Amos 9 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Amos 9.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/amo/9/1/s_888001

Meditate on verse 10.

 

All the sinners of My people will die by the sword, those

who say, “The calamity will not overtake or confront us.”

 

It is easy to become distracted by the world’s calamities; thankfully this chapter refocuses our attention on the LORD.  Fix your eyes on Him by praying Amos 9:1-6, 8, and 10 as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, I see You standing beside the altar, saying, ‘Smite

the capitals so that the thresholds will shake and

break them on the heads of them all!’ 

LORD, You slay with the sword; the fugitive will not flee,

and the refugee will not escape.

Though they dig into Sheol, from there Your hand takes them,

and though they ascend to heaven, from there You bring them down.

Though they hide on the summit of Carmel, You search them out

and take them, and though they conceal themselves from Your

sight on the floor of the sea, from there You command the serpent

and it bites them.  Though they go into captivity before their enemies,

from there You command the sword to slay them, and You

set Your eyes against them for evil and not for good. 

LORD GOD of hosts, You touch the land so it melts, and

all those who dwell in it mourn, and all of it rises up like the Nile

and subsides like the Nile of Egypt.  LORD, You build Your upper chambers

in the heavens and have founded Your vaulted dome over the earth.

 You call for the waters of the sea and pour them out on

the face of the earth.  The LORD is Your name.  Your eyes are on

the sinful kingdom, and You will destroy it from the face

 of the earth; nevertheless, You will not totally destroy the house of Jacob. 

All the sinners of Your people will die by the sword, those who

say, 'The calamity will not overtake or confront us.' 

LORD, please let ___________ stop saying those words and come to You.

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

 

 

Amos 8 - Praying God's Word

Please read Amos 8.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/amo/8/1/s_887001

Meditate on verse 11.

 

"Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD

GOD, "when I will send a famine on the land,

not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, but

 rather for hearing the Words of the LORD.”

 

The Israelites experienced this famine of God’s Word when some of them were scattered and destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 BC and more of them exiled by the Babylonians beginning in 605 BC.  God’s last recorded words in the Old Testament came through the prophet Malachi around 433 BC.  It would be 400 years before the LORD spoke again through John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).  “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). 

 

Miraculously we have Jesus, the Word of God in the flesh.  And, at the time of writing this devotional, we have God’s written Word translated in its entirety into nearly 700 languages; almost 3,400 of the world’s 7,353 languages have some portion of the Bible in their language.¹   We have the privilege of living in a time when access to God’s Word is easier than it has ever been.  Take advantage of this gift God has graciously afforded us, being careful not to create a famine of the Word in your own life.

 

Use the words from Amos 8:11-12 to pray for those who need God’s Word, as their faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, please stop the famine in ______________ life

 for hearing Your Words.  They are staggering. 

Please let them seek You and Your Word. 

Please let them find You in Your Word before it is too late.

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

 

1.      Retrieved from Wycliffe Global Alliance: www.wycliffe.net/resources/scripture-access-statistics/

 

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Amos 7 - Praying God's Word

Please read Amos 7.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/amo/7/1/s_886001

Meditate on verses 4-6.

 

Thus the LORD GOD showed me, and behold, the

LORD GOD was calling to contend

 with them by fire, and it consumed the great deep

and began to consume the farmland.

 Then I said, "LORD GOD, please stop! How

can Jacob stand, for he is small?"

The LORD changed His mind about

this. "This too shall not be," said the LORD GOD.

 

When you pray, do you ever think, “What difference does my prayer make?  God is going to do what He wants to do anyway.”

 

The LORD God Almighty, considers our prayers as He controls the universe—mindboggling!  How wonderful to know as you walk and talk with Jesus, He really hears your prayers, and what you pray really makes a difference.  Amos 7 is an amazing affirmation of that fact.  So, heed God’s commands to pray:

 

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in

 it with an attitude of thanksgiving.

—Colossians 4:2

 

With all prayer and petition, pray at

 all times in the Spirit, and with this in

view, be on the alert with all perseverance

and petition for all the saints.

—Ephesians 6:18

 

The effective prayer of a righteous

 man can accomplish much.

—James 5:16b

 

Pray Amos 7:2 and 5-6 as you intercede on behalf of those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD God, please pardon! 

How can _____________ stand for they are small?

LORD God, please stop! 

How can _____________ stand for they are small?

LORD, please change Your mind

about this and let it not be.

Because of Your mercy, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

 

Amos 6 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Amos 6.           

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/amo/6/1/s_885001

Meditate on verses 1 and 8.

 

Woe to those who are at ease in Zion

and to those who feel secure in the

mountain of Samaria, the distinguished

 men of the foremost of nations, to

whom the house of Israel comes. The LORD

GOD has sworn by Himself, the

LORD God of hosts has declared: "I loathe the

 arrogance of Jacob and detest

his citadels; therefore, I will deliver

 up the city and all it contains."

 

God pronounces judgment on His people for being at ease and feeling secure.  Take His Words to heart, for the very thing that makes God furious would be described as success by many people today. 

