Little Things Matter To God.
The Book of Amos in the Bible teaches us something very important about the character of the Lord-- little things matter to Him.
Amos was written to the 10 tribes of Israel shortly before they were destroyed by the Assyrian Empire.
Amos lets us know that the Lord was displease that His people because they were doing several things:
- worshiping false gods.
- getting rich off at the expense of the poor
- living for excess and pleasure
- cheating and lying to each other so they can make more money.
- not providing true justice to those who need justice
- being religious without having a heart for God
- trusting in their military might as their deliverer from calamity.
- not listening to the Word of God
- despising those who preach the truth of God
- doing what is right in their own eyes.
For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins. Amos 5:12
God knew exactly what they were doing and Amos lets us know that the Lord was not going to let them get away with it. Amos was sent by the Lord to plead with His people to turn back, but they refused.
God didn't let them get away with sin. In fact, the Lord judged His people Israel for their wickedness:
And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal. And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger. Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of His sight. 2 Kings 17:16-18a
This happened in history when the Assyrian Empire took captive the 10 northern tribes of Israel in 722BC.
In reflection, the sins of Amos' day sound very much like the sins plaguing our nation today. We are guilty of the same wicked acts as God's people were. If the Lord did not spare His people from judgement, who are we to think as a Gentile nation (meaning not a Jewish nation) that we can escape the wrath of Almighty God?
The answer is we will not escape the judgment of God. We will all give an account for our actions before Him:
For it is written,
“AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME,
AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.”
So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. Romans 14:11-12
Is there a way to escape? The answer is YES! It's by turning to the Lord and trusting in Him for salvation from our sin:
For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel,
Seek ye me, and ye shall live: Amos 5:4
Seek the Lord! Turn to Him. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and you will be saved from the coming judgment:
And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth,
blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood,
before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered:
for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance,
as the LORD hath said,
and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. Joel 2:30-32
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts 16:30-31
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:16-17
Little things matter to God. God sees your heart. He knows you perfectly. He knows your sin. He knows your hidden sins. He knows you are guilty. You need God's forgiveness! God knew your need--that is why He sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world and sent Him to the cross to shed His blood for you so that your sins would be forgiven.
How do I get right with the Lord and be forgiven for my sins?
It is very easy to get right with the Lord because Jesus Christ took all of God's wrath for you! Right now you can settle things with God. All you need to do is to turn to the Lord in prayer confessing that you have sinned against Him. Then believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and He will save you! Let today be your day of salvation!
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:9-13
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Romans 5:6-10
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Revelation 22:17
