But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never failing stream

Amos 5:6-24

Amos was a prophet during a time of prosperity in Israel, yet those in power let moral decay and social injustice take them over.

Seek the Lord and live......was the main theme.

The prophet Amos was accredited for this book.

A commentator left these words, “There is one sure remedy for a world that is sick and dying in sin, Seek the Lord and live.”

for Sin seeks to destroy but hope is found in seeking God!

chapter 5 Verse 12 “You oppress the righteous and take bribes and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts." Seek good not evil that you may live. Then the Lord God will be with you, just as you say he is, hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts, perhaps the Lord God almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.

As much as I’d like to celebrate life especially those who have overcome and are in remission from breast cancer…the devastation in the SE and the damage from Milton to those in Florida over-rides a celebration right now.

THE WATERS RAGING FROM THE PACIFIC OCEAN —continue to force families out of their homes as we see them on the national news fleeing for safety and shelter.

IT WAS A NIGHTMARE THAT MANY are having trouble waking up from....…HURRICANE HELENE DUMPED ON THE CAROLINA'S AND NOW MILTON IS FLOODING FLORIDA.

SOMETHING VERY STRANGE HAPPENED WHILE I WATCHED ALL THIS DEVASTATION... HUNDREDS OF BIRDS SWARMED IN ON FLORIDA AS THOUGH THEY WERE THERE TO WARN THE PEOPLE TO RUN FOR SHELTER.

IT WAS SUCH A SIGHT…WHICH CAUSED ME TO THINK WHAT IS THIS LORD?

While Amos is saying Seek the Lord —he’s particularly talking about—moral decay and social injustice.

In verses 6-7 the initial call to seek the LORD and live is foundational to the entire passage. Although having a relationship with the Lord is very personal-here Amos emphases a turning away from sin and all forms of injustice.

Yet as I watched the panic in both the broadcasts of the Southeast and Florida, I had to question where was the National Guard and all those million dollar air crafts to airlift those people from their homes? The water was deep enough to be full of crocodiles and snakes, yet people were wading through them on foot.

I was perplexed as I saw people in their compact cars driving through dangerous deep water while winds and debris was flying off houses into the streets.

WHY were SO MANY CARS STILL ON THE Street, sitting actually outside of their garages while others were parked on the streets.

SEEK THE LORD…AND LIVE IS FOUNDATIONAL. IT WAS NOT A TRICK COMMAND, SURELY THESE PEOPLE HAVE SEEN STORMS OF SUCH MAGNITUDE BEFORE, YET THEY APPEARED TO WANT TO RIDE IT OUT AND TAKE THE RISK OF BEING HURT AS WELL AS LOST IN THEIR HOMES UNDER THE DEBRIS AS YOU SAW HOUSE BEING UPROOTED AND FLOATING DOWN THE STREET.

I STOPPED WHAT I WAS DOING TO PRAY.

I ASKED GOD TO SHOW UP AND RESTORE NORMALCY TO THE LAND AND GIVE THESE PEOPLE THEIR JOY BACK.S THOUSANDS CONTINUED TO DISREGARDED THE WARNINGS AND WERE SEEN BOARDING UP THEIR HOMES TO STAY IN THEM.

I BELIEVE THE PROPHET AMOS FACED A CRISIS MUCH LIKE WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING.

FIRST====LET ME SAY THIS—WHAT WE NEED DESPERATELY ARE CHANGE AGENTS...

AGENTS OF CHANGE..

PEOPLE WHO GET INVOLVED IN MAKING DELIBERATE CHANGES FOR THE GOOD…DO GOODE-RS....SEEKERS==========WILLING TO ALLOW THE OBSERVANCES AND RITUALS ACTUALLY BE A WAY OF LIFE…COMMUNION FOR INSTANCE, WHEN YOU DRINK THE GRAPE JUICE…YOU’R COMMEMORATING JESUS’ DEATH ON THE CROSS…NOT JUST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS BUT ALLOWING YOUR HEART TO THINK OF THE ACTUAL SACRIFICE JESUS MADE IN DYING FOR YOUR SINS AND MINE AND REFLECTING....AS THE SONG WRITER WROTE…I ONCE WAS LOST IN SIN BUT JESUS TOOK ME IN...

