Christians used to be known as “people of one book.” Sure, they read, studied, and shared other books. But the book they cared about more than all others combined was THE BIBLE. They memorized it, meditated on it, talked about it, and taught it to others. WE DON’T DO THAT ANYMORE, and in a very real sense we’re starving ourselves to death.
In “The 9 Most Important Issues Facing the Evangelical Church,” theologian Michael Vlach cites “Biblical Illiteracy in the Church” as his final concern. He agrees with George Barna’s assessment that “the Christian body in America is immersed in a crisis of BIBLICAL ILLITERACY.”
In the book of Amos, people who experienced a “famine of hearing the words of the Lord” are portrayed as undergoing divine judgment. Amos paints a picture of people WITHOUT ACCESS to God’s revelation SEARCHING for a message from God like desperate people — hungry and dehydrated — in search of food and water “The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign LORD, “when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of HEARING THE WORDS OF THE LORD. People 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 8:11-12)
Here is a great part of the problem. When asked what they liked about being A PASTOR, respondents overwhelmingly highlight preaching and teaching, with 60% saying this is their favorite part of the job, in a very distant second place is discipling believers, at 8% percent. And on one of the most important Pastoral duties, “EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL CARE OF BELIEVERS” was 6%. ONLY SIX PERCENT OF PASTORS SAID THEY FELT GOOD ABOUT TAKING CARE OF OUR EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS.
Today, WHO WILL MINISTER TO OUR YOUTH? Gen Z youth are at 70% on the UNBELIEVABILITY OF THE BIBLE. So, as Satan said to Eve “Did God really say…” (Genesis 3:1) THE FAMINE TODAY is not having the “Word of God” but “IS IT REALLY THE WORD OF GOD?”
What does the Bible say about the “BIBLE?” “EVERY Word of God PROVES TRUE.” (Proverbs 30:5) “…the Word of God is LIVING and POWERFUL. It is SHARPER than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It EXPOSES our innermost THOUGHTS AND DESIRES.” (Hebrews 4:12) “All Scripture is GOD–BREATHED (theópneustos: God-breathed) and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) “YOUR WORD IS A LAMP TO MY FEET AND A LIGHT TO MY PATH.” (Psalms 119:105)
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will BY NO MEANS PASS AWAY.” (Matthew 24:35) “The grass withers, the flower fades, But THE WORD of our God STANDS FOREVER.” (Isaiah 40:8)
Can the Word of God still give us hope? “…whatever things were WRITTEN BEFORE were written for our learning, that we through the patience and COMFORT of the Scriptures MIGHT HAVE HOPE.” (Romans 15:4)
OK, let’s just admit it! We are serving an all-powerful God! EL SHADDAI: This is a Hebrew name for God that evokes His OMNIPOTENCE as the Almighty. It means GOD MOST POWERFUL OR GOD ALMIGHTY. Do you think this all-powerful God would have any problem “KEEPING HIS WORD?”
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham