Winter 1996
A Call to Turn Aside
Wade E Taylor

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD,
that I will send a famine in the land, not
a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water,
but of hearing the words of the LORD:

And they shall wander from sea to sea, and
from the north even to the east, they shall
run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD,
and shall not find it" Amos 8:11-12.

Many consider this passage of Scripture to refer to a time during the later days when ministry will be greatly hindered. However, the famine referred to in this passage of Scripture is not the result of a lack of the "proclamation" of the Word.

The Word can be heard over the pulpits of more churches than ever before. Radio and television preachers are common. An abundance of taped messages and Christian literature is available. The "letter of the Word" will continue to be increasingly available.

However, the "Words of the Lord" will become scarce in another way. Because of an increasing scarcity (famine) of "heart obedience" to the readily available "letter" of the Word, there is an increasing famine of the quickened, anointed Word.

We are living in the time of this dearth of the anointed, convicting, burning, "Words of the Lord" that have power to change lives.

The Laodecian church of Rev 3:14-17 thought themselves to be "rich and increased in goods." Rather, the "Word of the Lord" that was spoken directly to their spiritual condition exposed them as being "poor and blind." They were described by the Lord as being "spiritual babies" ("naked") because they were not assimilating His Words into their being.

"Because thou sayest" Rev 3:17a. Their interest was only in the things that the Lord could provide, rather than in their fellowship with the ONE who gave all these things. His counsel to them was to "buy gold of ME tried in the fire" Rev 3:18.

The Lord desires to perfect His nature ("gold") through the workings, dealings, and chastenings of His Holy Spirit within the lives of those who are completely sold out to Him.

This "gold tried in the fire" speaks of an intimate, direct encounter with God that causes all that is contrary to His nature to be consumed, and results in our spiritual development and growth.

The Baptism of Jesus, which is an "immersion in the Holy Spirit and Fire" has been made available to each of us. John said,

"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance:
but He that cometh after me is mightier than I,
whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall
baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly
purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the
garner; but He will burn up the chaff with
unquenchable fire" Matt 3:11-12.

This "Baptism" will burn away all of the dross that is within, and purify us to become as He is. "For our God is a consuming fire" Heb 12:29. Our being changed into His image is of far greater eternal value than any of the temporal things that He may provide.

During this time of famine, a provision has been made by the Lord for each individual who is spiritually hungry and who earnestly seeks to become as "gold tried in the fire."

He is standing outside the door of this Church saying, REV 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" Rev 3:20. This call is to the individual, who will respond to His voice.

"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy
closet, and when thou hast shut thy door,
pray to thy Father which is in secret; and
thy Father which seeth in secret shall
reward thee openly" Matt 6:6.

Those who are dissatisfied with their present spiritual experience and are seeking something more, are being drawn aside into His presence. IN SPITE OF THE FAMINE, THE LORD IS THERE, WAITING WITH HIS REWARD.

A similar call to turn aside had a vital part in the preparation of Moses to deliver the Lord's people who were in bondage to the world system of their day.

Moses understood that he was called to bring deliverance to the children of Israel, but this alone did not qualify him. He had sought to accomplish the will of God with his own ability and understanding, but had utterly failed, and as a result, fled into the wilderness.

"Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father
in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the
flock to the backside of the desert, and came to
the mountain of God, even to Horeb" Exodus 3:1.

"And when forty years were expired, there appeared
to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai an angel of
the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush" Acts 7:30.

"And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this
great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the
LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto
him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses,
Moses. And he said, Here am I" Exodus 3:3-4.

Moses was moving toward the mountain of God because he had an intense desire to know and serve the Lord. In the barrenness of this wilderness, he finally noticed this "bush" that burned but was not consumed, and "turnd aside" to that which yet burns.

As Moses stood before the manifest Shekinah in the burning bush, all of his former ambition and drive melted away. His own eloquence was replaced with the words that the Lord personally spoke to him. He purchased "gold tried in the fire" and was ready to fully obey the Lord.

From the "burning Word" that the Lord spoke came the impartation and anointing that would enable him to lead the children of Israel out from their bondage. Mow Moses, who had been mighty and eloquent in words and deeds, could speak to the Lord and say,

"O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor
since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow
of speech, and of a slow tongue" Exodus 4:10.

He is saying to the Lord, "In the past, I spoke quickly and acted upon what I thought was your word, but I have learned that this does not work. Now, unless you speak, I have nothing to say. I will only speak Your words.

Pharaoh shook as Moses spoke forth the anointed "words of the Lord." At his rejection of the word, all of Egypt was caused to tremble, until the people of God were cast out of Egypt in a mighty deliverance.

In our day, when many are as Moses was, "mighty in word and deed," the Lord is looking for those whom He might take through a process of reduction, that they only speak His words. He is seeking for those who will turn aside when they recognize His "burning presence."

Are you willing to "turn aside" and stand before Him at the burning bush to hear a present word?

If so, the famine need not come, as you will hear and receive the anointed "word of deliverance" that will bring the Lord's people into a land that flows with milk and honey.