"How horrible it will be ... " (Amos
6:1,3-6,13) - This is a prophecy concerning God's judgment. Such words
need to be heard, if people are to be turned back into walking in the
ways of the Lord. If we don't hear of God's judgment, we are likely to
keep on walking in our own ways. There needs to be "an alarm to the
unconverted" (Joseph Alleine). There needs to be an alarm to the
converted. The danger of remaining apathetic and unconverted is not the
only danger. There is also the danger that, after being converted, we
become apathetic and backslidden. God is calling us to turn to Him. He's
calling us to keep on being turned towards Him.
"The Son of Man came to save the lost" (Matthew 18:11). In Matthew 18:12-13, Jesus speaks about sheep. He's really speaking about us. He is the Shepherd. We are His sheep. Sheep wander away from the shepherd. We wander away from the Lord. The shepherd looks for the lost sheep. Jesus has come to seek for us and find us. He brings us home to God, our Father. Through His saving grace, we receive new life - a life in which we rejoice in our great Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. He delivers us from the condemnation, which our sin has brought upon us. He brings us into the knowledge of His forgiveness. This Gospel of salvation changes us. It teaches us to live in the power of God's love. Jesus speaks about "the Kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19:12,23), "the Kingdom of God" (Matthew 19:14,24) and "eternal life" (Matthew 19:29). Jesus' way of thinking and living is so very different from the world's way of thinking and living. He chall...
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