THERE IS HOPE!

Have you heard the news lately? Seems like there is more uncertainty around us than there has been in a very long while. The markets are in trouble, the economy is in trouble, and each of us are facing fears and concerns about our own well being. Where are we to turn for hope? The government? The presidential candidates? Our own nest-egg?

Right now, more than ever, we need a message of hope. The book of Micah has that hope.

Sure, Micah is composed of three prophesies of doom. We could read Micah and think about all the things falling apart around us, but that would be the wrong emphasis. Each prophecy of doom in Micah is followed by a promise of hope. We should focus on that hope, not on the doom. God wants to protect us... God wants to forgive us... God wants to restore us... But we have to come to him on His terms.

To hear this message of hope, click on the link below.

Micah: There is Hope
http://www.box.net/shared/931nbidmct

What is the Day of the Lord?

One of the most interesting things about reading through and studying the Minor Prophets is trying to figure out what message God is trying to send us through these prophets. I've come to realize that the message depends upon who we are... You see, there are three groups of people. The first group, represented in scripture by "the nations", are those who unapologetically reject God. God's message to them is clear - repent or perish. The second group, represented by the prophets and those referred to as "the remnant", are those who wholeheartedly devote themselves to God. God's message to them is one of hope - that God is in control and will bring about those things he has promised. The third group, however, are those who are only playing at being Godly. They are not really devoted to God except by name or claim. They are pretending to be Godly. For the majority, Israel (Both the Northern Kingdom of Samaria and the Southern Kingdom of Judah) represented this group. Unfortunately, this group doesn't really exist. You cannot stay in this group indefinitely. Either you continue to ignore God's pleas to surrender completely to him - as did the Northern Kingdom of Samaria - and are judged by God the same as the nations... or you repent - as the Southern Kingdom of Judah eventually did after going into exile - and are ultimately restored. The point is... this third group of people doesn't exist. You cannot remain a "nominal Christian". You must either totally devote yourself to God and have the blessings and the hopes of God's ultimate peace... or you totally reject God and be judged along with the nations.

The message of Joel is that God will intervene in history in whatever way he deems necessary in order to ensure that this process takes place. Joel calls this sovereign work of God "The Day of Lord". It is not a single event in either history or the future. It is God's plan for all humanity.

The Day of the Lord is Today...

To hear more, listen to this weeks sermon on Joel
The Day of the Lord
http://www.box.net/shared/smypimmhhd

Does Sin Shame You?

In the battle of Jezreel, Jehu defeated the most wicked king and queen combination that Israel had ever seen - Ahab and Jezebel. 1 Kings 16:30 says that Ahab did more evil than any other king before him. Jehu defeated Ahab at the battle of Jezreel.

The Valley of Jezreel from bibleplaces.org

The battle of Jezreel was horrific and bloody, but it resulted in the overthow of evil. Like our own battle of Ghettysburg, the battle of Jezreel should have been viewed as a symbol of truth, justice, and liberty. Unfortunately, Jehu and Israel - after making such a great sacrifice to overcome such an evil king - returned to the same type of sinfulness that Ahab was guilty of. As such, the name Jezreel became a symbol of shame and vanity.



When God told Hosea to name his firstborn son Jezreel, he was making a statement about our sinfulness. It is shameful to him. Our sin treats the cross of Christ as if it was meaningless.



The book of Hosea is an object lesson about two things... the way God sees our sinfulness... and the extraordinary measures God has gone to in order to demonstrate his love and forgiveness to us.



To hear more, click on the link below.

God, Our Beloved Husband
http://www.box.net/shared/r9q1r8x0el

Amos: Seek God and Live

In the 14th Psalm, the psalmist speaks of how no one is righteous before God. However, it also says that God is searching throughout the world, looking for those who are seeking God.

Amos was a prophet in the northern kingdom of Israel. His name means "burden bearer" and what a burden he had to bear! His message is one of judgment and wrath (Amos chapters 1-2). In his sovereignty, God will bring judgment on the iniquities of the world, but he will also bring judgment on God's own people when they sin against him.

God holds his own people to a different standard than he holds the world (Amos 3:2), and he is measuring his people against that standard (Amos 7:7). What is that standard? It is justice and righteousnessness (Amos 5:24) - but if we cannot obtain righteousness, what are we to do?

Seek God and Live (Amos 5:4,6,14)

In our sinfulness, we can never find God, but praise God that he is out there searching for those who are searching for him. Even more so... thank God that he has provided a means so that after he does find us, our sins can be atoned for... the Blood of Jesus.

To hear more about the message that God gave to Amos, click on the link below to hear this week's sermon

Amos: Seek God and Live
http://www.box.net/shared/d4ax95sesm