In God's Country Pt.2

                

In the last post, I shared with you how individuals and churches around the world are on the doorstep of a spiritual famine...  and unfortunately there are individuals and churches that have already stepped through that door.  

We spoke briefly of the causes of spiritual famine but let's look at them in a list.

1.     Sin. “Sin separates us from God.  Our sin alienates God in our life.” Isaiah 59:2

2.     Unbelief.   “Is a harden heart that doesn’t sincerely seek God”. One might say unbelief is being “estranged” from God, like a husband and wife don’t “intimately know” each other anymore.  They are estranged.  Hebrews 11:6

3.     Worldliness.  “Trusting in, consuming and participating in things that don’t give you spiritual substance for endurance and strength.  You reflect the world’s ideals and values more then God’.” Isaiah 55:2  

4.     False beliefs.  “They trust in anything but God.  They trust in their abilities, possessions, money, other so-called gods, and so forth ” Isaiah 8:19-22

5.     Self-satisfaction. “You seek only your own self gratification.  Its like being that cloud passing over dry land and giving no rain.   You are no longer salty or a light to the world.” Matthew 5:13-16

6.     Testing God. “Not obeying and/or reverencing the Lord God.” Deuteronomy 6:15-17.   You become indifferent to the things of God.  You compromise to things you know are wrong.  Example: Some churches have said homosexuality isn't wrong when the word of God is clear it is wrong.  Personally: You have sex out of marriage.

Exempt from the causes of spiritual famine/hunger is God trying his servants to make them reflect His goodness such as Job 23:8-10 and when the Father could not look at Jesus because he became our sin offering on the cross.  His presence was no longer felt.  Jesus felt the spiritual famine of not having the presence of the Father with Him.

“About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?’ that is ‘MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?’” Matthew 27:46

What one experiences in spiritual hunger and famine.  

Do you know the LORD's words in Amos 8?

"The time is surely coming," says the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine on the land- not a famine of bread or water but of hearing the words of the LORD.  People will stagger everywhere from sea to sea, searching for the word of the LORD, running here and going there, but they will not find it.  Beautiful girls and fine young men will grow faint and weary, thirsting for the LORD'S word.  And those who worship and swear by the idols of Samaria, Dan, and Beersheba will fall down, never to rise again." Amos 8:11-14

The soul of person and a soul of nation prospers only in the WORDS OF THE LORD.   The words of GOD don't have to disappear for people not to hear them- an individual maybe able to read the print but who gives them their meaning?  GOD.  So when one does not seek GOD- they can't understand and discern their meaning in their soul.  Our Creator created us to live on the WORD of GOD.

Jesus said,

 "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4

 We thirst without "meaning" of God's word.   We indeed grow faint and weary not able to "hear."

As Romans 10:17 says,  

 ^"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

    

The absence of "hearing" (from God) leads to spiritual famine and hunger.  Again nothings prospers without God's "living" word in our life.

NOTE 1:
One feels the monotony/pressures of life. 
Faith becomes religion not a relationship with God. 
Looking for the next best exciting thing. 
Looking for the next thing that might give rest to soul.   
Their soul compass hinges on their own understanding not on God and the promises of God.
They thirst for God. (Pslam 84:2)

NOTE 2:    
One has a total loss of sustaining hope and joy because of the absence of God. (Psalm 51:12) 

God’s word being withheld.  
No spiritual food to feed one’s soul.   
No deep fulfilling insight is given. 
Having to continually be reminded of the basics. 1 Corinthians 3:2   

NOTE 3:   
 God’s Spirit is withheld.  
 Many fall asleep spiritually.  
 Dreamers die.  
 There is no renewing of the mind.  
 Don’t know God’s will which is good, pleasing and perfect. 1 Corinthians 11:30

Is it TOO LATE to step off that doormat and step back through that door? 

The answer is in the word of God but the invitation isn’t a lasting one – for the Lord will return and by then it will be too late.  (We see this in story of the five wise and five foolish virgins. Matthew 25)

Jesus tells the Laodicea church, “Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends.  I will invite everyone who is victorious to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.  Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” Revelation 3:20-22

RELIEF from SPIRITUAL famine and crisis is FOUND…. 

1.     ONLY in GOD.  People must turn to GOD/ Jesus Christ. (John 10:9-10)

2.     When we turn away/admit and repent of our sinful behavior.  (Romans 3:27-28 & Micah 6:8)

3.     When we seek God’s mercy, who forgives us and gives us sufficient grace to endure and overcome.  Through drawing close to God, He breaks our oppression, depression, bondages and temptations.  (Micah 6:8)

4.     When we walk humbly with God in Spirit and truth (the word).  Seeing your value and purpose is in God not the things of this world and the circumstances in your life.  (Micah 6:8)

5.     Know this life is temporary.  Don’t give up.  Know an everlasting relief from spiritual famine is COMING when God takes us to heaven. (John 11:25)