EATING THE BREAD…CONSTITUTING THE BROKEN BONES AND FLESH OF JESUS’ BODY…BEING A PART OF SUCH A RITUAL —IS SO THOUGHT PROVOKING AND SACRED…YOU CANNOT PARTICIPATE ---ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE AND NOT BE CHANGED.

PAUL WAS SO PROVOKED WITH THE PEOPLE OF CORINTH…THEY LITERALLY WERE DESECRATING THE SABBATH AND GUILTY OF TAKING THE COMMUNION WITHOUT THE RESPECT AND REVERENCE IT SO DESIRES. SOME WERE DRINKING THE WHOLE GLASS OF WINE AS THOUGH THEY WERE AT THE PUB WHILE OTHERS EAT SLICES OF BREAD…AS THOUGH THEY WERE STARVING FOR A MEAL.

MY FRIENDS…AMOS WANT US TO KNOW THAT HAVING A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE THE LORD IS NOT JUST A PERSONAL MATTER BUT MORE THAN THAT…IT INVOLVES TURNING AWAY FROM SIN AND INJUSTICE…

AMOS’ MESSAGE IS PROFOUND...

ONE OF THEIR CUSTOMS WAS TO PAY MOURNERS…A CERTAIN AMOUNT TO MOURN THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE…APPARENTLY THE LEADERSHIP TURNED A DEAF EAR TO THEIR CRIES FOR HELP.

THE PRACTICE OF HONORING A DECEASED LOVED ONE RUNS DEEP...FAILURE TO HONOR THE DEAD IS A DISGRACE. THE RITUAL IS ONE THAT HAS DEEP ROOTS IN ALL FAITHS…AMOS POINTED OUT —HOW LOUD WAS THE WAILING HEARD.

SOMEONE ONCE SAID, IT IS EASY TO LISTEN TO A SERMON AND THINK OF ALL THE PEOPLE WE KNOW THAT SHOULD BE LISTENING, OR TO READ THE BIBLE AND THINK OF THOSE WHO WE BELIEVE SHOULD DO WHAT THE PASSAGE TEACHES…

THIS WAS A CHARACTER FLAW THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF THE ISRAELITE'S AS SO MANY LIVED DOUBLE LIVES…JESUS POINTED THIS OUT--THEY COULD EASILY SEE THE SPECKS IN SOMEONE ELSE’ EYES —BUT NEVER NOTICE THE BLANKS IN THEIR OWN.

GOD SENT AMOS A FARMER AND VINE DRESSER FROM TEKOA ON A MISSION TO PROPHESY TO ISRAEL AND “ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF HIS PEOPLE”…

PEOPLE ENSLAVED UNDER THIS NEW POWER-HUNGRY REGIME. SEEK THE LORD AND LIVE.

CORRUPTION AND DIS- LOYALTY WERE JUST TWO THINGS THAT STOOD OUT.

YET NO MATTER HOW YOU CUT IT…GOD SAW IT AND SHOWED HIS DISPLEASURE.

AND THESE ARE HIS WORDS TO THE PROPHET AMOS ”I HATE AND DESPISE YOUR RELIGIOUS FEASTS, I CANNOT STAND YOUR ASSEMBLIES EVEN THOUGH YOU BRING ME BURNT OFFERINGS, I WILL HAVE NO REGARD FOR THEM, I WILL NOT LISTEN TO THE MUSIC OF YOUR HARPS…BUT LET JUSTICE ROLL ON LIKE A RIVER, RIGHTEOUSNESS LIKE A NEVER FAILING STREAM.”

JUST AS THE LORD PROMISED HE PUNISHED ISRAEL. BUT WHAT FATHER STAYS ANGRY FOREVER?

MY FRIENDS GOD HATES FALSE WORSHIP, CORRUPTION AND ALL THE EVIL THAT POWER HUNGRY PEOPLE DO TO THOSE LESS FORTUNATE.

WHEN ALL WAS SAID AND DONE…THOUGH GOD HAS ALWAYS PROVIDED FOR HIS PEOPLE,

GOD SHOWS THOSE HE LOVES THAT HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER. GOD STILL LOVES....UNDENIABLY ISRAEL.

THE PEOPLE WERE SO DOWNTRODDEN THAT THEY BEGAN TO CALL FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD OR THE END TIMES…THEY DIDN’T REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY WERE ASKING...

THEY DIDN’T REALIZE IF YOU ARE ASKING FOR THE JUDGEMENT....OR THE END TIMES…ARE YOU READY TO FACE THE LORD?

