A Christian Guidebook: Introduction (6)

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord GOD,
“That I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine of bread,
Nor a thirst for water,
But of hearing the words of the LORD.
They shall wander from sea to sea,
And from north to east;
They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD,
But shall not find it. Amos 8.11, 12

Absimilation
At just the time many in the world are waking up to the reality that secularism is a failed worldview and are beginning to look beyond and above for meaning and purpose in life, the Church of Jesus Christ has fallen into a spiral of silence concerning the Good News of the Gospel. We are not actively running to bring the Good News to our world; rather, we expect those who are seeking to come find what they want in our churches and church services.

But Jesus did not command the world to go to church. He commanded the Church to run to the world with the Good News of His Kingdom and righteousness.

We have drifted away from our calling and mission and have become content with pleasing worship services, agreeable preaching, and a company of Christian friends. We are hearing the Word week after week, but we are not hearing it in such a way as to be drawn closer and deeper into Jesus.

By neglecting our great salvation we have become caught up in a drift that is carrying us away from the likeness of Jesus and more into likeness with the world (Heb. 2.1-13). The prophet Amos foresaw our day as God spoke through him:
 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord GOD,
“That I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine of bread,
Nor a thirst for water,
But of hearing the words of the LORD.
They shall wander from sea to sea,
And from north to east;
They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD,
But shall not find it.”

A process of absimilation has set in on the Christian world. As churches and individuals, we are not being more assimilated to Jesus but, absimilating from Him, we are becoming more like the world around us. At just the time the world is stirring and seeking they know-not-what, we have fallen silent and are hardly identifiable as a people with a calling and mission from God.

This Guidebook speaks to that problem. We hope to reverse our condition of absimilation so that, as we seek the Word of God more deeply, we will assimilate His character, mission, and calling into every aspect of our lives.

How to hear the Word of God
What does it mean to hear the Word of God? What is involved?

Nehemiah outlines the disciplines involved in properly hearing the Word of God (Neh. 8.5-12). First, there is the actual hearing of God’s Word, through preaching and teaching but, even more, through daily reading. If we are not coming to the Word daily, listening for the voice of Jesus and the will of God, then we have no hope of hearing the Word in such a way as will move us to run in obedience to it. As we hear the Word of God, let us set our hearts and minds into an attitude of receptivity and worship, as the people of Nehemiah’s day did (vv. 5, 6).

Next, we must work to gain the sense of what we have heard. We must pause in silence, listening for the voice of the Lord to open the mysteries of His Word. We may seek help from commentators, study partners, or other outside resources (v. 8). The sense of Scripture is always richer and deeper than it appears at first. Do not settle for a merely superficial sense of what your text is teaching. Meditate on each word; compare your text with other similar texts; ask the Lord to expand your understanding to give you fresh insights into His revelation and will.

Finally, seek to understand what the text means for you—what it requires and what you must do to incorporate the text into your daily life. Then plan your next steps accordingly and go right away to do what God has shown you (vv. 10-12).

Throughout this process of hearing the Word, keep in mind that all Scripture points to Jesus (Jn. 5.39). Look to see Jesus as you are hearing the Word, to recall His work, wonder at His unique Being and character, contemplate Him in His exaltation, and anticipate His soon return. If we don’t see Jesus as we are hearing the Word of God, we’re not hearing as well as we could.

Every day
Hearing, searching, understanding, assimilating, and obeying the Scriptures must be an every day discipline for us as Christians (cf. Acts 17.11). The Scriptures are our “necessary food” (Job 23.12). Like the Israelites in the desert, who daily collected the manna they needed for their trek, we need daily food from the Scriptures to run our race with confidence and bring the Good News of Jesus and His Kingdom into our Personal Mission Field.

Make it your goal to read all the Scriptures. Then to read them again and again. Read from the Old and New Testaments each day. Include a portion of the gospels and perhaps a psalm. Take your time. Make notes in your Bible. Start a journal to summarize your reading. Share what you hear or read with other believers, to encourage them in their walk with and work for the Lord.

Let’s stop the absimilating drift from our great salvation which is our present condition and turn our hearts and minds to a deeper, clearer, more transforming understanding of the Word of God. The world is stirring toward God, and only if our hearts are aflame to know, love, and serve Him will we be able to run up like Philip and help them on their journey to the Lord.

For reflection
1. In your time of hearing God’s Word, are going as deep as you could? Explain.

2. Do you look for something about Jesus in all your reading? Why is it helpful to our calling and mission to do so?

3. The Holy Spirit teaches us by comparing Scripture from one place with Scripture from another (1 Cor. 2.12, 13). How do you practice this aspect of hearing the Word of God and seeking the sense of it?

Next Steps—Transformation: Review your practice of hearing the Word of God. How can you improve it so that you grow more to be like Jesus?

T. M. Moore

Resources for your race
Need to brush-up on your understanding of Scripture? Two books can help. The Joy and Rejoicing of My Heart provides an overview and guide for reading and studying Scripture, to help you see more of Jesus in His Word and to carry out your calling to His Kingdom and glory. Order your copy by clicking here or in a free PDF, here. Our workbook, Gods’ Covenant, offers you an interactive study of the progress of redemption from Genesis through Revelation. Order your copy by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.