Hate the evil of this world.

Taking a bit from yesterday's little study to expound on a tiny bit. I've been under the weather lately so there hasn't been much expounding.

Talking about spiritual love- 'The one who participates in that kind of love despises the world, considering its things abhorrent and abominable. Henceforth he appears to be unable to see the world because the glory of God has blinded his physical eyes.'

The Spiritual Man- by Watchman Nee

Expounding- 

Rev_2:6  But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Joh_12:25  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

Joh_15:19  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Joh_17:15  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

Joh_17:16  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Joh_17:18  As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

Rom_12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Eph 2:1  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 

Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 

Eph 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 

Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 

Eph 2:7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 

Eph_6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Php_2:15  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world

Put into words we can FULLY comprehend without misunderstanding we read again-

Talking about spiritual love- 'The one who participates in that kind of love despises the world, considering its things abhorrent and abominable. Henceforth he appears to be unable to see the world because the glory of God has blinded his physical eyes.'

If we PARTICIPATE in the love of God through the SPIRIT- we WILL despise the WORLD. We WILL consider its things ABHORRENT and ABOMINABLE.

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 

Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

In the PAST before our love of God through the SPIRIT, we lived according to the course of this world… In the PAST we lived according to the prince of the power of the air…in the PAST we lived according to the spirit the lives in the children of disobedience… in the PAST we had our conversations about our fleshy lusts… in the PAST we fulfilled the desires of our flesh and mind…in the PAST we were by nature the children of wrath.

All that stuff is supposed to be IN THE PAST. We are NO longer supposed to be striving to adapt to the world, to conform to the world, to fit in, to be like this world. The world and all its lusts will TEMPT us to be with it, to belong. We are brought up to NOT to want to be OUTCASTS, and that's what the world considers those who do not want to belong to it and all its temptations.

More on this tomorrow by the GRACE and WILL of our loving, amazing, wondrous Lord and Savior, our God, and the Holy Spirit! 

Soulishly, Not Spiritually Loving God.

'Let us understand that the lordship of God over our affection is an indispensable requirement to spiritual growth. How undisciplined and wild is our affection! If it is not subject to God’s will it shall endanger our spiritual walk at all times. A mistaken thought may be corrected easily, but an errant affection is nearly unmanageable. We should love the Lord with all our heart, permitting Him to direct our love.

Loving the Lord Soulishly

Right here we should sound a note of warning. Never think we ourselves can love the Lord. Whatever comes from us is rejected by Him; even loving Him is unacceptable. On the one hand, the believer’s lack of deep affection towards the Lord grieves Him greatly; on the other hand, one’s loving Him with soul power is not welcomed by God either. Our affection, even when used to love the Lord, must be entirely under the spirit’s management. Too many love the Lord with a worldly love and too few, with God’s pure love.

Nowadays the Lord’s people primarily employ their soulical power to absorb the things of God. They speak about their Father God, call the Lord their most beloved Lord, and contemplate His suffering. By so doing their hearts are filled with joy and they feel they are now loving the Lord. They conclude this feeling is from God. Sometimes while meditating on the Lord’s cross they cannot withhold their tears because they seem to experience such an unspeakable burning affection for the Lord Jesus. These things nonetheless pass through their lives like ships sailing through the sea: no lasting trace is left behind. Such is the love of countless Christians. But what is this kind of love after all? Such love as this is the sort which only serves to make one’s self happy. This is not loving God, it is loving pleasure.

The visualization of the Lord’s suffering seems to have touched his heart, but its inner truth has not affected his life. How powerless is the suffering of the Lord in a believer’s heart when merely mentally or emotionally conceived!

In contemplating His suffering one becomes inflated and proud, viewing himself as loving the Lord far more than do others. He talks as though he is a heavenly man; actually, he has not moved one breath away from his pitiful self. He gives the impression of loving the Lord so much, and for this reason others admire him. Even so, his love is nothing but self-love. He thinks and talks and desires after the Lord only because in so doing he can feel happy. His motive is for deriving pleasure and not for the sake of the Lord. Such meditation secures to himself a comfortable and pleasant stirring, and so he continues to meditate.

All is soulish and earthly, neither of God nor of the spirit. What, therefore, is the distinction between spiritual love and soulish love towards God? These two are not readily distinguishable outwardly, but inwardly every Christian can detect the true source of his love. As the soul is our very self so all which belongs to it cannot draw away from self.

 A soulish affection is one in which self is working. To love God for the sake of personal pleasure is carnal love. If a love is spiritual it has no self mixed in with loving God. It means to love God for His Own sake.

 Any affection which is totally or partially for one’s own pleasure or for reasons other than for God Himself emanates from the soul.

Another way we can distinguish the source of love is through its results. If one’s love is soulical it does not empower him to be delivered permanently from the world. The believer must continue to worry and struggle to break away from the world’s attraction. Not so with spiritual love. Here the things of the world just naturally fade away before it. The one who participates in that kind of love despises the world, considering its things abhorrent and abominable. Henceforth he appears to be unable to see the world because the glory of God has blinded his physical eyes.'  Excerpt 'The Spiritual Man' By Watchman Nee

Joh_15:19  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Joh_17:14  I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Col_2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Col 2:20  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances

Genuine Love - God's Love.

