X - Feelings
I chose to deal with this subject last, because faith should not be based in experience, or how one feels. It requires courage to believe and act upon the unseen. It’s even harder to wait for it to happen. In the great chapter we call, “The Hall of Faith,” it is said of those heroes of faith:
"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
How did they see? They “saw” with their Faith! “The evidence of things not seen”
(1 Chronicles 22:12-13) "Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, … be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed."
(Psalms 27:14) "Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."
(Psalms 31:24) "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD."
Faith however, is not an intangible to those who have it. It is the substance of their hope. It makes hope sure. The more faith is tested, the stronger it becomes. Like a muscle, the testing of our faith may cause pain and suffering, but it will be stronger by reason of it. The stronger our faith is, the more sure our hope becomes. Why would God give men other proofs if He wants them to simply trust His Word by faith? Why would we then need faith? Faith is not anxiously awaiting results; it knows the results already. “I hope someone gives me money for my birthday!” is not the same hope as, “I hope in God’s promises.”
(Romans 8:24-25) "For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it."
Faith is not a feeling, although faith will produce feelings. Faith does not always result in happiness, but it will always keep me at peace with my circumstances. Faith assures me that God is in control of everything, and nothing escapes His attention.
(Matthew 10:29-31) "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. {30} But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. {31} Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows."
(Psalms 119:165) "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."
There’s an old parable that goes as follows:
Three fellows, Fact, Faith, and Feelings were walking atop a narrow wall together to escape the mud beneath.. Fact was in front, Faith followed, and Feelings followed Faith. Feelings began to be troubled by the narrowness of the way. “Will we fall?” he asked. Faith said, “Not if we look straight ahead and follow Fact.” but Feelings could only look down by reason of his fear, and subsequently teetered and toppled off the wall into the mud. Fact kept going straight ahead, but Faith turned to look at Feelings who was crying, and fell off the wall himself.
Moral:
We shouldn't let feelings distract faith away from the promises of God’s Word.
Being distressed by the rain will not stop it. Complaining about the heat will not keep the sun from shining. Feeling unsure of God’s Word won’t make it less sure. Many a pilot has crashed, because he trusted how he felt instead of relying on the instruments. Sometimes we must go against every shred of human reason to follow our faith. You may say you believe something, but until it produces action, it is only words. Consider the story below:
Charles Blondin (28 February 1824 – 19 February 1897), French tight-rope walker and acrobat, was born at St Omer, France. His real name was Jean François Gravelet. When five years old he was sent to the Ecole de Gymnase at Lyon and, after six months training as an acrobat, made his first public appearance as "The Little Wonder". His superior skill and grace as well as the originality of the settings of his acts, made him a popular favorite. He especially owed his celebrity and fortune to his idea of crossing Niagara Falls on a tight-rope, 1100 ft. long, 160 ft. above the water. This he accomplished, first in 1859, a number of times, always with different theatric variations: blindfolded, in a sack, trundling a wheelbarrow, on stilts, carrying a man on his back, sitting down midway while he cooked and ate an omelet.
- Wikipedia
According to the story, Blondin had proved he was the master of the wire by doing it many times. Before the man climbed on Blondin’s back he and others may have believed it could be done, but he alone had the faith in Blondin to do it. That is the difference between saying you believe, and actually proving it.
(James 2:17-20) "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. {18} Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. {19} Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. {20} But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"
James goes on in this passage to tell how Abraham proved his faith with his actions. Your faith, whatever it is, will move you to act. However, if you place your faith in a non-absolute, it is an unprofitable faith. I give you suicide bombers as an example. Just because you believe something to be an absolute, does not make it so. I may believe the sky is green. It does not make it so. God adds to our faith His own presence, The Holy Spirit, bearing witness to the Truth, and my faith in God’s Word gives me absolute understanding. Your faith must be in God’s Word alone to be profitable. Can you walk the high wire of Death alone? Christ proved His power over death by raising himself from the dead! He alone has power over our greatest enemy! He not only defeated death he came back better than he left. He left bruised and beaten. He arose glorified! God killed death! Have faith in God, dear Reader! God is absolute!
(Hebrews 6:13,18) "For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, That by two immutable things, [God and His Word] in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:"
What God promises cannot, not happen! It is ABSOLUTE!
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.
Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Saviour am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with his goodness, lost in his love.
Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Saviour all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Fanny J. Crosby- blind hymn writer
(Matthew 11:28-30) "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. {29} Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. {30} For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
(John 14:1-3) "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. {2} In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. {3} And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
- JESUS, Son of God