Recently we were accused of emotionalism. GUILTY!!!! I shout my plea. You see, there was a time when I was not very emotional and incapable of being so. I thought strong and silent was cool. Tough, macho, manly. And then, years ago....after seeing my wife have such a wonderful, emotional relationship with the Spirit, I realized I wasn't cool. I was crippled. So - I sat out on a journey to be made free. I wanted to be free to worship Jesus my Lord with all my being. And free I have become, by Holy Ghost help. Not overnight, mind you, but free at last, thank God almighty, free at last. No, I don't lean on my emotions, but I allow my emotions to express my devotions, my excitement, my joy in my Jesus. And, I am free to do that. My freedom of emotions also allows Jesus to bless me in a tangible way that speaks volumes of love to me.
Bad emotionalism? When emotion is all you have, that's bad. When emotions are negative and spread condemnation, that,s bad. When you are emotional and it is the only time you will praise and worship God, that's bad. When your emotions are all bottled up, as was mine, that's bad. When you can be in the presence of God and you can do little but yawn or play with your phone, that's bad. When the power of God is igniting those around you and you want to feel something, but you can't, that is bad emotionalism. You see, emotions are of the soul and God wants us to love Him, therefore relate to Him, with all our heart (spirit), soul (emotions), mind (imagination) and strength (physical person). You can't do that - unless you are free to do that. People often will say, "oh, I'm not emotional". That is NUTS! The only non-emotional persons are six-feet under or soon going to be. Stick your finger in a light bulb socket and watch how emotional you become. Slam the car door on your finger and watch your emotions come alive. Sometimes emotionalism gets a bad name when someone who really isn't free in their emotional responses gets a touch from the Lord and they go off like a rocket and draw too much attention to themselves. Now, of course, that is better than nothing, but such a person needs to take the cap off the bottle more often and release the phizz, (Like a bottle of cola).
Good emotionalism? Good emotionalism is when the presence of God comes near with such sweetness your soul wants to weep - and you weep. The joy of the Lord brushes you and your soul wants to laugh - and you laugh. The power of God touches you and you want to dance - and you dance. The fire of God comes near and you want to shout - and you shout. To truly worship God requires His manifested presence, which means you need to seek and be where His presence manifests. Secondly, worship requires you being free enough to recognize His pesence and respond appropriately. It is not appropriate to be in the presence of God almighty with arms folded and emotions bottled up. With those we love in the natural, if we are free and they come near, we respond to them with love. It is a requirement of relationship.
Worship and emotions: It is so wonderful to be around free people. The presence of God sweeps in and in our freedom, on the same row at church, one can be singing, another laughing, another crying, another shaking, another in deep peace, another praying fervently in tongues, another shouting, etc., etc., and we are all doing the same thing.....responding to the presence of the Spirit of God. Of course, somewhere in the building will be the emotional police. "arrest them....they are getting carried away..we don't do that here". That was the role the prodigal's brother wanted to play. The Father and the younger son wanted to make "merry", to have a party and he wanted to complain. So...the prodigal was restored and his brother is still complaining, I guess, even today. The prodigal is dancing with the Father and his brother is probably complaining about emotionalism. Come on saints - press for freedom! Freedom is better than captivity!
1 comment:
It — is improbable!
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