Repent

Without Repentance People Perish

That which men regard as a long time is only as one day to God (v. 8). It has been said that with God there is no time-past, present or future – but one eternal now. Man may think that God’s long silence means that He is not going to act while He views time as though it were a mo …

Judgment on The House of Jeroboam

Jeroboam was the most idolatrous king in Israel’s history, the worst of the lot because of his powerful influence. Jeroboam’s son Abijah became sick. We are not told what ailed the lad. Prompted by this sickness, Jeroboam told his wife to disguise herself and go to Shiloh and v …

Peter’s Message of Repentance

Peter exhorted the people and the leaders by telling them they had acted in ignorance because they didn’t recognize who Jesus is. However, Christ being crucified was a fulfillment of prophecies. Peter’s message: It begins with a note of mercy and warning c …

Judgment on Philistia

This section begins with a summons to “seek the Lord” before the day of judgment arrives. “Seeking” the Lord could refer either to desiring from Him a word of revelation (1:6) or to turning to Him in repentance. It is the opposite, then, of either indifference to the Lord or abandoning Him …

Israel Did Not Accept Correction

Israel practiced formal religion. Amos criticizes the people of Israel for believing that their religious practices could compensate for their self-indulgent and sinful lifestyle (vv. 1-5). He begins this section by referring to the wealthy women of Samaria, calling them “ …

IllustrationDemon Possessed Father Convicted by a Song

There was a precious family in a certain church in Kenya. Years ago, when the mother and the two young daughters were saved, they were returning home after the baptismal service …

IllustrationRevival needs Reformation & Repentance

In his book I Surrender, Patrick Morley writes that the church’s integrity problem is in the misconception “that we can add Christ to our lives, but not subtract sin. It is a change in belief without a change in behavior.” He goes on to say, “It is revival …

IllustrationNew Christian Confesses Bank Robbery

Not too many years ago newspapers carried the story of Al Johnson, a Kansas man who came to faith in Jesus Christ. What made his story remarkable was not his conversion, but the fact that as a result of his newfound faith in Christ, he confessed to a bank robbery he had par …

IllustrationA Native American and a white man were deeply moved by the same serm …

A Native American and a white man were deeply moved by the same sermon. That very night the Native American repented of his sin and received Jesus as his Savior, but for days the white man refused to accept Christ. At last he, too, repented and enjoyed the sweet peace of having h …

IllustrationCharing Cross in London England

Charing Cross is the geographical center of London, England. “All distances in the United Kingdom from London are measured from Charing Cross. This spot is referred to simply as ‘the cross.’ A lost child was one day picked up by a London policeman. The child was unab …