Logic or Emotions

Logic or Emotions?

Most of your emotions are the result of the interpretations you make of events taking place around you.

Event---interpretation---emotion---action

Emotion---an affective of consciousness in which joy, sorrow, fear, hate or the like is experienced as distinguished from cognitive or volitional states of consciousness,

Remember that our soul is composed of our mind, = will and emotions

Mind---cognitive

Will—volitional

Emotions---feelings

God created us with the capability of experienci= ng emotions.

We have learned that we allow God to complete us= in the area of negative emotions.

Negative impacts on our sense of well-being=

Discouraged dejected depressed<= /p>

Disheartened&nb= sp; unhappy sad

Gloomy dispirited disma= yed

Troubled &= nbsp; anxious worried

Restless &= nbsp; upset disappointed

Disillusioned&n= bsp; disenchanted frustrated

Annoyed disturbed aggravated

Uneasy weary mentally worn ou= t

Since emotions are sometimes detrimental to our sense of well-being we learn to guard our emotions.

God completes us emotionally as well as spiritua= lly.

In regard to our Christianity we have been taught that emotions are bad.

because of the impact of negative emotions.=

How much influence should emotions play in our l= ives as Christians?

Emotions play no part in our knowl= edge that we belong to Him.

Romans 8:16

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,(NKJV)

This is an intellectual cognitive knowing never guided or alter by how we feel.

We don’t worship or serve God based on our feelings or emotions.

We don’t come to church just when we feel like it.

To take a closer look at this let ask the question—Does God have emotions?

Zephaniah 3:17

The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Migh= ty One, a Savior [Who saves]! He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest = [in silent satisfaction] and in His love He will be silent and make no mention = [of past sins, or even recall them]; He will exult over you with singing.(AMP)<= o:p>

God is a Mighty One who saves<= /p>

He will rejoice over you with joy meaning exceeding great joy

We can certainly say that joy is an emotion.

He will make no mentions of past sins, or even recall them

Then in the verse a second emphasis is given--He will exult over you with singing.

God takes great delight in you.

Sometimes we guard our response to God= maintaining control because of past teaching.

Releasing an emotional response because of Him is part of experiencing Him.

There may be blockages to experiencing God is you have walls built up because of past experiences.

Experiencing God on a more intimate level requir= es emotions that are unguarded in His presence.

Wouldn’t God enjoy it if you would express extreme delight in Him?

Experiencing God is very much dependent upon our openness to Him.

You can’t get to know a person very well t= hat is not open to you.

Sometimes we limit our experience and knowing of= God by our reluctance to be completely submitted and open.

Some may not know that God can be experienced on an emotional level.

It’s not logic or emotion -----its both.

To limit our experience with God to an intellect= ual level and reasoning limits the level of experience.

The bible talks about us experiencing joy unspeakable

1 Peter 1:8

Without having seen Him, you love Him; though yo= u do not [even] now see Him, you believe in Him and exult and thrill with inexpressible and glorious (triumphant, heavenly) joy.(AMP)

This goes far beyond men reasoning and intellect=

and thrill with inexpressible and glorious (triumphant, heavenly) joy

Psalm 16:11&nbs= p; says we in His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand pleasures evermore.

Does God want you to experience that? = YES

Psalm 37:4

Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall = give you the desires of your heart.(NKJV)

The word delight is listed 77 times in the KJV

The word delight also means pleasure<= /span>

Take pleasure in the Lord-------------------Is t= hat OK? YES

Some may say no----but take pleasure = in many other things.

When you receive a deep touch from the Lord it w= ill affect you emotionally.

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him free= ing us from the effects of negative emotions.

What would it mean to have fullness of joy---joy unspeakable(((It would be more than a smile))

Proverbs 17:22

A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a br= oken spirit dries the bones.(NKJV)

Doctors say that laughing lifts up your mood, reduces stress, and improves = mental health.

Laughter releases endorphins, neurotransmitters = that have pain-relieving properties similar to morphine causing a euphoric feeli= ng.

Laughter increases the amount of T cells which attack viruses, cancer cells and disease.

Laughter increases B-cells which make disease destroying antibodies

Stress hormones are also reduced by laughing.

Do you think God in His wisdom made it healthy to experience joy in Him?

Let’s me change subjects for a moment and = we will come back to this.

The bible tells us that God is a consuming fire.=

Matthew 3:11

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance,= but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy= to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.(NKJV)<= /span>

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is different from= the indwelling Spirit when you become a Christian

Malachi 3:2-3

"But who can endure the day of His coming? = And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire And like launderers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may o= ffer to the LORD An offering in righteousness.(NKJV)

The refining fire of God is available to you according to your openness.

What part of us does He want to refine ---mind, will, emotions

In order to have these refined we voluntarily release them all to God.

When I allowed God complete access= God completely changed me.

Absolute fullness of joy is different from lau= ghing at something funny.

Our of my experiences with God my passions chang= ed.

Since your emotions as well as your mind = and will are involved they all three need to be changed.

My passion is toward Him.=3DMy mind renewed=3D= =3Dmy will conformed to His will

Your mind health is a great way is influenced by positive or negative emotions you have experienced.

My relationship with God goes much farther than = my intellectual reasoning on who He is.

Experiencing Him profoundly affected my emotions which was an area He wanted to heal.

My determination is follow Him and do His will is not only out of my knowledge of Him but my experience of Him.

(Things that were fun to me are dull in comparison to experiencing Him)<= /u>

To experience Him is to delight in Him.

How do we get to that place? By asking for His consuming = fire to purify every area of our soul.

The knowledge of Jesus as the pearl of great pri= ce is not complete until we have the fascination, delight and joy that comes with knowing Him.

Philippians 3:10

that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,(NKJV)

The Greek word for know here is Ginosko which is the Jewish idiom for intimacy in a marriage relationship.

There is another Greek word for know which is eido (I-do) which means to perceive, observe, notice or discover

Where does fire fall? = On sacrifice

Elijah called down fire from heaven and it consu= med the sacrifice.

It may be a sacrifice for you to really open up = to God.

Sacrificing every area that He wants to occupy.<= o:p>

In our heart of hearts we really w= ant to be more like Him.