John 1:1 through 4, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Oswald Chambers said, “The mere reading of the Word of God has power to communicate the life of God to us mentally, morally and spiritually. God makes the words of the Bible a sacrament, i.e., the means whereby we partake of His life, it is one of His secret doors for the communication of His life to us.”
The Bible says, So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. (Romans 12:5) And also, Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: (Colossians 1:24) Then, in 1Corinthians 10:16, The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
Salvation through hearing God’s Word, becoming a member of the body of Christ Jesus will result in greater hunger and thirst for God. What we understand and what we are taught as to how we pursue our relationship with God can help or hinder our daily walk with Him.
To hardly ever read the Bible because “it’s too hard to understand” or to not go to church because “they’re all hypocrites” is the same as admitting a great lack in hungering and thirsting for His righteousness. The question “why” has to be answered. Revelation 2:5 says this, “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”
If we HAVE to have the “I feel God” experience at church to make it from week to week, we are in deep trouble. This “I feel God” experience is that which we worship – not God. If the life of God is not made manifest in our WHOLE being then we have to realize this at some point in time. If we refuse to go ALL the way with Him, we may settle for the feeling of (so-called) “God’s presence” instead of letting Him be our faithful friend and guide – someone that we REALLY trust.
IF the Bible communicates His life to us and the pastor communicates the life of God to us and we communicate this LIFE with one another, then the flow of God’s spirit would be much greater in the body of Christ. Then we can say, “I FEEL GOD!!!”
G Freeman Shepherd