Mat 10:37  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 

Mat 19:29  And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 

*******

'God wants us, for love’s sake, to accept His control.

 When He wishes us to love someone, we instantly are able to; should He also desire us to terminate our relationship with someone, we can do that too.

This is the pathway of the cross. Only as we allow it to cut deeply so that we have our soul life delivered to death can we be rid of self in our affections.

(Luk 14:27  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.)

If we genuinely have undergone death we will not be attached to anyone but will be guided solely by the command of God.

(Rom_6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.)

Our soul life, as it experiences death, loses its power and becomes as much as dead in the matter of affection.

(Gal_5:24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.)

God will then direct us how in Him to renew our love for men.

God wants us to create in Him a new relationship with those we formerly loved.

Every natural relationship has been terminated.

New relationships are established through death and resurrection.

How contrary such a course seems to Christians, and yet how blessed it is to those who so experience it!

In order to substantiate, for the believer’s own profit, his consecration to God, God often “strips” him of that which he holds dear.

(Php_3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ)

God endeavors either to secure our love towards Him or to strip us of our love. When He employs the second way He will either cause our loved ones to change their hearts towards us or make it impossible for us to love them by setting up environmental obstacles such as their moving or passing away. If our heart is sincere in consecration, God will deprive us of everything so that He shall be the only One left.

To possess spiritual life in reality we must be willing to forsake all we love.

Whatever conflicts with our love to God, God demands us to forsake.

Spiritual life forbids the dividing of our affection.

(Mat_6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.)

Any error in our affection—be it an error of intention or purpose or excessiveness—is judged by God to be as wrong as an error in our hatred.

Love and hate, when from ourselves, are equally defiled in the sight of God.

Once the believer has passed through a purifying process he will observe how unalloyed his affection towards men now is: no longer is self mixed in with his love: all is for God and all is in God.

In his former affection he loved others but loved himself more, because he esteemed his own self more important than they. But now he is able to share the sorrow and joy of others, to bear their burdens, and to serve them with affection. No longer does he love what his own self loves, but loves those whom God loves; no more does he count himself above others, but regards them as his own self. He is today in God and loves himself as well as others for God’s sake: he can therefore love others as his very self.' Excerpt - The Spiritual Man- By Watchman Nee (Excerpt)

(Joh_15:17  These things I command you, that ye love one another.)

Loving with the love of God.

Mat 19:29  And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

Luk 14:26  If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Luk 14:27  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Php 3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

Mat 10:37  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

*******
WHY are we told to HATE? Isn't that contradictory to loving? I know we've study this before but it bears further studying.

Truly if we put ANYONE before God in our affection we've placed them in the wrong order for a truly spiritual life.

Our love for God must reign supreme.  God give us the only true ability to love so when we love with OUR love it's faulty. Loving with GOD'S love is a pure love we can never possess without Him.

When we say- I love you to someone we are telling them that with the love God gives us, we are loving them.  God needs to be FIRST. God allows us to love.

Contemplating all of this is a good thing, because it's so easy to get caught up in ourselves in so many ways- little and big- and we scarcely notice.
*******

'The failure of many is to seek from man what can be found only in God.

All human affection is empty; the love of God alone is able to fully satisfy one’s desire.

The moment a Christian seeks a love outside God his spiritual life immediately falls.

We can only live by the love of God. What then? Does this indicate we need not love man? The Bible repeatedly charges us to love the brethren and even to love our enemies. Accordingly we know it is not God’s will we should not love man, but He does desire to manage our affection towards all men.

God does not want us to love others for our sake but to love for His sake and in Him. Our natural likes and dislikes do not have any part here; natural affection must lose its power.'  Excerpt The Spiritual Man- by Watchman Nee

*******
More tomorrow by the grace and will of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST- may we strive to LOVE HIM first and foremost, knowing only then we can truly love others.

Do we REALLY love the Lord?

'The church at Ephesus, according to Revelation 2, works and toils for the Lord, yet He is displeased with them because they have abandoned their first love.

 If our service is rendered for love’s sake the Lord will certainly be pleased; but what value is it to Him if we undertake endeavors for Him without truly possessing a heart for Him?

We should be aware how possible it is to labor for the Lord and yet not love the Lord. '  (Excerpt - The Spiritual Man- by Watchman Nee

Labor for the Lord but NOT love Him?  This sounds almost impossible doesn't it? I mean, no one is required to love the Lord or work for Him, no one. People choose to love and work for the Lord.  How can a person be forced to work for the Lord? Perhaps a child being raised up in a family business of religion might go into that business without real love for the Lord. Maybe a person might go into religion for money. As I think on it more and more I can understand that there are probably a lot of people who would claim to love the Lord and work for the Lord without ever really loving Him at all. It's a very sad reality and something we have to look at ourselves for as well. Do we LOVE the Lord? Truly, do we LOVE the LORD?  DO…WE…LOVE…THE…LORD?

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 

The Lord will NOT know those who do not love Him, because those who do not love Him are not His. And a person who isn't the LORD's can do all they want in HIS name but it is meaningless to the Lord.

