Do You Sincerely Hunger For God’s Word? But…
What if You Don’t?
“I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart” -Psa 40:8 (KJV)
Bible literacy is at an all time low in this nation and I expect around the globe. Christians will watch a plethora of TV shows and movies and play video games until their hands cramp up. They will also bang on their cell phones texting endlessly even way into the night but do they take the time to read the Bible? The answer is – few if that many.
We have a nation of Biblically illiterate people, a world of Biblically illiterate people that do not want to spend time in reading and knowing about Almighty God. I see it everywhere but let me pause for a moment and ask you personally – “Do you read your Bible?” and if so, how often? No really … can you faithfully say that you take the time to get away with God by reading His word without distractions? Do you read it daily, once or twice a week, maybe a couple of times a month or maybe, let’s be honest here … where-the-tire-hits-the-road … you actually don’t read it at all. Or you rationalize reading it until that last ember of light burns dimly from your day when your mind wanders and drifts endlessly with almost no concentration. In other words, you put God last in your life and other worldly things first … ?!?
Serious questions for Christians today for you see many Christians don’t set aside quality time to get to know our Creator God and understand Him. And this is a tragedy in itself. How can you say you’ll enjoy spending eternity with the Lord in praise and worship if you rarely do this here on earth?
I fully believe we are experiencing in America and abroad a global “famine”. A famine of the hearing and reading the word of God. Read about it, it’s prophetic! The Lord declared it in the Book of Amos and now today in 2019, it’s here.
“Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “When I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, But rather for hearing the words of the LORD.” -Amos 8:11 (NASB)
It’s crystal clear that Americans and the rest of the world don’t know God because they don’t read or hear the absolute truth of His written word. If they did read His word, and live by it this world would be totally better and not getting worse as it is today. The Book of Proverbs says it plain – “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” -Prov 1:7 (KJV). We can’t know God unless we learn about Him. How do we learn about things? By reading about them. How do we know who God is? We read about Him in His word – we continue in His word. Folks, the shocking part of this is that to be His disciple we must read His word and thereby know the truth and be set free from all false teachings, deceit and deceptions infecting the church and our culture today.
There is coming a time and I believe it is here where deception and deceit will cause many to fall away from faith in the Lord – His truth, His way, His purposes and His word. The Lord Himself warned us about this four times in Matt 24. People will be deceived because they are not aware of the truth. Whenever something is mentioned especially by the Lord multiple times it’s extremely significant and important and we’d better pay attention.
There is another serious question facing all of us Christians. Do we ‘despise’ or shun His word if we refuse to read it? Are we ashamed or embarrassed or disappointed by reading our Bibles and representing Almighty God?
Sobering questions … right?
Read the following verses and then carefully consider if we willfully reject reading His word then are we, in effect, really rejecting Him. And if we reject His word, are we really then a born-again Christian? IMO, there is absolutely no reason for any person with ready access to his or her Bible not to read it. If you are ignorant of His word then – Hos 4:5-6. I urge all who read this to get serious about this now!
“But they kept ridiculing God’s messengers, despising His words, and scoffing at His prophets, until the LORD’s wrath was so stirred up against His people that there was no remedy.” -2 Chron 36:16 (KJV)
“…because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments…” -Amos 2:4 (KJV)
“To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it“ -Jer 6:10 (KJV)
Jesus knew there would come a famine of hearing His truth – His words – upon the land in the final days before He returned. This has to be because many will fall away from the faith and would rather listen to soft, non-convicting, entertaining, toothless and truth-less Gospel messages – 2 Th 2:1-3.
This is a set-up for the arrival of the Antichrist.
So people would not know the truth and instead fall for his lies and falsehood which will [and have] overtake people’s faith and cause them to fall away. It’s happening now and coming like a snowball gaining speed and mass going downhill. The deceptive days ahead and your knowledge of God’s truth will steer you towards God or unfortunately away from Him. This is your decision and your choice, so make it wisely.
Friends, where are you at today? Lots of people claim to be Christians – that’s the easy part. The hard part is striving to stay on the narrow road that leads to eternal life – Matt 7:13-14. And that requires knowing the Lord and knowing His truths. That means dedicated time each and every day to read His word – the Bible. The challenge for me and you is what do you want to do with what I’ve shared here today? Wake up or fall back into spiritual slumber?
Pastors … wake up and tell your flocks the importance of daily reading with understanding God’s word and the importance of having a real personal relationship with Jesus! STOP showing scriptures on big screen TV’s or screens! Encourage your flock to bring their Bibles to church and look up and follow along to what is being read/studied.
If you want to know about God, you’ve got to spend the time to read and follow the teaching in His word. You’ve got to do it – this is an absolute! No if’s, and’s or but’s. Today, we in America have an abundance of Christian resources to pick from (at least for now); certainly the availability of Bibles are everywhere. Christian Book Stores, the Internet, movies, broadcasting of “real” Christian teachers on the TV, etc. So now it’s your turn. Grab your Bible/s, open and start reading.
For new Christians or those wanting to know more, please start with the Gospel of John found in the New Testament. This is an excellent place to begin your journey with the Lord. But please, I urge you to start reading and knowing about the Lord and exactly who He is … today. As the days progress and Christian persecution, calamities and disasters advance here in America and around the planet, if you are without knowledge of Him, you most likely will succumb to worldly ways and fall away from the faith.
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” -Rom 10:17 (KJV)
Friends, the times are getting down-right tough and so we must be grounded, founded and anchored in the Lord’s truth. We must bolster our faith and trust in Him by continuing in His word – the Bible. And then continue in prayer, in confessing your sin and then repentance. Then tell others.
God bless and amen.
Fear God and shun evil!
-BPWatcher, Internet Preacher and Bible Prophecy Watchman
The Lord Jesus Christ is Coming Soon – Are You Ready?
