"I Want, I Need . . ."

If someone were to offer you two choices, you could have, "The thing you want" or, "The thing you need" without a doubt, what would be your choice?

It is logical that our choice should be, "The thing that we need" as opposed to "The thing that we want." This is because the things that we "want" usually would only suffice us for a moment when, the thing that we "need" will sufficiently support us by supplying that in which we want for.

However logical, this is not always the choice (particularly when it comes to what a people "want" verses what people "need" from their church).

David once wrote, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want." But here's the thing, many people don't realize that in the Hebrew the word "want" in this context is pronounced "chesron" which in this context means "lack". So now David's statement "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want" takes on a new meaning as it now reads (in the Hebrew), "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not lack!"

Why "lack?" Because wherever there is "lack", it is always associated with "need" and God in His Divine Covenant with us has set in His Divine Priority to always "provide for our needs!"

,A well known author and pastor of one of the "fastest growing churches in America", in the three years before he started his church, went "door to door" asking different people "What Do You Want In A Church?" As he complied the various answers as to what people wanted in a church, he used this research to establish the foundation of the great ministry of which he now pastors.

This (at first look) seems to be a great motivation for usage to motivate the congregation and increase the membership of the church until I really thought about the question that was being proposed and I began to think, "What you want, is not always what you need" particularly when it come to church!

This one point is why I personally believe that the church (in general) has digressed to the place where it is today! Instead of focusing on "feeding the sheep" the church has become more concerned with "filling the pews" by offering a diluted message only purposed to "give the people what they want, instead of what they need!" Its the difference between a "fast food burger" and a "home cooked meal" to a hungry man!

Today, people are leaving "The Word" churches to pursue "The World" churches! It almost seem like no one wants to hear about "God's Plan of Salvation" anymore but they want to only hear a message that talks about "A Plan To Satisfy Their Immediate Wants and Desires!"

It is these kind of compromising "fast-food" messages that are being preached from many pulpits today that are filling the pews. However, Jesus said, "If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me!" In this statement, there is no compromise. This is why it is so puzzling to me why we should have to "compromise the message, to complete the mission!" Our mission had not changed, it was never our mission as Apostle, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Spiritual Teachers to "FILL UP THE PEWS BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY" our mission has always been to "MAKE DISCIPLES!" And in this, "NOT DISCIPLES UNTO OURSELVES,(TO FOLLOW OUR OWN DOCTRINES AND DICTATES) BUT UNTO JESUS CHRIST!"

If you really want to experience a real change in your life, FIND YOURSELF A CHURCH THAT PREACHES, TEACHES AND LIVES THE WORD OF GOD!"

Remember, IT'S NOT THE WORDS THAT CHANGE YOUR LIFE, IT'S THE "WORD" THAT CHANGES YOUR LIFE!

Food For Thought!

Bishop M. R. Taylor

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