In Hindsight - Vol. 7

At one time or another we've all had a "gut feeling" about something  We couldn't really put it into words, but we just knew that something "felt" right or wrong. We all know that our stomach doesn't literally tell us something (other than when we're hungry), but it's just a deep feeling that we have. The reason we say something "feels" right way is because the part of the brain (the limbic system) that controls those gut feelings is the same part that controls our actual feelings and emotions. The reason we are usually unable to put those feelings into words is because this is not the part of the brain that controls language.

With all that is going on in our world today, many are having gut feelings about what is right or wrong. We can't really put into words why we feel this way and so we also have a hard time knowing what to do with those feelings. If you turn on the TV to any of the news channels, scroll through social media, or engage in conversations with different people, you will get several thoughts and opinions, many of which will be contrary to each other.

This struggle to process everything correctly is widespread, and of course even effects the students living in your home. A gut feeling is a good place to start, but we have to filter that feeling appropriately. This gave birth to the current teaching series called "Gospel Filtered." We can filter our thoughts and feelings through a lot of different things, which will lead to a lot of different results. The only way to get the right result is to filter everything through the Gospel.

This series is based on one single verse, Micah 6:8, which reads, "He has told you, O man what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" God defines what is good and He defines what is required of us. A filter has the goal of taking something and changing it to get a better result. It literally removes the things that are not needed to get that better result. We must take all our thoughts and all our feelings and bring them to Scripture, not to try to find support for what we already feel or think, but to show us how we should be feeling or thinking and how we are then to respond.

Pastor Wil and I are teaming up to teach this series that will be posted on the campus Youth Fresno YouTube channel. We hope this will be a helpful tool for your students as they think and converse on all that is happening around them. Our big idea is this; whatever you think, whatever you feel, filter it through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In Him,
Michael