Today’s Reading:
Read Amos 1:1-13; Amos 2:1,4,6,10-11;3:1-2;10-11;4:12-13; 5:14-15,27
Grab a piece of construction paper and roll it up diagonally to make a megaphone. Have each member of your family take a turn to share a “message” with each other using the megaphone. Sharing a message from God was the job of a prophet. A prophet was someone the Lord trusted to share his message. Amos was a prophet who had an important message for the Israelites.
Amos lived on the border of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. The Lord gave him a message for ALL the surrounding nations and his message included a warning for Judah and Israel. The warning was because they had worshiped idols and not followed God, they would face war. Amos even told the people there would be a time when they would live in “exile.” That meant there would be a time when the Israelites would no longer be living in the Northern or Southern Kingdoms. Amos was telling them that a time was coming when they would not be in charge anymore and that another stronger nation was going to take over their land.
When God promised the Promised Land to the Israelites, he gave specific instructions about only following Him and not following false gods. The consequence of the choices the Israelites made was going to be a pretty big deal- but God had clearly warned the Israelites of what would happen if they chose to disobey.
Read Amos 5:14-15
“Pursue good and not evil so that you may live; and the Lord, the God of Armies, will be with you as you have claimed. Hate evil and love good; establish justice at the city gate…”
Included in Amos’ message of warning was also a reminder of what the Israelites should do to please God.
Application/Prayer:
What response to you think the Israelites should have had to Amos’ message? If God was sending a message to you today, what would He say? Use your megaphone and shout it out! Spend some time thanking God for His message!
July Memory Verse:
“Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.”
Using the daily reading prompts from George H. Guthrie’s Read the Bible for Life, here’s how to use this devotional:
- Bring your Bible! Your kids need to see that everything you are reading to them or learning about comes from an actual Bible!
- Each day starts with a reading prompt. Read the selection as a family. If your kids are readers, encourage them to read along with you.
- After you’ve read the passage, read the short devotional thought that goes along with each passage.
- Prayer and application are important any time we read God’s word! After each devotional, there is a challenge to help apply what your family has read that day.
- There is a reading for six days of the week. The last reading of the week is a Gospel Conversation Prompt to help you connect the reading from the week with God’s plan for salvation.
Other Resources:
July memory verse coloring sheet
July Fill-in the blank activity