Feelings change, but faith should be constant,
Faith should be firm, faith should not be stagnant,
Trust God even when the life winds are rampant,
Faith above fear, faith above emotions.
Detach from all worldly things, attach yourself to God,
Focus on Him alone, even when you look odd,
God warms you, but Satan’s side it’s cold,
Faith above fear, faith above emotions.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for,
Faith is the evidence of things longed for,
Faith is grasping what you are looking for,
Faith above fear, faith above emotions.
Faith is having courage and hope in times of adversity,
Faith is sticking to God, detaching from all other gods of perversity,
Faith is following the narrow way, abstain from all controversy,
Faith above fear, faith above emotions.
Hebrews 11:8 (KJV) – “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.”
Let’s look at God’s call to Abraham:
Genesis 12:1-3 (KJV) – “1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
God told Abraham to leave his country, his kindred, and his father’s house. His country was the place he lived in. The Hebrew word used for kindred refers to birthplace and relatives. Therefore, God was calling him to get away from his birthplace and far from his relatives. God called him to get out from his father’s house.
The question is, how old was Abraham when God called him? Abraham was 75 years old. When you live somewhere for 75 years, you get emotionally attached to that place, and God knows this. This is because you have encountered the most beautiful memories in that place.
Abraham probably had beautiful childhood memories of Haran. He had the best and most tremendous memories of his youth life. He also had amazing memories of his marriage to Sarah and how they had lived after their wedding. He had witnessed his relatives living their best lives, and occasionally, they had remarkable and unforgettable celebrations.
In Haran, he probably had genuine friends and relatives whom he could rely on whenever he encountered difficulty. He probably never dreamt or imagined going anywhere else. In his mind, he thought that since he was born there, he would die there.
However, God had a different plan for him. To bless him, he had to get out of the place that he was emotionally connected to and go to a place that he was not emotionally inclined to. Sometimes we fail to access more of what God has in store for us because we are emotionally linked to someone or something.
Some street children/people get offered good shelter and other essential amenities by good Samaritans, but they refuse because they are emotionally tied to the streets. Continuity in some addictions and some sins are sometimes due to an emotional attachment to that addiction or sin. For example, you keep having memories of drinking and going to nightclubs with friends and find it difficult to stop.
Some find it difficult to stop adultery and fornication because of the memories they keep having of the sexual partners they have been with. God is calling you to exercise faith and get out from that sin you are emotionally bonded to. By His divine power, He will help us disengage from the evil we are tightly engaged to.
Genesis 3:6 (KJV) – “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and also gave unto her husband with her, and he did eat.”
Adam knew that God had told them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. However, he chose to obey his wife rather than God. His emotional attachment to his wife caused him to sin. It is God who has given us emotions. However, He expects us to love Him more than we love anyone or anything else in this world. That is the whole essence of faith, We should trust in the invisible God more than the visible people or things. Adam’s lack of faith brought sin and ruin to the world.
“Adam understood that his companion had transgressed the command of God, disregarded the only prohibition laid upon them as a test of their fidelity and love. There was a terrible struggle in his mind. He mourned that he had permitted Eve to wander from his side. But now the deed was done; he must be separated from her, whose society had been his joy. How could he have it thus? Adam had enjoyed the companionship of God and of holy angels. He had looked upon the glory of the Creator. He understood the high destiny opened to the human race should they remain faithful to God. Yet all these blessings were lost sight of in the fear of losing that one gift which, in his eyes, outvalued every other. Love, gratitude, loyalty to the Creator—all were overborne by love to Eve. She was a part of himself, and he could not endure the thought of separation. He did not realize that the same Infinite Power who had from the dust of the earth created him, a living, beautiful form, and had in love given him a companion, could supply her place. He resolved to share her fate; if she must die, he would die with her. After all, he reasoned, might not the words of the wise serpent be true? Eve was before him as beautiful and apparently as innocent as before this act of disobedience. She expressed greater love for him than before. No sign of death appeared in her, and he decided to brave the consequences. He seized the fruit and quickly ate.” – Patriarchs and Prophets, Page 56.2, Ellen G. White.
Some people are convicted beyond doubt that robbery is wrong, and they are aware of the consequences that can come with it. However, they continue in it because they do not want to disengage themselves from their ‘true’ friends in their robbery circles. They would rather die than leave their friends, even though association with such friends will result in them losing their freedom or lives.
Sometimes God will allow a scenario where some gang members will get killed and leave one alive to disengage them. Sometimes, He will allow some to be taken to prison. Usually, it is rare to see everyone in a gang encountering the same fate. One will die and leave the others, or all may die and leave one. One will be taken to prison and leave the others. God has given us social circles, but He deals with us as individuals. Even identical twins are not born at the same time.
Exodus 20:10 (KJV) – “But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates.”
Talking of social institutions and circles, the Sabbath is a tremendous social institution. God calls everyone to rest, including the animals, so that we can commune together. However, when giving this commandment, He does not address us generally. He addresses us as individuals. He does not say, “Ensure your family does not work on Sabbath.” Instead, He says you ensure that you, your son, your daughter, your manservant, your maidservant, your animals, and your visitor keep the Sabbath.
