BOOK NOTES FOR ADAM

My sweet, oldest son, Adam, is so much like me. We struggle with things, especially when they don't go the way we think they should. We have great and wonderful plans, which would make the whole world a happier place, but for some reason,people decide to go their own way...and mess everything up. We also believe that things should go the way they are supposed to...and when they don't...it tends to make us very uncomfortable and hard to live with. This is the way we are built, and we both try very hard to keep our emotions in check. We tend to 'worry' alot, which God says we should not do. It is hard for us to 'rest in God...and we know we should.

He has had such trouble with his eyes this summer; several surgeries, major emergencies twice. Last week they said everything was great...and tonight, he has had a set back that is hard to figure out. He is getting to the point that he wishes he had never started the process. And, I understand how he feels.

Hang in there, my son. I believe that God had this surgery in His plans for you. I believe that He intends to give you good eyesight. You can do this...even though it is taking so much of your strength. Remember that when we are the weakest...God can be the strongest. I love you...Mom
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Notes for Adam from the book:

FAITH IS NOT A FEELING
By: Ney Bailey…

Ney was in a flood where it was uncertain whether she and her friends would survive or not. This was her prayer: “Lord, your word says in everything give thanks, because this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us. So while we are in this, we choose with our will to thank you.
And Lord, your Word says all things-including this-work together for those who love you-and we do-and are called according to your purpose-and we are. You have also said that heaven and earth will pass away, but your Word will not pass away. So, YOUR WORD IS TRUER THAN ANYTHING WE ARE FEELING OR EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW.”

Several of her friends died, and she had quite a hard time dealing with the grief and sadness.
“In the weeks that followed I knew I could become cynical and bitter if I demanded to know why this tragedy happened. I also knew that we become bitter to the extent that we don’t give thanks. Over and Over I had to choose with my will-not my feelings-to give thanks to God.

I was deeply aware that God had supernaturally given me the courage and strength to go on…to look for the good…and to praise Him for His goodness in spite of the circumstances. I held firmly to the truth: GOD’S WORD IS TRUER THAT ANYTHING I FEEL.

God often allows upheaval in our lives to point us to one crucial truth: that we cannot live the Christian life on our own power.”

“Jesus was saying that ‘great faith was simply taking Him at His Word and being obedient.”
IF faith is a matter of taking God at His Word…what does He say about His Word:
“Heaven and Earth will pass away, but my Words will not pass away.”
“The Word if the Lord abides forever.”
“The grass withers, the flowers fade…but the Word of the Lord stands forever.”
These verses tell me that everything in life will change, but God’s Word will remain constant. His truth never changes.

As strong and struggling as my fears are…God’s word is:
*truer than anything I feel*
*truer than anything I experience*
*truer than any circumstance I will ever face*
*truer than anything in the world*
This means…No matter how I feel or what I experience, I can choose to depend on the Word of God as the unchanging reality of my life.

When I have been tempted to condemn my self for my feeling, whether lonely, or despair, or fearful…he has helped me to remember that God created me in His image; and part of His image is that we are emotional beings. Feelings aren’t wrong…even God had feelings. He did not try to hide His emotions, instead He took them to the Father.”
The Bible promises us that for each of us that truly loves God, everything that happens in our lives will have the effect of molding us into Christ’s image.

The Lord is concerned about what we go through, but I believe He is more concerned about how we respond to what we go through. That response is a matter of our wills, He allows the trials, temptations, and pressures of life to come so that we have the opportunity to respond either by trusting our feelings and life experiences…or by taking Him at His Word.

You and I can either grow accustomed to listening to our thoughts, feelings and circumstances, letting them control us, or we can be in the habit of taking God at His Word despite our feeling and life experiences. We need to choose with our wills to believe that His Word is truer than our feelings.

The crises in our lives come in varying degrees from small annoyances to major conflicts. Whether we are faced with normal up and downs or devastating circumstances, we need to remember that life’s difficulties can turn out to be God’s greatest supernatural blessings for us…if we are willing to objectify our experiences and trust Him in the midst of them.

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This is one of the best books I have read about FAITH. It is written in an easy to understand format and has wonderful truths which we all need to remember.

"Faith Is Not A Feeling " by: Ney Bailey copyright 2002 published by Waterbrook Press

I purchased mine at a Lifeway Book Store. They will special order it for you. It is also available on Amazon.