Have you ever heard someone say that they just are not growing spiritually? That they just feel like they are at a stand still with where they attend now. I have. Then I ask myself, “Why would they say that?” This thought crosses my mind when I talk with or hear about someone that has decided to move on from our congregation. If moving or changing congregations has really helped you then praise the Lord, so be it. However, I have found that this is really not the truth and most of the time those involved are not really interested in discussing the truth. They say it is because they are not being fed here and need to be somewhere that they can be fed (spiritually that is). So then here’s my line of thinking, is it that they are not being fed or is it that they are choosing not to eat. Big difference. To say I am not growing or being fed, at least in their mind indicates that food is not being offered to them. So I ask myself is this true? It is always good to question yourself when others are questioning you. This gives you the opportunity to perhaps fix a situation, if in fact there is a problem. Also it allows you the chance to evaluate if what they are pointing out is true or not. Just because someone says that “this” is not working doesn’t mean that it doesn’t work, it just might mean that they need instructed or trained to make it work.
So I propose this question. Is there really a spiritual famine going on today? I have at least two answers to this, “yes” and “no”.
To the “yes”. Yes there is a spiritual famine in the world today. Amos talks about it in his book in Amos 8:11-13 it says, “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. “People will stagger from sea to sea and from the north even to the east; They will go to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, But they will not find it. “In that day the beautiful virgins And the young men will faint from thirst. I believe we are in a time of famine right now. The Bible is not being declared as the whole counsel of God. The scriptures that were once sacred and once memorized are now laid to the side. I believe that this famine has occurred because the product that God has given to us is not the product that many are distributing. It is a weak, watered down version of God’s Word and barely even resembles what God actually said. So yes I believe there is a famine, I believe God says that we will have these famines and I believe that unless this famine ends it will lead to the demise of many.
To the “no”. No there is not a spiritual famine in the world today. Paul talks about this not being a famine but rather a choice in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. This is not talking about a famine but rather a process of self-starvation from God’s Word (really a spiritual suicide). Paul is just reminding us here that you can always find what you think you are looking for. If you say I am not being fed then it takes the blame off of you. You can move on and say it was their fault. When in actuality the food was there, they just chose not to eat. Not to eat on Sunday’s (Sunday school and morning assembly or even evening service), not to eat on Wednesday evenings (prayer meeting and Bible study), not to eat at any of the additional Bible studies with others from the congregation, not to eat at revivals, seminars, rallies, work days, men’s or ladies meetings, picnics or anything of the like, and then say we are not getting fed. The truth is they have chose not to eat.
The food is available. Feast on God’s Word and you will hunger and thirst for righteousness.
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