Do you remember this--

Act 19:13  Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 

Act 19:14  And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 

Act 19:15  And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 

Act 19:16  And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 

These men who tried to exorcise evil spirits in Jesus' name were unable to do so, why? Because they weren't known by Jesus, they didn't love Jesus. Jesus did not live in them. They had NO power from our Savior, none from the Holy Spirit in order do any real work for the Lord.  Right there is a bit of proof that a person can try and work for Jesus but in truth not be working for Him at all.  What those men were doing was a good thing- wanting to rid someone of evil spirits- but they wanted to do it for their own glory, using their own power.

We need to LOVE the LORD, truly love the Lord with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, with all that we are.

More on this tomorrow by the GRACE of our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ! Please Lord, we would LOVE You! 

Does God want all of us?

How much of us does God want?

Mat 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL, AND WITH ALL THY MIND. 

Mat 22:38  This is the first and great commandment. 

Deu 6:5  And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with ALL THINE HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOULD, AND WITH ALL THY MIGHT. 

Deu 10:12  And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God WITH ALL THY HEART AND WITH ALL THY SOUL.

Deu 30:6  And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with ALL THINE HEART AND WITH ALL THY SOUL that thou mayest live. 

Mar 12:30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with ALL THY HEART AND WITH ALL THY SOUL AND WITH ALL THY MIND AND WITH ALL THY STRENGTH this is the first commandment. 

Luk 10:27  And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with ALL THY HEART AND WITH ALL THY SOULD AND WITH ALL THY STRENGTH AND WITH ALL THY MIND and thy neighbour as thyself. 

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye PRESENT YOUR BODIES a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 

Excerpt-

'I Consecrate My All

     I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Rom. 12:1  

     God calls for whole-souled consecration to His ways. Our highest powers are to be carefully cultivated. Our talents are lent us by God for use, not to be perverted or abused. They are to be improved by use, that they may do the work of God.  

     We are to give ourselves to the service of God, and we should seek to make the offering as nearly perfect as possible. God will not be pleased with anything less than the best we can offer. Those who love Him with all the heart will desire to give Him the best service of the life, and they will be constantly seeking to bring every power of their being into harmony with the laws that will promote their ability to do His will.  

     Personal consecration is necessary, and we cannot have this unless heart holiness is cultivated and cherished.  

     Let your prayer be, "Take me, O Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay all my plans at Thy feet. Use me today in Thy service. Abide with me, and let all my work be wrought in Thee." This is a daily matter.  

     The surrender of all our powers to God greatly simplifies the problem of life. It weakens and cuts short a thousand struggles with the passions of the natural heart.

Religion is as a golden cord that binds the souls of both youth and aged to Christ. Through it the willing and obedient are brought safely through dark and intricate paths to the city of God. . . .  

     How many times have the deep things of God been unfolded before us, and how highly should we prize these precious privileges. . . . The bright beams of Heaven's light are shining upon your pathway. . . . Receive and cherish every Heaven-sent ray, and your path will grow brighter and brighter unto the perfect day.'

EG WHITE

From My Life Today - Page 10

Love- Heaven Bound.

God doesn't mean when He says to love Him with ALL our heart that we have no heart left to love anyone else with. What He does mean is we must LOVE Him FIRST, and then we are capable of loving our neighbor.  If we love any other before Him we are not loving that person or persons with a true love, it's impossible. You can scoff at me if you wish, but it's truth, God's truth. The love we give to others from ourselves is a selfish love if it's not a love grounded first and foremost with concern for their salvation.  So many today think my saying this stuff is crazy. They know they love their family, their children, their husbands and wives, their friends and even if they don't believe in God they believe they love them, and I'm just plain nuts. It's called deception, not mine, but theirs. They DO love but not with a love that is eternal, their love is a version of emotion welling up in them that they've learned to associate with the idea of what love is.  How awful it is for a brand new mother to NOT experience that well-known 'mother's love' toward their newborn. Yet it happens more often that people like to believe. How awful it is to be a child (of any age) to not have a parent who loves them with that supposed love that should be there for all parents and children. How terrible for a parent to never receive the love they are expecting to get from their child-- again, it happens a lot.  We grow up with expectations of what love is and should be and when it goes awry we are left floundering. What happens all too often to the love of one spouse for another? It was there, wasn't it? It was real, right? So if this real, true love simply disappears how can it ever be true and real? Our ideas, our beliefs of love void of God is honestly a very tainted, corrupted sort of love we've been deceived into believing is real.

Love is the hope our SAVIOR came to earth to give to us- a future life with HIM. This is the hope we can give to all our children, to all our loved ones. We must love God first and He'll give us the love we need for all others, a true love void of all selfishness. 

God must be FIRST.

Our treasures- the things we love- must be in HEAVEN.

We are but strangers and pilgrims here upon earth. Our friends and family- our 'loved ones' must be heaven bound- we must place them with God to protect and lead to His kingdom and eternity- and all other love we give to them must come second to the hope of their salvation.

These are FACTS that are so incredibly easy to forget, we push them aside when they don't suit our desires.

Mat 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 

Mat 22:38  This is the first and great commandment. 

Deu 6:5  And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 

Deu 10:12  And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul

Deu 30:6  And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. 

Mar 12:30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 

Luk 10:27  And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. 

