Greetings, once again, in the precious name of our Savior and Lord,
Jesus Christ!

The feature article for the July Newsletter of Well of Oath is
"Spiritual Freaks"
 

Other articles available in the www.wellofoath.com newsletter include:

Prophecy: Christ All
Resources: Moments With The Book
The Kingdom: Kingdom Conference, Reward
Witnessing: The Four Spiritual Laws
Links/Missions: The Jesus Film
Book Review: Father of Faith Missions: The Life and Times of A. N.
Groves
Q & A's: Christian Rock? And, Eating Meat?
Words of Wisdom!
 
 

Spiritual Freaks
 

". . . . and all the things reproved by the light are manifested, for
everything that is manifested is light" (Eph. 5:13).

Over twenty years ago I heard the true story of a preacher and his
wife who went to visit some new friends, a man and wife and their wee
child. But something was wrong: both of these parents were over
sixty-five, and yet they had a wee babe in a crib which was strangely
anything but a babe. After a few hours the pastor's wife ventured to
ask the hostess something like this: "Please don't think me rude or
unkind, but your little baby - he does look strange to us. Is there
something wrong with him?" The answer she received stung her to the
quick: "Yes, and I think you would look a little strange, too, if you
were thirty-five years old and still in a cradle." That little child
had never grown.

Sadly, this child resembles far too many Christians. This being the
case, it leads us, nay begs us, to ask the question, "Why are such a
multitude of the saints, so underdeveloped, so stunted, and so
spiritually emaciated???" Oh, what a sad, sad state of affairs. What
is the reason for this spiritual stagnation; this disease which
hinders our growth in the Lord? What is it that leads people to pass
through their Christian walk, and life - day after day, and year after
year - content, accepting no appreciable change in their walk with the
Lord; no appreciable increase in understanding of His will for their
life; no testimony of what has shown to them by the Spirit as to
things which, here to fore, they did not know, were displeasing to the
Lord?

One of the major reasons for this disease - this problem of non-growth
- pertains to the principle of "spiritual death." An example of this
is offered by Jesus, and can be in Matthew 21:23-27. The Pharisees and
rulers came to Jesus in the temple, demanding that He tell them by
what authority He so spoke and acted. Jesus replied that He would tell
them, if indeed they would but answer one question for Him: The
baptism of John, whence was it? From heaven, or from men? You know the
story. Yet, perhaps, not quite well enough!

This group of teachers went into a huddle, and said to themselves, "If
we say, from heaven: he will say to us, Then why did you not believe
him? And if we say, of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a
prophet. So after pooling their craftiness, and working their deceit,
they came back with the answer, "We cannot tell." Jesus reply contains
an eternal principle surrounding both Divine revelation, and spiritual
growth. "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

The obvious and profound principle is this: no more light shall be
provided until the light previously received has been embraced and
obeyed. Why are so many saints underdeveloped? Why are the saints so
stunted, and spiritually emaciated? Why is there no growth, year after
year? Clearly, it is a lack of revelation - the light - of present
truth! And the reason present truth is lacking, is because there is a
lack of honesty with past truth. They have blocked God in the past,
and He, therefore, will not lead them in present truth.

Why are fellowships filled with sick and sinful believers? Why is
there so little knowledge of God's will? Why is there virtually no
discernment in spiritual matters? The answer for all these types of
questions can be found in the three little words, "We cannot tell."

And so, things continue on, "as usual." Why? Because we have been, and
still are, deliberately, dishonest with the light; and akin to that
poor little thirty-five year old in diapers. To those with a
discerning eye, these stunted saints appear strange and morbid. But
what is ten-thousand times worse is the fact that these spiritual
freaks are the standard for the day. They have become so accepted as
the norm, that the quirk, the twist, the nut with the kink in his mind
is looked upon as the man or woman with a well-rounded appreciation
for truth, doctrine, and a knowledge of God! How sad that time and
time again, the one who awakens to see, there is a life in the spirit;
a whole new dimension of spiritual reality, this one is viewed in the
reverse of what is taking place. In other words, those who begin to
move on with God, it is these who become despised by the crowd - by
those who have accepted the sub-standard of spiritual living. What a
fulfillment of the Scripture which says, "he that departs from evil,
makes himself a prey."

Oh, the awful shame of it.

". . . and all the things reproved by the light are manifested, for
everything that is manifested is light; wherefore he saith, `Arouse
thyself, thou who art sleeping, and arise from out of the dead, and
the Christ shall shine upon thee.' See, then, how exactly ye walk, not
as unwise, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil;
because of this become not fools, but - understanding what is the will
of the Lord" (Eph. 5:13-17).

Take note my brothers and sisters! This word of Paul's was not written
to the unsaved, but to CHRISTIANS. And what held for the Ephesians is
a needed word for the saints of this day, and this hour: "Arouse
thyself, thou who art sleeping . . . . .
 
 
 

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His servant,

Sentinel Kulp