provider of all.
Amos 9:1-4, Deuteronomy 28:15, Leviticus 26:23-25a In this final book of Amos, the Lord showed his way of dealing with the sins of his people, Israel, and how we can find forgiveness in the person of Christ Jesus under the new covenant. The people of Israel tended to hide from God, but there is no place on earth where we can escape God's presence, for he is Omnipresent. As Gentiles and Jews, we can find salvation and redemption for our sins in Jesus, for Jesus is the God who has died for sinful people like us. He is our redeemer and our refuge. We can only escape God's wrath if we are under his umbrella. Ask God to forgive your sins today to become the new person God intended you to be from the beginning of times.
Amos 8:1-14, Hebrew 6:10, 4:12, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, Matthew 4:4, Luke 19:40, Romans 1:20 We ought to profess the word of God, so if not, "The stones will cry out," as it says in Luke. In this chapter of Amos, the people of God were going to go into a dry season, a season of not hearing the word of God being preached, and thus, Amos prophetizes that to God's people. In this instance, it is as if we go through a dry season or enter into a time in the wilderness when everything seems dark and dry in our lives, but we ought to crave the word of God even more in this moment for it to quench our thirst. The word of God is "alive and active," as it says in Hebrews. It performs work that we need to be made aware of. It always redirects our lives and stops us from sinning. For this reason, we are to share His word with unbelievers at all costs so that they can revive, become new in God, and change their ways of living. I encourage you (and me) to profess his truth with someone today or during this week.
Amos 7:1-17, James 5:16-17 and Genesis 18:32 As the title gives away, a prayer of a simple yet righteous person avails much. In this chapter, Amos prayed to God for compassion towards the people of Israel twice, and the Lord changed his mind twice. A straightforward prayer can turn away the wrath of God in a person or land in this case. So, don't stop praying for a person who does not follow God now, but continue to pray fervently, for God hears the prayers of his chosen. Amos was a regular and ordinary "Joe" like you, and thus, he continued to do his daily labor and remained close to God's heart. As regular people of faith, we have immediate access to the Father. We live in his presence daily, and we ought to remember this in our daily walk on this earth. If we live according to his word, we should not fear His wrath, for as his children, he will protect us.
Amos 6:1-6, Matthew 11:28-29 and Revelation 14:13 In chapter 6 of Amos, the people of Israel relied on their strength to live their lives. They trusted in the high mountain of Samaria to protect them from attacks from their foes. Their self-reliance led them to believe that they would not face the day of calamity that Amos prophesied to them. They were so sure in their peace that they had a lot of self-love, even to the point of drinking from the sacrificial bowl, anointing themselves with the finest of oils, and making music as David did. In our world today, we may find ourselves doing the same things. We may rely on our money, our education, and even our health to live our lives without acknowledging or giving thanks to the creator or maker of our lives. Our trust should be in him, for he has the authority and power to give and take away. Work hard for God's kingdom today to find eternal rest in heaven.
Amos 5:1-27 and Matthew 5:23-24 The Israelites would be judged by their wrongdoing; even so, their offerings did not mean anything to God, for their hearts were not in it. So, it is the same with us today. We ought to reconcile with God with a sincere heart, but if we have offended a brother, we ought to first forgive them and then come to God to receive with him; in today's world, we would bring our hearts to God for Him to mend it, accept us and forgive us. Today, ask God to search your heart to see if you have offended someone you might not have forgiven. Forgive them, and then come to God to restore your heart and relationship with him.
Amos 4:1-13 and Psalm 22:12 The Lord here showed his people the need for repentance and how he was slow to pass judgment on them. People were oppressing the poor and bringing sacrifices that did not satisfy God. For their hearts were far from God, and thus, they would bring sacrifices that were leavened, and it was an act of mockery before God. When we repent, God reroutes our lives. He picks us up where we left off in our walk with him and guides us on a new trajectory, where the final goal is our viewing of him for eternity.
Amos 3:1-15, Exodus 22:10-13, and Isaiah 43: 1-4, 7,10-11, 13,15, 21-22, 24-25, 27. In these verses, God shows his love for Israel. He wanted them to represent him among the nations. God declared Israel's prophecies through prophets before they occurred so the people would be warned and remember his love. In some situations, they did not believe in the prophet, and God allowed calamity to strike them. But God displayed his love of Israel through his protection from attacks and invasions from other lands; He chose them above all the different people and lands. We, as Gentiles, are chosen, too, if we accept the love of Christ Jesus in our hearts.
Amos 2:1-16, 1 Corithians 3:13-15, Number 6 We ought to remain firm with our beliefs even if the culture around us presses us to change according to their beliefs. The people in the time of Amos committed sins, and we are not too far off from committing them, but the light of God has come to this world to show us a better way of living through the knowledge of Jesus Christ. As believers, it is easy to be persuaded by the culture, but we must remain solid and firm with the light we have found in the knowledge of Jesus and live the life he wants us to live. I encourage you to stay faithful, for he will test our fruits, and let those fruits not be consumed, for he will reward us accordingly.
