So what fights against us in our effort to get to know God more?
1. Relying too much on feelings
Lie of the enemy: ”If I feel something it must be true!”
- The world tells us to “follow our hearts” but doesn’t tell us where it will lead us.
Proverbs 28:26
He that trusts in his own heart is a fool: but who walks wisely, he shall be delivered. We must be willing to reject any feelings that are not consistent with the truth (Bible).
2 Corinthians 10:5
“…taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
Truth is objective
Feelings are subjective
Martin Luther was allegedly asked, “Do you feel forgiven?” He replied, “No, I don’t, but I place my faith in the unchanging truth that God has forgiven me in Christ and I stand upon it!”
Galatians 5:16-17 (The Message)
My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day.
2. Lack of consistently talking to God and reading the Bible.
James 1:25
But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”
D.L. Moody ”This book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book.”
Corrie Ten Boom ”Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?”
3. Challenging circumstances.
This week there was a massive storm in Rockford on Friday night.
Imagine if you were in a tent during that storm…
How many of you were thankful that you had a house to hide in to weather the storm?
Matthew 7:24-27 (Message)
“These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.
“But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.”
Life has its fair share of storms or challenges.
- These storms can really fight against your faith.
- But if you haven’t built a firm faith on a solid foundation of the Word of God, then it could be disastrous.
I want to challenge all of us to come up with a plan.
Relational health with God will not strike us like lightening.
It requires effort, time, and strategy, just like every other relationship we have.
1 Timothy 4:7 NLT
Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly.
Romans 12:11 (NIRV)
Never let the fire in your heart go out. Keep it alive. Serve the Lord.
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