True Love.

Can we truly LOVE anyone at all without God being our source of love?  Seriously? Can we? Think about it, most of our ideas of love is a self-serving love. Even when we sacrifice to love there can be self-serving because of the pride towards self for sacrificing.  You say you have no pride in sacrificing? Praise God! It's not for me to judge anyone, God will do that- He knows the heart.

I do know from personal experience that my comprehension of love is very limited. I say I love others, I tell others I love them. What am I really saying to them when I say I love them? They are a part of my life that I don't want to live without. I care for them, even though I might not be perfect at caring for them. My love is flawed at best.

When others tell me they love me, I know they care for me, I know they want me in some part of their life and I know they would miss me should I go away.  I know they are choosing to love me, because they are capable of choosing not to love me, yes, even family can choose not to love other family members- love is always a choice.

God chose to love us even at our worst as evidence in the sacrifice He made in allowing God with Him to become His declared Son and to be made flesh. He allowed His declared Son to become human and in becoming human He took on the suffering of humans, the temptations of humans, the death of humans.   

God created us out of His love for us, and His love for us has kept Him from destroying us. God's love for us has created what we long to give to those we love- a pain free, happy existence.  We can't give that to those we love, it's not in our power to do so. God can do this, and He has done this and it is a PROMISE for all who love Him, for all who choose HIM.  We are PROMISED a pain free, happy existence. The promise is future beyond this world, the promise is heaven, the promise is eternity in love. This is the hope, this is the good news that our SAVIOR came to give to us, and to show us the way through Him.

God does want something in return- something from us, God wants us to love Him, to choose to believe in Him in all things. We must believe that God is the source of all real love, not our made up, imagined, very flawed love. We must comprehend that we are NOT able to love any others- not our mothers, our fathers, our husbands, our wives, our children, we are not able to love ANY others as He can love them. When we choose to love HIM we choose to give over to Him all we are. We give Him all our loved ones knowing He can love them more than we ever could.  We give our 'all' to God and God takes care of our 'all' in HIS way, not our way. 

More on this later, all by the GRACE and MERCY of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST! Now and forever… AMEN.

'Affection

God’s Demand

Yielding one’s affection to the lord may be viewed by the Christian to be a most difficult task, yet the Lord is concerned with One’s affection more than with any Other matter.

 He demands him to present his affection wholly to Him and let Him lord over it. The Lord asks for first place in our affection. We Often hear people talk about consecration, but this act is simply the first step in one’s spiritual walk. Consecration is not the destination of spirituality, it is but its beginning. It leads a Christian to a sanctified position.

In a word, without consecration there can be no spiritual life.

Even so, nothing is more paramount in one’s consecration than is his affection. Whether or not this has been yielded determines the truth or falsity of consecration. Its acid test is affection. Relatively easy is it for us to hand over our time, money, power, and countless other items; but to offer our affection is exceedingly difficult. This is not to imply we do not love Christ; perhaps we love our Lord very much. Nevertheless, if we grant first place in our affection to another and relegate Christ to second place, or if we love someone else while loving the Lord, or if we ourselves direct our affection, then what we have offered is not considered consecration for we have not yielded our affection.

Every spiritual believer appreciates the necessity for affection to be offered first. For without that, nothing really is offered. God the Father demands absolute love from His children. He is unwilling to share Our heart with anyone or anything else: even a He should receive the bigger share, He is still not pleased. God demands all our love. Naturally this strikes a fatal blow to One’s soul life. The Lord bids us part with what we Ourselves cling to, for it divides Our heart. He asks us to love Him totally and to utterly follow Him in love: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with

438 The Spiritual Man

all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22.37). “All” denotes every ounce of it for the Lord. He enjoins us to reserve not one tiny particle of affection which we ourselves can direct. He calls for all. He is a jealous God (Ex. 20.5), therefore He does not allow anybody to steal the love of His children. Yet how many dearly beloved ones have their claim on the believer’s affections besides God!

Perhaps an Isaac, a Jonathan, or a Rachel. Wherefore God insists we lay our beloved ones on the altar.

He cannot tolerate any competition. Our all must be on the altar. This is the Christian’s way to spiritual power. And shortly after the sacrifice is laid on the altar—nay, after the last sacrifice is duly placed thereon—fire will come down from heaven. Without the altar, there can be no heavenly fire. How, then, will one ever have the power of the Holy Spirit if he does not take up his cross and offer everyone whom he loves to the Lord? This is not an empty altar, for fire consumes the sacrifice on it. What can the fire consume if there is no sacrifice?

 Brethren, neither our mental understanding of the cross nor our endless talk about it will give us the power of the Holy Spirit; only our laying everything on the altar will.

If we continue to harbor some secret rope uncut, if our heart secretly retains some oxen and sheep and an Agag, we will still not experience the manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s power in our lives.

 How much the work of God has suffered because of our failure to let the Lord be the Lord of our affections. Many parents cling to their children for themselves and permit the kingdom of God to incur loss. Countless husbands or wives are unwilling to make sacrifice and thus the harvest is left ungathered. Numerous Christians are so attached to their friends that they sit back and let their brethren fight at the front alone. It is deplorable how many think they can love their dear ones and the Lord simultaneously, not comprehending that by loving these, they cannot love the Lord.