Amos 1-15, 2 Kings 16:9, Genesis 32-33 1 So the Lord used a common man like Amos to deliver a message to the nations around Judah and Israel and also to these two nations. God can use ordinary people, like you and me, to do astonishing things if we let him. He is faithful to his children who have a willing and repentant heart. When we let him, he polishes and transforms us to be used powerfully for his glory. Just as he used Amos, God has assigned people in our lives for us to be his representation, him in us. So, today, let him use you and be guided by him to do tremendous things in this world.
Seven points about the book of Amos: 1. His name is spelled with an 'S' at the end, not to be confused with Amoz with a 'Z,' who was the father of Isaiah (Isaiah 1:1). 2. Amos means: Burden or Burden Bearer 3. He prophesied about the coming judgment of Israel and the surrounding nations, which is the reason for the meaning of his name. 4. Amos was a regular man. He used an ancient Hebrew (sheepbreeder) word to describe himself because he might have wanted to emphasize that he was a regular, common man used by God to bring a message to Israel and the surrounding nations. It's believed that he did not want to be confused as a symbolic shepherd (guide) but a true, regular human God used to do great things, as the disciples did. 5. Amos was from Tekoa, about ten miles from Jerusalem. He delivered his message in Bethel, the most southern city of Israel and not too far from Tekoa. 6. His ministry was around 760 BC and 750BC 7. When he was a prophet, Israel was divided into two nations for over 150 years—Judah to the south and Israel to the north.
Joel 3: 1-21, Numbers 25:1-3 The Lord all mighty is a God of judgment who avenges on behalf of his children, for they have suffered greatly. God will judge the people who were against his children in Israel and also his adopted children, the church. This time of judgment is coming, and the church should wait attentively. It might take a while, but it will happen. God's children fight a battle between good and evil daily, but in the end, we will reign victorious, for the Lord will defend us.
Joel 2: 12-13, 28 and Romans 2:4, Acts 2 The Lord spoke to Joel about an invasion or battle that would have happened had the people of Judah not repented with their complete hearts. We ought to repent sincerely so that God's rich compassion abounds in us freely. Don't repent with lip service but from within. God is so compassionate that his kindness leads us to repentance, as it says in Romans. Joel predicted the outpouring of God's Spirit on mankind, and it was fulfilled in Acts, in the upper room. So, not just the special people with a specific duty like David or a priest, but all who came to him. Thus, if you desire to learn and pray more to God, you can have his Spirit ready to help you do these things. He is gracious to us, for he provided a Helper and Counselor to help us walk this life.
Joel 1:1-20 In this first chapter, Joel presents an unprecedented event in the existence of Judah. We see how the land was devastated by locusts and how this plague devoured the fruits of the fields. This devastation impeded the people of Judah from bringing an offering to the Lord's house and even feeding their flocks. In this event, Joel redirected the people and the priests to cry out to God so that this devastation could stop. In our days, we go through dry seasons, which is called wilderness. When we are going through it, we don't recognize it as such until we see it or admit God can't heal or refresh our wells. So, our existence depends on him, for we are frail and weak.
Minor prophet Joel Joel's name means The Lord is God. It was written around the mid-ninth century BC. It was written to guide back the Israelites to prayer and fasting. It is believed it was written in the pre-exilic era, and the prophet Elijah was alive. In the first chapter, we will see what prevented the Israelis from bringing an offering to God. This book of Joel has a futuristic essence as well. It talks about the eschatological day of the Lord and how God will pour out blessings on the repeated ones and judgment on the unrepented.
Hosea 14: 1-9, Galatians 5:22-23 The Lord wants us to turn to him so that he can restore us and allow us to produce fruit and fruit that is as luxuriant as he is. We have a God-shaped hole in all of us, a sanctuary that we must guard, grow, and protect but also nourish so it can expand in the knowledge of God. In this chapter, God showed Israel what they would have in him if they returned to him, and Israel also recognized that God's ways are better than the ways they were living.
Hosea 13, 1 Corinthians 15:54-58 The people of Israel, Ephraim, and Samaria, the northern kingdom, were disobedient, but God once again wanted them to turn from their evil ways and recognize him for all that he had done for them in their wilderness. God is the only one that can satisfy us to our core. We all have a sanctuary in our hearts that only God can fulfill. It is his dwelling place in our life. In God, we must recognize that there is no power in death or hell, for Jesus conquered it all at the cross for us. We can be at our lowest; if we call upon him, he will rescue us and satisfy our thirst.
