Why it's all about getting "Back to the Word"
According to religion in America 'experts', quoted on a recent msnbc news video, there is currently, a major "shift from people belonging to a church because of a specific teaching, to people looking for a church with specific programs that meet their current needs".
Put in those words, this kind of news item stirs a sense of excitement in the minds of many Christians---certainly no alarm. After all, doesn't it simply mean that people are searching... And isn't that good news?
Put in different words, however, such as the words of Amos the prophet, predicting a "famine of hearing the words of the Lord" (Amos 8:11 NIV), there is definitely a stirring of the sense of alarm, especially for the Christian who may be a little more connected to 'the world' than to 'the Word'. This is particularly true, considering the fact that we may very well be living in the day of which Amos prophesied. And even the 'searching' factor offers nothing to be overjoyed about, when we note how the same prophesy addresses that, in the very next verse, saying... "Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it" (Amos 8:12 NIV)
In other words, this major 'shift' we hear about and are witness to, in the church, is born of carnal desires for a more enjoyable lifestyle, rather than a more consistent and vital flow of the life of God which provides all our true needs and has its source in God's Word. It's not good, when this 'shift' causes people to abandon any quest for the revealed knowledge of Christ in exchange for 'programs' that supposedly meet their current, individual needs. It leaves the few who are still actually 'searching' for revelation knowledge of the Word, 'staggering from sea to sea and wandering from north to east---searching, but not finding'.
My prayer is that more and more of us will 'abandon' our fixation on our carnal well-being and come 'back to the Word' (while we still can), knowing that in it, we will rediscover God's provision for our needs along with the spiritual maturity and strength to overcome in the really tough days that lie ahead for many.
posted by Eddie Hughes @ 12:40 AM
2 comments
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2 Comments:
this so true! I have found there are a lot of "Christians" who only go to get what they want and not what they actually needed. I have begun to refer to these as tumbleweeds, they go from one place to other to get there ears tickle and if they don't hear what they want they complain. They just don't leave either, they will usually leave some of their discuss with others. Here again just like a tumbleweed they are blown around from one place to another getting in the way scraping up against you and little pieces breaking off and leaving a big mess. If only they would stay planted by the living water they would bloom where God had planted them. instead they dry up and whither away. Where are the mighty trees? I have found they are out there just waiting for their wealth of knowledge to be discover .
Thank you, Pastor Chuck, for your comments... 'Tumbleweeds'--a perfect analogy. And it's refreshing to know there are others who see the same problem and are praying in agreement. Maybe true revival is on the way.
Be blessed!
Eddie Hughes
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