Let Faith Overcome Feelings

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What we really need in our trials is wisdom, and that is exactly what James 1:5 tells us to request from God. Instead of focusing on the circumstances and letting feelings overcome our faith, we must shift our thoughts to the Lord and confidently believe He’ll give us the wisdom we need, both to handle the situation and to grow from it. Giving in to doubts is dangerous, and it could develop into a lifestyle of spiritual uncertainty in which we’re “driven and tossed by the wind” (v. 6). When we handle our misgivings in this way, we’ll often make wrong decisions that are costly. How much better it would be to anchor ourselves to the Lord and His Word and ride out the storm in peaceful assurance.

Commentary from the In Touch devotional by Charles Stanley, May 17, 2018.

Causes of rebellion

~Romans 6:12-14~

In God’s eyes, anyone who sins is rebellious, and Scripture tells us we’re all guilty (Romans 3:23).  Now, it makes sense that an unbeliever would choose to act apart from biblical teaching.  But what about those of us who have committed to follow Christ – what would cause us to stray from the will of our heavenly Father?

There are two powerful human tendencies that lead to disobedience: doubt and pride.  Both can be dangerously misleading.

1.  Doubt is a mental struggle over whether or not to believe God’s promises.  From our limited perspective, we cannot understand how the Lord works.  Sometimes His way does not feel like the right path, so in order to obey, we must step out in faith.  Then it can feel as though we are jumping off a cliff and trusting God’s invisible rope to hold us.  If we listen to our doubt, we will surely transgress.
2. Pride is the sin that caused Satan to fall from heaven, and it is a deceptive obstacle for believers as well.  Pride has to do with thinking that our way is best, putting more faith in our ability than God’s promises, and desiring praise.  Anything we do out of pride is rebellion against the Lord.

Whatever the cause, sin never leads to the Lord’s best for our life.  God’s way is the only road resulting in fulfillment and peace.

The enemy wants to lure us with doubt and pride – both feel right and are easily justifiable from our human perspective.  But believers should follow Joshua’s wisdom instead:  “Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

Commentary from Charles Stanley’s In Touch devotional, November 21, 2017.

Sign

What happened with Jonah?

As the crowds were increasing, He began saying: “This generation is an evil generation.  It demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.  For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.”

Luke 11:29-30

After Jesus was resurrected, Thomas, a disciple, said that he would not believe his friends, that Jesus had been resurrected, unless he saw Christ in person (John 20:24-25).  So when Jesus showed up, Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands.  Reach out your hand and put it into my side.  Stop doubting and believe.” (John 20:27)

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”. (John 20:29)

A lot of people will say that they would believe in Jesus if they could see a definite sign or a miracle.  We have all the proof we need in the words of the Bible, and the testimony of the those who saw what Christ did when He was here as a man.  It does take a measure of faith, and God can definitely help with this, you only need to ask!

For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they (the Israelites) did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. (Hebrews 4:2)

We will receive no further signs.  Stop doubting and believe.