The Emotional Church
Matthew 6:34
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Electricity is a wonderful thing. It changed the world forever when humans learned how to use it. Now because of electricity we have so many things we never could have. Just because electricity has so many benefits does not mean that you can use it for anything. In fact, electricity used the wrong way can be very dangerous. The truth is this, electricity when properly applied, will change lives but wrongly applied will end them. So it goes with our emotions.
Emotions are an incredible blessing from the Lord. So much of true life is experienced through our emotions and that is precisely what they were created for. The problem arises when people unwittingly start to use them for what they weren’t intended for, that is guidance and decision making. So many people are using their emotions for their life compass, and yet they fail to see why they get in so much trouble. “I feel this or this is what feels good so this is what I will do.” The phrase, “Just do you” is one of my biggest pet peeves. This stupid phrase has snuck into the church with the encouragement of the devil and Christians have swallowed it hook, line and sinker. Sure the world will “just do you” but what the world does leads them to hell. Born again believers need to just do the Word. After all, weren’t we told to come out from among them and be separate? That means we are to be distinguishable from them. Christians, we need to look different.
If we follow our emotions they will only lead us down roads which will hurt us and others. I stayed in the church that raised me to be a pastor and learned to be faithful there. I didn’t always feel like staying and in fact sometimes it was down right difficult. I remember in times when I was sure I was going to take my family elsewhere and I remembered the words of Peter to Jesus… “but where else would we go?” It was there that I got fed the Word of God. There my life changed and I got answers I never had gotten before. There I really got introduced to God. There I also dealt with people. There I had people say things to me I didn’t like and sometimes even hurt me. The truth is, even good churches are full of people and therefore we will see imperfection in them. This I knew though, God had brought me to this place and here He set me free.
1 Corinthians 12:18 tells us, “But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.” I don’t decide in God’s plan what is right and wrong anymore than anyone in history. When God set people free He always led them somewhere and those that were faithful to follow, stay put and listen to direction were the ones that were blessed. In today’s church society it is popular to go where you like or where you desire. Rarely are people choosing their location based on the leading of His Spirit. Even if they do, when things get tough or they don’t feel happy anymore or they get bored, they often move on. Not by God’s plan or design but solely based in their emotions.
If you want the blessed life that Jeremiah 29:11 promises then you have to remember a key ingredient in that scripture. His blessing is attached to His plan and you don’t have a say in what that is. He decides, you follow. The greatest thing is, His blessing is fully attached! Stop doing things based on what you want and you will find the peace you seek. Find your way in His plan not yours and watch how life comes together. I have been set free, not by my desires but by my decision to follow His. In that place I have found and continue to find everything I could want or need.
Galatians 5:24
And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
P.S. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy life, it means your enjoyment isn’t what controls you.
Be Blessed,
Pastor Jeff
