UNMANAGED LIFE AND SPIRIT = UNGODLY!!

Sinners are trapped and caught by their own evil deeds. They get lost and die because of their foolishness and lack of self-control.

Pro 5:22,23 

This proverb says a lot about people. One of the things that you hear a lot is how people suffer, how difficult things are, how they can’t manage, how that they have no joy in life. Granted, there is a lot of suffering that is well beyond our control, however there is a LOT of stuff that we go through that is simply brought upon ourselves. Many times, it is our own lack of self-control that gets us into the jams that we face. This is why the Bible spends as much time as it does talking about why we need to learn to manage and control what we do, how we feel, and how we express those things.

Proverbs 14:12 states, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”  Emotion is an unreliable thing, and “your gut” is often wrong. As much as we do not want to hear it, it is our own feelings that lead us down a blind alley. Not everything you feel is right or authentic or will lead you in the right direction. This is why God tells us here in this proverb, that not controlling things like this could even lead to my own death. As a diabetic, controlling my sugar is paramount to my overall health. If it goes unmanaged, it could permanently damage kidneys, my liver, my eyes, my vascular system and more. Grossly unmanaged, I could even die.  That is why for me, self-control is a key to my survival. This is also true regarding my overall life and spirit too.  That is why we need God in our lives, because there are times simply as a human, that I cannot manage myself.  As Jeremiah stated long ago, “I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.  Correct me, O LORD, but in justice; not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing. (Jer.10:23,24). “

Bullying is a hot topic these days, and no one likes to be or feel manipulated. We consider it degrading, demeaning and disgusting. However, we are our own worst judges and critics. The plain fact is that if you don’t control your emotions, they WILL control you, and you will be manipulated by your moods. What many people do not understand, is that in the background of these feelings, Satan’s favorite tool is negative emotions. He is the master of using fear, resentment, and worry to wreck our lives. This is why Peter, a man well acquainted with having this happen in his life, tries to teach us, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Pet.5:8) God cannot rule your life if you and your emotions rule your life. Peter had learned that well, the night Jesus was on trial and he denied Him.  Paul reminds us too, because he did the same thing, “If we follow our desires, we cannot please God.” (Rom 8:8)

Even our own self-help gurus and motivational speakers tell us that you need to learn to manage your emotions if you want to succeed in life. How many people do we know who ruined their reputation because of something said in the heat of anger? Or missed a job opportunity because of their lack of self-control to get up on time? Study after study shows that our emotional quotient is far more important than your IQ when it comes to success. When you give your heart to Jesus that includes your emotions to be managed by Him. Giving our lives to God is not just what you think and do. He wants to be Lord of what is inside you too.  Again, Peter reminds us, “It means you have turned from your own desires and want to obey God for the rest of your life. (1 Pet 4:2)” 

What about your emotions do you need to surrender to God today?

Jim

Emotions - Intellect? Which Does God Like Better?

Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

Mk.12:28-31

Many when they hear these words, hear commandment. DO THIS! It is the Shema after all, the affirmation of God above all things.  Yet, have you ever stopped to consider the depth of what Jesus is saying here, that is THE greatest thing of all the Bible?  LOVE….yes, simple word, yet deep. How much do you love life, eating, breathing? Jesus states that our love for God should be more.  Not just kind of love him, He wants you to love him passionately. ALL of your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. God doesn't want to just be in your head. He wants an integral, deep, emotional relationship with you.

This isn’t difficult to understand, when we comprehend that just because God is a Spirit (Jn.4:24) does not mean that God has no emotions. Read the scripture and you will see it is replete of descriptions of God’s feeling joy, grief, pain, and hatred toward sin and many other things. He gets frustrated with people, feels joy, compassion, pity….and the deepest of all love

Your ability to feel is a gift from God. The ability to love, create, be faithful and loyal, kindness, generosity are all emotions that are attached to the good things in life. While emotions may not always seem like a gift, but even the negative ones have a purpose. In this, as with all things, there are some things that we need to learn to avoid.  Emotionalism is the extreme of saying the only thing that matters in life is how you feel. This view is very egocentric, where everything is based on you. Everything in life is based on your emotions without thought of intent or basis of faith. Yes, God wants us to feel, because He feels. Yet, it is not how we feel that is to control our lives. That is why Jeremiah states,, “I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.” (Jer 10:23).  If left to myself and my emotions – I would self-destruct. Man does not have that capacity within himself.  That is why we need a compass, to point the right direction, give the right wisdom, and share the right advice (Psa.119:105; Jn.17:17; Rom.10:17; 2 Tm.3:16,17).

