Have you ever had a stomach ache? Sure you have. We all have at times. Whether you ate that really cheesy burrito with extra hot sauce that you KNOW you shouldn't have eaten, or you had the flu, or someone just punched you in the gut, we've all had that painful feeling in our stomach.
Pain is not a bad thing. It lets us know that something is wrong. We don't like pain because, well, it's painful! No one likes to feel uncomfortable, but discomfort can be a great way to figure out what is really wrong. Our bodies are designed to give "warnings" when something isn't right so that we can address the problem. Our spirits are no different.
Pain is not a bad thing. It lets us know that something is wrong. We don't like pain because, well, it's painful! No one likes to feel uncomfortable, but discomfort can be a great way to figure out what is really wrong. Our bodies are designed to give "warnings" when something isn't right so that we can address the problem. Our spirits are no different.
There is a clear distinction between basing our decisions on "feelings" and basing them on the truth of Yah's Word.
"The heart is crooked above all, and desperately sick - who shall know it?"
I, Yahuweh, search the heart, I try the kidneys, and give every man
according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds."
- Jeremiah 17:9-10
"They have all turned aside, they have together become filthy.
No one is doing good, not even one."
- Psalm 14:3
Our hearts condemn us, as John says in his first epistle. We cannot trust our emotions to guide us in the truth. Not that emotions are a bad thing, in fact they can be really good at times. However, emotions, in their proper place, are a result of revelation in the truth of the Scriptures and should not be the motivation for our doings.
An Emotional Basket Case
Sadly, we are an emotional mess. We strive for happiness as part of the "American dream" and don't like to show our "tender side" lest we be hurt in a relationship. We are moved by worship services in our churches with "passionate" music, "powerful" videos, and "palatable" sermons. While some sermons come ever-so-close to challenging the sinful nature most just provide a "feel good" pick-me-up to get us through the week.
We surround ourselves with entertainment that plays on our emotions. We are "moved" when our favorite celebrity shows their humanness or upset when our favorite team doesn't win the big game. We like "comfort" food (which most of the time brings dis-comfort). We love to see a touching story on the evening news. We can't get enough of motivational speakers, self-help books, or touching, personal events in our home towns. And don't get me started on where we are at as a society based on Hollywood and the movie machine that we're all being swallowed by!
We are driven by emotion in this world as it is the way of our sinful nature. The "flesh" despises Yah and His Torah and will do anything to keep us from being obedient to His ways. We must detach ourselves from letting our emotions drive the car. We must exercise a sound mind and take hold of His truth in our lives by guarding His Commands (Psalm 111:10; 1 Peter 1:13-16).
We surround ourselves with entertainment that plays on our emotions. We are "moved" when our favorite celebrity shows their humanness or upset when our favorite team doesn't win the big game. We like "comfort" food (which most of the time brings dis-comfort). We love to see a touching story on the evening news. We can't get enough of motivational speakers, self-help books, or touching, personal events in our home towns. And don't get me started on where we are at as a society based on Hollywood and the movie machine that we're all being swallowed by!
We are driven by emotion in this world as it is the way of our sinful nature. The "flesh" despises Yah and His Torah and will do anything to keep us from being obedient to His ways. We must detach ourselves from letting our emotions drive the car. We must exercise a sound mind and take hold of His truth in our lives by guarding His Commands (Psalm 111:10; 1 Peter 1:13-16).
We Have HIS Mind
Because of our tendencies to "listen to our hearts" or claim that "God knows my heart" we must reject such nonsense and proclaim His entire Word as truth and hold fast to that fact by faith. We cannot go on thinking with our flesh, but instead we must use the mind He's given us, especially considering Paul's words that "we have the mind of Messiah" and to let "this mind be in you"
(1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5) if indeed we are His.
(1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5) if indeed we are His.
The Truth Will Set You Free
"Purify them by Your truth, Your Word is truth"
- John 17:17
When Messiah said this He was speaking of His Father's Word to His disciples. It is the Word of our Elohim that IS truth. Yahushua said that He is the Way, the TRUTH, and the Life and no one comes to the Father except through Him. That's pretty emphatic and very true.
Most people do not like emphatic statements. It doesn't leave much wiggle room for us when we're told something like that. However, truth is truth.
So no matter how much it hurts we need to speak the truth, but let us do so in love...as He defines love,
Most people do not like emphatic statements. It doesn't leave much wiggle room for us when we're told something like that. However, truth is truth.
So no matter how much it hurts we need to speak the truth, but let us do so in love...as He defines love,
"This is love, that we walk according to His Commandments.
This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the
beginning, you should walk in it."
- 2 John 6