 

God says “Woe” to those who are indifferent and self-indulgent (vs. 1, 3, 6).  God says “Woe” to those who are lazy and gluttonous (v. 4).  God says “Woe” to those who are prideful and arrogant (v. 8).  God says “Woe” to those who do not mention the name of God, convincing themselves He doesn’t notice their behavior (v. 10).

 

Examine your life in the Light of God’s Word.  Have you fallen into sinful ease, embracing the world’s comforts and pleasures, self-indulging instead of meeting the needs of those around you? 

 

Use the words from Amos 6:1, 4, 6, and 8 to confess and repent as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, please forgive me for being at ease

 and self-secure.  Forgive me for reclining

and sprawling in luxury and eating gluttonously.

 Forgive me for anointing myself

with the finest of oils but not grieving over

the ruin of others.  Forgive me for my

arrogance.  I do not want You to loathe

 my behaviors, LORD.  Help me change to

gain Your perspective, see with

Your eyes, and walk in Your ways.

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

Amos 5 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Amos 5.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/amo/4/1/s_883001

Meditate on verses 4, 6a, and 14.

 

For thus says the LORD to the house

 of Israel, "Seek Me that you may live. 

Seek the LORD that you may live.

 Seek good and not evil, that you may live,

and thus may the LORD God of hosts

 be with you, just as you have said!”

 

Restoration and reconciliation are always on the heart and mind of God.  No matter how grievous the sin and complicated the situation, the cry of God is: “Seek Me!  I will be with you and let you live!” 

 

The lie of Satan is: “You messed up so badly, God will never forgive you.  Your life is ruined.  There is no hope for you.” 

 

Do not believe the lie of the one who comes to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10).  Believe Jesus, who came to give life, so you can have it abundantly (John 10:10).

 

Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon

 Him while He is near.  Let the wicked

forsake his way and the unrighteous man his

thoughts; and let him return to the LORD,

and He will have compassion on him, and to

our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

—Isaiah 55:6-7

 

Pray Amos 5:8, 12, and 14 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, You made the Pleiades and Orion,

and You change deep darkness into

 morning.  You darken day into night, and

You call for the waters of the sea and

pour them out on the surface of the earth. 

LORD, You know ___________ and my

transgressions are many and our sins are

great.  Forgive us, LORD.  We seek good

and not evil that we may live.  LORD God of

hosts be with us, just as You have said!

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

Amos 4 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Amos 4.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/amo/4/1/s_883001

Meditate on verse 9.

 

"I smote you with scorching wind

 and mildew, and the caterpillar was

devouring Your many gardens

and vineyards, fig trees, and olive

 trees; yet you have not

returned to Me," declares the LORD.

 

In the midst of grievous sin and idolatry, the LORD wanted to get Israel’s attention, so they would return to Him.  But the people were so blinded by their ungodly behavior that even plague, drought, famine, and war did not wake them up to their iniquities and bring them to repentance.   You can hear God’s frustration as He declares, “I overthrew you, yet you have not returned to Me” (v. 11).

 

People have not changed; most do not fall to their knees in repentance when there is an earthquake, plague, or wildfire.  In fact, one is often met with indignance by Christians and non-Christians alike when God’s judgment is attributed to tragedies.  The event is usually referred to as a natural disaster or blamed on global warming rather than the consequences of sin and God’s wake-up call to our relationship with Him. 

 

As you continue to read the Bible, notice what God does and His purpose behind His actions.  Notice the things going on in your world.  What is God doing?  How will you respond?

 

Pray Amos 4:12-13 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, You declare, ‘Prepare to meet your God!’

 Let ___________ and me be well-prepared. 

For behold, You form mountains and create the

wind and declare Your thoughts to man.

 You make dawn into darkness and tread

 on the high places of the earth.

LORD God of hosts is Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Amos 3 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Amos 3.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/amo/3/1/s_882001

Meditate on verse 2.  The LORD is speaking.

 

"You only have I chosen among all the families

of the earth; therefore, I will punish

you for all your iniquities."

 

As a child did you ever say to your parents when being disciplined, “But, my friend did the same thing, and they didn’t get punished.”  To which your parent replied, “Your friend is not my child; it isn’t my responsibility to discipline them.  You are my child, and it is my responsibility to discipline you.”

 

God took the same firm and loving care of Israel.  He rescued them from Egypt; He gave them His Law.  As His chosen people, He was their Father, and He expected them to obey. 

 

God not only chose Israel; He has chosen you.  And with the privilege of being chosen, comes the expectation of obedience and the loving discipline of the Father when we disobey.

 

God deals with you as with sons; for what son

 is there whom his father does not

 discipline?  He disciplines us for our good,

 so that we may share His holiness.

—Hebrews 12:7b, 10b

 

Thank the LORD for taking a personal interest in you and pray Amos 3:2, 8, and 10 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, thank You for choosing ____________ and

 me among all the families of the earth.

Thank You for taking the punishment for all

 our iniquities, Jesus.  Now, a lion has roared! 

Who will not fear?  LORD God, You have spoken! 

Let us prophesy Your Words, so others can know

 how to do what is right and no longer hoard

 up violence and devastation in their lives.

For the sake of Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell