Faith Counts, Not Feelings, When It Comes to Salvation
Too many people try to get acquainted with Jesus through their personal feelings. That is, when they feel good, they think He has heard their prayers. If they don’t feel particularly good, they think He has not heard them. Their faith is based on their feelings, whereas it should be based on God’s Word and His promises.
A ‘Thomas’ Faith
John 20:29 - "Jesus saith unto His doubting disciple, "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."
Thomas was one who based his faith upon his feelings; upon what his physical senses told him. He said that he would not believe, unless he could see with his own eyes, the prints of the nails in Jesus’ hands, and touch these nail prints with his own hands. He relied on what he could see and touch...not on what God had to say, or His promises. We have so many like Thomas today, who believe only what they can see, hear, or touch. But real faith in Jesus, is based upon the Word of God and its promise to save us. Real faith in the Word says, “If God says it is true, it is.” That's when we really trust God, when we take Him at His Word and believe His promise to save us, then apply that to our lives, inviting Jesus into our hearts and lives as our Savior. If God’s Word says He hears me, then I know He hears me. He cannot lie.
If our faith is based upon feelings, then we are just using a natural human reaction. We cannot get spiritual results with no real trust. We have to use scriptural faith, Bible faith, believing in God’s Word. If our faith is based upon the Word of God, then we believe the Word, regardless of evidences that would satisfy our physical senses, as Satan is out to deceive. This is why we rely on God's promises instead of feelings that can change too quickly. Jesus is our Rock upon which we can stand and know we are secure in His promises. He cannot err! God gave use free will, but that free will requires action/choice if we want God to save us. Remember... even the devil believes in God, but he's not saved. He refuses God's plan of salvation; the only thing that could have saved him.
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the Son of Man, that He should repent! Numbers 23:19
We live and operate in the physical realm most of the time and obviously, we have to walk by sight, then. But when it comes to spiritual things, we don’t walk by sight – we walk by faith, since we're dealing with spiritual matters.
Walking in the natural, we do have to go by our physical senses, but our physical senses have nothing to do with the Bible or salvation. God’s Word is true, whether we feel that it is, or whether circumstances "appear" that it is, or not! God’s Word is true! God said, "Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but my words shall never pass away!" Matthew 24:35
“For ever, O Lord, thy Word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89).
Formula for Faith
First, use God’s Word for whatever you may be seeking; second, believe God’s Word; third, refuse to consider the contradictory circumstances, or what your physical senses or Satan, may be trying to tell you, and fourth, trust God for the answer.
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only…” (James 1:22).
Amen, when we are in a situation where we vividly envision death, do we REALLY believe we are going to heaven because of Christ's shed blood on the cross?
No sinner's prayer, speaking in tongues, etc that result in emotions will cut it.
@LadyGrace some of what people called magic is quantum physics. There is a type of energy we can use to communicate with God and it even works with some people. I’m not saying pray to people but if you concentrate on something or have a strong emotion about someone else and not in their presence some people are sensitive enough to pick up on what you are feeling or thinking. It has happened with Ray many times. Sometimes I’d feel sad about something and within minutes the phone would ring and it would be him. And other things too he would call and seemed to have felt what I was thinking. It happened with my mother and me. For some reason when we were alone she could pick up my thoughts. And find ways to give me money, to the exact penny, of something that I wanted that I saw at a store. She would “misplace” some item and offer me a reward if I found it. And do it several times till I got the money to the exact penny including sales tax. And we were always alone in the house when it happened. There was a lot of negative energy when my father and sisters were in the house. I didn't like the tone of their voices when they talked to my mother, very condescending to her. I didn’t mention or even hint at wanting those things either. She knew and I was thinking it was like my mind was sending out waves like the way radio waves are sent from a studio to a radio. I did an experiment one Saturday morning when we were alone and sitting in the living room. She was sitting down smoking a cigarette and I started thinking of my mother and in positive ways. After maybe 10 minutes of total silence she said “Your color is yellow” I asked her why thinking it was because one sister liked blue and the other liked red and she was giving me the leftover primary color. She replied “You Are like Sunshine”. I didn’t ask why but I knew, my thoughts made her happy and helped her cheer up. Whe I was 12 I was wanting her to leave my father and us get an efficiency apartment together as soon as I turned 16 and learned to drive (she didn’t drive). We would have gotten together excellently and it would have greatly improved her health that way. Then she died from a gunshot several months later. My father was retired military and a gun nut. No way she did it, she would shake when she heard any loud noises.
@cherokeepatti I understand what you're saying but I don't feel quantum physics has anything to do with praying to God. He asks us to have faith, when praying to Him. We can simply pray to Him and He will hear us. No special type concentration, magic, or wishing, needed. I'm really sorry to hear about your mom. 🌹
@LadyGrace Quantum physics is not magic. It explains how we can communicate remotely, more research being done. They researched it at Brown university, my daughter was working in a research study on Quantum Physics and Neurology one summer. And I agree no concentration is needed but I focused on my mother and how I loved and respected her when I did that little experiment.
Isn't it awful that someone could be so cold-hearted and cruel as to make fun of this young boy's life? Thanks for the heads up on this movie. I'm going to watch it on my big screen.
Here's another movie that's really great. A true story!!
First, use God’s Word for whatever you may be seeking; second, believe God’s Word; third, refuse to consider the contradictory circumstances, or what your physical senses or Satan, may be trying to tell you, and fourth, trust God for the answer
@TheOrionbeltseeker Yes, study the Bible and the Holy Spirit will speak to you and help you interpret what you are reading and guide you in the way you should go. It is excellent instruction for life.
