The Word

First, I'd like to point out that it's 5:27 a.m., and I'm awake. I have been since 4, and I have a class at 9:15. Yesssss.

In the past hour and a half, I've laid in bed thinking, painted my nails, and read Habakkuk. Next activity: blogging. I apologize in advance for the sloppy writing that you're probably about to encounter...

I'm taking a Church Ministries class this semester, and two of the required books are "Fool's Gold" by John MacArthur, and "The Purpose Driven Church" by Rick Warren. If you are even remotely familiar with these two pastors, you can probably (and rightly) assume that the two books are extremely contrasting.

MacArthur addresses the lack of Biblical discernment of many believers today, and the lack of Biblical teaching from the pulpit. I thoroughly appreciate what he has to say. Far too many believers have exchanged the all satisfying Word of God for the self gratifying prosperity gospel. (For a brief, powerful introduction to the prosperity gospel, check out John Piper's comments on youtube.)

3 years ago, as a freshman in college, I was sitting in a living room listening to a man lead a devotion. His left hand was holding the Bible, and his right hand was continually tapping it as he said, "we have got to get past the word, and get in to the voice!"

Do you hear how dangerous that statement is?

We can never get past the Word! The Word is the voice!

Somehow we have let this horrible mindset creep into the church that says that the Word isn't satisfying enough. We fill up on garbage, on false promises from ignorant pastors who say that Jesus died so that our lives would be prosperous.

No! He died so that we would have abundance! That does not mean that we will have perfect relationships and an overflowing bank account. What it does mean is that when the world and everything it has to offer fails us (which it most certainly will) we can put our trust in a sovereign, benevolent, faithful God who will provide anything and everything we need.

The next time you hear someone talking about how God wants you to have perfect relationships or wealth, think about this: Jesus' relationships with people were so perfect that the ones he came to rescue exchanged him for a thief, and murdered him. He also publicly spoke against the wealthy and the pursuit of riches (See Luke 6:20-25; Luke 1:53).

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God, and the Word was with God...And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." -John 1:1, 14

We must never get past the Word.