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AMOS 8:11-13

Intro: Famines to be last day signs. UCI Prof. Amos untrained man, prophet
       of God... began with Damascus - Gaza - Tyre - Edom - Moab -Judah
       Israel. Judgment against  Damascus mild; Israel heavy, knowledge
       brings response. "to whom much given..."  Famine of worse sort.

I. THE COMING FAMINE VS. 11 HEARING THE WORD OF GOD.
        A. This does not mean that God is refusing to talk.
                1. That Bibles all taken away.
                2. God still speaks but...
        B. Man will lose his power to hear.
                1. Man would fail to recognize the Word of the Lord or
                   refuse to believe it.
                2. Man would become deaf to that voice speaking to the
                   deepest area of his life.
        C. Are there such men today?
                1. They are experiencing this famine.
        D. Around us today great famine for hearing.
                1. Men have substituted ceremony.
                2. Men have substituted contemporary ideas or writings.
                3. Men have   "   philosophies.
                4. Many sermons being preached today on why we should
                   stand behind Angela Davis. What about Jesus Christ?
                   Who's He?

II. THE RESULTANT RESTLESSNESS. VS. 12.
        A. The restlessness in the world today.
                1. An ignorant restlessness.
                        a. Men seeking they know not what.
                        b. You tell them & they would laugh.
                        c. Every attempt to satisfy the life apart from
                           God is in reality attempt to find word.
                                1. "Be not drunk with wine."
                        d. Ask them what they are searching for.
                                1. New sensation, thrill.
                2. A semi-conscious restlessness - seek to substitute
                   something religious for God.
                        a. A lot of religious services today.
                        b. New concepts of God.
                        c. What is radical weakness?
                                1. God without government.
                                2. Sin without guilt.
                3. A conscious restlessness.
                        a. So carried away with some new doctrine isolated
                           from body.
                        b. So bound by system, wouldn't miss attendance or
                           tithe, omit love, righteousness; thus no joy.
        B. There is no satisfactory substitute.
                1. Materialism is a perpetual lust.
                2. Sensualism is a deadly opiate.
                3. Novelty is a dangerous trap.

III THE FINAL RESULT OF THE FAMINE. VS 13.
        A. It will show up in the youth.
                1. The adults may be hobbling on their substitute
                   crutches.
                        a. A borderline alcoholic told me that he felt
                           that faith in God just for weak people who
                           needed it.
                        b. His sons could see through the folly of his
                           booze and they turned to drugs, because God was
                           just for weak people.
                        c. Your philosophy of life might deceive you.
                                1. Children are oft times more perceptive
                                   than adults. They see through your
                                   system; it can't hold water.
                                2. The important lesson.
                                        a. The best without God fails.
                                        b. The finest capacities lacking
                                           true inspiration faint.
                                3. Should one talk of Russian invasion -
                                   new virus, we become alarmed; far worse
                                   is famine.