We persist in living in the soul if we cannot say with Asaph: “Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is nothing upon earth that I desire besides thee” (Ps. 73.25).

We cannot but stress the significance of our loving the Lord with our whole heart. Nothing satisfies His heart as does our love. The Lord looks not for our laboring for Him but for our loving Him. '

Excerpt - The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee

Where is your affection?

'Affection

God’s Demand Yielding one’s affection to the lord may be viewed by the Christian to be a most difficult task, yet the Lord is concerned with One’s affection more than with any Other matter.

 He demands him to present his affection wholly to Him and let Him lord over it. The Lord asks for first place in our affection. We Often hear people talk about consecration, but this act is simply the first step in one’s spiritual walk. Consecration is not the destination of spirituality, it is but its beginning. It leads a Christian to a sanctified position.

In a word, without consecration there can be no spiritual life.

Even so, nothing is more paramount in one’s consecration than is his affection. Whether or not this has been yielded determines the truth or falsity of consecration. Its acid test is affection. Relatively easy is it for us to hand over our time, money, power, and countless other items; but to offer our affection is exceedingly difficult. This is not to imply we do not love Christ; perhaps we love our Lord very much. Nevertheless, if we grant first place in our affection to another and relegate Christ to second place, or if we love someone else while loving the Lord, or if we ourselves direct our affection, then what we have offered is not considered consecration for we have not yielded our affection.

Every spiritual believer appreciates the necessity for affection to be offered first. For without that, nothing really is offered. God the Father demands absolute love from His children. He is unwilling to share Our heart with anyone or anything else: even a He should receive the bigger share, He is still not pleased. God demands all our love. Naturally this strikes a fatal blow to One’s soul life. The Lord bids us part with what we Ourselves cling to, for it divides Our heart. He asks us to love Him totally and to utterly follow Him in love: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with

438 The Spiritual Man

all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22.37). “All” denotes every ounce of it for the Lord. He enjoins us to reserve not one tiny particle of affection which we ourselves can direct. He calls for all. He is a jealous God (Ex. 20.5), therefore He does not allow anybody to steal the love of His children. Yet how many dearly beloved ones have their claim on the believer’s affections besides God!

Perhaps an Isaac, a Jonathan, or a Rachel. Wherefore God insists we lay our beloved ones on the altar.

He cannot tolerate any competition. Our all must be on the altar. This is the Christian’s way to spiritual power. And shortly after the sacrifice is laid on the altar—nay, after the last sacrifice is duly placed thereon—fire will come down from heaven. Without the altar, there can be no heavenly fire. How, then, will one ever have the power of the Holy Spirit if he does not take up his cross and offer everyone whom he loves to the Lord? This is not an empty altar, for fire consumes the sacrifice on it. What can the fire consume if there is no sacrifice?

 Brethren, neither our mental understanding of the cross nor our endless talk about it will give us the power of the Holy Spirit; only our laying everything on the altar will.

If we continue to harbor some secret rope uncut, if our heart secretly retains some oxen and sheep and an Agag, we will still not experience the manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s power in our lives.

 How much the work of God has suffered because of our failure to let the Lord be the Lord of our affections. Many parents cling to their children for themselves and permit the kingdom of God to incur loss. Countless husbands or wives are unwilling to make sacrifice and thus the harvest is left ungathered. Numerous Christians are so attached to their friends that they sit back and let their brethren fight at the front alone. It is deplorable how many think they can love their dear ones and the Lord simultaneously, not comprehending that by loving these, they cannot love the Lord.

We persist in living in the soul if we cannot say with Asaph: “Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is nothing upon earth that I desire besides thee” (Ps. 73.25).

We cannot but stress the significance of our loving the Lord with our whole heart. Nothing satisfies His heart as does our love. The Lord looks not for our laboring for Him but for our loving Him. '

Excerpt - The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee

God Ruled Emotions.

1Co_1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

The preaching of the CROSS is the POWER OF GOD.  Power of God.  Why have power if you don't use the power? Seriously.  Power is useless when it isn't wielded. You might as well not have power if you don't use the power you possess. There is POWER in the CROSS of our Savior. It's a REAL power, a LIFE GIVING power. It has the power to give new life, it has the power to forgive all our sins, it has the power to give us all we need to live for our Savior and it's a REAL power not a supposed power, not a fictional power, not a hidden power but a very real power.  We need to recognize the power, believe in the reality of the power our Savior and the cross He died on, possesses. When we preach the cross we are preaching the truth of SALVATION found in our SAVIOR.  The POWER TO SAVE.

Gal_6:14  But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

1Co 2:2  For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 

Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 

2Pe_1:3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue

When Watchman Nee talks about the CROSS dealing with our natural life in our emotion he truly isn't saying that our emotions have died, he's saying they've been changed by the power of God.  We are changed! The Holy Spirit works with our spirit through the cross!

A Spiritual man's emotions will REFLECT the divine life in us.

Col_1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory

Christ in US!  There is divine life in us and it's only Christ in us through the power of the Holy Spirit that can change us, we cannot change ourselves, we yield to the Spirit. 

