We are bombarded with the idea and the pursuit of happiness through media, advertising, novels, self-help books and podcasts, ideologies and philosophies thrust upon us by social media… Brett calls it “the gospel of Happiness.” Why does the world hold up ‘happiness’ as the ultimate state to attain? Where do you hear it most? Are you aware that you are hearing it? How have you experienced ‘happiness’ in your life?

Brett reminds us that the Bible calls us to examine our ideas: Do you know the Bible well enough to understand what strongholds have gripped your mind? How do you view God’s word?

Some of us treat it like a blunted object – but the word of God is a sharp double-edged sword.

If you are interacting with it properly – it can cut to the core of your life!!!

But some of you are approaching it in a flawed way and therefore getting nothing out of it!

True worship of God should always lead to justice, righteousness, and loving our neighbour!

Their behaviour is demonstrating that they are no longer worshipping God!"" Amos starts with Scripture! He takes them back to God’s word! You see, true worship of God is always rooted in Scripture! And true worship of God should always lead to justice, righteousness, and loving our neighbour!

Amos 1 of 8: Today – we will look at what happened prior to the book of Amos – and see how it set the table for what was happening in his time.

And then we will look at the Church prior to the period of Colonization – and see how it set the table for what was happening during that period of Church history. Because the first thing we learn from our introduction to Amos –

Sin will keep you from this book – and this book will keep you from Sin!

Sometimes the thing getting in the way of us knowing Jesus isn’t a lack of truth – but rather the lies about God that we are holding onto!" Could there be areas of your life where you have heard the truth – been taught God’s truth, but you are choosing to be deaf to it? You might be not listening, causing the LIFE which Jesus has to offer to be compromised?

The prophetic promise is given at a time

when the faith of God’s people is failing and on the fringes! When the light is dim – and the hope of a future is fragile! When disobedience and darkness is at an all-time high!

That’s when God drives a stake in the ground and establishes His prophetic promises!

Not when things are good, and righteousness is thriving among the people – but when things are horrible, and the world is in chaos!

It is during calamity that God promises to come to them and deliver them!... During the worst of times – God secures His promise to a people who deserve destruction!

“You see – fear sets in when we lose sight of the Shepherd – but when we can see Him clearly – we can sit at the table in the presence of our enemies – and overcome our fear – because we know that He is with us!” Are there situations in your life where you feel ‘in a valley’ or in the presence of an enemy? Is there fear or anxiety or worry as an undercurrent in your life, or that pops up in your life?

This story is one of the most difficult in the whole Bible for some people to reconcile with their understanding of God and how he interacts with people. But it is here that we get some of our first glimpses into how God wants us to define a heart of worship. "What God was teaching us in this passage – is that He was going to provide a substitute sacrifice – that wouldn’t just take the place of Isaac – but ONE that would be a substitute for all of humanity!... Just as God didn’t require Abraham to make the sacrifice – He doesn’t require us to make the sacrifice – He is the ONE who provides for our salvation!"

Jesus brings us into a new kingdom – a new nation – a new family – and a new identity! He grafts us into the activity of God and makes us into a new creation that brings blessing to the nations! And that new family we become a part of is composed of all people who worship Him!" Is Jesus asking you to Let Go of something? How can you go about doing that? How does someone turn their eyes from the thing in their life/mind and give it over to God?

Following the formation of a formal altar with the establishment of the Tabernacle and Temple, the altar becomes a place of: worship, encounter, communion as well as atonement (through offerings for sin), and renewed commitment (as practiced by Joshua). …But then it became a place of compromise.

Eventually the situation became, in the time of the Kings, to be like this: (1 Kings 18:30) Then Elijah said to all the people,