Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 17:5-10

Go to Part 2

When Emotions Rule (Part 1)

(Do Not Let Emotions Be Your Guide)

Intro.

1. We are creatures of emotion, given to us by God as expressions of personality. With them we show empathy and pain, warm affection and cold refusal.

a. Emotion: "an affective state of consciousness in which joy, sorrow, fear, hate, or the like, is experienced, as distinguished from cognitive and volitional states of consciousness." (dictionary.com)

b. "a conscious mental reaction (as anger or fear) subjectively experienced as strong feeling usually directed toward a specific object and typically accompanied by physiological and behavioral changes in the body" (Merriam-Webster Online).

2. Reliance on emotions to determine what is right is played out in a number of ways. For example: "Who am I to judge?" Challenges our ability to know truth, teach truth, stand in truth and defend truth, Jno. 7:24.

a. Those who says this are judging those who rely on God's judgments, Psa. 19:9.

b. It establishes our wisdom and feelings as supreme.

I. WHAT WE FEEL IS NOT THE STANDARD BY WHICH GOD IS HELD.

- Our emotions are not the standard by which we know what is right or wrong in God's sight. Jno. 12:48

A. God's Thoughts and Ways are not Ours, Isa. 55:8-11.

1. What arrogance to believe the way we feel is the way God must act! Rom. 1:22-23; 1 Cor. 1:18-21

2. Things often "feel right/seem right" that are very wrong, Prov. 14:12.

a. A "love affair" that is adultery (dishonor, Heb. 13:4).

b. Assisted suicide to relief suffering (sanctity of life).

c. Fellowship in spite of sinful living (2 Ths. 3:6).

B. The Human Heart is Deceptive, Jer. 17:9-10. (God sets the standard and tests our hearts - not the other way around!)

1. cf. Paul, who thought he was right when very wrong, Acts 26:9.

2. Religious zeal/fervor is not proof of God's approval, Jno. 16:2-3 (Rom. 10:1-2).

3. Feelings contribute to being deceived by loving pleasure instead of loving truth, 2 Ths. 2:9-12.

C. We Must bring our Emotions into Harmony with the Scriptures, 2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16-17.

1. Jesus in Gethsemane, Heb. 5:7-8; Matt. 26:36-39, 42; Lk. 22:43-44.

2. Jesus would not allow His emotions to rule over God's stated will and dictate His course of action. Strengthened in godly fear, He arose and obeyed the Father.

3. When our emotions would draw us into conflict with God's truth we must say, "Your will be done"! Heb. 5:9; 2 Cor. 12:7-10

Conclusion

1. The way of man is not in himself, Jer. 10:23.

2. Must trust God and not lean on our own understanding, Prov. 3:5-6.

3. When we let our feelings guide us we are trusting in ourselves instead of God.

4. "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered." (Prov. 28:26)

By: Joe R. Price

Posted: November 7, 2014