Our Great Need In 2016

Make your ear attentive to wisdom,

Incline your heart to understanding; (Proverbs 2:2 NASB)

           We as Christians value and seek insight and wisdom.  However, in 2016 our greatest need may not be more knowledge about God, but the application to our hearts of the truth we already possess.

           Christianity is not just an intellectual process.  Yes, it does start with the mind, but it must proceed to the heart. Our spiritual walk takes us along those critical eighteen inches from head knowledge to heart revelation. This explains all the twists and turns in our spiritual journey.  It has been said that those who fervently pray for Christian graces are often most afflicted.  Trials and tribulations are ways the Lord forms our godly character.  As the songwriter wrote, “dangers, toils, and snares.” God is applying truth to our lives.  

           There is a road map the Bible gives us for traveling this voyage. The scribe Ezra tells us in Ezra 7: 10 (NASB) that he studied, practiced, and then he taught. It would behoove those of us who teach the Word of God to remember that we cannot give away what we don't have. It has been said that we need to practice what we preach.  It is more correctly stated that we must practice before we preach.  We study and master the Word of God, but then in turn must allow the Word to master us.  The latter is often a longer and more difficult process.

           Of course we know that no one is perfect.  This side of glory we will never get all our ducks in a row. We never arrive, but we do need to be in process. An old Puritan saying goes like this, “You can never lead anyone heavenward unless you are climbing yourself. You don’t need to be high but you do need to be rising.”  

           So in 2016 let us follow the instruction given to us in James 1: 22 to prove ourselves as doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves.  A sick and dying world needs not only to hear a proclamation of truth but also to see a demonstration of it.  When are hearts are transformed, actions follow, and our message is validated. Complete obedience to revealed truth is what ultimately sets us free.  Making Christ known in both word and deed.

Image used with permission my Microsoft

Ken Barnes, the author of “The Chicken Farm and Other Sacred Places”  YWAM Publishing
Email:  kenbarnes737@gmail.com
website: https://sites.google.com/site/kenbarnesbooksite/

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