A Famine For The Hearing of The Word of The Lord-Part 2

Amos 8:11
"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."

A famine is not caused by excess of a commodity, but by lack of one.  A commodity is an item of value that can be traded or bought and sold between two or more people. When The Word of The Lord holds no value for the hearer of it, then God will remove not only The Word but the speaker of The Word.

Churches begin to empty and tithes into the church decrease. Eventually, even the ministers will be moved elsewhere and the buildings themselves fall into ruin and decay. Apathy kills the soul faster than anything. And to assume that churches die out because of judgment against them is wrong thinking. The days come when people are going to want to hear The Truth of God's Word and that Word will not be found or it will be extremely hard to come by. The value of God's Word will increase to those who seek it; whose hunger cannot be satisfied with replacements; whose thirst will not be slaked by substitutes.
Matthew 7:13, 14 "Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and few there be to find it."

They who preach any other word than The Word of The Lord are leading their flocks to destruction and eternal separation from God. Jesus Christ Is Lord, that is His Name. We know, through the reading of our Bible, that the name Jesus means "He saves" and that Christ means 'Anointed One, Messiah". Lord is the proper Name of The God of Israel: YHWH or JEHOVAH Is His Name.
   When we say we believe that Jesus Christ Is Lord, we are declaring that He is not only God's Son, but that He Is The Lord God, the Second Person in the trinity. The Holy Spirit overshadowed (covered as by a cloud) Mary and placed The Word in her womb in the form of a baby (Luke 1:35).  

John 1:1, 14 "In the beginning was The Word, and The Word was with God, and The Word was God. ... And The Word was made flesh, and dwelt (lived) among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of The Father), full of grace and Truth."

Jesus tells us He is The Way, The Truth and The Life in John 14:6 and that The Truth would set us free in John 8:32. To what do you believe He is referring? The Way to reach The Father is through Jesus. The Truth of The Word of The Lord is Jesus. The Life eternal is Jesus. And how does He set us free? When we believe in our hearts that Jesus Christ Is Lord (Romans 10:9 "If you declare with your mouth that Jesus Is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

When God removes the preachers and the teachers of The Word of The Lord from a people who refuse to hear it and not obey it, then the famine comes upon those lands. People rise up and declare their sins to be laws, their self-righteousness plagues their governments and their destructive ways bring about their own downfalls. 

The Word of The Lord tells us that people have 'itchy ears', meaning they do not want to be reminded of their sinful ways and that what they are doing is not only wrong, but evil in God's sight. So, they move to 'greener pastures': churches who preach only a fraction of The Word of The Lord or none at all. They worship the band and not The Lord; their bodies move to the rhythm of the beat and not to the moving of The Holy Spirit of God. 

They have ears that do not hear and mouths that do not speak; they who refuse to hear and obey The Word of The Lord have become their own idols. How true this is in today's world even now. False doctrines tell them they are their own god and they believe it. False prophets spin lies about personal profit and gain; such tales are seen as truth. The pulpit has been replaced by the politically correct platform and the preacher by a marionette, whose strings are regulated by the hand unseen.

God's Word tells us that today is our day of salvation. Why? Because to morrow is not promised. To morrow may not come. To morrow the preaching of The Word of The Lord may be gone and then how will they hear? To morrow the teaching of The Word of The Lord may disappear for ever and how will they learn? How will you know? How will you learn? Who will you go to when God removes His people permanently from this earth? What will you do then, if you neglect this thing we call salvation now? 

A Famine For The Hearing of The Word of The Lord

Amos 8:11 Behold (look now, pay attention), the days come (not are coming but are here now), 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.
1 Samuel 2:1 And the child Samuel ministered unto The Lord before Eli. And The Word of The Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keeps the law, happy is he.
Amos 8:12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek The Word of The Lord, and shall not find it.

