© 07 Colin Melbourne
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Good parents swaddle new born babes in fluffy clothes and blankets, doting, and fiercely protecting them from the slightest threat, chill, or danger.
Your Heavenly Father is even better; jealously guarding the newly-saved, bathing them in his love, grace, and blessing. It’s so obvious they can often feel it, and all around can see the glow.
Feel the Love
Do you remember how it felt, the wonder of it all? How mature Christians hung around hoping some of it would rub-off on them.
You read the word, and it was continuous open-revelation. If you didn’t understand something, you asked your new Heavenly Father for the answer, and His Spirit showed it to you personally.
Wasn’t it a shock to discover Christians arguing over doctrine, confused, and confusing each other; when all they had to do was ask Father, read His word, and listen?
Solid Food
Young Christians are nurtured on pure spiritual milk, they grow rapidly, and then comes weaning.
Don’t forget, Christ-likeness is Father’s plan for you. Jesus grew in knowledge and wisdom through studying Scripture (Lk. 2:52), discipline (Heb. 12:7-11), and through what He suffered (2 Co. 1:3-9, Heb. 2:10-18).
This is where weaners begin bawling instead of bending the knee, and eating the food Father has provided to make you grow strong in Him.
Most make a terrible fuss complaining about their lost feelings and emotions, and whining about their situation. You’ve met them haven’t you? All they need to do is to grow up, and stop depending on feelings, emotions and sensations, and learn to depend entirely on the Spirit anointed word of God.
Commonly they begin to doubt their salvation because they don’t feel saved like they used to. Pah!
That’s followed by a loss of joy in worship. Oh dear!
Their service to God feels like a duty instead of pleasure. Tut tut!
They become fault-finders and burdens instead of shining for Jesus. Whoops!
Gospel Facts: Not Feelings
The reason is simple.
Their walk with God was dependent upon their feelings instead of Gospel facts.
They trust more in their experiences than in what is written.
They have become stationary when Father wanted them to move on, and grow.
Instead of simply trusting and obeying God’s word, they rely on sensations, and wait for the right mood to obey.
What would you do with kids like that?
That’s correct, you’d discipline them.
You’d give them a clear word what is expected of them, and that blessing comes only by obeying the word, not ignoring or rebelling against it. By trusting in what God says, not what you feel. By depending upon His Promise, not your experiences.
That is what God does to His children, all of them. See Heb. Ch.12
Why? Simply to teach them how to Have victory in every trial.
© 07 Colin Melbourne
