Purpose

To help people distinguish between truth and emotion.

OUR HEART AND MIND’S LIMITATIONS

Jeremiah 17:9 (Tap to Expand)

The heart is deceitful – Our hearts can and do lead us astray at times. The person who thinks, “Because I feel it in my heart, it must be true” can easily be deceived.

Proverbs 14:12 (Tap to Expand)

  • Appears to be right – “appears to be right” can lead us down the absolutely WRONG path.
  • In the end it leads to death – The consequences of these decisions can be severe!

Proverbs 28:26 (Tap to Expand)

Those who trust in themselves are fools – We need to be careful in trusting too much in ourselves, our perceptions, our feelings, our insights, etc.

1 Samuel 13:5-14 (Tap to Expand)

  • Saul is the king of Israel and Samuel is the prophet.
  • Saul had been instructed to wait until Samuel arrived before offering the sacrifice (v:8).
  • v:12 I felt compelled – Saul felt pressure and it seemed right to him offer the sacrifice.
  • v:13 You have done a foolish thing – Samuel rebuked Saul. Saul lost the kingship of Israel for his failure to obey the word of the LORD.

DREAMS AND PROPHETS

Jeremiah 23:16-22 (Tap to Expand)

  • v:16 Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying – Ignore false prophets.
  • v:16 They speak from their own minds – They say what they think people want to hear. v:21 I did not send these prophets – Many claim to be of God and are not.
  • v:22 If they had stood in my council they would have proclaimed my words – They spoke of comfort when they should have been calling  the people to repentance (v:17, 22).

Jeremiah 23:23-32 (Tap to Expand)

  • v:25 They say, “I had a dream” – This was around the 7th century B.C.
  • v:26 They prophesy delusions of their own minds – The same things happens today.
  • v:28 Let the one who has my word speak it faithfully – God calls us to obeying his Word. v:32 I am against those who prophecy false dreams – God opposes false prophets.

Jeremiah 23:33-40 (Tap to Expand)

  • v:36 You must not mention ‘a message from the Lord’ again – We must be EXTREMELY careful not to speak anything contrary to God’s Word.
  • v:36 You distort the words of the living God – God stands strongly against embellishment.
  • v:39 I will cast you out of my presence – God will punish false prophets.1

 Everything we listen to, do, share, and teach must come directly from the Word of God!

JESUS AND GOD’S WORD

Luke 9:23 (Tap to Expand)

  • Whoever wants to be my disciples must deny themselves – Christ’s followers deny their thoughts, feelings, etc. when it is contrary to the will of God.
  • When we understand the dangers of following feelings, we are far more careful and less impulsive.

Matthew 7:21-23 (Tap to Expand)

  • Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord” – Many will be surprised on judgment day.
  • Only the one who does my will – The ultimate test is obedience to the Bible.
  • Did we  not  prophesy…drive  our  demons…perform  many  miracles?  So  many people believe that they are right with God because of these things. They measure their spirituality according to miracles or other signs (EX. speaking in tongues).
  • I never knew you – These things do not make us right with God.

Q.  If people that do these things (speak in tongues, prophesy, etc.) are convinced they are right with God, how could God get through to them?

Q:  How would God communicate with them today?

Q. How do we really know if we love him?

John 14:23

Anyone  who loves me will obey my teaching – Loving God = obeying his teaching.

CONCLUSION

Our love for God cannot be measured by feelings and emotions. It is revealed by our life and willingness to live in obedience to the scripture.