It’s Not About Feelings??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #43

 

Maybe you can relate to this idea of “feelings” and how they have come to rule in our culture:  I don’t ‘feel’ like going to work; I don’t’ ‘feel’ like taking care of my family; I don’t ‘feel’ like getting out of bed’; I don’t ‘feel’ loved, or appreciated, or cared for, or able to cope….and the list could go on!  But God has given us clear truth in HIS Word that I pray will encourage you today that no matter how you “feel” right this moment, God Has not given up HIS sovereign control, or HIS love for you and me.

I understand that sometimes we become so overwhelmed with the circumstances that we find ourselves in, that we feel like throwing in the towel, so to speak—to let the lies of the enemy take our joy, our hope, our confidence in our God.  So, I felt that we all needed reminding that “the Lord God omnipotent reigneth”!  (See Revelation 19:6)

Peter gave some great instruction to believers who were facing persecution and difficulty; and we can count on this same truth.  I pray that it will lift you up today.

“Humble yourselves therefore

under the mighty hand of God,

that he may exalt you

in due time:

7 Casting all your care

upon him;

for he careth for you.

8 Be sober,

be vigilant;

because your adversary the devil,

as a roaring lion,

walketh about,

seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist

stedfast in the faith,

knowing that the same afflictions

are accomplished

in your brethren that are in the world.”  1 Peter 5:6-9

The enemy of our souls is ever vigilant, whether we recognize it or not, to devour those who aren’t aware or prepared to “stand fast in the evil day”!  May we truly come to stand on what we know about our Lord, not our feelings that are flighty and change like the wind (especially the Oklahoma winds which never blow the same direction two days in a row, and Satan is always coming in new and surprising ways when we don’t know what God says!)!  We must stand fast in confidence of the sovereign control of God Almighty—who sent Jesus “right on time”!

“Ye men of Israel, hear these words;

Jesus of Nazareth,

a man approved of God

among you

by miracles

and wonders

and signs,

which God did by him

in the midst of you,

as ye yourselves also know:

23 Him,

being delivered

by the determinate counsel

and foreknowledge of God,

ye have taken,

and by wicked hands

have crucified

and slain:” Acts 2:22-23

“But when the fulness of the time was come,

God sent forth his Son,

made of a woman,

made under the law,

5 To redeem them that were under the law,

that we might receive the adoption of sons.

6 And because ye are sons,

God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son

into your hearts,

crying, Abba, Father.

7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant,

but a son;

and if a son,

then an heir of God

through Christ.”  Galatians 4:4-7

We are sons and daughters of God, by the love and grace of God, through the blood that Jesus came to shed for sin, yours and mine!  We don’t have to let the enemy steal our joy, our confidence, or our assurance that God hasn’t gone to sleep and forgotten about us!  HE hasn’t!  He never will!  I must simply choose to believe truth NOT lies!

“Being confident of this very thing,

that he which hath begun a good work

in you

will perform it

until the day of Jesus Christ:” Philippians 1:6

We can stand in what we KNOW!  But we must dig into HIS WORD and find out what God says about us, not what our feelings may say on any given day!

“Whereunto I am appointed a preacher,

and an apostle,

and a teacher of the Gentiles.

12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless

I am not ashamed:

for I know whom I have believed,

and am persuaded

that he is able

to keep that

which I have committed

unto him

against that day.

13 Hold fast the form of sound words,

which thou hast heard of me,

in faith

and love

which is in Christ Jesus.”  2 Timothy 1:11-13

And two passages in closing, which are a great comfort and encouragement to me, and I pray that they will help you today as well!

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,

from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh from the LORD,

which made heaven and earth.

3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:

he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel

shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD is thy keeper:

the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

6 The sun shall not smite thee by day,

nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD shall preserve thee

from all evil:

he shall preserve

thy soul.

8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out

and thy coming in

from this time forth,

and even for evermore.”  Psalm 121:1-8

And Paul’s admonition to Timothy is just as necessary for us today!  May God’s blessings of hope, joy and encouragement abound in your heart today.  My heart has been lifted even as I write these words!

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;

but of power,

and of love,

and of a sound mind.”  2 Timothy 1:7

 Amen and Amen!!!  Today and every day!!!