Hosea 12:1-6, Genesis 32:24-30 and Isaiah 55:8-9 So, just like Jacob, we tend to be dishonest and even crafty to get our way. But the Lord wants to trust the process even if it's taking forever in our own eyes. Jacob fought for a blessing, and he got it. So, it should be with us to fight life until we see that blessing God has ordained for us. God may redirect our lives so we don't break in the process. He wants our complete trust. At age 45 or 50, it is not considered too old for God to fulfill his promises to us: "For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand
Hosea 11, Matthew 2:14-15, Romans 8:38-29 The Love of God is accessible to all humans. He draws near to us, for no man can come to him unless he draws near to him. He pursues us with his great Love. I encourage you today to draw near to Him, for he desires to guide your life and take it to the next level. He is faithful in providing a clear path to your next plan or desire. We just need to hold onto him tightly. He has us held tightly or fastened in his cords of Love, but as he keeps us close to him, he also lets us breathe freely. He does not force; He is a gentleman. He wants our relationship with him to grow and solidify, but he longs the most for our complete dependence to be set solely on him.
Hosea 10, John 15:1-3 The Lord intends for us to walk side by side with him as our lives go from season to season; for example, when we are starting a project, we want God to bless it, and later, when the business is prosperous, we walk away from God for we think we have the formula to continue to prosper our businesses or projects. But God sees that project's future and desires us to turn to him even though our project is thriving. A project goes from starting to growing, and in all those steps, God wants to be the center of us, for he blesses us with wisdom and visions to excel in our projects. So, as your business grows, grow with God.
Hosea 9:1-17, 2 Kings 2:1, Hebrews 8:12 and 10:16-17 We are to be thankful for the new covenant that we are living in. Unlike the Israelites who lived in the Old Testament, they had to follow the law, and there are around 613 laws; imagine who can follow them. But in this text of Hosea chapter 9, the people of Israel, specifically Ephraim, wanted and wandered to worship other gods because they were going through a happy and prosperous moment, and so they thought God was not going to see or mind their evil deeds of serving other gods. In this circumstance, Hosea prayed that the women would be barren and dry their chests so that they wouldn't multiply and that new children would see or follow their fathers' actions. So, today, I encourage you to move to the light, where God dwells, for he desires to guide your steps and the plans you put into his care. He is the true God we must follow, for all other gods are not alive as He is.
Hose 8 1-14, Matthew 22:37-39, 1 Corinthians 2:14 As humans, we are weak and easily maneuver. If we allow the things we see to guide us, they will break us. For what we don't see has greater power, for they have an eternal reward, just as it says in 2 Corinthians 4:18: "We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal". Things we build as our god and worship as idols will derail us to the point that we don't recognize ourselves. And as we give more power to those idols, our energy to follow after God will diminish. So, today, I encourage you that if you have an idol that is breaking your relationship with God, come to God broken and humble and submit your worries, concerns, and guilt to God, for he desires to love on you and redirect your life.
Hosea 7:1-16, 1 Corinthians 7:9 Jeremiah 31:34 Our Heavenly Father longs for us to have a personal relationship with him, meaning a vertical relationship, before we have a horizontal relationship with men. Israel, like us today, desired to do their own thing, but God wants us to talk with Him so he can guide us on the right path. We often see the wrongdoing of Israel and say: wait, they did not see how God rescued them time after time, so why don't they return to Him?" So it is the same with us today. We think God doesn't desire a relationship with us after sinning, but he passionately wants our hearts to be healed and renewed so we can walk on this earth safely. The people of Israel committed many sins like us today. Still, he has given and demonstrated his grace (love) to us through Christ so that we would be cleaned of our sins so that we gladly would walk and talk to him graciously and in awe of his power and divine authority to save and rescue us from our route to evil.
Hosea 6: 1-11, Matthew 9:13, 12:7, 10:28 and Romans 12:1 The Lord desires a submissive heart that surrenders to Him. He does not delight in the sacrifice that we could give him but only in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. The sacrifice of Christ broke the veil, allowing us to have intimate and direct access to the Father. Romans 12:1 says, "to preset your bodies a living and holy sacrifice...which is your spiritual service of worship." It means we should have our hearts in the right place and serve God with them. He wants all of us, not just what we can do with our hands and body but with our inner being, spirit, and heart that dwells in us. I encourage you to reel back to God today, for he is our rock, fortress, shield, and solid ground. He wants our heart and all our being.
Hosea 5: 1,11,15 The Lord desired the people of Judah and Israel to seek after him and not after men, For men can not heal our spiritual wounds. God desires for us to go to him first when we find ourselves in trouble or discouraged instead of finding an easy remedy at the suggestion of other people. God is the only one who can restore a weak heart who feels lonely and discouraged. Also, he is the only one who can forgive our sins. Some leaders may misguide us, but God is faithful. Even in our distant relationship with Him, he lovingly asks us to return to him and to seek him with all our hearts, for he is the only one who can renew us. He has provided his word so we can learn more about him and have an intimate relationship with him instead of following leaders who will lead us astray. Today, trust God and seek his face.
