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Keeping God's Commands
Amos 1:1-3:15 (New book!)

"This is what the Lord says: "For the many crimes of Judah, I will punish them. They rejected the teachings of the Lord and did not keep his commands..." (Amos 2:4)

Every section in these first two chapters of Amos starts "This is what the Lord says: 'For the many crimes of _____, I will punish them.'" While some of their crimes are more specifically outlines, here lies the issue. If we would truly keep God's commands, we simply could not commit crimes.

I'm reminded of the Jewish tradition to fix a Mezuzah (a tiny scroll with scripture, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Deuteronomy 11:13-21) "upon the doorposts of thy house and thy gates." Perhaps that would help us to remember to keep God's word all day long. But too easily we become accustomed to what we see. We stop noticing things, because they become everyday. Lord, please help me to continue noticing all the places where I must keep Your commands.

Praying for Guidance
Psalm 141:1-4

"Lord, I call to you. Come quickly. Listen to me when I call to you. Let my prayer be like incense placed before you, and my praise like the evening sacrifice. Lord, help me control my tongue; help me be careful about what I say. Take away my desire to do evil or to join others in doing wrong." (Psalm 141:1-4)

I love the part of this scripture that reads "Come quickly." In fact, I didn't even really pay it much mind until the 3rd or 4th time I read through thee verses. Perhaps it wasn't even until I typed it out. We often call upon people in urgency, anxiously hoping to talk to them or see them or connect them right now. How much more so should we call upon the Lord with the same urgent recognition of the necessity of God's guidance in our lives. "Come quickly" seems so right to me right now- showing that eagerness to hear God's will and guidance for our lives, that we may continue in the paths of righteousness. Lord, I pray, knowing that I desperately need You: "Come quickly."

Strong in Faith
Revelations 3:1-22

"Continue strong in your faith so no one will take away your crown." (Revelations 3:11)

The old saying, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going" comes to mind, and it seems especially relevant to this hectic time in the semester. It's easy to run every morning, go to church on Sundays, do a morning devotion, and love your roommates and friends and family when things are relatively calm with low stress levels. But, it's in those high stress times when you need strength of character and strength of faith to keep a focus on what's important, where God is calling you. Continue strong... continue showing this world that there is another way and there is another focus and there is another crown (rather than the riches this world wants to promise).