     It is not that The Word of The Lord will be lacking, it is the HEARING of The Word of The Lord that lacks. Sermons are preached, songs are sung, lips move, but hearts remain unchanged.
     Christians are being tried by fire, literally. Churches are being burned. People are tortured and killed for their faith in Christ. Babies die at the hands of doctors who should be delivering them into life. Children are neglected and ignored because those adults choose self over others.
     Violence is in our streets, our homes, our schools and our churches because The Word of God is being ignored; not just by those who commit violence against each other, but by those who preach it. Why? Because it isn't being applied.
     Some of us can't let a day go by without eating or drinking something. But we do let days go by without studying our Bibles which contain a much more nutritious source: The Word of God. It is food for our souls: our minds, our wills, our emotions. We are succored by The Word of The Lord moment to moment.
     I use the word 'studying' instead of reading, because anyone can read the Bible and not understand any of it. We need to believe that what we are reading in The Bible is Truth and not fables. We must believe that God Is in order to believe that His Word Is.
     Without a clear understanding of what The Word we are reading means we will, indeed, perish. But there is no need for that. Bibles and Bible resources are available to us almost everywhere. And while there are many spirits in this world, we need to follow The Holy Spirit's lead and let Him guide us in The Word of The Lord that we may see and know God.

     The famine for the hearing of The Word of The Lord is sent by The Lord. It is sent as a judgment against a nation which has repeatedly disobeyed and ignored The Lord God. Though we are not always given a reason why God does things, we see here that disobedience brings curses from The Lord. It is a curse to not hear what The Lord is saying. It is a curse to turn deaf hearts away from His Word.
     This curse, this judgment, fell on Israel and Dan at the time of the writing thereof. For their oppression of the needy (vs 4) and thievery from the poor. Greed overcame obedience (vs 5); they wished their time away and forgot the reason for Sabbath, desiring only to buy and sell in the marketplaces-selling for exorbitant prices, but marking the account books lesser.
     While the souls languished, the wealthy increased. They sold that which was not fit for use (vs 6) to they who could not afford it. And The Lord judged them and condemned their actions (vs 7, 8). Joy would be replaced by mourning (grief and sorrow), songs would become lamentations (expressions of grief) (vs 9).
     The Lord would cover the transgressors with sackcloth (garments of mourning; state of repentance; public display of extreme grief) and baldness (shaved head). Everyone would see and be seen, for The Lord will make the sins of the land known.
     Knowing that the famine for the hearing of The Word of The Lord is sent by The Lord, what can we do but draw nearer to The Lord? And how do we do that? Pray, pray, pray to God for salvation from permanent destruction. We pray, pray pray for the salvation of other people, too. Commune with God, talk with God and allow Him to respond, listen to God with sincere intent to receive from Him.
     Our knowledge of God increases with each passing moment the more time we spend with Him. We are on spiritual alert to hear His Voice and know His Heart better and with greater clarity.

     And just what is God's heart? God's will is that none perish. We see this in John 3:16, 17 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." See? God wants every one to believe that Jesus Christ Is Lord. But He does not force His will on us: we have to make that decision for ourselves, on an individual basis.

   
     

The Sower Sows The Word

Mark 4:14 "The sower sows The Word." 

Mark 4:3-9 is The Parable of The Sower, while Mark 4:10-20 is the explanation of the parable presented. 
A heart that is not ready to change will not be changed. Soils that are hardened ground or rocky territory will not allow the Seed of The Word to take root. When that happens, false teachers and false doctrines come along and swoop down on a person's thoughts and heart, taking away the topsoil, where The Word lay, but did not enter. 

A heart that is ready to change cannot do it on its own. Any effort made to be a better person will soon fail on some level. You and I can be good according to this world's standards of goodness and still fall short of God's definition of good. Way short.
It is only when we want what God has to offer that we turn to Him and ask for this change to happen. We cannot stumble or fall into grace; we must make a conscious informed decision to receive salvation through God's plan of salvation: Jesus Christ.
"Believe on The Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, and your house." Acts 16:31 (HCSB) See, The Promise of Salvation is not just for us, but for our households, our families and our helpers. "If you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9 (ISV)
It is only then, when The Seed is in our hearts, that the change we have desired to see in ourselves begins to take place.

Though My Foe May Slay Me, I Will Serve The Lord

I Will Serve The Lord by Steve Green

Matthew 10:31-39
31) Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
32) Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess before My Father which is in heaven.
33) But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I deny before My Father which is in heaven.
34) Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35) For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36) And a man's own foes shall be they of his own household.
37) He that loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
38) And he that takes not his cross, and follows after Me, is not worthy of Me.
39) He that finds his life shall lose it: and he that loses his life for My sake shall find it.

