verticallife

A prophet by the name of Ezekiel received this message from heaven: “Prophesy concerning these bones and say to them: ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord God says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will live. I will put tendons on you, make flesh grow on you, and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you so that you come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord….’ So I prophesied as He commanded me; the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, a vast army.” (Ezekiel 37:4-6, 10)  In this world where so many people are down, dead, depressed, disillusioned… I want to speak life. Speak into your life. Pray into your life. It’s my hope that you’ll find hope in these pages. You can reach me at johnnyaho@live.com.

The picture of the cross was taken at Ipperwash Beach in Ontario, Canada. We enjoy taking  a two week vacation there with my wife’s family. I found the cross in Grand Bend. It’s a cross once used by the Coptic Christians in Egypt. The Coptic Church is the Christian church of Egypt, established by Mark in the 1st century (around 60 A.D.). The church now also has dioceses elsewhere in Africa and the Near East. The old Coptic crosses often incorporate a circle; sometimes large, sometimes small. For the Coptic Church, the circle represents the eternal and everlasting love of God, as shown through Christ’s crucifixion. It also symbolizes Christ’s halo and resurrection. Wearing it fits what is happening in our church. We’re currently reaching out to Lebanese, Iraqis, Mexicans, and Japanese through friends who serve with me who used to live in Egypt. It’s truly our desire to be a “house of prayer for the nations” (Isaiah 56.7).

What in the world would Jesus and blue jeans have in common? What would one of the greatest figures in human history and a pair of regular, everyday pieces of clothing share together? Well, those which clothe the outside and fill the inside are for the common, the regular, the normal, the ordinary, and the everyday.  

Like a great pair of jeans, there’s a prophet that fits my style. Amos. Amos was a simple sheep herder and fig tree farmer. Called out of the field by God, Amos was directed to speak to a nation that had gone astray.  

A highly educated, highly decorated professional priest had problems with this shepherd turned prophet. Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, told Amos, “Go away, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah. Earn your living and give your prophecies there, but don’t ever prophesy at Bethel again, for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.” 

Whose sanctuary? The king’s. The audience was important, well known, well to do. What kind of temple? A royal one. Special. Extraordinary. Ornate. You shouldn’t be here, Amos. You’re a farmer. Your normal. Regular. Ordinary. Uneducated.  Amaziah liked his status. He liked the fact that he was priest in an important place. It’s what everyone climbs the corporate ladder to get to, right? He believed Amos needed a proper theological education in order to understand God’s Word. People need “an education” before they can really make a difference in other people’s lives.

Yet, the Scriptures were written for the common, the ordinary, the normal.  Case in point. The New Testament books were written in Koine Greek. It was the everyday language spoken by everyday people. Koine means common. It was so common archeologists have found ancient shopping lists written in Koine Greek.  

So Amos answered Amaziah, “I was not a prophet or the son of a prophet; rather, I was a herdsman, and I took care of sycamore figs. But the Lord took me from following the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’” (Amos 7:12-15) There were prophets who were paid preachers. There were prophets who were discipled and developed by older prophets. That’s what a “son of a prophet” was – a protégé of a senior prophet. Amos was neither. He wasn’t discipled by another prophet. He wasn’t educated. He wasn’t a professional. He was normal. Common. Simple. Ordinary.

Simply put, a prophet in blue jeans. 

Isn’t that what people noticed about two of the most important Apostles? “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these man had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)  Don’t let anyone fool you. God’s message is for very normal, everyday, ordinary people. In fact, the ones He chooses to use are very normal, everyday, ordinary people… if they care to admit it. That’s really the point behind these writings. I hope in some way I can encourage ordinary people to experience an extraordinary God.