“Wilt Thou Be Made Whole?”

The Waverly Park in Albany, Oregon is a beautiful place, complete with a large lake, well-kept grounds, and paddle boats. I really enjoy relaxing there at the lake and admiring its beauty, so I bring my pad and pen here frequently to write. I have taken many pictures of this peaceful, still, and serene environment.

Recently, however, the water has become filled with algae, is very murky, and quite honestly, it is very ugly. Moreover, the ugliness has spread across the entire lake and has affected almost every inch of the shoreline and some in the middle. There does not seem to be any movement of water from the tributary that feeds Waverly, which is most likely due to the heat, so much so that the once beautiful lake [1] is now becoming murky and stagnant.

As I thought about the ugliness of the stagnant waters, the Lord began to speak to me. Not in that audible voice, but in the voice that you feel deep within the pit of your psyche. He said, “You are looking at the ugliness through your natural eyes. Look again, only this time, look at it through my eyes.”

Therefore, I looked at the algae infested water again. All truth is parallel. For every natural truth, there is an equal and corresponding spiritual truth, and the Lord began to share His heart with me. He showed me some things in my mind’s eye that I hadn’t seen when I looked at the lake’s ugliness with my natural eyes.

All of a sudden, my vision began to change. I could see the lack of movement in people’s souls and how they still mire themselves in the world’s plight and concern themselves with the plans of the enemy in these days. We have lost sight of our identity and who we are in Christ. We have lost sight of our destiny and who Christ is in us. Some have even lost sight of their significance to God. I could see the lack of desire for the knowledge of God. . .the emptiness, the detachment, and the hopelessness in people’s consciousness.

God said, “My children are yet like babes, they still feed on milk and are in great need of meat [2]. They do not seek or love me with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. There is not much movement in their desire to know me and they are neither hot nor cold and have become stagnant. Many are even lost.”

When there is no flow or movement in our spiritual life, we will also become murky and stagnant as well, and trust me, it will spread. Just like Waverly Lake needs a stirring and movement to dispel the murkiness and algae, Christ can trouble the waters of faith to bring about knowledge and healing to the hopelessness of men’s souls.

v6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
v7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. [John 5:6, 7 (1-9)]

Faith is the current that moves the water of man’s soul that displaces the murkiness to make him whole and clean again. Christ stands at the edge of our faith and looks into the murkiness of our indifference, indecision, unrighteousness, sinfulness, and then asks us, “Wilt thou be made whole?” Because of our free will, the decision is ours. However, remember that faith is a process. Just remember your identity, destiny, and the significance you have with God.

The lukewarm condition of men’s hearts creates a stagnant faith and a lukewarm faith is loathsome to Christ. A stagnant faith does not allow growth in the Lord and turns to complacency in the soul and a lack of growth does not permit the renewing of the mind [3] nor can it receive any fresh manna from Heaven [4]. God is not coming back for a beat up, scarred, and wounded Bride. He is coming back for a glorious church, a Bride without spot, blemish, or wrinkle [5].

When we seek His face [6], seek the knowledge of His Word [7], and pray without ceasing [8], we can expect to grow in Christ [9]. Like the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda, do we look for our wholeness by any means other than Christ? Let Christ trouble the waters of your faith to create a flow that will discharge the muck and mire. Remember that it is impossible to please God without faith [10]. Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life [11].

I could feel the pain of God’s heart as He opened my eyes to what He was trying to show me that day at the water’s edge of Waverly Lake. As I sometimes do, and because we are all human, many of us have a tendency to look at the world with our natural eyes instead of looking at the world with our spiritual eyes. God convicted me that day at the shoreline when He showed me that the fields are white unto salvation [12] and that we should set our minds on things above, not on Earthly things. For we died, and our lives are now hidden with Christ our Lord [13].

It is not only We the People, but it is We the Christians that need to stand up and be counted. America. . .no, the world, needs to return to Christ and a revival. In fact, there is a great outpouring of the Spirit that is coming soon, but first, we have to partnership with God and move in that direction. To use a sport metaphor, we can’t hit the ball unless we swing. Revival is not coming to us; we have to go to it.

These are the times that the body needs to rise up and not be ashamed of our faith [14]. Rise up and preach the Gospel to every living creature [15]. Each of us is a part of the body [16] and a corporate church that’s on the move starts out with many individual efforts toward the goal and of the renewing of the mind [17]. Therefore, be not concerned with earthly troubles, but seek those things that are above [18]. Occupy [19], but don’t be concerned.

Finally, and most importantly, God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [20]. Now it is our turn for some reciprocity. In other words, return His love in like kind, thusly.

v30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
v31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. [Mark 12:30, 31]

-OR-

v16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. [Revelation 3:16]

Again, the choice is ours.

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[1] As seen in the above Home Page banner picture.
[2] 1 Corinthians 3:2; Hebrews 5:12
[3] Romans 12:2
[4] John 6:35, 48, 51, 58; Revelation 2:17
[5] Ephesians 5:27
[6] 2 Corinthians 7:14
[7] 2 Timothy 3:16
[8] 1 Thessalonians 5:17
[9] 2 Peter 3:18
[10] Hebrews 11:6; Romans 12:2
[11] John 14:6
[12] John 4:35
[13] Colossians 3:2, 3
[14] Matthew 10:32, 33; Romans 1:6
[15] Mark 16:15
[16] 1 Corinthians 12:12, 13, 19
[17] Romans 12:2
[18] Colossians 3:1-4
[19] Luke 19:13
[20] John 3:16