OUR FAITH IS NOT BUILT ON FEELINGS OR CIRCUMSTANCES

3/31/2020

How often have you found yourself riding the rollercoaster of your feelings and circumstances in the past few weeks ? At times it is easy to feel like they control you, and directly establish your times of happiness and contentment versus your times of sadness, or doubt, or even fear. When good things are happening in our life it is pretty easy to enjoy God and feel His blessings. In fact it can be easy to turn our feelings in good times into an almost euphoric state of thinking we really have finally evolved into being a mature follower of Christ. When difficult things are happening it forces a whole new perspective to evolve in terms of our circumstances and feelings, and our maturity. A lot of us are going to be facing the stark reality of a lost job, or the impossibility of paying our rent or mortgage. Some of us are trying to figure out how to feed our kids…..In these kind of circumstances it is easy to feel that fear of the unknown. How easy is it to let ourselves become distracted and confused in the moments. The truth is that we will always be dealing with circumstances and feelings that can toss us around. Life rarely just breezes along without a care in the world. In fact I listened to a podcast today by Pastor TD Jakes, and he made the point that “ when you grab ahold of the steering wheel of life by faith in God, you can bet that fear is probably clamoring around in the back seat with other feelings and emotions, along with the enemy, just trying to let the circumstances overwhelm you.” “The key is to hang on with faith, because God can and has overcome everything, and His love is never overcome or defeated”. “And if you are His, He has you in everything and every way.”

HOW PRECIOUS IS YOUR STEADFAST LOVE , O GOD. THE CHILDREN OF MANKIND TAKE REFUGE IN THE SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS. Psalm 36:7

PRAISE BE TO THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE FATHER OF COMPASSION AND ALL COMFORT, WHO COMFORTS US IN ALL OUR TROUBLES, SO THAT WE CAN COMFORT THOSE IN ANY TROUBLE WITH THE COMFORT WE OURSELVES RECEIVE FROM GOD. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

What we see so often in the Word of God is the amazing testimonies of the men and women who faced extraordinary circumstances and feelings in their lives. Their lives were constantly challenged by upheaval, brutal enemies and kings, and a constant battle against their way of life and values and existence. Famine, pestilence, plagues, floods; a virtual cascade of tough circumstances. Feelings of persecution and fear and the hauntingly familiar feeling of the unknown and an unsure future….and yet, they persevered. In Faith ! Their faith was built on the foundation of a God who loved them and guided them in loving instruction and promise. Their faith took effort and struggle and ultimately ended up in the same place ours does. A Choice, and a commitment to Endure and Trust, or a Surrender to Feelings and Circumstance and the reality of being all on your own.

When I look at the circumstances I am in at any given moment, i know that they are temporary and will change. When I come to grips with how I am feeling, I know that feelings are also easy to come and go. The Promise and Power of Jesus is that He Is Unchangeable. He is always the same, and His love for you is endless. I feel Him surrounding me, no matter where I am or what I am doing. We are connected. He knows my every thought and emotion. He knows my imperfections and loves me anyways. No matter what this world brings at me, I know that He is my Lord, Savior and King. My place will be beside Him in His Kingdom, and my life here today is but a moment in the journey.

Faith is your Choice. If you want His Love and Peace, all you have to do is ask. Ask Him to forgive your sins and believe that He died on a cross for you. Be reborn into a complete relationship with Him and let Him guide you and call Him what He is. Your Lord :) Build your life and faith on the One who was, who is, and who will always be. Yours !

NOW FAITH IS CONFIDENCE IN WHAT WE HOPE FOR AND ASSURANCE ABOUT WHAT WE DO NOT SEE. Hebrews 11:1

FOR WE LIVE BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT. 2 Corinthians 5:7

MAY THE GOD OF HOPE FILL YOU WITH ALL JOY AND PEACE AS YOU TRUST IN HIM SO THAT YOU MAY OVERFLOW WITH HOPE BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Romans 15:13

MAY FAITH ABOUND/JAA