ARE OUR HEARTS-MINDS, SOUL, READY TO MEET THE LORD?

OR WOULD YOU LIKE —A LITTLE MORE TIME…A FEW MORE DAYS, COUPLE MONTHS MAYBE A FEW MORE YEARS…TO GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER SO THAT YOU CAN STAND BEFORE THE LORD AND SAY, I’M READY FATHER -COME.

NOW BEFORE WE WANT TO BRAVELY ASK GOD TO COME, AGAIN ARE WE REALLY READY

I KNOW I’M NOT…AND IF I WERE TO TAKE A POLL, I’M QUESSING I’M NOT ALONE. YOU TOO MIGHT ASK FOR MORE TIME,

MORE TIME TO CLEAN UP SOME STUFF…MORE TIME TO GET OUR HOUSE IN ORDER.

IF I CAN BE FRANK -I KNOW SO MANY PEOPLE ARE WORKS IN PROGRESS. THEY REALLY ARE NOT READY....

HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT PASTOR…WELL IT’S THIS....WHEN I HEAR THEM SAYING “IN CHURCH SETTINGS” GOD IS GOOD...ONE DAY AND CATCH THEM IN ANOTHER SETTING- BLASPHEMING GOD BY SHOWING THOSE WERE JUST EMPTY WORDS...….

SO MANY ARE LIVING DOUBLE LIVES...USING RELIGIOUS RITUAL AND TRADITIONS TO MAKE THEMSELVES LOOK GOOD..BUT I ASK....DON’T THEY KNOW????

GOD WILL DESPISE OUR WORSHIP

BUT WHEN YOU RECOGNIZE ===HALLELUJAH====THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO CARRY SUCH A BURDEN…THAT THE LORD THY GOD IS A FORGIVING GOD…THEN YOU CAN....TAKE THE TIME TO THANK HIM....RIGHT NOW AND CLEANSE YOURSELF OF SIN AND BEGIN YOUR LIFE BRAND NEW…NOT AS AN INFANT BUT AS A MATURE, THOUGHTFUL AND DETERMINED SOUL, SAVED BY HIS GRACE.

FOR HE DESIRES ONE THING FOR SURE...A CLEAN AND PURE HEART…A HEART THAT DESIRES TO LIVE OUT THE REST OF YOUR YEARS -WITH THANKSGIVING AND RIGHTEOUSNESS ON YOUR SIDE...

MY FRIENDS…OUR TIME IS PRECIOUS...WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED TO STAND BEFORE THE LORD, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR HIM SAY?

IS IT WELL DONE…MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT ENTER IN—OR DO YOU THINK IT WILL BE SOMETHING ELSE?

FOR AMOS CLOSED WITH THIS…TO THOSE FOUND TO BE FAITHFUL…THOSE WHO HAVE TURNED AWAY FROM SIN…AND DECLARED…THE LORD THY GOD TO BE THEIR SAVIOR…SAYING THIS: ”WHEN THE DAY COMES…DECLARES THE LORD, NEW WINE WILL DRIP FROM THE MOUNTAINS AND FLOW FROM ALL THE HILLS…INSTEAD OF MUD AND RAIN…I WILL BRING BACK MY EXILED PEOPLE ISRAEL; THEY WILL REBUILD THE RUINED CITIES AND LIVE IN THEM, THEY WILL PLANT VINEYARDS AND DRINK THEIR WINE; THEY WILL MAKE GARDENS AND EAT THEIR FRUIT…I WILL PLANT ISRAEL IN THEIR OWN LAND, NEVER AGAIN TO BE UPROOTED…FROM THE LAND I HAVE GIVEN THEM…

IF THIS WORD IS FOR YOU…THIS MORNING....CONGRATULATIONS…

CONGRATULATIONS....KNOWING THAT YOU REALIZE THAT YOUR LIFE IS NOT DRIED UP OR THAT YOUR STRENGTH IS ALL GONE…TO LIVE OUT THE REST OF YOUR DAYS WITH THANKSGIVING ON YOUR HEART AND IN YOUR SOUL.

KNOWING THAT YOU CAN LOOK TO THE HILLS FROM WHENCE YOUR HELP COMES…KNOWING THAT YOUR HELP COMES FROM THE LORD,

LET THE CHURCH SAY AMEN,

LET THE CHURCH SAY AMEN

GOD HAS SPOKEN -LET THE CHURCH SAY AMEN.