Daily Devotional
Trusting God Over Emotions
“Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.”
1 John 5:5-8
October 26, 2023
Ponder This
So many times, we’re trying to make everybody else have the same emotional experience we have. In some churches they used to have altars where you came to kneel and get saved. There is nothing wrong with that but it’s not necessary. You can be saved in the back of the room. You can be saved up front. You can be saved in an airplane. You can be saved in a submarine. You can be saved anywhere. But this man came to one of those old-fashioned prayer benches to get saved, and there were some of the brothers and sisters in his country church who came to help him.
One kneeled down alongside of him while he was praying and said, “Brother, hold on. You’ll never get saved if you don’t hold on.” Another well-meaning person came up right after that and said, “Brother, let go! I never did get saved until I finally let go.” And somebody else came right after that and said, “Oh, man, look for a bright light.” He said, “When you see that bright light, you’ll know you’re saved.” Later, the man said, “You know, between trying to hold on and let go and look for that light, I almost didn’t make it.”
Don’t impose your emotions on people. We are different emotionally. The witness of the Spirit is not an emotional experience. It is a certainty. God’s Spirit speaks to your spirit, and He tells you, “You are Mine.”
- What emotional experiences have you had in your faith?
- How have your experiences affected the way you share with others? How can you be careful not to impose emotional responses on others?
Practice This
Reflect on the significant moments of your faith. Journal about things that were emotional and may have been personal to you. Also, write down truths from Scripture about our unchanging God that the Holy Spirit has assured you of.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
