https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Looking-for-God-in-All-the-Wrong-Places.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n\tby Jeffrey W. Hamilton<\/p>\n\t
Text: Amos 5:4-9<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I. God wants us to seek Him<\/p>\n
A. It is not that God is hiding or “playing hard to get.”<\/p>\n
1. God is not found unless we are looking.<\/p>\n
2. Example: the child who cannot find his shoes.<\/p>\n a. He has looked “everywhere,” but he is standing in the middle of\nthe living room doing a slow spin.\n b. Asked if he looked where his shoes are suppose to be, but the\nanswer is always yes.\n
c. You go to look, move one item and there they are!<\/p>\n
d. Where the shoes purposely hiding? <\/p>\n
e. Then why couldn’t they be found<\/p>\n 3. Too often seek God in the same manner. If He is not right where we\nexpect Him to be so we can see Him without much effort on our part –\nwell, then it is God’s fault. \n
B. God wants us to live.<\/p>\n
1. Ezekiel 33:11 – God has no pleasure in punishing the wicked.<\/p>\n
2. II Peter 3:9 – He wants everyone to repent.<\/p>\n
3. However, the wicked will be punished – Amos 5:6<\/p>\n
C. The best way for us to live is to actively search for God<\/p>\n
1. When we truly look, we will find Him – Matthew 7:7<\/p>\n 2. Like the child’s shoes, God is easier to find than you might expect – Acts\n17:26-28\n
II. God has told us where to look<\/p>\n A. You’ve heard the old joke of the woman looking for her glasses. “Where did you\nlast see them,” she is asked. “Oh, in the bedroom,” is her reply. “Then why are\nyou looking in the kitchen?” “The light is better in here.”\n
B. God told the Israelites to worship Him in one place – Deuteronomy 12:5-6<\/p>\n 1. They were specifically warned not to worship God anywhere else –\nDeuteronomy 12:13-14\n 2. Eventually, the chosen place was the Temple Solomon built for God in\nJerusalem\n
C. Like the woman, Israel was looking for God in all the wrong places.<\/p>\n
1. Bethel<\/p>\n
a. From its history, it seems to be good choice<\/p>\n
(1) Abraham built an altar near Bethel – Genesis 12:8<\/p>\n (2) It was at Bethel that Jacob had the vision of the ladder to\nheaven – Genesis 28:10-22. It was Jacob who named the\narea Bethel, meaning the house of God.\n (3) Jacob did return a wealthy man and offered a tenth of his\npossessions to God – Genesis 35\n
(4) Deborah judged near Bethel – Judges 4:5<\/p>\n
(5) Samuel often judged in the city – I Samuel 7:16<\/p>\n b. However, Jeroboam choose Bethel as a location for his golden calf\nas a rival to worship of God in Jerusalem – I Kings 12:26-29\n (1) The entire idolatrous worship was a mockery of the true\nworship established by God through Moses.\n
(2) It had a false priesthood and false feasts – I Kings 12:31-33<\/p>\n c. Just because Abraham, Jacob, and others worshiped there did not\nmean it was acceptable for the Israelites of Amos’s day to offer\nworship to God in that location.\n
2. Gilgal<\/p>\n
a. It too was strongly associated with godly worship<\/p>\n (1) Joshua built a memorial of the crossing of the Jordan at\nGilgal – Joshua 4:19-24\n (2) All their cares and worries from slavery, wandering, and\nother problems were rolled away by God at Gilgal – Joshua\n5:9\n (3) The first Passover in the promise land was held in Gilgal –\nJoshua 5:10\n (4) Gilgal was Joshua’s headquarters during the conquest of\nCanaan\n
(5) Samuel often judged in this city – 1 Samuel 7:16<\/p>\n (6) Israel’s first king, Saul, was coronated in Gilgal – I Samuel\n11:15\n (7) Before the Temple was built, Gilgal was the center of\nworship – I Samuel 15:21\n
b. However, it became a center of idol worship<\/p>\n (1) It was connected with Bethel’s idolatrous practices – Amos\n4:4\n (2) Hosea, a contemporary prophet with Amos, calls it a place\nof wickedness (Hosea 9:15) and false worship (Hosea\n12:11)\n c. Just because God was previously worshiped and served at Gilgal\ndid not mean that it continued to be acceptable.\n
3. Beersheba<\/p>\n
a. It too was strongly associated with godly worship<\/p>\n
(1) Abraham worshiped here – Genesis 21:33<\/p>\n
(2) Isaac worshiped here – Genesis 26:25<\/p>\n (3) God appeared to Jacob here just before he left for Egypt –\nGenesis 46:1-4\n
b. However, it too became a center of idolatry<\/p>\n
(1) Coupled with Dan – Amos 8:14<\/p>\n c. Even though it was in the right kingdom, it was still the wrong\nplace to worship God.\n D. Today, the worship of God does not take place in a geographical location – John\n4:20-24\n
1. However, there is still “places” to look for God<\/p>\n
2. In His Word. <\/p>\n a. The Gentiles learned of God and salvation through the teaching of\nthe gospel – Romans 10:17-20\n
3. Through belief – Hebrews 11:6<\/p>\n
4. By leaving a sinful life behind – I Peter 3:11<\/p>\n
5. Salvation is found in Christ – II Timothy 2:10<\/p>\n
a. We enter via the door of baptism – Galatians 3:27<\/p>\n
b. Those saved are added to the church – Acts 2:47<\/p>\nIII. Unfortunately, like the Israelites of Amos’s day, people still look in the wrong places for\nGod.\n A. Some wish to find God by outdated religious practices. Just like the Israelites\ntried to worship God in old areas of worship, some today will not leave Old\nTestament worship behind.\n
1. The Old Testament was not intended to be permanent – Hebrews 8:8-13<\/p>\n
2. It’s purpose was fulfilled and removed – Colossians 2:13-14<\/p>\n
