To Know or Feel?

What do the heart and the devil have in common?
They are both deceitful and wicked.
"The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?"Jeremiah 17.9.
While Jesus says the heart is a source of evil thoughts: "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies,"Matthew 15.19, Paul suggests that the works of the flesh are the thoughts of the heart. "Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God," Galatians 5.19-21.

Therefore, the heart and the flesh are one and the same.
Works of the flesh and thoughts of the heart are one and the same.
It is safe to say that those who were born of the flesh and born of the heart are the same.
Those who are born of the heart are controlled by emotions, the same way that those who are born of the flesh are controlled by feelings.
This kind of "Christian" likes messages that have a strong appeal to their emotions.
They like listening to smooth-talking pastors.
They like to show off, receive compliments, be recognized and receive praise.
When they stop receiving these things, their “fervent” heart gets sad and they abandon the faith...

Those who are born of the flesh are emotional.
In church they feel good, but once they leave, their faith gets cold.
Their choices depend on how they feel at the moment. This is why they are unable to overcome their own will, much less the world.
They are misled by a faith that originates in the heart. In time, their frustrations are revealed.
What guides their faith is his emotions, not the Bible.
Their faith is born in the heart and wrapped in warm feelings. That is where it was raised and where it continues to receive nourishment.
Feel-good advice, emotion-filled music, emotional services, praise showered with emotion—overall, their faith is the fruit of pure emotion.
They are never willing or ready to obey the Word of God, to face trials, obstacles, tribulations or deserts.
This kind of faith does not have the courage to lift up a sword and defend itself. They defend their denomination and pastor, but never their beliefs.
Because of their cowardice they accept anything, except a fight. They even make pacts with evil simply to avoid having to confront it.

Faith from the heart is like make-up, it melts it the heat of battle. It covers its ears at the sound of a trumpet and runs away from a war-cry.
How can the Spirit of God count on these people?
Religions and religious people are like this. Whether it’s conscious or nor, they work in partnership with hell.
Many keep their faith going with the warm blanket of emotions, while others choose the coldness of tradition.
There are still others who make no difference at all, they are lukewarm.

And yet, in contrast to the mindset of religious faith, there is intelligent faith. This kind of faith thinks, evaluates, meditates and considers.
This faith believes that God would never lie or go back what He has promised. He will do exactly as he has promised.
This quality of faith does not take circumstances into consideration. It does not look back nor does it look to the side. It always moves forward, no matter the cost.

Apostle Paul mixed intelligent faith with thoughts of God, and left us a valuable piece of advice:
"...one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize..." Philippians 3.13-14,
To Timothy, he said: "...I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day," 2 Timothy 1.12.

He did not feel, he knew in Who he believed.
And you? Do you know (intellect) or feel (heart) in Whom you have believed?