Faith: A Famine of the Word of God in the Last Days

In a society with print in every language, Bibles in a multitude of translations, technology resources available, and churches on every corner, one may read a title like this and wonder what in the world this writer is talking about.  There is a biblical warning found in the book of Amos.  "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord" (Amos 8:11).  God gave this warning because the houses of God were no longer His house, but institutions of perversion.  In today's time, this looks more like the Word of God being watered down to be less offensive, staying away from certain topics within the church teachings, or just not using the Word of God at all.  Let's see what the Bible has to say about such things.  "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 Timothy 4:3-4).  The Apostle Paul is warning Timothy, a pastor, about church people turning to fables.  Fables are defined as tales of fiction.  They also tell a nice story without confronting the issues of life. 

How many church services no longer have the Word of God preached and explained, but instead are focused on using one or two verses to run with a theme that is culturally driven or popular?  Sadly, a person can find many of these types of services while the Word of God, which is unadulterated, concentrated, and is the resource to help people be delivered from sin and bondage, is put to the side.  Entertainment has crept its way into churches all throughout the United States, leaving the Spirit of God uninvited to His own house.  When the Spirit of God is not invited, the power of God will not be present to help those who need it. 

The Apostle Paul also warned the church in Rome about being fashioned after the world.  "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:2).  This is not only applied to each person as an individual but should also be applied to the churches.  If the church looks like the world, the people of that church will be worldly in lifestyle.  What happened to the churches that were holy, revered, and allowed God's power to be present every service, changing anyone who attended and listened to the Word of God as it was preached? 

Some would say, "That's a grandmother's style church, not a church for today".  If the power of God is present in that style of church, it displays that He is truly the God of those people, not entertainment.  This may explain why so many who went, or still go, to churches of this style did not have as hard a time breaking addictions, not returning to the filth they were delivered from, or truly became a changed person. 

For many entertainment Christians, they do not seem to have victory, joy, peace of heart and mind, or other displays of God changing their lives and overcoming the world's cycle of defeat and loss.  Entertainment is designed to keep, hold, or maintain in the mind, while the Word of God is designed to change one's life (Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; James 1:21-25; Colossians 3:16; John 17:17; Matthew 7:24-27; Joshua 1:8). 

The heart of this matter is distilled down to one question.  What is the motivating factor of each service held?  If it is entertainment, that reflects the number of people, the amount of money coming in, or being culturally relevant, is the driving force.  If it is the Word of God, that reflects God is leading the church by His Spirit to change the people present from one who is helpless without God to mighty soldiers in the Lord's army, having a daily, proper relationship with Him.  May more churches get back to the Word of God to push this famine away as long as possible.  For more information about Abundant Grace Church, visit agcsparta.org.