Date:
October 11-12, 2011Handling God's Words
Because Scripture is inspired and the individual words of the Bible are God-breathed, we know words and their meanings are important to God. They should be to us as well.
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Micah: Advocate for the Poor
It is doubtful the poor peasants of Judah ever had a stronger champion than fellow countryman Micah, the powerful preacher. Though neither as intellectually gifted as his contemporary Isaiah nor as popular as his peer to the north Hosea, Micah nevertheless defended the downtrodden with vigilant zeal. He cared for his people and warned them of certain punishment if they refused to repent.
Jonah: The Prodigal Prophet
The book of Jonah is the clearest revelation in all the Old Testament of the missionary heart of our God. Jonah is not the story of a whale but of a nation in desperate need of deliverance…and a messenger who was reluctant to go and announce the truth.
Obadiah: Strong Warning to the Proud
Obadiah’s message is related to two historical periods: Obadiah’s own times and the imminent threat of the nations’ captivity by Assyria and Babylon as well as its eventual restoration. Except in his case, Obadiah’s message was not to Israel or Judah but to Edom, and there was no hope of restoration for them.
Amos: From Fig-Picker to Prophet-Preacher
Born of humble means, raised to work with his hands, rugged and unflappable, Amos became one of the most colourful personalities among the prophets. God’s severe predictions of judgment had to be delivered by a man who modelled that message.
Prophetic Momentum
Prophets like Isaiah were not rookies who carried out hit-or-miss pre-game chapel programs for a few teams in Judah. No, they were the real deal, sent and anointed by God to be trusted and revered.
Help Me Understand: Grief
Part of our created humanness is that we form natural emotional and psychological attachments to people and things. But when lose them—such as in the death of a loved one—we experience the process of grief.
Joel: Preparing for the Day of the Lord
Recently in Judah (the southern kingdom), a plague of locusts had devoured every green thing, leaving only desolation in their trail. Joel announced his conviction that God had sent the plague because of the sin of His people Judah. But Joel also announced hope beyond their present circumstance. His message is certainly needed today.
Hosea: Love That Never Dies
Hosea was a prophet to the 10 northern tribes called Israel. His contemporaries were Amos, Isaiah, Jonah, and Micah. Hosea’s was a pathetic, tragic life. In fact, few men in Scripture inspire such pity as Hosea.
The Fruit of the Spirit is Not Lemons
I am convinced that few weapons are more important in fighting discouragement and difficulty these days than a good sense of humour. Laughter, stress, and worry cannot co-exist for long.
