Articles
ARE WE STARVING CHRISTIANS?
In his book, Point Man (1990), Steve Farrar makes the following observation: “I asked more
than a thousand Christian men across the United States how often in an average week they
interacted with the Lord through the Scriptures. Forty-five percent reported one time a week or
less. The majority of these men are committed Christians and attend church more than once a
week. They are not on the fringes of the church. Most would be considered pillars of their local
congregations. Yet nearly half of them are spiritually anorexic” (pg. 115). Mr. Farrar is writing
specifically to men, but I fear this statement could apply to a very large percentage of “faithful”
Christians today.
Scripture is filled with thoughts which parallel Mr. Farrar’s study. “My people are destroyed
for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6). Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will
enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in
Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles” (Matt. 7:21-22)? Notice
the emphasis stated by Jesus, these were “faithful” individuals serving God in “faithful” ways,
yet, the Lord would conclude His thought with the words, “Depart from Me, you who practice
lawlessness” (vs. 23). Maybe this should make us consider our ways a little more.
Perhaps as we stress the need for daily Bible reading and praying to our Heavenly Father,
we are forgetting to explain why. Society determines their walk in life (daily decisions) based on
personal heartfelt feelings or on what someone else has said. Some of those feelings may be
correct and some may be wrong. My question is always the same, on what are you basing these
feelings and decisions? As Christians, if our feelings and decisions in life are not based on God
and His Word, then we may be putting ourselves at risk for eternal judgment. Worse yet, we
make ourselves the ultimate judge of right or wrong. Through daily Bible reading we remind
ourselves that God is in control and He has provided a plan which will lead to eternal life. God
will be the ultimate judge, so we need to live according to His plan and lean not on our own
understanding (Pr. 3:5).
As a Christian, are you starving yourself of the Word of eternal life? ~P. Mowrer