Our emotions are evil things in and of themselves. Controlled by our Savior, controlled by the Holy Spirit our emotions can be used by Him for His glory!

All through His love, now and forever! Amen.

*******

(The Proper Use of Emotion

 If God’s children permit the cross to operate deeply upon their emotion they shall find afterwards that it no longer obstructs, but rather cooperates with, their spirit.

The cross has dealt with the natural life in the emotion, has renewed it, and has made it a channel for the spirit. A spiritual man we have said before is not a spirit, but neither is he a person devoid of emotion; on the contrary, the spiritual man will use his feeling to express the divine life in him. )  Excerpt from The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee

Spiritual Emotion.

Please read the following excerpt from the book we are studying, constantly using the Word of God for the guide to ALL truth.

Tomorrow by the will and grace of God we will study this more thoroughly searching for only truth as found in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Excerpt from - The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee

'The Proper Use of Emotion

 If God’s children permit the cross to operate deeply upon their emotion they shall find afterwards that it no longer obstructs, but rather cooperates with, their spirit.

The cross has dealt with the natural life in the emotion, has renewed it, and has made it a channel for the spirit. A spiritual man we have said before is not a spirit, but neither is he a person devoid of emotion; on the contrary, the spiritual man will use his feeling to express the divine life in him.

Before it is touched by God emotion follows its own whim. And hence it habitually fails to be an instrument of the spirit. But once it is purified it can serve as the means of the spirit’s expression.

 The inner man needs emotion to express its life: it needs emotion to declare its love and its sympathy towards man’s suffering: and it also needs emotion to make man sense the movement of its intuition.

Spiritual sensing is usually made known through the feeling of a quiet and pliable emotion. If emotion is pliably subject to the spirit the latter, through the emotion, will love or hate exactly as God wishes.

 Some Christians, upon discerning the truth of not living by feeling, mistake spiritual life as one without it. They accordingly try to destroy it and to render themselves as insensate as wood and stone. Because of their ignorance of the meaning of the death of the cross, they do not understand what is meant by handing over one’s emotion to death and living by the spirit. We do not say that, in order to be spiritual, a Christian must become exceedingly hard and void of affection like inanimate objects—as though the term spiritual man means for him to be emptied of feeling. Quite the contrary. The most tender, merciful, loving, and sympathetic of persons is a spiritual man.

To be entirely spiritual by delivering his emotion to the cross does not denote that henceforth he is stripped of his feeling. We have observed numerous spiritual saints and have noticed that their love is greater than that of others, which demonstrates that a spiritual man is not without emotion and additionally that it differs from that of the ordinary man.

In committing our soul to the cross we must remember that what is lost is the soul life, not its function.

Were its function nailed to the cross we then could no longer think, choose, or feel. We must therefore remember this basic fact: to lose soul life means to doggedly, resolutely, and continuously deny the natural power and to walk exclusively by the power of God; it means to live no longer after self and its desires but to submit unexceptionally to the will of God.

Moreover, the cross and resurrection are two inseparable facts: “for if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection” (Rom. 6.5 ASV).

The death of the cross does not connote annihilation; hence the emotion, mind and will of the soul are not extinguished upon passing through the cross. They only relinquish their natural life in the death of the Lord and are raised again in His resurrection life. Such death and resurrection cause the various operating organs of the soul to lose their life, to be renewed, and to be used by the Lord.

Consequently a spiritual man is not emotionally deprived; rather, his emotion is the most perfect and the most noble, as though newly created out of God’s hand. In short, if anyone has trouble here, the trouble lies with his theory and not with his experience, for the latter will bear out the truth. Emotion must go through the cross (Matt. 10.38-39) in order to destroy its fiery nature, with its confusion, and to subject it totally to the spirit. The cross aims to accord the spirit authority to rule over every activity of emotion.

Mat 10:38  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 

Mat 10:39  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. '

Emotional Reactions or Spiritually Ruled?

1Co_2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Jud 1:17  But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 

Jud 1:18  How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. 

Jud 1:19  These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. 

Jud 1:20  But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 

Jud 1:21  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 

Joh 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 

Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 

Joh 3:7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Truly the word of God NEVER tells us to rely upon our feelings, to count on our sensations, to use our emotions as a guide. The NATURAL man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God. We MUST have the Spirit and the Spirit communes with our spirit.

Rom_8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God

The Spirit with our spirit! This is God's word!

We are told by Jesus Himself that we have to be born of the Spirit or else we cannot enter the kingdom of God.  We are NOT told to be born of our emotions, our feelings, our senses, our natural man. A change MUST take place in us. Our spirit MUST be alive in us! Our spirit must RULE over all else in us. Emotions will trip us up at every turn.

I read a thing on facebook recently that pertained to this…

'You will continue to suffer if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you…'

The truth in this message is so blatant. How many of us truly have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to us?  Think about it before you simply answer.  By the grace of God pay attention throughout the day as you are spoken to by others- is your response emotional?  Are feelings in you roused - happy, sad, angry, disgusted, you name the emotion.  How rare is it for you not to feel anything at all?

I've been called 'over' sensitive throughout my life and it's only now that I am realize just how much emotions rule my life.  May God please help me to understand more and more of His truth. May the Spirit rule in my spirit, not my emotions.

