AMOS SERMONS by Rev. Mike Jones [Revised January 27, 2019]
Amos 3:3 WALKING IN AGREEMENT WITH GOD
Amos 3:3 WALKING IN AGREEMENT WITH GOD
(Amos 3:3) Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
Name some people who walked with God.
1) Enoch- (Gen 5:22 24) And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: {23} And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: {24} And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
2) Noah- (Gen 6:9) These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
It is insinuated that others walked with God- Adam (Gen 3:8), Abraham (Gen 24:40). And, of course, all of the disciples walked with the Jesus for nearly 3 years.
Our Verse says there must be Agreement if we are to walk together (in Fellowship). What are some things you must Agree with God about?
1) Your Sinfulness
Your Inability to Save Yourself
The Power of the Sacrifice of Christ
2) Your Situation- (Rom 8:28) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
God is our Boss and we must accept His plan of development and pruning.
3) Your Service- (1 Cor 12:6 11) And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. {7} But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. {8} For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; {9} To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; {10} To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: {11} But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
Your Place of Service is Chosen by God
Your Type of Service is Chosen by God
Your judgement is based on Faithfulness to your job (Not Success)
Are you Walking with God tonight?
Are you walking in Agreement with God as you walk?
Amos 4:12 PREPARE TO MEET GOD
As you search for a new Pastor let me share three principles to help during this time:
Stay Focused: Getting as many people as possible, using as many means as possible To Know and to Show Christ. It is not about building THIS Church; it is about building God’s Church.
Stay Faithful: You are Needed Here. You are wanted Here. You are Expected Here.
Stay Fond: (Not unusual for different generations or situations to have different perspectives about what is needed). Stay in Love with one another. (You want God’s Man; not your plan).
I am at that stage in my life where I want the most important things to be the most important things. I can see “the light at the end of the tunnel” and I do not have time for just making do. If it is not important then it is becoming increasingly not important to me. With that in mind I want to share today the most important need in the life of every person here: Being Ready to meet God. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. (Amos 4:12). (Talking about “once you believe; how do you behave”).
The Annual FWB Conference will begin in India in a few weeks. We are expecting 10 to 15 Thousand people in attendance. We must transport these people to our compound in Sonaphur, feed and house them (including bathrooms), Give them quality preaching, teaching, and singing, baptize a large number of believers at the end of the conference, and then transport these people back to their villages. That does not just “Happen”. It takes preparation.
In the same way you are going to meet God one day (Maybe sooner, maybe later) and you need to make some preparations.
1) Prepare to meet God with your wealth- Parable of Talents. For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:14-30).
2) Prepare to meet God with your work: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:8-10). To almost every Church in Revelation Jesus began His message by saying, “I know thy works”. Every Christian is part of the Body of Christ with a specific function given by the Holy Spirit (as the Spirit sees fit). If you do not do your part then all the body suffers.
Your works determine your labor results, your life reputation, and your long term rewards. (My Goal is still to share the Gospel with a Million a month!)
3) Prepare to meet God with your wickedness- For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23). Sin must be paid for. It cannot be overlooked. You cannot pretend it did not happen.
When I go on a trip overseas the government does not care about the color of the clothes in my suitcase but they do care about whether I have an up to date Passport. Without it, I am not going anywhere!
Amos 4:12 THE END OF LIFE
Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel (Amos 4:12). In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live (2 Ki 20:1).
God added 15 years to Hezekiah’s life
THE PLAN OF DEATH
A> To Discipline man FOR Sin- Rom 6:23
B> To Deliver man FROM eternal bondage to sin- Promised in Gen 3 and delivered on the Cross.
C> To Demonstrate the shortness of life on earth and the need to Trust God.
THE PREPARATION FOR DEATH
A> Discuss how much life extending equipment you want
B> Make as many funeral preparations as possible
C> Be ready at any Time
I. THE PLAN OF MAN. Gen 1:26-28 As God is 3 in 1 (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) so He made man 3 in 1 (Body, Soul and Spirit-I Thess 5:23) and put him in charge of 3 kinds of creatures (Fowls-air; Fish- Water; and Flesh-Land). Thus when we say that man is created in God’s image it does not mean that he LOOKS like God (Otherwise everyone would look alike). It means man reflects the “form” of God. With this in mind, realize that when a man dies his body remains here and his Spirit goes to be with the Lord. He will receive a NEW BODY at the Rapture that is Perfect. God equally saves a deformed person or an amputee just as willingly as He does a “whole” person. [Although such a person could not be a Priest- Leviticus 21: 16-23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God. For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken; No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God. He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy. Only he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the LORD do sanctify them. Remember also that the sacrifices brought to God must be “without Blemish”]
Our bodies are to be presented as a “living Sacrifice” to God (Rom 12:1) and as the Temple of the Holy Spirit are to be kept Holy (I Cor 6:15-20). We are therefore not to Abuse or Misuse them.
II. THE PROBLEMS WE ENCOUNTER
A) Should we Replace our organs with organs from other animals- baboon heart in a baby, pig valve in your heart, etc.
B) Is an Artificial Hearts any different than Artificial limbs?
C) If a person is “brain dead” should you “Pull the Plug” on equipment that is breathing for the person (Did God start the man’s brain? or breathe into him the breath of life? When is a man “Officially” dead in God’s sight??) Ps 39:4 Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am.
I. THE REASON FOR DEATH
A) Sin- Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Therefore if we could do away with sin we should be able to do away with death!! AND THAT’S JUST WHAT HAPPENED- I Cor 15:56-57 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of Christ’s Sinless life and sacrifice we now can have Eternal Life. What must be kept firmly in mind is that this is SPIRITUAL DEATH and SPIRITUAL LIFE [Adam did not “Die” physically when he ate the fruit but he was separated from God- which is Spiritual Death].
B) Sickness- II Kings 13:14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of the sickness whereof he died. James 5:13-15 seems to indicate that “Sickness” falls into 2 categories- (1) Afflictions that must be borne (Such as Paul’s “Thorn in the Flesh”) and sicknesses that can be healed by Spiritual or Physical means (Hezekiah is a good illustration of using both methods- He prayed and also put a plaster on this boil. Isaiah 38:20-21). But regardless of the nature of the sickness one day each of us will face something that brings death- Ecclesiastes 8:8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. Job 21:23-26 One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quite. His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow. And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure. They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
C) Suicide- I Sam 31:4 Then said Saul unto his armor bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armor bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. The Devil tried to get Jesus to commit Suicide but He would not do it- Matt 4:6-7. The list of those who have done so in the Bible is not encouraging: Backslidden Saul, Betrayer Judas (Matt 27:5), and Lying in the Lap of the World Samson (Jud 16:29-30).
**Ways to shorten life- Prov 10: 27 The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. Ecc 7:17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
**Ways to Lengthen Life- Ps 34:12-14 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and persue it.
Ep 6:2-3 Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.