I am usually preaching to the choir when I write these blogs. If you are taking the time to read this, you are probably not one of the people I will address today. You will agree with me but, since you need no change, you will be unchanged.
Today, many, perhaps millions of Christians will have awakened and casually decided whether or not to attend church. It may have been raining or cold outside. It may be so nice that it is such a waste to stay inside. Besides, church messes up a Sunday. Many will go to sporting events to watch or coach their children's playing. They will justify this activity by having someone do a ten minute devotional before play begins.
Nothing would be wrong if this was a once a year activity but this happens more often than these people realize. Even Christians who consider themselves to be very committed only attend church forty times a year. They would be unemployed if they treated their jobs this way. Their jobs only last in this life. Their spiritual walk lasts forever.
Can Christians be characterized by a hunger for the Lord today? Or, are they politely bored with God? (A.W. Tozer) Will it have to get much worse before this attitude will be changed?
After 9/11 the churches filled. People seemed to be looking for answers. The terrorists had scared Americans and they were looking for security. Within weeks no one was scared any more. They no longer thought they needed God to protect them.
King David prayed that God would restore to him the joy of His salvation. He had been confronted by the prophet Nathan about his affair with Bathsheba. He knew he was guilty and longed to come back to his Lord. He probably wondered how he could have gotten so far from the Lord. He grieved inside. He hungered again for the Lord.
People who hunger for the Lord do not treat Him casually. They think of Him with love. They honor Him with praise. They seek Him with their whole hearts.
And they find Him.
Surveys reveal that most Christians say they have not known the presence of the Lord in more than a month. Honestly, many of these have been in church. Do you think that God was not there or that they were not hungering to see Him?
Christians have told some of my staff that we are over the top when it comes to the Lord. They think that a relationship with the Lord is just something that people do. They don't think it should control your life. But this is where they are wrong. It is something that should control your life. The Bible says that God is an all consuming fire, not that He is just a place to get warm.
Unlike most of my blogs, I have no solutions to this problem. I pray and ask God to bring His people home to Himself. I am open to other solutions. I am willing to listen.
I believe Christians should have a hunger for the Lord.
1 comment:
Sometimes I read these and think, "Wow, this is like having a great sermon every day. These messages are so good, why would he not save them for Sundays for all to hear?". Then I realize, that is the point you are trying to make, we are fed the word daily. Not sure how to go about it, but these messages would be a blessing to many if they took the time to read them. Please know that I sincerely appreciate them.
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