-Strength for Today- “The Modern-Day Crisis in the Church.” - John 16:33.

???Many people in some local churches are?“hungry,”?and “severely malnourished,”?when it comes to getting?“whatever’s missing in their spiritual lives.”??And they?don’t?know that?in order to?secure a balanced?“spiritual diet,” that?it’s?all about: (1)?Learning the Word,?and (2)?Walking in the Spirit.?These two ingredients?“are key elements”?needed for a nutritious?“spiritual balance.”?

???(1)?Learning the Word of God involves?“prayerfully exploring the Bible as a whole,”?by?“reading it,”?and?“meditating?on it day and night,”?until its content?“is absorbed?with the?convicting power of the Holy Spirit?into?our souls.?In other words, the Word of God is?“the diamond of truth.”?There’s?no other source that can?“accentuate the purposeful plan of God”?which is?“to lead believing saints to?the marriage of the Lamb,”?where?“the bride of Christ,”?His Church,?“will celebrate eternal union with Him,”?after the rapture – Revelations 19:6-10.?

(2)??We all live in the flesh, so?we’ll?“struggle with the desires of the flesh until we get to heaven.”?But under the influence of the Holy Spirit, if we:?“Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”?-?Galatians 5:16. So,?“Walking in the Spirit”?implies that “the?“Spirit is going somewhere,” which means that He has a destined place of reference, which means that?He’s?sole purpose is to walk with?mankind, as He brings glory to God. Which?is in contrast to?the flesh, which is always moving toward that which pleases itself.?

?These two ingredients when bound together, produces?“spiritual?stability,”?during times of?“uncertainty”?and?“instability.”?Therefore, “learning the Word of God,” in a season?“where truth is conflicted with heresy,”?leads to?“inherent evil.”??And to this Jesus said:?“These things I have spoken to you, that?in Me you may have peace.?In the world you?will have tribulation; but be of good cheer,?I have overcome the world.” -?John 16:33. Because in the church that Jesus’ blood bought and paid for?“there’s no place?for?“a spirit of havoc.?Jesus?started the church with clarity: “Go?therefore and?make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,?teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always,?even?to the end of the age.”??- Matthew 28:19-20.?

What Jesus did was to empower His Church,?“in the presence of a world of spiritually dead religiosity,”?with?“the?leading of the Holy Spirit,”?who’s?“the wisdom of His Word,”?and?“the encourager of His people.”?

Author: PLez Lovelady, Jr., PhD