Feelings....Nothing More Than...Feelings.

Two weeks ago I finished up my study in the Precept Upon Precept of Revelation Book 2. It was to say the least, the worst Precept International Bible Study I have ever done. So I needed a break for a little bit between books. I prayed for guidance and like always the Lord provides. Either a yes, no, or wait. This time, the Lord provided a "yes". Last week I had two Mormon Missionaries come to the door and wanted me to allow them to do a bible study with me. They gave me a pamphlet called, The Restoration, and I agreed to read it and looked forward to our meeting next week. I've been praying for wisdom because I didn't want to scare these guys away like the others, and really wanted time to ease them into the truth and hope they hear what the Lord wanted to say.

Well that meeting was tonight. They talked about what the Book of Mormon was, and how it was the most correct book on earth, the prophet Joseph Smith, and the story of how the Book of Mormon came to be. And I asked them one simple question, "How do you know it's true?" Seems simple enough of a question right? Well it opened up a huge can of worms called, "feelings". From that point on, they talked about their, "feelings" and how they prayed, asked god to confirm the Book of Mormon was true, and god gave them good "feelings". Both boys then proceeded to tell me how they feel god speaks to them and how they think he talks to them in a way that makes them feel good. And, if they "feel" good that is a good sign they are in the right direction, and if they "feel" bad, they are in the wrong direction. This went on for the remainder of the night.

But as Morris Albert's song, Feelings suggests...they are nothing more but - feelings. Assurance is based on the authority of God's word. When you meet God's conditions, as revealed in His word, you can be assured that you are a child of God. The Christian lives by faith (trust) in the trustworthiness of God Himself and His word. 

This train diagram illustrates the relationship between fact (God and His Word), Faith (our trust in God's Word), and feelings (the results of our experiences to God's Word). Fact is the engine that pulls everything else. God's word does not change, it's powered by itself. It runs by itself without the aid of the other cars or caboose. God's word is sustained all by itself and doesn't need anyone else to keep it going. Faith, is pulled by God's word. Though a person's faith may change, God's word does not. Our faith is pulled by the self-sustaining objective truth revealed in God's Word...Christ Jesus.  Feelings are the result of our faith based on fact. It is the fruit of what is produced. But feelings change, and are not objective truth, nor would I even consider them subjective truth. Feelings change and are different from person to person. Sometimes I feel like reading God's word. Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I feel like I'm a good Christian, and sometimes I feel like a complete pagan. The fact is...I am a Christian based on how God describes a Christian in the Bible.

You may be thinking though, "How do you know the Bible is true?" or "How do you know the Book of Mormon is true...or not true?" There are several tests we can give the engine of the train to see if it really is fact. Unfortunately we have to do that in the next blog post. Stay tuned for my next blog post on testing objective truth. 

My Top 10 Books of All Time

Here is a short list of my top 10 Christian books so far. There is no rhyme or reason as to the order. They are all #1 in my book.

1. An Infinite Journey: Growing Towards Christlikeness by Andrew M. Davis
2. Spiritual Disciplines of the Christian Life: by Donald Whitney. 
3. Finally Free: Fighting For Purity With the Power of Grace, by Heath Lambert
4. Getting To No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit, by Erwin Lutzer
5. Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions, by Gregory Koukl
6. The Exemplary Husband: A Biblical Perspective. by Stuart Scott
7. Anger: Handling a Powerful Emotion in a Healthy Way, by Gary Chapman
8. 10 Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe. by Larry Osborne
9. A Strong Delusion: Confronting the "Gay Christian" Movement. by Joe Dallas\
10. The Gospel According to Jesus: What Does Jesus Mean When He Says "Follow Me"? by John MacArthur. 

Art And The Ability To Create

I love to read. I really do. If I could get a job reading and get paid for doing what I love, I would jump at the chance. I try to read at least 20 books a year. For some it's not even a challenge. For others, if they read 20 books in their lifetime would be a great achievement. I'm more of a non-fiction guy myself. I love books on doctrine, self-improvement, and biographies. Not so much fiction, which my left brain blows off as almost pointless because in my mind why should I spend time in book x of 20 reading about something that isn't real. Lets face it, I couldn't even get through the first chapter of Harry Potter, not because it was about witchcraft, but because I couldn't wrap my brain around of the idea of a flying motorcycle.

Then there is music. I love music, of all different genres. Christian mostly. But sometimes I hear a song from way back that triggers a memory of the past. Some good, some bad. But a reflection of the past nonetheless. My collection is pretty vast. Not the collection of music on my I pod per-se, but in my own head. Contemporary Christian artists, Hymns; '80's, '90's rock and metal; Frank Sinatra; country, and electronica especially DeadMou5. They all trigger some sort of feeling or memory that either brings pleasure or pain. But its the hymns that really stir my soul. Taking thoughts of the Lord and molding them into worshipful song. 

Then there is art. The canvas. The strokes of a pen or brush that move in intricate detail copying what is on the human brain for the world to see. My wife and I went to Comicon Des Moines 2016 last month and we had a blast. The one thing I love to do is look at the art, especially the ones that the artists are drawing or painting right there in front of you. It's amazing to me how these artists can take an image in their heads and recreate it on paper or canvas. Boggles my mind, and I respect what they do. 

But it occurred to me as I was standing gazing at works of art at Comicon that I have a fascination with art, of all types. I wish I could write a book, play music, or even draw. But why? For me, I don't have an emotional outlet - a place to express myself. To be honest I think God created us to do just that. He created us as intellectual, and emotional beings for a reason. To give glory to Him. To worship Him the way He wants to be worshiped.  Which brings me to my second point. With all the music I listen to, books I read, or pictures I gaze at...could I be doing damage to my own inspirations and imaginations? Am I creating preconceived ideas to my writing and designing because my brain is clouded with other people's thoughts and imaginations? Why do I have a hard time concentrating, thinking, or coming up with the simplest words to describe something? 

So what must I do? For starters I think I need to lay off the music, books, and movies for a while and seek solitude in my own thoughts. Think about the Lord and meditate on Him. Take two hours with nothing but a pad, pen, and my bible. Next take those thoughts and put them in a media that would be tangible. A poem, song, or story. I would love that. To unplug and totally be immersed in thoughts of my Lord.