"I Need More!"

As pointed out in brotherXXXXXXX's article two weeks ago, self-complacency is a very dangerous condition in a Christian. An opposite, yet similarly dangerous, condition is dissatisfaction with everyone and everything else besides one's own self.

"I need more out of my church!" There are those who see the church's five acts of worship (prayer, singing, giving, Scripture study, and the Lord's Supper) and three areas of work (evangelism, edification, and benevolence) as irrelevant to them. In the entertainment-minded focus of today, they want worship that will "wow" them. In the recreation-minded focus of today, they consider primary works of the church to be basketball courts and softball leagues. In the status-minded focus of today, they want to be members of a church that will bring them prestige in the community. Although Christ gave Himself for the church (Ephesians 5:25), they believe the church should continually give itself for them.

"I need more out of my spouse!" Many a person falls into the danger of thinking that someone else can fulfill his needs better than his own spouse. When someone else begins to give that person attention that he or she may not be receiving at home, he may try to use that person to "fill in the holes." Solomon warned, "Drink waters out of thine own cistern . . . rejoice with the wife of thy youth" (Proverbs 5:15,18). God knows what each of us needs, and He deemed one spouse sufficient for a lifetime (Genesis 2:18; Matthew 19:3-9). Therefore, "Let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth" (Malachi 2:15).

"I need more out of my life!" Jesus spoke of the Christian life as the "abundant life." As brother Guy N. Woods pointed out, this refers to "bountiful blessings overflowing in extent the rich supply only deity can give (Psalm 33:1ff). . . . A continuous overflowing a never-ceasing supply of life for every faithful soul" (Commentary on John (Nashville: Gospel Advocate, 1989), p. 108). While blessed with the best life on earth, with the only hope for life yet to come, many Christians have decided that they "need more" than the Christian life. As did Solomon in an uncharacteristic fit of foolishness, such people leave the faith of God to "get more out of life" through emphasis on material gain and self-gratificationall the while forgetting what gives them the very most possible from life (cf. Ecclesiastes 12:13).

We each need to ask ourselves, "Are such childish and selfish whims truly my needs?" Do we need more out of church, out of a spouse, or out of life? If we feel that the answer is yes, the exact opposite is probably trueall these need more out of us. When we give our best effort to the work of the church, we will find great rewards for ourselves as well. When we give more to our spouses, we will find them more responsive to us. When we give more to life, according to God's roadmap for life, we will have "bountiful blessings overflowing in extent." Do we "need more" for ourselves? Let us begin by giving more of ourselves!

By Lee Moses

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