“…This is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence whenever our hearts condemn us.” 1John 3:18-19
The Lord has put two things on my heart this week, and I am having trouble explaining it in a page length. But here goes the feeble attempt and we pray it blesses some of you! (The following is written in regards to a Christian friend who is justifying leaving her husband and family.)
First thought: Whenever our hearts condemn us, a red flag should shoot up in our minds. Truth be told, it’s the devil that condemns our hearts with feelings of shame, but it’s the Holy Spirit who quickens our hearts with feelings of conviction.
Remember the old Burger King commercial: Hamburger A vs. Hamburger B? Using this word picture, here’s the question: Are we choosing to believe our feelings (Hamburger B) OR are we choosing to believe what God’s Word tells us (Hamburger A)?
…I’m nothin’, why bother trying anymore…VS. Ps. 139:14
…I know I’m married, but I can’t help the feelings I’m feeling for so & so… VS. Prv. 5:18-19
…I’m not addicted, I’m just stressed…after all, it’s just one bottle a night... VS. 1Pet. 2:16
…I’m so envious of so & so, I can’t think straight; if only I were more like…VS. Prv. 14:30
Our hearts are deceptive and cannot be trusted! (Jer. 17:9) So what happens when my feelings are in conflict with what my mind knows to be true … when my heart doesn’t feel what my head knows to be right … when God’s Word clearly tells me something contrary to what I’m choosing to believe in an area of my life?
I must understand this fact: there is never a time where I’m more vulnerable to Satan’s scheme’s that when I’m nursing an area of compromise in an area of my life.
I must get it through my self serving head that Satan is quite effective at his job and will manipulatively use this area of hypocrisy in my life to bring me down and in doing so, tarnish God’s image to all around me.
If I’m wise, I will boldly call it out for what it is: a LIE from the pit of hell. And I will purposefully choose to believe what God’s Word is telling me (Hamburger A). I must purposely choose to believe God at his Word and do whatever I have to do to live a life consistent to Jesus.
Second thing God has put on my heart this week: This world system believes that followers of Jesus are ignorant, uneducated and are therefore gullible. In actuality, it is the world that is ignorant and uneducated about TRUTH and therefore is gullible to the will of their flesh and to the devil’s schemes!
Where we believers get into trouble is when we get spiritually lax, and then behave as if we are unsaved, choosing to believe what our hearts and the world are saying over what God’s Word tells us. 1Tim. 4:1 tells us, “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” And 2 Tim. 4:3 further warns, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires (our flesh), they will gather around them a great number of teachers (the world) to say what their itching ears want to hear.”
This week, let’s live boldly for our Lord, and call upon His power to help us in our areas of weakness and to infuse us with His truths!
Much love to you,
Shaun and Betsy