Another excerpt --

The Spiritual man- By Watchman Nee - Excerpt

'What are the servants of the Lord seeking today? Countless ones aspire to spiritual power. But this power is obtained solely by paying a price. Should a Christian die to his emotion he will possess spiritual might.

It is because he leans too much on his emotion and is bound too strongly to his desire, affection and feeling that the Christian forfeits real power.

Only a deeper operation of the cross can fill us with spiritual dynamite; other than that there is no way to it. When the cross works upon our desire enabling us to live completely for God, spiritual power will naturally be evidenced in us. A believer’s emotion, if not overcome, will additionally hamper him in spiritual work.

As long as its influence obtains, his spirit is impotent to control it and consequently unqualified to fulfill the highest will of God. '

Our rejoicing is in the LORD, not in ourselves.

Php 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 

Php 4:5  Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 

Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 

Php 4:9  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. 

We are studying excerpts on 'emotion' in Watchman Nee's book- The Spiritual Man and truly he gives us a lot to consider.

Searching the scriptures- once again we are brought back to these verses that have been laid upon my heart for the last few months.

We are to rejoice IN THE LORD always.  We aren't told to rejoice in our life's circumstances be they wonderful or wretched, we aren't told to rejoice in ourselves at all! Our rejoicing must be outside of our self and focused on the LORD. Always we can rejoice in the LORD for all He's accomplished and continues to accomplish in us and our lives. If our circumstances are so horrific we can't rejoice in anything about them at all, we can still CHOOSE to rejoice in the victory that is CHRIST'S.  I know, easy for me to say, but truly it isn't easy to say. I know firsthand the temptation to give in to despair as things all around me seem to crumble apart. I can't even say I haven't given  into that despair at all, I'd be lying. I can only PRAISE and THANK God that the despair didn't lead me away from Him and all there is to rejoice in Him.  We are to rejoice IN THE LORD, we can't forget that, not ever! Our rejoicing as our heart longs to break in a million pieces for the tragedies in our lives, must be a rejoicing in the LORD.

Truly we are NOT to worry. We need to NOT worry, but to trust in the LORD. It is SO easy to get caught up in the CARES OF THIS LIFE!

Luk_21:34  And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

Luk 8:14  And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 

Luk 10:41  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 

Luk 10:42  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. 

Mar 4:19  And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. 

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 

1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 

1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 

1Pe 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 

1Pe 5:11  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen

As we read the following excerpt let's keep all the above verses in mind. All by the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen!

'Two reasons can be offered why many walk according to their emotion. First, since they do not understand what walking according to the spirit is nor have ever sought to so walk, they will naturally walk according to the movement of emotion. Because they have never learned how to deny the agitation of their emotion, they are simply swept along by it and do those deeds which they ought not do. Their spiritual sense verily raises its objection, but these individuals so lack spiritual power that they completely disregard its objection and heed their feeling instead. The latter beats stronger and stronger in them until they are completely carried away. They do what they should not; and after having done it they repent for having so done. Second, even those who have experienced the dividing of spirit and soul and who recognize the stirrings of emotion as being soulish and instantly resist can nonetheless walk after emotion. This is due to the success of “spiritual” counterfeit. Before anyone becomes spiritual he is overwhelmed by his powerful emotional feelings; but after he becomes spiritual his emotion often pretends to be his spiritual sense. Outwardly these two are difficult to differentiate, because they appear to be nearly identical. For lack of knowledge, the saints can be deceived. And as a consequence they exhibit many carnal actions. We should remember that in walking after the spirit all our actions must be governed by principles, since the spirit has its own laws and principles. To walk by the spirit is to walk according to its laws. With spiritual principles everything becomes sharply defined. There is a precise standard of right and wrong. If it is “yes” it is “yes” whether the day is clear or cloudy; if it is “no” then it is “no” whether exciting or depressive. The Christian’s walk should follow a distinct standard. But if his emotion is not handed over to death, he cannot abide a permanent standard. He will live by the whim of his vacillating feelings and not according to a definite principle. A principled life differs enormously from an emotional life. Anyone who acts from emotion cares neither for principle nor for reason but only for his feeling. Should he be happy or thrilled he may be tempted to undertake what he ordinarily knows is unreasonable. But when he feels cold, melancholy or despondent he will not so much as fulfill his duty, for his feeling fails to go along. If God’s children would pay a little attention to their emotion, they would note how changeable it actually can be and how dangerous it therefore is to walk by it. So often their attitude is: if the Word of God (spiritual principle) agrees with their feeling, they observe it; if the Word does not, they simply reject it. What an enemy emotion can be to spiritual life!