     It must have been very hard for many of the crowd following Him to hear these words which Jesus spoke, when He explained the cost of discipleship. But it was not very different from that which was written in the commandments back in Moses' day.  Exodus 20:3 "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." See, if we put anything or anyone first in our lives besides God, then that person or thing becomes our god, our idol.
    In this passage Jesus reveals that as God's Son He also has authority to demand that we love Him first. And not just make a statement saying we do, but showing by our actions: (1) Taking up our cross; (2) Following Him; (3) Lose my life for Him.
     We are to daily make this decision to be obedient to His words and follow His example in service and surrender to our heavenly Father, as well. Do not worry that your children are not following God the way you want them to; pray for them that they follow Christ the way God wants them to.
     Can you or I say truthfully that we will stand and serve The Lord, though the cost is high? Yes, from the comfort of our fine homes, we may make this statement, but what about they who serve in the mission field? Or the battlefield? Or the streets? Are we willing even then and there to take a stand for Christ?
    What in this life is worth losing our soul over? Nothing should hold us back from desiring to be 'stuck like glue' to our God and Savior, as David wrote in Psalm 63:8 "My soul follows hard after Thee: Thy Right Hand upholds me." To 'follow hard' is to be 'stuck like glue'. Lord, make me wholly Yours.

   Books like   Fox's Book of Martyrs and Jesus Freaks show us by their testimonies of faith what it means to take a stand for Christ and not back down. Ephesians 6:14 "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with Truth, and having on the breastplate of Righteousness". Girdle of Truth upon our abdomen and just above our hips and Breastplate of Righteousness over our heart, both armor-pieces referring to being clothed or armored in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, for He is to the Christian both inner-wear and outerwear. Why do you think that is?
     We need Jesus on the inside, not only cleaning house but shining His love through us that the people who see us see Him clearly. We need Jesus on the outside as both our defense and our offense. For He is our Lawyer and the unbeliever's Judge. He saves, protects, defends His people. And His people are the ones who declare Him as Lord and Savior; not just in the privacy of their homes and churches, but on the street corners, in the grocer's, at the mall, internet postings, parking lots, work places, retirement homes. Wherever we go and whatever we are doing, we are to be sharing Jesus Christ.
     "Though my foe may slay me, I will serve The Lord." Not disregarding the cost, but counting the cost and realizing that my soul and my service have worth to God. It is a wiser decision to set my focus on Him and follow His steps wherever He may lead me.

Where You Go, I Go by Jesus Culture
     

Only God Can Change The Heart

Only God can change a person's heart.
We can pray for each other.
We can pray with each other.
But only a prayer from your heart to God's heart will change your heart.
I want you to know Jesus personally.
I want you to know the joy of salvation in Christ Jesus.
And, as much as I want the best God has to give you, unless you want it, too, NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN in your life, your thoughts, your HEART until you allow God to change your heart.

Joyce Meyer - Intimacy

Following God brings us JOY, not depression. Religion can give us rules and regulations; Jesus Christ gives us Himself.

The Cross We Carry-Called To Suffer

The Cross We Carry-Called To Suffer For Righteousness' Sake

Matthew 16:24 "Then said Jesus unto His disciples, 'If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.'"

Matthew 10:38 "And he that taketh not His cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me."

1. We are called to carry our own cross.

2. We are called to deny ourselves.

3. We are called to follow Him.

2 Corinthians 1:5 "For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ."

2 Corinthians 1:6 "And whether be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation."

4. Our sufferings are abundant, therefore our consolation is also abundant.

5. Our sufferings will lead others to salvation and consolation through Christ, as well. 

Acts 14:22 "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God."

6. We must continue in the faith.

7. We must go through much tribulation before we can enter the kingdom of God.

Romans 8:16, 17 "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, the heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together." 

8. We suffer with Him.

9. We will be glorified with Him because of our suffering.

John 15: 18 "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you."

Matthew 10:22 "And ye shall be hated of all men for My Name's sake: but he that endures to the end shall be saved."

