Abraham’s story with Isaac has always miffed me. Why did God ask the elderly Abe to sacrifice his son? — the son of promise. Is there a mystery to be unveiled or a metaphor to be explained? It doesn’t seem possible that Abraham would comply to this “outrageous” demand of God, not to mention how different God, now, must have appeared to Abe. Was it a test? Yes it was. Was there a lesson to be learned? Yes there was. In a previous episode leading up to chapter 21, Abraham had received a promise from God of a ” son of his old age.” Tired of waiting, Abe tried to produce the promised child through a handmaid of his wife. Dishonoring God in unbelief, the promised couple, Abe and Sarah, made a mess of things. Ishmael, “God will hear,” represented the anti-promised child. Born in the interim of waiting for…
Tag: <span>Emotions</span>
We watch and pray. The whole time trying to connect the dots, or piece together the significance of current events. Again and again we find solace in our God, who defines the immediate. Moment by moment we proceed, and that with patience. Revelation 14:12 speaks to us, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” This statement is made in the wake of the announcement: “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Revelation 14:8 In this passage a great city pushed forward “fornication” to the point of infecting all nations, and so bringing God’s wrath on all. (the whole world?) “…and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of…
Martha was cumbered about with much serving. Distracted she was away from Jesus words. She had found serving the physical needs of the Savior a more important thing than simply receiving His discourse. Mary was contented to sit at Jesus feet. Luke 10:40-41 Two value systems display themselves here: One, the magnification of external impositions; but two, the priority of internal peace. The believer in Christ must maintain peace within and peace serves as a buffer against the forced authority of outside levying or intrusion. Sadly, folks divide their soul by entertaining the pressures. A person with a divided heart is a person with misplaced priorities. “Priority” is a person’s hierarchy of values within himself. The divided man has esteemed certain troublesome things above the high priority of a unified soul so he sacrifices his harmonious soul which consists of: a mind kept in it’s executive position — with emotion…
“For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ” are the words of Philippians. What are these bowels? “All real spiritual love is but a portion of Christ’s love which yearns in all who are united to Him.” Henry Alford. Okay, Christ is the source, but what of bowels? “The word ‘bowels,’ in the Scriptures denotes the upper viscera – the region of the heart and lungs. That region was regarded as the seat of affection, sympathy, and compassion…” Barnes notes. Dr. Stevens associated bowels with emotions also. Are these the same bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering that we are to put on in Colossians 3:12? Yes, not just the words but the emotions. Caroline Leaf says that “when the thoughts move into the conscious mind, we feel the emotions of the thoughts.” So, when Bible words are invested…
Then the wood-carver measures a block of wood and draws a pattern on it. He works with chisel and plane and carves it into a human figure. He gives it human beauty and puts it in a little shrine. He cuts down cedars; he selects the cypress and the oak; he plants the pine in the forest to be nourished by the rain. Then he uses part of the wood to make a fire. With it he warms himself and bakes his bread. Then—yes, it’s true—he takes the rest of it and makes himself a god to worship! He makes an idol and bows down in front of it! He burns part of the tree to roast his meat and to keep himself warm. He says “Ah, that fire feels good.” Then he takes what’s left and makes his god: a carved idol! He falls down in front of it,…
Before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea, a great High Priest, whose name is love, who ever lives and pleads for me, my name is graven on His hands, my name is written on His heart, I know that while in heaven He stands, no tongue can bid me thence depart, no tongue can bid me thence depart. Selah “When Satan tempts me to despair, and tells me of the guilt within, upward I look and see Him there, who made an end to all my sin, because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free, for God the Just is satisfied, to look on Him and pardon me, to look on Him and pardon me.” The song continues. David feared to bring the ark of God into the city of David, having watched as that Holy Presence smote…
For many people, an excuse is better than an achievement because an achievement, no matter how great, leaves you having to prove yourself again in the future; but an excuse can last for life. Eric Hoffer A great statement and wise observation, it grabs us because the folly of human nature often exposes itself so loudly. Hoffer above describes a person who thinks wrongly, but why? We can call him or her a legalistic thinker, because they view life as a proving, a measuring up to a standard, a trying to please or appease a serious onlooker who holds their fate. It’s no shock to us that this law-beaten type of individual must turn their mind toward evasion tactics and ploys of excuse making. Their life is drudgery. They stay with a project for a while and try it on. They wait for the prospect of fulfillment —on their own…
Emotions and the cross of Christ connect uniquely, but rarely. These Feelings follow right thinking and the center of thought is the key. When old patterns of thinking are discarded for Bible-based new ones, the responders rejoice and these are new emotions. So, what of the old feelings? Crucified with Christ, they live, yet not them but Christ lives in them, and consequently they then live by the faith if the Son of God. Cool, huh? See, God wants more for us than just feeling good, or lovely sentiment or even good-heartedness. God sent His Son to crucify the old letter-bound man to create a new one. All things are brand new in Him. We ought not, going forward, think in terms of “how-to,” but in terms of “who I am,” and if my “I am” is in Christ, my old emotions are dead and my new ones are alive.…
An imagination is a picture derived from an image received in the unconscious mind. Though these images are initially abstract, they bring in certain pulsations, feelings or sensations in the physical realm. Then the image begins to form and take shape in the subconscious mind. Finally, it is fully developed in the conscious mind where it receives the full cooperation ofour faculties. Folks waver. They ride the sea of experience which has its polarities. They have triumphant times and times of defeat, times of joy versus times of terror, times of freedom against times of guilt. In all of these the soul gyrates. Moods can swing and emotions fluctuate, as conscience derides us in accusation. Then it excuses us as if a god. Self and “selfless” battle, indecision results. The unconscious mind pushes its way into the conscious, imaginations develop in their darkroom. We fight in self-preservation, blind spots inhibiting, “sight…
In thoughtful reflection, I set aside some time, and contemplated how a friend may have been feeling. I suddenly wondered, does God ever do what I am now doing? Do our thoughts and feelings matter to God? Growing up as a child and then a young man, I don’t remember many times anybody asking me, “Tom, what do you think about this?” “What are your feelings? I remember only a few occasions of someone sincerely saying to me, “how are you doing?” In the Bible, when Jesus met a rich young ruler, it says that He loved him. Yes, though the man did not grasp Jesus’ message, Jesus loved him. When Peter didn’t understand Jesus’ feet washing ministry, Jesus, nevertheless, took time to identify with Peter’s bafflement. Then The Lord explained things. Jesus took the side of and defended an adulterer one day, causing quite a stir. I mused about…