3. To seek it today is to fall from God’s grace – Galatians 5:4<\/p>\n B. Some seek God within themselves. The New Age philosophy that we carry a bit\nof God within us.\n 1. The Bible teaches that we are made in the image of God – Genesis 1:27. \nBut that does not mean that God is found in us.\n
2. Man does not have the capability to direct his own steps – Jeremiah 10;23<\/p>\n 3. The heart, our feelings and our emotions, is easily deceived – Jeremiah\n17:9\n
C. Many seek God in man-made religions and philosophies – Colossians 2:8<\/p>\n
D. Most seek God in convenience, taking the road of least resistance – Matthew 7:13-14<\/p>\nIV. God wants us to look for Him, to know Him, and to do His will. His is not hard to find. \nHe has even told us where to look. Stop looking in the wrong places and open the Word\nof God.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Amos 5:4-9 I. God wants us to seek Him A. It is not that God is hiding or “playing hard to get.” 1. God is not found unless we are looking. 2. Example: the child who cannot find his shoes. a. He has looked “everywhere,” but he is standing in the middle of the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[90,54,84],"class_list":["post-20005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-god","tag-obedience","tag-worship"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":87231,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/looking-in-all-the-wrong-places\/","url_meta":{"origin":20005,"position":0},"title":"Looking in All the Wrong Places","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 25, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Tommy Peeler During my growing-up years in Tennessee, there was the country song \"Looking for love in all the wrong places.\" The writer tells his story as one who desperately looked for romance, only to come up heartbroken. The song ends with the thought that the writer found love,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":83119,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/pagan-ways-transferred-to-christians-looking-for-signs\/","url_meta":{"origin":20005,"position":1},"title":"Pagan Ways Transferred to Christians: Looking for Signs","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 10, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton On the Isle of Malta, Paul found some friendly natives. When a viper bit Paul, these people read that as a sign. They were wrong, and people who try to read events as signs today are borrowing from paganism. In Acts 28:1-4, the natives read the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":11644,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-story-of-balaam\/","url_meta":{"origin":20005,"position":2},"title":"The Story of Balaam","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 3, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Numbers 22:22-35\u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Background \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As the children of Israel left their wanderings in the wilderness and move towards the promised land, they had to cross through the territories of a few countries. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The leaders of these countries were nervous to have such a large mass of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":63478,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/sin-is-always-wrong\/","url_meta":{"origin":20005,"position":3},"title":"Sin Is Always Wrong","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 26, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Proverbs 28:13 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Satan\u2019s goal has been to lead God\u2019s children away from him. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0So how do you accomplish this? How do you get people to do those things that are harmful to their souls? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0One way is to minimize the result of sin. To\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":48408,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-the-jews-did-not-believe\/","url_meta":{"origin":20005,"position":4},"title":"Why the Jews Did Not Believe","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 19, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 12:27-43 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is a curious thing, the Son of God lived among men (John 1:14) yet He was rejected \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0John 1:9-11 - Even among those who were expecting Him, those who had claimed to be God\u2019s children, did not accept him. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0How can\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":41464,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-desire-mercy\/","url_meta":{"origin":20005,"position":5},"title":"I Desire Mercy","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 5, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 9:9-13 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In honor of Jesus, the new apostle, Matthew, who was also known as Levi, held a dinner. He invited the people he knew. They weren\u2019t the best in Jewish society: other tax collectors and people involved in various sins. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Mark 2:16-17 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20005"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20005\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}