THE CALLING OF AMOS

“Then the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said to me, go, prophesy to My people Israel” (Amos 7:15 NKJV).

When Amos was challenged about his prophesying, he responded by relating his calling. Our verse sums up his call as well as the calling of everyone who serves God. Thus, we want to note the who of the calling, the when of the calling, and the what of the calling.

Who of the calling – “The Lord took me.” A person is not called into the ministry by his church or mission board, friends, college professors, or even their parents. God is the One who does the calling. This can sometimes be especially hard for parents who often have big plans for their children’s future. However, this can be a hindrance to God’s call on the child’s life. Let God do the calling. His plan is the best plan for one’s life.

When of the calling – “As I followed the flock.” Amos was called to prophesy when he was a shepherd. He was a faithful and industrious shepherd. These are the kind of people God calls into the ministry. He is not interested in lazy people or folks who have not proven their faithfulness. We need to be faithful in whatever we are doing and God will see and call.

What of the calling – “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.” God told Amos where to go and what to do. He does this for all those that He calls into His service. God has a place for you and me in His vineyard. The job may not be easy, and it may not be in a place where we will be treated honorably (Amos was scorned and unaccepted). However, we are to go where God tells us to go and do what He tells us to do anyway.

(Adapted from Butler's Daily Bible Reading 3)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“God’s call to any man and the anointing of the Spirit for service are conditioned upon that man’s heart response!”

Alan Redpath (1907 – 1989)

British Pastor, Theologian and Author

Word Study

Enraged (exceedingly angry)

In Matt. 2:16 we read, “Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men!” (NKJV).

Enraged (exceedingly angry) is the Greek word (θυμόω =thoo-mo'-o). It describes passion, and speaks of an agitated, heated anger that rushes towards a thing. When accompanied by hard breathing, thumóō pictures a panting rage. The word is used only once in the New Testament. Here in Matt. 2:16, it is used to describe Herod’s fuming when he discovered he had been outwitted by the Wise Men. His anger was so great that he ordered the slaughter of children 2 years of age and under. When someone is this angry you can often see their nasal passages widening to take in more air in the heat of their passion!

“Fear Nots” Found in the Bible

“And he said, hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, thus saith the Lord unto you, be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chron. 20:15 NKJV).

Did You Know…

According to the Book of Deuteronomy, it was the job of the Levites to carry the Ark of the Covenant as the Israelites wandered in the desert (Deut. 10:8).

Bible Quiz

Where did people place the sick when the Lord Jesus entered a town or village?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: According the Book of James, what does the trying (testing) of one’s faith produces? Patience (Jam. 1:3).

Names For the Lord Jesus in the Bible

“BREAD OF LIFE”

"And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst!” (John 6:35 NKJV).

1. Meaning – BREAD OF LIFE speaks of the Lord Jesus as the One who both imparts and sustains life.

2. Insights – In context, the crowd misunderstood the nature of the “true bread” of which the Lord Jesus was speaking. He therefore plainly declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” This is the first of seven “I am” statements in John’s Gospel. What food and water are for the body, the Lord Jesus is to the life of man. And because the Lord Jesus is “the bread of life” He could promise that those who came to Him would never hunger, and those who believed in him would never thirst. Hunger and thirst are metaphors for the human need to know God. So, those who come to the Lord Jesus, i.e., those who believe in Him, are brought into relationship with God and their hunger and thirst to know God are satisfied.

Did You Know – Christian History

Philip Doddridge was born June 26, 1702, in London, England. He was an English Nonconformist (Congregationalist) minister, educator, and hymn writer.

At his birth he showed so little sign of life that he was laid aside as dead, but one of the attendants, thinking she perceived some motion or breath, took that necessary care of him which was the means of preserving his life. Doddridge parents died when he was a boy, but he was cared for by friends of the family. Recognizing Doddridge’s intellectual abilities, one benefactress offered to pay his studies at Cambridge. Doddridge rejected the offer, because he could not accept the creed of the Anglican Church. He went to a non-conforming seminary instead and became an evangelical, independent church leader.

At twenty-seven Doddridge began to pastor the Castle Hill congregational chapel in Northampton, England and continued there for the next twenty-two years. While in Northampton Doddridge offered a theological training school to prepare young men for ministry in independent churches. Over the years Doddridge taught about 200 men, conducting classes in Hebrew, Greek, math, philosophy, Bible, and theology. Because of his many accomplishments, the University of Aberdeen conferred a Doctor of Divinity degree upon Doddridge in 1736.

Doddridge was also a prolific writer. His book, The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul was translated into seven languages. It was the reading of this book that led to the conversion of William Wilberforce. Besides a New Testament commentary and other theological works, Doddridge also wrote over 400 hymns. At age forty-eight, at the height of his ministry, Doddridge was dying of tuberculosis. Friends collected money to send him to Portugal, hoping that the warm air and sunshine might cure him; but it was too late. Doddridge died October 26, 1751; and is buried in the English cemetery in Lisbon.

After his death a friend collected many of his hymns and had them published. Several still appear in today’s hymnals, including “Grace! Tis a Charming Sound” and “O Happy Day.” The latter is probably Doddridge’s most famous hymn. Based on 2 Chron. 15:15, the hymn expressed the joy of a personal relationship with God. Doddridge himself titled the hymn “Rejoicing in our Covenant Engagement to God.” Baptists and Methodists often use the hymn at dedication services for Christian baptism, while British royalty have used it at the confirmation services for court children.

A Little Humor

As the church secretary walked into church on Sunday morning, she heard snickering from the pews. Quickly grabbing a copy of the bulletin, she found the cause. The sermon title for that day was: “What Makes God Sick: Pastor Joe Smith.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Christ’s cleansing power can remove the most stubborn stain of sin!”