Carol J German

Today is the day for Americans to let God intervene in their lives. Today is the day for change, and this change begins within each home, and within each heart. Families need to fight for truth and justice or else silent sins will take you and I down, then our families, then our neighborhoods and cities. Pretty soon, the whole nation will crumble.

God gave a message to a shepherd back in the Old Testament that is pertinent for the United States. His name is Amos. You can follow along by studying Amos 5 and 6. God needs to get involved in our lives if we want the U.S. to remain a strong, faithful country.

In Joel 2, God says to sound the alarm and raise the battle cry for the day of the Lord is upon us; verse 1. Amos begins His God-given message with urgency, “LISTEN!” What is humbling is what he wants us to listen to. It is a funeral song. Why would God want us to listen to a funeral song? Is an end drawing near for our nation?

For God to intervene in our lives and make a difference in our hearts, the hearts of our families, as well as the country, a brokenness needs to occur. God calls it repentance. When you study about Israel, God’s chosen people in the Bible, you see a common theme. They follow God, then they don’t follow God. They come back to God only to fall away again. We are no different today.

In Pastor Dobb’s sermon this past Sunday from Grace Church in Eden Prairie, MN, he shared how the Israelites in Judges 10 experienced solid leadership from two judges. Because of them, there was a calm for 45 years. Unfortunately, the Israelites became like the culture and sinned. They first would show repentance but is was hollow and phony. They were all talk and no show, see Judges 10:6. Finally, in verse 15, they showed true forgiveness for their sins Their actions matched their words. This is the repentance that God is seeking from us. When we become truly sorry for our sins and are willing to let God change us, He gets involved and restoration takes place. The land is then healed by the hand of God.

A funeral song is needed for the Israelites have fallen, never to rise again. They find themselves abandoned and alone; see Amos 5:2. Read verse 3, Amos is referring to the military. “If most go down, it is a death sentence for the nation. Despite the looming downfall of a nation, individuals can still seek God and live.” (taken from The Bible Knowledge Commentary by J.F. Walvoord and R.B. Zuck)

God will always make a way for you to find Him. The first step is go to Christ with a broken, repentant heart over your sins.

God wants every wayward child of His to know one thing, “Come back to Me and live!” (look at 5:5-6) How does a believer leave the narrow path that leads to heaven? In verses 5-7, Amos tells of the secret sins that trip you up and lead you away from Christ instead of towards Him. Stop worshiping little “g” gods. Anything that takes priority over your relationship with Jesus is considered little “g” gods. On the outside, you may look religious, but in your heart you are far from God. The Israelites would get this way, and God had to correct them. It is easy to reject God and not realize it. The enemy is subtle in how he uses your sinful flesh to draw you away from Christ. What does God have to do to those who reject Him, see verse 5?

Amidst the chaos of sin, God reveals Himself so you will look to Him. How are you encouraged by verses 8-9, and verses 14-17? What do you learn from these verses that hopefully will make you be urgent in walking faithfully with Christ?

Evil time is upon us. In the United States, we are seeing people who hate honest judges. They despise those who speak truth. The poor are trampled on, and they are deprived justice in the courts. They steal through taxes and unfair rent. Good people are even oppressed; see verses 10-13.

Check out verses 21-27 to learn how God hates hollow faith. “He wants to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.”^5:24 What will happen if God’s children choose to not live this way, see verse 27?

Amos continues in chapter 6 with the dire need for people to repent of their silent sins, as well as, outward ones that are visible, like murder or stealing. God says there is sorrow for those who lounge in luxury, feeling secure. Many chase fame and popularity, but what does God say in verse 6:2 that reveals that no worldly fortune can save you? Wayward believers push away any thought of coming disaster. They don’t believe that God would let anything happen, see verse 3. What do you learn from verses 4-7 that reveal the American way of life? Is this God’s way of living life?

In verse 8, God says, “I despise the arrogance of Israel, and I hate their fortresses. I will give this city and everything in it to their enemies.” Can God say the same about the United States? What do you learn from verse 10 that is apparent in the world today?

The name of the Lord will be hated.

This has been true since Adam and Eve left the Garden. In verse 12, God says you are foolish when you turn justice into poison and righteousness into bitterness. Evil ones love to brag about their conquests. The value of life dwindles when evil is allowed to run amok.

If the silent sins of people are not dealt with, God will oppress the people throughout their own land by allowing an enemy nation to come against them, see verse 14. May American Christians wake up and set themselves apart for His glory, and be ready to listen when God speaks and then respond accordingly.