" EMOTIONS "

Welcome, come on in and stay awhile. I always enjoy the company. This week we will be looking into " EMOTIONS. " Emotions, we all have them, Love, Hate or even Despair. We can be emotional about many things and it's vital that we keep them in check. I'm reminded of an accounting in the word of God during a time of rebellion. Now, the negative opinion of ten men caused a great rebellion among God's people. Because it is human nature to accept opinion as fact, we must be especially careful when voicing our negative opinions. What we say may heavily influence the actions of those who trust us to give sound advice. Emotions can cause us to forget facts about God. When the voices of despair went up, everyone joined in. Their greatest fears were being realized. Losing their perspective, the people were caught up in the emotion of the moment, again forgetting what they knew about God's character. What if the people had spent as much energy moving forward as they did moving back? They could have enjoyed their land - instead they never even entered it. When a cry of despair goes up around you, consider the larger perspective before you join in. You have better ways to use your energy than to complain. Avoid rash promises in the heat of battle. In the heat of emotion or personal turmoil it is easy to make foolish promises to God. These promises may sound very Spiritual when we make them, but they may produce only guilt and frustration when we are forced to fulfill them. Making Spiritual " Deals " only brings disappointment. God does not want promises for the future but obedience for today. I still get blown away when I think about Job. He was truly a man of Faith, Patience, and Endurance. He was also known for his generosity as well as being a caring person, oh he was likewise very wealthy. Anyway Job received this news while he was still speaking, another also came and said, " Your Sons and your Daughters were eating and drinking wine, the roof fell in and killed all of your children." Job did not hide his overwhelming grief. He had not lost his faith in God; instead, his emotions showed that he was human and that he loved his family. God created our emotions, and it is not sinful or inappropriate to express them as Job did. If you have experienced a deep loss, a disappointment, or a heartbreak, admit your feelings to yourself and others, and grieve. Until next Time... Jim,