Fear; Not Knowing Him

Reading through the prophecy of Amos began to prove confusing for me and wonder what the LORD was trying to communicate. Our first historical understanding reveals Amos prophesying as a contemporary with Jeremiah. Both were hindered by king Jeroboam showing the spiritual condition of the day to be one which reveals they had betrayed and run away from the LORD. Running away from the Lord the people were now in eminent danger. Judgment would come, because they were no longer under the protection of the LORD.

Is the intention of the LORD in such passages to strike fear into the hearer?

Striking fear seems to certainly be the intention of prophesying coming judgment, but it is not a fear of coming judgment which the LORD is seeking to provoke. Leaving the loving protecting arms of the LORD is that of which we are to be afraid. He wants to know us, and us to know him; and he knows the danger of not knowing him.

Applying this to my life is necessary and helpful. When desires begin to swell within me often I forget the great love and sacrifice of our LORD. Remembering the consequences of leaving his loving grasp allows a healthy fear to remain within me. Being scared of what God will do to me is not what God is communicating; rather being scared of what God will not do for me, by protecting me from results of evil and darkness in this world, is that which God is communicating. Know Him and have no fear, for perfect love casts out fear, and He is most certainly perfect love.

Making Disciples; Making Him Known

~Making disciples must always remain on the forefront of our minds. The production of those who maintain the same disciplines that we have learned from Christ is the mission of the Great Commission. Making disciples is the activity which bridges the gap between the physical and the spiritual dimensions of the Christian life—the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

~Setting our eyes to the making of disciples is a mistake, for we are to be looking unto the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Setting our eyes to making disciples is a mistake, yet without the making of disciples we are without a mission. Like a high-powered sports car spinning its tires at the start line is the life of the believer who is not making disciples. Fuel is in the engine, the engine is on, and the peddle is to the floor, but you’re going nowhere, accomplishing nothing for the Kingdom of God. Please understand that we do have times when we need to take time to be filled with his Spirit and be sure that we are ready to go, but all this is done for purpose of knowing our God and making him known.