Something about those early years of knowing Jesus that makes me want to go back and re-live those days. I would stay in church for at least 2 to 3 services on a Sunday, I would read my Bible for hours even if I didn’t understand it. I would secretly hope the worship leader would sing one more song. So, that I could worship Him a little while longer.
[pull_quote align=”left”]Prayer was a pleasure, church was a delight and obedience came easy.[/pull_quote]
All of it had disappeared after a few years. Everything seemed so “Dry”. The sermons are too long, the choir can’t sing one line in tune. And the AC in the building is horrible. Why can’t the pastor fix the AC?
Sounds like familiar tale? I have been in this place several times.
What made the difference? Something had changed. It was not the pastor, or the choir or even the building. It was me. I had changed, let me be a little more specific. I had lost the zeal of a new born believer. Simply put I was no longer hungry for God. Hunger is most evident in our lives when we first meet Jesus as our lord and savior and I lost that hunger and thirst for God.
I had replaced hunger with an appearance of Godliness while denying its power. I faked being hungry for God, when I really was not. Compromise replaced consecration. Prayer was a struggle and the Bible was untouched for weeks if not months.
Sin was easy, hypocrisy seemed comfortable and playing church became second nature.
Jesus make me hungry again!
Hunger the quintessential quality of a lover of God. There are many ways you can check, if you are walking with God or not. The most obvious one is your hunger for God. We can pray, fast and read our Bibles and still lack hunger. Hunger goes beyond the rituals of a healthy Christian life.
[pull_quote align=”left”]Divine hunger makes us obsessed with one person, Jesus.[/pull_quote]
I can teach you many things, but I cannot teach you how to be hungry. Hunger is internal. It is our body and spirit craving for God. Only God can restore our hunger and first love for His presence.
I have a query bro…. I read Joseph Prince sermons and videos obviously I follow. He often times said that once a person become believer – born again he or she cannot loose Salvation. Is that true? how or at what point we conclude that a person is backslided ? Does backslide means loosing salvation ?
Dear Shailesh,
You have asked a very thought provoking question and one we must answer with due diligence. I’m in the process of writing a detailed response to your question. This may take a few days (really busy at work).
In the meantime, let me clarify by what I meant by “backsliding” I did not use the term to indicate “loss of salvation” but a state/phase/plateau in our walk with God, where merely go through the norms of Christianity without any zeal or passion.
A state where we have lost our first love for the Lord. We are not in denial of Christ or His lordship in our lives. But we are not in the same place of surrender, as we ought to be in.
I hope this clarifies some doubts. I will soon post my complete response.
Thank you for your comment and question.
Excellent word. Thanks for being transparent. Love you.
Thank you for your comment and support Shy! Love you too!
Blessed.
God Bless you hari rao, this is the first time I came across to see read and hear of a church in Bangalore glorifying Christ all out, I have been looking for a church for me to recommend my friends in Bangalore, I am from Bangalore myself but have been living in uae for 9 years and saved since 3 years. It just brought a smile on my face to see revival take place in the place I was born. Cant wait to hear more from Bangalore about you guys saving lives. Bless you all
Thank you for your comment Raj. God bless!