All who desire to be spiritual must conduct themselves daily according to principle. One quality which characterizes a spiritual person is the great calm he maintains under every circumstance. Whatever may happen around him or however much he may be provoked, he accepts it all calmly and exhibits an unmovable nature. He is one who is able to regulate his every feeling, because his emotion has been yielded to the cross and his will and spirit are permeated with the power of the Holy Spirit. No extreme provocation has the strength to unsettle him. But if one has not accepted the dealing of the cross upon his emotion, then he will be easily influenced, stimulated, disturbed, and even governed by the external world. He will undergo constant change, for emotion shifts often. The slightest threat from outside or the smallest increase in work shall upset him and render him helpless. Whoever genuinely desires to be perfect must let the cross cut deeper into his emotion. If the Christian would simply bear in mind that God does not lead anyone who is in turmoil, he might be spared many errors. Never decide on anything or start to do anything while emotion is agitating like a roaring sea; it is in times of great emotional upheaval that mistakes are readily made. Our mind too becomes undependable in such periods because it is easily affected by feeling. And with a powerless mind, how can we ever distinguish right from wrong? Again, during that time even our conscience is rendered unreliable. As emotion pulsates, the mind becomes deceived and conscience is denied its standard of judgment. Whatever is decided and performed in such circumstances is bound to be improper and will be something to be regretted afterwards. A believer should exercise his will to resist and to terminate such fomented feeling; solely when his emotion is no longer boiling but returns to perfect calm can he decide what he should do. '

Some emotions of our Savior.

The Emotions of Jesus -

Mar 1:41  And Jesus, moved with COMPASSION, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. 

Jesus- MOVED with compassion.   (Compassion Definition- sympathy for the suffering of others, often including a desire to help)  (Sympathy Definition- the ability to enter into, understand, or share somebody else's feelings)

Luk 7:13  And when the Lord saw her, he had COMPASSION on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 

Mat 20:34  So Jesus had COMPASSION on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him. 

Mat 9:36  But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with COMPASSION on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 

Mar 1:41  And Jesus, moved with COMPASSION, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. 

Mat 14:14  And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with COMPASSION toward them, and he healed their sick. 

Mar 3:5  And when he had looked round about on them with ANGER, being GRIEVED for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. 

Anger (Definition - a strong feeling of grievance and displeasure)

Mar 10:14  But when Jesus saw it, he was much DISPLEASED, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 

Joh 11:33  When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was TROUBLED

Joh 13:21  When Jesus had thus said, he was TROUBLED in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 

Mat 26:38  Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding SORROWFUL, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 

Emotions have their rightful place, without them we couldn't claim such a things as happiness, pleasure, joy, etc. 

Without emotion does the following verse make sense?

Rev_21:4  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

What about these verses?

Rev 19:6  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 

Jud_1:24  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy

Emotions are not something that will ever be done away with, not ever.

I don't know if any of you have ever watched the tv show Star Trek, but on this show there is portrayed an alien race called- Vulcans. These Vulcans are a people that have learned to CONTROL their emotions. Throughout the various movies and shows in this Star Trek franchise there has come up time and again people who mistake the Vulcans control of emotion for having no emotions, and time and again people are reminded that they do have them, they've just learned to control them because their distant ancestors were so violent they almost destroyed themselves. The reason I bring this up is because we are not to rid ourselves of emotions, the Bible doesn't tell us to never feel joy again. Jesus does not tell us to get rid of all our anger, but rather to have it controlled.

Eph_4:26  Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath

Mat_5:22  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment…

Yes, we are to put away anger and malice and such and all that would harm others or us, but we aren't to deny we have emotions.

The Vulcans on the show do come across as cold and emotionless, but that isn't what our Savior would have us be. Yes, we need to have control over our emotions having them all in moderation, and in subjection to the will of God. But we are not to do away with our emotions.  Let's read what Watchman Nee says about the 'Function of Emotion.'

'The Function of Emotion

Our emotion emits joy, happiness, cheerfulness , excitement, elation, stimulation, despondency, sorrow, grief, melancholy, misery, moaning, dejection, confusion, anxiety, zeal, coldness, affection, aspiration, covetousness, compassion, kindness, preference, interest, expectation, pride, fear, remorse, hate, et al. The mind is the organ of our thinking and reasoning and the will, of our choices and decisions. Aside from our thought and intent and their related works, all other operations issue from emotion.

Our thousand and one diverse feelings manifest its function. Feeling comprises such a vast area of our existence that most carnal Christians belong to the emotional type. Man’s sensational life is most comprehensive, hence highly complicated; to help believers understand it, we can gather all its various expressions into the three groups of

(1) affection,

(2) desire, and

(3) feeling.

These groups cover the three aspects of the function of emotion. Should a saint overcome all three, he is well on the way to entering upon a pure spiritual path. To be sure, man’s emotion is nothing but the manifold feelings he naturally has. He may be loving or hateful, joyful or sorrowful, excited or dejected, interested or uninterested, yet all are but the ways he feels. Should we take the trouble to observe ourselves we will easily perceive how changeful are our feelings.

 Few matters in the world are as changeable as emotion.

We can be one way one minute and feel quite opposite the next.

Emotion changes as feeling changes, and how rapidly the latter can change. He therefore who lives by emotion lives without principle.

The emotion of man often displays a reactionary motion: a time of activity in one direction will sometimes produce an opposite reaction. For example, unspeakable sorrow usually follows upon hilarious joy, great depression after high excitement, deep withdrawal after burning fervor. Even  in the matter of love, it may commence as such but due to some emotional alteration it may end up with a hatred whose intensity far exceeds the earlier love'

More tomorrow by the grace and will of our Lord, Jesus Christ!  Amen.