Troubling reports to leaders of the Christian church about people leaving congregations. Flocks of people go from church to church in evangelical circles. People leave evangelicalism for Roman Catholicism. Roman Catholics in matching numbers leave for evangelicalism. What is up with that? These are days which are similar to those in the days of the prophet.
Amos 8:11 Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord GOD, when I will send a famine on the landnot a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.12 They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east;they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it. ESV
The word of God is food and drink for those who love Him. We want to hear Jesus for He is our Shepherd and He promises that we would hear His voice and follow Him and run from a stranger. (John 10:4-5) So when we are given successful strategies for living instead of Jesus telling us we are hopelessly lost without Him dead on the cross we are going to look elsewhere. Today as in the past Roman Catholic’s teach we can and need to live a certain way for God to love us. Evangelicals have left the evangel for much the same teaching. They will proclaim justification by faith alone however; we owe it to God to clean ourselves up. No longer is it taught to live holy lives out of thanksgiving. It is not longer taught to serve our neighbour out of gratitude to God for serving us. We have the mindset that if something is given to us we must return the favour. But God cannot accept anything but perfection. We cannot do anything without some type of self motivation. That is the curse we have passed down from our father Adam.
John 6:66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?" 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." ESV
The eternal life we have are in the words of Jesus. Jesus said from the cross “It is finished.” That is what His people are looking for. His words that our sins are forgiven are needed every week for we sin every week. If they are not receiving the words of Jesus in one congregation off they will go to another. It is our prayer that people will find these words for which they seek. God grant that the famine not be complete in our land.
Amos 8:11 Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord GOD, when I will send a famine on the landnot a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.12 They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east;they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it. ESV
The word of God is food and drink for those who love Him. We want to hear Jesus for He is our Shepherd and He promises that we would hear His voice and follow Him and run from a stranger. (John 10:4-5) So when we are given successful strategies for living instead of Jesus telling us we are hopelessly lost without Him dead on the cross we are going to look elsewhere. Today as in the past Roman Catholic’s teach we can and need to live a certain way for God to love us. Evangelicals have left the evangel for much the same teaching. They will proclaim justification by faith alone however; we owe it to God to clean ourselves up. No longer is it taught to live holy lives out of thanksgiving. It is not longer taught to serve our neighbour out of gratitude to God for serving us. We have the mindset that if something is given to us we must return the favour. But God cannot accept anything but perfection. We cannot do anything without some type of self motivation. That is the curse we have passed down from our father Adam.
John 6:66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?" 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." ESV
The eternal life we have are in the words of Jesus. Jesus said from the cross “It is finished.” That is what His people are looking for. His words that our sins are forgiven are needed every week for we sin every week. If they are not receiving the words of Jesus in one congregation off they will go to another. It is our prayer that people will find these words for which they seek. God grant that the famine not be complete in our land.
il pastor fide sola christe† Christ our only faithful Shepherd.
1 comment:
Bro. David,
There is famine, people are really hungry but preachers keep on pointing them to food that will not last, they are hungry for Jesus and his forgiving Gospel.
LPC
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