Thoughts for another day

Aug. 12, 2011

Today's verse: Amos 8:11. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

God has given us humans a very powerful weapon with which we can fight the battles in our lives; and that weapon is His own Word, the Bible.  Yes, brothers and sisters, God's Word is our stronghold for He exists in it as John says, …and the Word was God (Jn. 1:1).  Don't be mistaken, His Word is the source of all power in our lives as we live to glorify and praise Him and I know how a single Scripture can hold people up in their time of trouble.  In the world there are places where God's Word is not possible to get and ask those people what it means to not have the Word and they will tell you how weak life is without It.

When we're called to counsel people, we usually give them just one Scripture; which is sharper than a two edged sword and cuts through soul and spirit, and the joints and marrow.  God's Word is shrapnel on the heart of the evil one piercing through and destroying his designs.  God's Word is the balm that can heal sick bodies and also restore lost fortunes.  God's Word is the salve for the soul when it roams in the wilderness of life's worst situations.  It is life itself and without it a man can be lost and never find himself.  Unfortunately, many Christians don't find God's Word good enough and either ignore or ridicule it dwelling on those aspects where God is seen as a punishing God or an angry God who wants to shove His creation into oblivion.  But certainly God isn't like that for what do you see when you behold Jesus on the Cross?

What we see in our scripture today is a tremendous calamity prophesied by Amos the prophet that God will send a famine for hearing the Word of the LORD.  Yeah, so incensed is God with the idolatries of man's soul that He is in His wrath, going to send a famine of His Word.  If that happened, I wonder how we'd live, we, who haven't yet imbibed God's Word.  How could we travel in the dark tunnel which life takes us to and what would happen to us if we had nothing to stand upon; not even knowledge of God!  It is a dreadful thought; so let us repent of our sins and come to the Throne of Mercy imploring Him to not cast us off, but always give us His Word allowing us to live abundant lives in the knowledge of Him who loves us and gave Himself for us.