Amos 6 - 11.24.2023

Scripture - Pick one verse that stood out to you.

Amos 6:12-14

Do horses run on the rocky crags?
    Does one plow the sea[b] with oxen?
But you have turned justice into poison
    and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness—

you who rejoice in the conquest of Lo Debar[c]
    and say, “Did we not take Karnaim[d] by our own strength?”

For the Lord God Almighty declares,
    “I will stir up a nation against you, Israel,
that will oppress you all the way
    from Lebo Hamath to the valley of the Arabah.”

Romans 11:1-2, 11-12

I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew….

Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

Observation - What about this verse stands out to you?

The prosperous nation of Israel had allowed pride to seep into their culture - their national identity. They began to believe it was by their own strength they accomplished victory, instead of by the strength of Him who strengthens me. The Lord declares through the prophet Amos that Israel will be oppressed.

The Lord speaks through the apostle Paul. Just because punishment has come to one nation does not mean he has rejected them. Paul writes that Israel did not fall so far as to be beyond recovery. For look at what their transgression brought? The wealth that was the life, teaching, and sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the world, the gentiles.  

Application - How will you apply this to your life?

Lord, this morning as I read these words I was filled with hope. As I write in my journal today, there is a war going on in Israel. Lives have been taken by both sides. Possibly innocent ones. Anti-semitism and Islamophobia have begun to rear their ugly heads in our country as well as the rest of the world. This morning my life application will be to pray.

Prayer - Write out a prayer.

Thank you for reminding me this morning Lord what an amazing God you are. I am grateful that I can read verses about your just punishments followed by your amazing love. I pray for everyone who is living through the terror of war, that they would turn to You, that they would turn to Jesus Christ who gave to those of us who believed in Him - everything.

For those of us who know the word of God, I pray that we would not turn to hatred but to the teachings of our Lord and Savior. For those of us that don’t know you and have given ourselves over to sin, evil, and hatred my prayer is that I put my faith and my trust in Your capable, wise, and just hands. 

Thank you for being a loving God. Thank you for your moments of correction. And thank you for those moments of peace.

I love you Lord. In the name of Jesus do I pray, amen.

-kenneth lee

Romans 10 - 11.24.23

Scripture: Romans 10:9-10

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

Observation – The Jewish people had established customs and traditions in addition to God’s laws, to try to make themselves acceptable in God’s sight. Paul was trying to teach the Jewish people that we cannot fully know God apart from Christ and because God appointed Jesus to bring God and man together, we cannot come to God by ANY other path. We can only hold out our empty hands and receive salvation as the gift that it is.

Application – People in general tend to make things way harder than need be. No amount of good works, good thoughts, tithes, good vibes or deeds, will get us into God’s kingdom. And we can’t believe in God and NOT Jesus and be saved, because Jesus IS the only way to God.

            John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

All any person must do is believe in their heart and say with their mouth that Christ is the risen Lord, and they are saved. It’s THAT simple! All the rest is certainly important – good deeds, transformation of our lives, selflessness, generosity, deep sorrow for our sins, but it all grows out of our relationship with Him. And it’s not only important, but our mission (Mt. 28:18-20) that we share this simple truth with everyone we have opportunity to share it with.

On this Thanksgiving Day I am so thankful that God met me where I was 22 years ago and pulled me from the pit of despair I was living in and SAVED me. I do not know where I’d be or what kind of person I would have ended up otherwise. I am thankful for the moment I believed and professed Him as my savior. We, I, will never be perfect (only Jesus is) but I am forever transforming and becoming a better person one day at a time because of Him. I am also so grateful for the family He has blessed me with, whom I get to enjoy time and great food with today. I am thankful for the close relationship I have with my brother, my many friendships, my extended DSC family; for each of you who has uniquely blessed and enriched my life and the lives of my family. I am thankful for Donna who has become like the grandmother Dom needed in his life and that she is well enough to come and celebrate with us today : )

Prayer - Lord, I give you many thanks and gratitude today! Especially as we gather as family to celebrate everything you have blessed us with, and for the reminder of the wonderful gift of salvation that you give to each of us who just ask for it. AND for each person you help me lead toward you through your grace! Please go before me and open the eyes of those who don’t yet know you that they may receive the gift of salvation and be forever changed. Bless and provide for each one of our DSC family today. Amen

Happy Thanksgiving y’all! Gobble gobble….Love you!

- Crystal Florey

Romans 9 - 11.22.23

Scripture

Romans 9:20-21 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

Observation

The people of Israel were God’s chosen people. But not all would be saved, because they chose to continue to follow the law rather than follow by faith. They thought they could earn their salvation rather than rely on God. The Gentiles, on the other hand, recognized that they needed God’s mercy and followed by faith.

30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works.

Application

“But it’s not fair!” The Jews, who had tried to earn their righteousness through the law, would feel it unfair for God to call anyone else “Children of the living God.”

God is God. He is in control. Sometimes things will not make sense to us. We do not know His plan. I think the Jews enslaved under Pharaoh thought that God had abandoned them. But God says that He lifted Pharoah up to later display His power and proclaim His name in all the earth. We learned on Sunday that Joseph was sold enslaved, and jailed in order that the Jews could survive the upcoming famine. But Joseph certainly didn’t know that during the years he was enslaved and in prison. David was promised to be the next king, and yet he had to run for his life and hide for years.

Will we trust God when things don’t make sense? We can fight and argue or even reject God when we encounter difficulties. Or we can trust that He has a plan.

Prayer

God, there have been many times when I have railed against what was happening, not understanding that You are in control. And there are things that have happened in my life that I don’t understand and never will in my lifetime. But I don’t get to serve you only in the good times. I have to trust that You have a plan, even when it is beyond my comprehension. I thank You that You are in control. And I thank You that You are with us when we are weary, poor, brokenhearted, sick, and grieving – that we don’t have to go through these things alone.

- Debbie Dunn