Our pastor has announced a week of prayer in our assembly during the week of January 14 through 20 and I am excited at the possibilities. I had been meditating on a scripture from Amos who we refer to as one of the minor prophets.

Shepherd or Prophet? What will it be?

Amos was a sheepherder, the Bible says in Amos 1:1; He was among the shepherds of Tekoa and God showed him visions of the judgement that was coming on Israel, JUDAH AND THEIR NEIGHBOURS and Amos prophesied to them what God had given him…the words of Amos. You don’t have to be a prophet to prophecy, If God tells you TO prophecy a thing, first of all you had better make sure that it was God who told you.
Amos was challenged by the priest Amaziah who complained to King Jeroboam and it reads from Amos 7:10 - 13, " 10 Amaziah, a priest at Bethel, sent this message to Jeroboam king of Israel: "Amos is making evil plans against you with the people of Israel. He has been speaking so much that this land can't hold all his words.11 This is what Amos has said: 'Jeroboam will die by the sword and the people of Israel will be taken as captives out of their own country.' "
12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, "Seer, go back right now to Judah. Do your prophesying and earn your living there,13 but don't prophesy anymore here at Bethel. This is the king's holy place, and it is the nation's temple." Amos replied in verses 14 and 15, "14 Then Amos answered Amaziah, "I do not make my living as a prophet, nor am I a member of a group of prophets. I make my living as a shepherd, and I take care of sycamore trees.15 But the Lord took me away from tending the flock and said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.' Some do not want to hear what the Bible says about their lifestyle, they don't want to hear that they are not living right. But that does not change what the Word of God declares and that does not stop us from declaring it. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not popular as far as this world is concerned. It will always be rejected by the majority, but that should not stop us from proclaiming it.

What are the consequences of telling somebody about Jesus? Most likely they will listen AND very often they will agree and there's a good possibility they will accept the plan of God for their life. That is wonderful if that happens. What about the flip side? Maybe they will say no to the Gospel. They might even get mad. That's probably conviction and that's a good thing. Or maybe they make fun of us. So what if they do? Is that so bad? What difference does it make in the light of eternity? What difference does it make in the light of tomorrow for that matter. The Bible says that the fear of man brings a snare. My friend Pat knows what a snare does...he is a trapper. The fear of man will choke the life from you (spiritual life). Let us be bold as Amos was and proclaim Jesus to others. That is the primary purpose of this blog...to proclaim Jesus in layman's terms. Like Amos, I am not a prophet neither the son of a prophet but like Amos, we as Christians are taken from following the flock and the LORD has said to us...go and prophecy... go tell others. He said "Go, prophecy to My people Israel" So what has this to do with a week of prayer...Everything. We need to pray before we go and we need to be empowered and not afraid...that is why we need prayer. Chapter 6 verse 1 says "Alas for those who are at ease in Zion, and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria. Too long we have set on the mountain top feeling secure in our own little world and being at ease in it when there is a world out there down at the foot of the mountain that is dying and going to hell.

Let us gird up the loins of our minds and determine to follow Jesus wherever He will lead us.