On the other hand, to go all Mr.Spock from Star Trek and obsess on stoicism is equally bad. To say feelings aren't important at all, and the only thing that matters is your intellect and your will is to ignore the fact that faith while based on verity of testimony of scripture, is an emotional response.  It is the answer of the conscience in response to what God has put before the soul (1 Pet.3:21).  Paul reminds us,  “For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Rom 10:10). Did you notice the progression?  When the heart is convinced and believes, the mouth cannot keep from confessing. Why? Because it is the emotional response!  Some Christians have decided that it doesn't really matter how you feel and downplay emotions. That’s not right. God gave you your emotions for a reason, and he wants you to worship him emotionally — with all your heart and all your mind.

All of you…that is what God wants. Including your knowledge and your emotions. He doesn't want one over the other…He wants them BOTH!  Are you giving them to God? 

Jim

Wanting To

But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Dt 4:29

As much as we like to call ourselves adults, we never really grow up. The same tantrums, demeanors we displayed when we were children, make their way into our adult selves – just under a more controlled circumstance. The way we behave toward people now, is a repeat of the way we interacted with other children when we were growing up. And, unfortunately the way we act toward God or choose to listen to what God has to say is the way we listened or didn't listen to our parents when we were small.  The truth? We listen when we want to.

You’re not going to hear God unless you really, really want to listen.   David wrote, “My God, I want to do what you want” and “What I want most of all and at all times is to honor your laws” (Psalm 40:8, Psalm 199:20).  David was passionate in his declaration that what he wanted most of all was to honor God. These things weren't options for him. He used words for seeking God (“I long for it,” “I crave it,” “I hunger for it,” and “I’m like a dear panting for water.”). The question is, is this what you hear in your own vocabulary?

A lot of people talk to God, but they never hear from God. Prayer is a monologue for most people, and monologues do not convey relationship. In a marriage, when only one spouse talks the marriage is dysfunctional because that’s not a relationship. Relationships require communication, and it is just as important as talking to God in prayer. Prayer is not just talking to God, but listening to God and letting Him talk to you. God doesn't tell his dream for your life if you want to debate it. God doesn't tell his vision for your life if you want to discuss it. God doesn't tell you what he put you on Earth to do just so you can say, “Let me think about It.” You've got to want it more than anything else.

David’s words have to become ours. We have to say, “I've got to know why. I've got to know what You want me to do with my life. I've got to hear Your voice. I've got to have Your vision.”

What is the thing you want most in life? Do you long for God’s voice?  Would you say that you are passionate for Christ in the same sense that when you are thirsty that you crave water? When you ask God or talk to God, what attitude do you talk with Him? Is it the three year old in you, or that part of you that realizes that God is everything? Are you prepared to respond in obedience?

Jim

Prayer Meetings and Groups WORK!

You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

2 Cor 1:11 

Honestly, I don’t know how this works. I just know that it does, and there is not only example of it in the scripture, but testimony within the scripture of the answers to that prayer and how effective it was when employed. It is evident, that there is additional power in group prayer that is not there when you just pray by yourself. But another truth to this, is that you can’t do this without sharing both your needs as well as contribute in prayer for another’s.  

The Bible says, “If any two agree as touching anything it shall be done” and “Where two or more are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Mt.18:19,20). It is pride that keeps us from sharing, and fear. Pride inhibits us, deceiving us into believing that we can “handle it ourselves.” This is Satan’s old trump card, that we don’t need God. We don’t need to talk to God, ask God or even anyone else to handle our issues – we can do it ourselves.  Yet, this is not what Jesus teaches us. He teaches us …the more the better! But now, once we get past pride, we need to overcome fear. It is a sad thing, that people under the guise of calling themselves Christians have abused other Christians or abused their trust. People sharing burdens that they entrusted others with to ask for prayers, was spread throughout an entire town. People sharing burdens were told that they shouldn't do that it meant they were weak. And then the "coup de grace," we shouldn't share things and pray for one another because of what some hustler promised or did in the past.  If you KNOW God, then you know that any of the things we just mentioned is not from God but from Satan.

The truth?  You need that power of prayer and sharing with others, to get through what you’re going through. That’s why you need to ask others to pray for you.  Paul taught, in Gal.6:2, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” What is the law of Christ? “Love your neighbor as yourself. (Mt.22:37-40)” When you pray for other people, you are practicing the commandment of loving your neighbor as yourself. When they pray for you, they are loving you as themselves.

Who are the people in your life you can go to with your prayer requests and trust that they will pray for you? For us here in our little town, it is our local family of God. It may be your small group, a support group you meet with, your personal family. What is important, is find someone that you can meet with, talk to and share with. There are always going to be abusers out there, but trusting God is better than anything that man can do to you.  God’s people are out there, and they want to welcome you into their family and want to pray with you and for you. You can start today, by helping by prayer. Like Paul, there will be many that will give thanks for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

Jim