10. We will be hated.

11. We will endure and be saved.

Matthew 10:23 "But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till The Son of Man be come."

12. We will be persecuted.

Matthew 10:17, 18 "But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles."

13. We will be judged and condemned. 

John 13:2, 26 "And supper being ended, the devil having put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him;" ... "Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop(morsel), when I have dipped it. And when He had dipped the sop, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon."

14. We will be betrayed by a friend. 

John 19:1-3 "Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged Him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe, And said, 'Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote Him with their hands."

15. We will be mocked for Christ's sake.

Acts 17:6 "And when they found them not, they drew Jason (the homeowner who had brought Paul and Silas into his house) and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside-down are come hither also."

16. We will turn the world (around us) upside-down with the preaching of the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

2 Timothy 2:11 "It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him:"

Romans 6:5, 8 "For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection:" ... "Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him."

Matthew 16:25 "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it."

John 14:2 "In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."

17. We died with Him and we live with Him.

18. We are planted together in the likeness of His death.

19. We will live in the place which Jesus has prepared for us.

John 17 This is The Lord's prayer for us who believe and those who will believe.

Ephesians 6:18 "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in The Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."

20. We pray in The Spirit for all saints: those who already believe and those who will believe: John 17:20 "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word;" 

Galatians 6:5-10 "For every man shall bear his own burden. Let him that is taught in The Word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to The Spirit shall of The Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith."

21. We will persevere in spreading the gospel,

Matthew 10:14 "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet."

Acts 17:32 "And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter."

22. Even if we are not heard;

Matthew 10:40 "He that receiveth you receiveth Me, and he that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me."

John 17:14 "I have given them Thy Word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."

23. For it is not we who are being rejected, but Christ in us. 

Luke 23:34 "Then said Jesus, 'Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.' And they parted His raiment, and cast lots."

24. We forgive the people who betrayed, mocked, persecuted us for the sake of the gospel of Christ. 

Is Your Soul Dehydrated?

Is your soul dehydrated? Have you not been drinking deeply from The Lord's well? One cannot just skim The Scriptures in order to satisfy the thirst which the soul has. We must study The Word in order to understand and comprehend what it is that God is saying to us. 

On our own terms we are inadequate. We need God's Holy Spirit to reveal God Himself in His own Word that we may begin to imagine this great God we have heard of and His amazing Grace and Love towards mankind. 

John 4:14

Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst;

but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Just as Jesus revealed this to the woman at the well in this section of Scripture, so it is revealed to us, as well. And just where was this well? In Christ Jesus. 

For the water that Jesus gives us is Living Water; a Well that never runs dry and always satisfies the soul, leaving it refreshed and content. 

One day soon we shall be in God's eternal presence and every promise made for that appointed time will be fulfilled.

Revelation 7:17

For The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. 

Don't just sip your Bible, take a deep, long draught.

Why I Sing

I will sing unto The Lord as long as I live: 

I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

My meditation of Him shall be sweet:

I will be glad in The Lord.

Psalm 104:33, 34

Phil Wickham - This Is Amazing Grace

Summer Thoughts

Good Morning, Lord. Good morning sunshine, birds singing, breeze winding its way through the backyard, dewy grass beneath my toes ('cause I don't wear shoes unless I have to), little dog following at my feet. 

I see all things working together for good because I love God, for I am called by Him according to His purpose, and none of my own.

Romans 8:28 

(personalized and applied to me)

(This photo was taken this morning and decorated like this using BeFunky, a fun and inventive way to decorate your photographs)

I Sing The Old Songs (Sharon's Song)

Dedicated to Sharon Littleton of the Monico Pentecostal Church of God in Monico WI. Love You!

I Sing The Old Songs

I sing the old songs

and I walk the old path

cause I know The Word of The Lord

Songs of repentance

and songs of redemption

songs of Spirit and Sword:

Victory In Jesus

The Old Rugged Cross

Redeemed By The Blood of The Lamb

Living For Jesus

One Day At A Time

I'm singing

Just As I Am:

Just as I am with but one plea

Twas that my God did die for me

And that Thou bidst me come to Thee

O Lamb of God I come, I come.

