David Henneke's Podcast

Complacency is an insidious sin, motivated by pride, and leads to trusting something or someone other than God.  Any person who feels “at ease in Zion” who feels completely satisfied with what this world has to offer is like an ostrich….with its head stuck in the sand. Ignoring the Lord, while seeking peace, security, and comfort in this world instead of in God, WILL lead to a disillusioned life. Everything in this world collapses,  fails, deteriorates, dies, decays, it will eventually fade away. Only God can give permanent life. Only God can give true peace, comfort and assurance! 

Instead of celebrating this amazing display of repentance Jonah is furious. In Chapter 2 we see Jonah’s response to his own deliverance. Here in Chapter 4, we see Jonah’s response to the deliverance of the Ninevites. The deep contrast between these two chapters speaks volumes about Jonah, all this his shame. As the Lord turns FROM His anger at the end of Chapter 3, Jonah turns TO His here in Chapter 4. 

In our study of Jonah we see how time and time again, God never gave up on Jonah nor did he give up on His desire to GIVE the Ninevite’s the opportunity for repentance. When you return to God after running from Him, your past does not limit what God can do in your present. After all, God looked at Jonah in Chapter 3 just like he did in Chapter 1! 

Amos reveals that their profession and religion were both hypocritical. Therefore, the Lord would not accept their offerings or sacrifices. God did not leave them without hope, without an opportunity to correct their hypocrisy. God told them how to make their worship acceptable to Him. They had to practice & pursue justice & righteousness. True worship results in action. No matter how much “religious activity” we participate in, if we don’t love our brother and our neighbor, then we are not an authentic worshipper of God

Religion without righteousness and justice is HYPOCRISY. No matter how many people attend our worship services, if the end result does not lead to obedience to God and for a greater concern for our neighbor then our meetings are a failure. Revival begins with Repentance. True repentance begins with naming our sins and dealing with them one by one.“HEAR God’s Word!” Are you listening? “SEEK the Lord!” Are you praying and pursuing Him? “SEEK the good!” Do you HATE what is evil and RUN TO what is Right? Revival begins with Repentance. Will you be the one? Even if you're the ONLY ONE?

Jonah’s three days and three nights in the fish’s stomach pointed to the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ It was through Jonah’s three-day experience that he was given a new life and a new beginning. So it is with us. Through the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, we too can receive a new life, a new beginning, a brand new start, a second chance 

Amos Chapter 4 magnifies Chapter 3, by specifying a number of areas of failure: (1) failure to care, (2) failure to worship, (3) failure to remember and (4) failure to engage with God. Israel had sinned grievously, and despite many appeals to repent, they ignored God’s warning. They are much like of us today….walking in our sin and refusing to repent.

Last week we saw how Jonah’s hatred for the Assyrians and Nineveh was so strong that he would rather run from God than to go and preach to the great city. This week we see that not only would he rather run from God, he rather die than to have to go to Nineveh. Two major truths are revealed in this text: (1) God loves us too much to let us remain disobedient without bringing His discipline and (2) or personal disobedience affects other people. 

Amos 3:1-15The breakdown of society is simply the outward evidence of the loss of personal holiness. This chapter is full of reminders of who God’s people are and where they have come from. External forms of worship are worthless if personal and corporate holiness is lacking. God’s judgment upon Israel was utterly devastating. So it will be when Jesus Christ returns to execute perfect judgment upon the earth. Every city and nation will be judged by the mighty hand of God. Every human being who has ever lived will stand before God in judgment. We will all give an account for our lives, Are you ready?

Amos 2:4-16The nation of Israel refused to listen to the voice of the Lord’s prophet because they did not like what they heard. They did not want to be challenged or shaken out of their comfortable lifestyle. It’s no different than today. People still ignore God’s warnings: they don’t like what they hear, so they ignore what is said…what is made known to them. Do you pursue what you want more than you seek after what God wants for your life?