God deals with us as individuals. He did not create Adam and Eve at the same time. He created Adam first, then caused a deep sleep to fall upon him before creating Eve. He gave different punishments to Adam, Eve, and the snake and while inquiring of the sin they committed, He inquired from each one as an individual. God wants us to socialize, and He is delighted when we socialize with other people to glorify Him, but He deals with us as individuals.
Job 1:4-5 (KJV) – “4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5 And it was so when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.”
Job 1:18-20 (KJV) – “18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: 19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped.”
Job loved his children so much that he offered sacrifices just in case they had sinned without his knowledge. However, he was not emotionally engaged to them more than he was emotionally engaged to God. When Job heard the tragedy that had befallen him, and his sons and daughters were dead, he fell to the ground and worshipped God.
Job 2:9-10 (KJV) – “9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. 10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.”
Job loved his wife, but he did not allow the love of his wife get in between his relationship with God.
Matthew 19:21-23 (KJV) – “21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me. 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. 23 Then said Jesus unto His disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
The rich young ruler refused to follow Christ because he was emotionally affixed to his material wealth. He probably pictured how he had worked hard to get that wealth, his sacrifices, the early mornings and late nights, and the business associations he had formed.
He might have thought he would be lowly esteemed by his friends and society once he changed his status. He may have been worried about what people would think of him to leave all his possessions and follow a ‘poor’ man like Jesus who had nowhere to lay his head (Matthew 8:20). He might have feared that his friends and business associates would laugh and jest at him after they realize what he has done.
Jesus could see all this, therefore, He felt sorrow for the rich young ruler. God loves us, and He wants us to be materially rich. However, this world’s material riches are temporary compared to eternal riches. Therefore, He wants us to seek what is long-term, not short-term. There is no problem if you become legally rich while in this world. The problem is to put aside eternal glory while pursuing earthly riches. Mark 8:36 (KJV) – “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
Luke 19:8-9 (KJV) – “8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. 9 And Jesus said unto him, this day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.”
“The Christian in his business life is to represent to the world the manner in which our Lord would conduct business enterprises. In every transaction, he is to make it manifest that God is his teacher. “Holiness unto the Lord” is to be written upon daybooks and ledgers, on deeds, receipts, and bills of exchange. Those who profess to be followers of Christ and who deal in an unrighteous manner are bearing false witness against the character of a holy, just, and merciful God. Every converted soul will, like Zacchaeus, signalize the entrance of Christ into his heart by an abandonment of the unrighteous practices that have marked his life. Like the chief publican, he will give proof of his sincerity by making restitution. The Lord says, “If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; … none of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: … He shall surely live.” Ezekiel 33:15, 16.” – The Desire of Ages, Page 556.1, Ellen G. White.
“If we have injured others through any unjust business transaction, if we have overreached in trade, or defrauded any man, even though it be within the pale of the law, we should confess our wrong and make restitution as far as lies in our power. It is right for us to restore not only that which we have taken, but all that it would have accumulated if put to a right and wise use during the time it has been in our possession.” – The Desire of Ages, Page 556.2, Ellen G. White.
Zacchaeus did not forfeit eternal life by holding onto the things of this world. He detached his emotions from the material goods he had obtained and attached his love to Jesus. Jesus saved him and was delighted by his total surrender to Him.
Matthew 8:21-22 (KJV) – “21 And another of His disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” One of the disciples of Jesus was reluctant to follow Him because he wanted to bury his father first before following Christ. Jesus knew the man was mourning his father and understood the grief the child of God felt for losing his father. However, He told the man to follow Him because He is the Creator.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). Life flows from God. If Jesus could raise Jairus’ daughter and Lazarus, He could also raise the man’s father. The man might have felt that all hope was lost after losing his father, but God is the foundation and the initiator of all hope. Some people have been convicted that the seventh day is the Sabbath, but they say, “wait first I finish this semester so that I keep the Sabbath.” or “wait first I get a new job.”
Abraham was rich (Genesis 13:2), but what does the Bible say about Abraham? Hebrews 11:9-10 (KJV) – “9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” The word sojourn means to dwell temporarily.
Abraham was very rich but knew his time on this earth was temporary that is why he lived in tents. Therefore, he lived in this world as if he was living in a foreign place because his focus was not on this world. His focus was on heaven. His mind was on the afterlife, not the current life, as is common with most men.
Mark 10:29-30 (KJV) – “29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, 30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” Jesus is saying that those who detach themselves from all these good and essential things of this earth will receive them in abundance in this life and in the world to come eternal life.
Following emotions can sometimes lead to destruction. Many have ruined their lives because of acting out of feelings. Most consumers buy products due to emotions and not logic. Thus, some foster continuous habits of impulse buying and going beyond their budget, leading to bankruptcy. Some students engage in truancy because they do not feel like going to school. Others are not diligent in their studies or calling because they do not feel like studying or pursuing that calling. We should always do what is right regardless of our feelings.
Too much emotional attachment to earthly things will block you from receiving blessings. It will block you from encountering growth in all aspects of your life. Let us disengage from all these things and attach ourselves to God.
GOD BLESS YOU.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Grant us unwavering faith amidst changing emotions. Help us detach from worldly ties and cling to You. Strengthen us in adversity, prioritizing faith above all else. May our trust in You be steadfast. In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.
Activity
Write down everything that you hold on so dearly to. Ask God to make you love Him than you love those things.
Author: Mark Alex
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