âHey, Iâm just beinâ honest here,â or âIâm goinâ to tell it like it is,â more often than not are ways of setting up the fact that we are about to say something unflattering or unkind that we shouldnât be saying at all as Christians. With that in mind, I would like to offer a thought with a minor book review.
If you were to ask me to stop and recall one of my happiest times as a child, I would have to bring up the Toy Story era. Now before you laugh, whenToy Story came out it was well ahead of its time, not because it was the first successful computer generated movie, but because it solidified what all little kids were thinking: MY TOYS CAN TALK!
If love is the concern for the happiness of another, then isnât it natural to want to love someone that brings you pleasure? Certainly. Itâs illogical to think that someone would want to love another who would never reciprocate. Love - even unselfish love - seeks a measure of fulfillment and joy. Itâs not wrong - as long as we donât allow that to become the only time we love. Commitment is the skeleton of love; the emotion of joy is the soft, warm flesh that covers the cold, hard bone of choice.
The word "spirit" in Jn 4:24 is not referring to the Holy Spirit - it has to do with your heart (emotions, feelings, affections). Worship is extravagant LOVE (meaning: âto kiss atâ). We love Him because He first loved us (1 Jn 4:19) - our love is both responsive and reflective. Mark 12:30 says God gave us emotions to use for His glory - just like He gave you a body and mind. Do you worship God with your heart?
Have you noticed that our current generation (especially of Americans) has no concept of control. We are out-of-control. The drastic rise in credit card induced bankruptcies, divorce attorneys, and mini-riots are skyrocketing. Road rage, impulse spending, and all sorts of addictions are seen as ânormalâ in our society⌠even in the church! We have totally lost the concept of temperance: the moderation of passions and appetites (Galatians 5:22-23).
Article by Richard Travelstead The manifestations of the emotion of anger are numerous. Some of these are obvious and include: a red face, bloodshot eyes, stomach muscles squeezing down. But that is only half the story: The entire digestive tract becomes spastic, trigÂgering severe abdominal pains; the heart rate goes up markedlyâŚthe coronary arteries squeeze … Continue reading How Do I Deal with My Anger?
patchnix.com 