Amos 1:3-2:3God will one day judge the whole world. This is a certainty. All injustices, wrongdoing, wickedness, and brutality will be avenged … Justice DELAYED is NOT Justice DENIED! The book of Amos opens with the roar of God’s judgment. God’s pronouncement of judgment upon these nations is a reminder and representation of His coming judgment on all people. The Roar of the Lion helps us review our own lives and values. It helps us to reflect and consider: Does our lifestyle reflect the heart of God?  Do we share the self-seeking heart of the indifference of Amos’ day?

Amos 1:1-2The book of Amos teaches us several valuable lessons. The core message of Amos is God’s judgment for sin. YES, God IS patient and slow to anger BUT His patience does have limits. Sin, rebellion, corruption, injustice, and every form of evil behavior will be judged. Every person and EVERY Nation who breaks God’s laws AND refuses to repent will be judged. The message of Amos is needed today as much as ever.

James 5:13-20James has had a great deal to say about the tongue, and this chapter is no exception. He mentioned some of the lowest uses of the tongue: complaining (vs. 9) and swearing (vs. 12), but he also named some of the highest uses of the tongue: proclaiming God’s Word (vs. 10) and praying and praising God (vs. 13). Prayer is certainly a high and holy privilege. Just think, as God’s Children, we can come freely & boldly to His throne and share with Him our needs. Seven times in this section James mentioned prayer. The mature Believer is PRAYERFUL in the troubles of life. “Taking it to the Lord in prayer” is certainly a mark of spiritual maturity.

James 5:8-12

James 5:1-6James never said it was a sin to be rich. After all, Abraham was a wealthy man, yet he walked with God and was greatly used by God to bless the whole world. James was concerned about the selfishness of the rich. What James condemned was the wrong use of wealth, James condemned the ones who use their wealth as a weapon and not as a tool with which to build up the Kingdom of God. May we all realize that what we have is because of who He is. We have been blessed….so now let’s be a blessing to those that are in need.

James 4:13-17In this final section of Chapter 4, James addresses three sins that we need to guard ourselves against: I. Sin of Presumption (making plans without including God in the planning process), II. Sin of Boasting (to brag or boast about our life and accomplishments) and III.  Sin of Omission (failure to do what the Lord instructs us to do).

James 4:11-12James is not afraid to call sin by its name and condemn it strongly. Neither should we be afraid to stand for the truth even if we are condemned as being narrow-minded. However, such speaking out against sin must be made in love. When we speak out about sin in our brothers and neighbors our goal should be to move them to repentance, not to make us feel superior to them. James is going to unpack all of this in this section.

James 4:5-10Will you humble yourselves before the Lord today? Notice that we are not to wait passively for this to somehow happen, we are not to wait for someone else to humble us neither are we are not to wait for the circumstances of life to do it. Rather, self-humbling is our Christian duty. We must take inventory of our sinfulness and weakness. When we do, we must bow in total submission to God. Will you give Him your life…..your dreams…..your future…..your everything? If so, GET READY because He will pour on His grace, grace upon grace, and He will lift you up.

James 4:1-4Many Christians, pursue their pleasures and desperately chase after the wrong things, things that are clearly hostile to God. Any person who is a friend of this world stands against Go because they stand against all that God is. An IMPURE person is an enemy of God’s PURITY.  An UNHOLY person is an enemy of God’s HOLINESS.  A DECEPTIVE person is an enemy of God’s TRUTHFULNESS. A GREEDY person is an enemy of God’s CHARACTER that GIVES generously & sacrificially. James’ writing suggests several penetrating questions. Are you better friends with the world or with God? What are you pursuing….your personal desire or the will of God? Are you a FRIEND of God or are you His enemy? How would God answer these questions?

James 3:13-18The Kind of wisdom a person possesses will be revealed by how they live their lives. Those who possess Wisdom of MAN will demonstrate by their actions that they have NO saving relationship with Jesus. They have NO desire to WORSHIP Him FULLY, to SERVE Him FAITHFULLY, to FOLLOW Him CONSISTENTLY and/or to OBEY Him COMPLETELY. Those who are Children of God will possess the Wisdom of God. That Wisdom will manifest itself in their lives