Spiritual Hunger

I’m not saying those things never happen in the big events, but often it’s not really about an encounter with God. Too often it’s exactly like the world’s entertainment but with a little Christian veneer. Make sure you’re getting the real deal.

We live in a society with lots of things to do. Many of them are good things; they’re not evil in themselves. But they keep us too busy to nurture our relationship with God. I assume you contend with that because I do. There are any number of clubs we can belong to and events to attend. If we are to protect our appetite for God, we may have to say no to some of those things. I’m not here to tell you what those are; but the Holy Spirit is. What is going on in your life that diminishes your appetite for God? Those are the things we have to address.

Prov 27:7 says, “He who is full loathes honey, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet” (NIV). The finest steak dinner Texas Roadhouse has to offer is not appealing if I just got through stuffing myself. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.”

If I come here stuffed with the entertainment of the world, the richest sermon preached would have no appeal. “I’m already full, thank you.” The Apostle John talks about the problem of filling ourselves with the world and then expecting good spiritual results. 1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world -- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life -- is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” Here’s the problem. There is simply not room enough in our finite beings for us to fill ourselves with love for the world and the also fill ourselves with the love of the Father.

V. Get with people who will stir up your desire for God.

Heb 10:24-25 “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” I have known people who got off alcohol or got off drugs but as soon as they got back with the old crowd all the old desired got stirred up. Before you know it they’re right back into the addiction. The negative influence of a crowd can be powerful. But so can the positive influence of people committed to serving the Lord. We are to stir up love and good works-- not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. It’s hard to spend two hours a week with people seeking God and 40 hours a week with people seeking other things, and keep our passion for God at a high level. We need one another. We all need to be encouraged in our faith. We need to stir up our hunger toward God as we gather to together. In fact, we come together for the very purpose of seeking Him.