Our emotions – feelings, are God given. They are wonderful servants but bad masters.
History records during the Dark Ages how Martin Luther (1483 – 1546), was almost suicidal as he hammered out the revelation of “the just shall live by faith”, (Romans 1v.17), in the blood of Jesus. In that dark hour light was beginning to dawn in his life, but when alone he wrestled and questioned, “Am I the only one who is right? Can it possibly be?” Then God spoke to him and gave him the following words which settled the argument for him for eternity:-
Feelings come and feelings go,
But feelings are deceiving,
My warrant is the Word of God,
Nought else is worth believing.
Though all my heart may feel condemned,
For want of some sweet token,
There is One greater than my heart
Whose Word cannot be broken.
I’ll trust in God’s unchanging Word
Till soul and body sever,
And though all things will pass away
His Word will stand forever.
Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”. Matthew 12 v. 34. People of the world do not understand their make-up, their being, the issues of life. Proverbs 4 v.23 directs, “Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life”. My heart is the life source. When it is submitted to the rule of Jesus it is in order, but when it is out of order, the works of the flesh manifest and it is a mess. The imbalance of emotions spring forth from a disorderly heart.
God has a heart, we are made in His image. Out of His heart He produced His Son. “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us”. John 1 v.14 We all have a heart that needs to be dealt with when it is out of order.
Fear can come suddenly, (or sometimes has a more subtle approach). Proverbs 3 v. 25 says “Be not afraid of sudden fear”. How do I process fear when it hits me in a situation? I must immediately get before the Lord and consider:
1 Never take counsel of your fear.
2 Never surrender the sense of God’s presence to a situation.
Fear always takes me down a path where God is not, the devil resides there.
What does God say?…..not the situation and my reasoning, for only what God says is true. Proverbs 3 vs. 5 – 6 says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean NOT on your own understanding. Acknowledge Him in ALL your ways and He will direct your paths”.
Do I consider how God looks on anxiety, a polite word for worry? “Be anxious for nothing”. Jesus addressed this in Matthew 6. A disorderly heart will often approach a situation with “what if……happens?”. Fear!! Recognise it and deal with it. Choose and learn to lean on Jesus.
“Without faith it is impossible to please God”. Hebrews 11 v.6 But there is a place beyond faith which is trust. We need faith to counter balance our unbelief when it rises. Faith in God destroys unbelief and produces trust and rest in Him. Martin Luther’s words stand for eternity:
I’ll trust in God’s unchanging word
Till soul and body sever,
And though all things will pass away,
God’s word will stand forever.
It is not without significance that God called Jesus the Word of God. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”. John 1v.1
“For the Word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword……..and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”. Hebrews 4v.12
Jesus is not an addition to my life, He is my life.
“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it flow the issues of life”. Proverbs 4v.23
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