Just as I am and waiting not

To rid my soul of one dark blot

To Him Whose blood can cleanse each spot

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

I come to the cross where You died for me

I come to the place where Your blood was shed for me

I come to repentance, a pardon I seek:

Jesus, forgive me, I have been weak.

I sing the old songs

and I walk the old path

cause I know The Word of The Lord

Songs of repentance

and songs of redemption

Songs of Spirit and Sword:

Victory In Jesus

The Old Rugged Cross

Redeemed By The Blood of The Lamb

Living For Jesus

One Day At A Time

I'm singing

Just As I Am.

And I'm so glad so glad

Jesus set me free

When at the cross

He pardoned me

When at the grave

The stone was rolled away

Jesus conquered death

for all that day.

Living for Jesus a life that is true

Striving to please Him in all that I do

Yielding allegiance glad-hearted and free

This is the pathway of blessing for me.

O Jesus Lord and Savior, I give my life to Thee

For Thou in Thine atonement

Didst give Thy life for me

I owe no other Master

My heart shall be Thy throne

My life I give

Henceforth to Live

O Christ for Thee, alone.

And I'm so glad so glad

Jesus set me free

When at the cross

He pardoned me

When at the grave

The stone was rolled away

Jesus conquered death

for all that day.

I sing the old songs

and I walk the old path

Cause I know The Word of The Lord

Songs of Repentance

and Songs of Redemption

Songs of Spirit and Sword

Victory in Jesus

The Old Rugged Cross

Redeemed By The Blood of The Lamb

Living For Jesus

One Day At A Time

I'm singing

Just As I Am.

Five Senses in Hell

When we first make a decision to follow Christ, we are choosing Life over death. We make a career move and put His Will first in our lives. It is out of our realization that we are not good enough, nor will we ever be good enough, to enter heaven without Him.
(It is a shocking thing to realize that. Every argument is offered and rejected by The Truth of God's Word. Our hearts are convicted, yet we try to justify our sinful nature. "Everybody's doing it" is an excuse often proffered by a willful nature. "What's the harm in trying it", whatever it is, is another.)
And we do want to enter heaven. Why? Hell is not the party you think it is. Nor is death the ultimate destination of life. All five senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell), memory and speaking,  are with a person after they die.

Luke 16:23
And in hell he lifted up his eyes (sight), being in torments (touch/smell), and seeing Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke 16:24
And he cried and said (speaking), Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip his finger in water, and cool my tongue (taste), for I am tormented in this flame (touch).
Luke 16:25
But Abraham said (hearing), Son, remember (memory) that thou in thy lifetime received thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Luke 16:26
And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from here to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from there.

Hell was not created for us. Hell was created for the devil and that one-third of the angels who chose to follow him. But for those who choose to listen to, and obey, this liar, hell's mouth is enlarged (Isaiah 5:14) for the many who choose that as their destination.
For to rebel against God is to disobey Him, refuse to hear and follow His Word; nor walk in His Will, His Way. So while you may believe in God and that He exists, it is not enough to get you into His eternal presence. You, and I, need The Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer.
We need to acknowledge our sinful ways and repent (turn our back on) them to God, who will forgive the sin we have confessed to Him and instantly forget it. But even there we need The Holy Spirit of God to help us. For not only does The Spirit of God call us to salvation through God's Son Jesus, but this Spirit also guides us daily in God's Way, God's Will and God's Love.
Don't justify yourself to me: reason with God (Isaiah 1:18)-20 and talk with Him. You don't need someone here to confess your sins to: the sin-forgiving and salvation receiving business are His alone.

I can pray for you to receive salvation, but in order for you to receive it into yourself, you must ask for it.

You must pray to God and it needn't be flowery or eloquent, but it must be sincere, for God can see your heart and knows your thoughts. If your heart is false, your prayer will not be heard. Being right with God is being right according to the standards He has set up, not what we think is alright for our lives.

Blood And Water

Who is he that overcomes the world, but he

that believes that Jesus Christ

is The Son of God?

This is He that came by water and blood,

Jesus Christ;

not by water only, but by water and blood.

And it is The Spirit that beats witness,

because The Spirit is Truth.

1 John 5:5,6

Thank You Jesus For The Cross

Matthew West - Hello, My Name Is (Lyrics)