From Sea To Shining Sea!

Amos 8:12 People will stagger from sea to sea And from the north even to the east; They will go to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, But they will not find it.

It is a dubious honor to be one of the only nations in the world where, in concurrence to the time in which it was written, this prophecy largely describes the United States. The very idea that in America, you could go anywhere, and not hear the word of the LORD is akin to saying that I could be dropped in the ocean and not feel it's wetness. Yet, often times we do not consider the possibility that the 'hearing' of the word of the LORD is not merely the passing of words over our ear canals, but rather the sound exposition of the word of the LORD.

We know, if we have indeed read the scriptures that "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing, by the word of the LORD". What most in this age have been taught is that faith is a mountain of dirt that I myself must erect and maintain; and when they hear this text they hear that faith "magically" puts more dirt on "my" hill.

Yet, this is not even close to the meaning of the text. The text is making abundantly clear that faith - which is a gift from God - is, via meta-physical means, routed to your spirit through the secondary means of hearing. And hearing, is enabled and made possible through the first cause of GOD HIMSELF! By His very word, your ears percieve those things which are spiritually appraised. This is why he can call those who are spiritually broken down and dilapidated on the side of the road, in a heap of moral and sinful ruin - dull of "hearing"!!!

So then, we think of nations that are less educated, perhaps less enlightened, perhaps bereft of a McDonalds, as being under the plight of traveling from sea to sea - which is a metaphor at the least of intense searching in every place - and not hearing the word of the LORD. Yet, in our country, people or inundated with sermons and mesasges and teachings that seem to have their root in honoring this person named Jesus Christ. How can it be then that I say that we travel from sea to sea and do not hear the word of the LORD.

Do you not know and have you not read of ancient Judah? Judah was not hauled off to captivity in Babylon because they didn't honor God with their speeches, loud prayers and public humiliations of themselves, that certainly had their resemblence to Godliness. No! They did not honor God because they knew him not! They faked their abiding in God. They used rituals and sacrafices as a means to cover what their hearts desperately wanted. And they wanted, not to serve the living God in strict obedience to His command. For this, they paid dearly. They were hauled to Babylon.

In our country, we do the very same. We falsify the testimony of Jesus Christ, we empty the power of His word and we defame his name with our ignorant, yet boastfully arrogant words. We speak mightly against the Most High God. We utter claims of ignorance and tell jokes at His expense. Did not the people of Judah's time, do the same? Where is your God? Is He delaying?

We have stupid and ignorant people leading the weak and the helpless. They hate God and they desire to kill the sheep. If your Pastor tells you something that's illogical and doesn't square with the scriptures, he's wrong.

If he tells you that you don't make God Lord, but you "let" him be LORD of your life...he's a LIAR! God does not ask your permission; HE demands your OBEDIENCE. And all who aren't obedient are cast in to hell.