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Feeling Not a Safe Guide, April 23
The just shall live by his faith.
Habakkuk 2:4
.
Many pass long years in darkness and doubt because they do not feel
as they desire. But feeling has nothing to do with faith. That faith which
works by love and purifies the soul is not a matter of impulse. It ventures
out upon the promises of God, firmly believing that what He has said, He
is able also to perform. Our souls may be trained to believe, taught to rely
upon the Word of God. That Word declares that “the just shall live by
faith” (
Romans 1:17
), not by feeling.
Let us put away everything like distrust and want of faith in Jesus. Let
us commence a life of simple, childlike trust, not relying upon feeling,
but upon faith. Do not dishonor Jesus by doubting His precious promises.
He wants us to believe in Him with unwavering faith.
There is a class who say, “I believe, I believe,” and lay claim to all
the promises which are given on condition of obedience; but they do not
the works of Christ. God is not honored by any such faith. It is spurious.
Another class are trying to keep all the commandments of God, but many
of them do not come up to their exalted privilege in claiming the promises
that were given for them. God’s promises are for those who keep His
commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
I find that I have to fight the good fight of faith every day. I have to
exercise all my faith, and not rely upon feeling; I have to act as though I
knew the Lord heard me, and would answer me and bless me. Faith is not
a happy flight of feeling; it is simply taking God at His word—believing
that He will fulfill His promises because He said He would.
Hope in God, trust in Him, and rest in His promises, whether you feel
happy or not. A good emotion is no evidence that you are a child of God,
neither are disturbed, troubled, perplexing feelings an evidence that you
are not a child of God. Come to the Scriptures and intelligently take God
at His word. Comply with the conditions and believe He will accept you
as His child. Be not faithless, but believing.
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