Return to God

Scripture: Amos 4: 11-12

¹¹“I overthrew some of you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire, yet you have not returned to me,” declares the Lord. ¹²“Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel, and because I will do this to you, Israel, prepare to meet your God.”

Scripture Commentary: Don’t be hard-headed. Return to God.

God warned His children through famine, drought, blight, locusts, plagues and war but to no avail. They did not return to Him. Through it all, they continued to do their own thing and ignored God.

Is God trying to tell or show you something and are you ignoring Him? You can run but you can’t hide from God. The Israelites ran but they couldn’t outrun God. They had to meet Him face to face.

When it is your time to meet God face to face, He will ask what you’ve done in His name. You won’t be able to run or hide. You can’t ignore Him.

It’s your choice.

He gives you a choice every day to get yourself in order and do His work. Help others, love Him, and spread His gospel. If you are ignoring Him, you still have time to change. God forgets and forgives your sins when you ask Him. He loves you. Are you prepared to meet Him?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Amos 4

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Amos:

How Will It Be in the Last Days?

Seek to Learn and Understand the Words of the Lord

Jesus Calls You To Follow Him

Scripture: Matthew 9: 9-11

Jesus calls Matthew.

⁹As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. ¹⁰Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. ¹¹But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?^[c]”

Scripture Commentary:

Just think how blessed we are that Jesus not only calls us to sit at his table but also he breaks bread with us. We are all sinners who come up short. Matthew was a tax collector working for the Romans. The tax collectors not only collected taxes for the Roman government but also charged extra to line their own pockets. They were hated by the Jews because most of them were Jews exploiting their own people. But this all changed for Matthew when he answered Jesus’s call to follow him.

Have you answered Jesus’s call to follow him or are you still doing your own thing?

Jesus is telling us right now to follow him. Thank him for the day when you awake in the morning and ask him what he has for you to do. Share Jesus’s gospel with everyone.

Jesus came for the lost and the sick. Sick Matthew became well when he answered Jesus’s call. Jesus calls to you now.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Matthew 9

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Matthew:

Jesus Spoke Plainly About His Purpose

What Favor Do You Ask of Jesus?

God Has Set You Apart For A Specific Purpose

Scripture: Jeremiah 1: 4-6

⁴The Lord gave me this message: ⁵“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” ⁶“O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”

Scripture Commentary: God set you apart and has a purpose for your life.

God knew us before we were born. When we were conceived in our mother’s womb, God knew each and every one of us. He set each of us apart and gave us a purpose.

Some of us don’t know our mission in life because we are caught up in worldly glitter and gold. We’ve blocked out God in exchange for what the world offers. But for some, this is not the case.

Accept God and learn your purpose.

Jeremiah felt inadequate but God told Jeremiah that he was valuable and had a purpose. Likewise, God has a purpose for you. To find out what it is, you must first accept God and His Son Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Only then can the door be opened.

Seek God and know His voice.

God is always present but you have to accept Him into your life. Like Jeremiah, you have a purpose. In Jeremiah’s case, he was to go to the nations and prophesy. Your path likely won’t be easy but God never will give you more than you can bear.

You are appointed. Do you know what your assignment is?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Jeremiah 1

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Jeremiah:

Trust God Who Can Do All Things

What Message Does God Have For You?