When I am out of synch (part 29)

Nothing is more evident about how I can get out of synch than the story of the Adam, Eve and the serpent. In Genesis 3:1-18, are several things in which the deceiver does to Eve and in fact that he also does to me and all other humans. First he deceives me with pleasure, of the taste of the apple, and with power, that the apple from the Tree gave the Knowledge of Good and Evil and, so Adam and Eve thought, knowledge of everything. That is in fact how he deceives me that I will be and know everything to the entire universe. But what this should show me is that while I may know, I cannot always act on that knowledge and do as I want. The knowledge has to be tempered with wisdom. Which is the second thing I am deceived in. Satan convinces me that because I know things I am wise in all things. And this simply is not so. Not if I truly compare myself to God’s wisdom and power. I don’t realize God’s strength, until I am in the midst of storms and turmoils and cannot get myself out. I don’t realize His wisdom until I admit I am a fool, as it says in I Corinthians 4:10, and become one for His sake. God has the power to through me out of paradise, give satan the boot, and lock the gate at the same time teaching me how I can get the key to open the gate at some later date. He renders me the ultimate tough love, and shows me how to grow in Him that I not do what I have done repetitively. He also brings me to a point where I have to make a decision to follow Him or know I am doing what displeases Him and do it anyway. God demonstrates what it is to be a good parent. And He puts me back in synch.

 

When I am out of Synch (part 28)

There is another way to look at it. While God gives us a great deal of latitude, He still expects growth. What nurtures our growth, reliance on other things or on Him? Where am I getting my food? David, as wonderful and inspiring a man as He was, was still a man. I must always keep that into perspective. I must be sure, because those walls will tumble like the walls of Jericho if not. I must begin to look for tools that will bring me closer to God rather than to pull me away, no matter how innocent these may be initially. I must love God, and therefore must love my brother and live in peace.

 

I play piano. Not surprisingly, the piano is my favorite type of instrument in any piece of music I hear. I am awe inspired by piano. And the piano in and of itself is just a tool, not an ends. I must not glorify that above God. Only the LORD is exalted, only He is in control of all things (Is 40:4-11). He has provided me with a place here on earth, and He wants me to be with Him in heaven so He has sent His son to show me how to live in peace and how to love. And that is when I emerge from being out of sorts. That is when I begin to see that perhaps I need to do things differently, to do things not my way but God’s way

When I am out of synch (part 27)

I once heard a lady say that because her voice was bad, she needed an instrument to express her true love of God. What is she telling God? The instrument of her voice that He created was not good enough to express what He meant to her, she needed another object, that while He gave someone the skill and knowledge to build it is nevertheless once removed from His Creation. It is the musician’s invention. And I know there are tone deaf people, but when these people sing to God with more enthusiasm than someone with a pretty voice it is hard to say that God is not pleased, for they are relying on Him and not an instrument. These people are truly worshipping the Creator and not the Created. So there are two types of out of synch here, one in which the person doesn’t care how off key, it is the attitude that counts; and the other in which the person feels inadequately created so that person uses and instrument in place of what God has made. On the surface most people feel sorry for the first and take the other one’s side. On the other hand, deeper, the person that cannot carry a tune and yet has enthusiasm in singing to God understands the weakness within the physical body and the strength in God, and that person can boast in his weakness. (2 Corinthians 10:8-18 ) That person also knows an instrument cannot save, but the God that is the Almighty God and Jesus can.

When I am out of synch (part 26)

In Isaiah 35:1-10, there is the perfect example of what happens when things go wrong. What happens when I clutter my life with earthly things, with things I like that I don’t really care what everyone else likes nor do I want to share those things. What happens when I feel as though I can handle things, things that may in and of themselves not be bad but that take me away from God nonetheless. God wants to make that which would take me away from Him waste. For example, music in the Church. There is such a debate right now among Christians whether or not to use instruments that sometimes it gets heated and God is just not happy seeing Christians war among themselves. Why are instruments necessary? Are they truly necessary? Can not God’s people come before God without pomp and ceremony? Why can’t we have instruments? Why do people have to be so stubborn? And on and on the debate rages and God is not happy. The simplest way is to put all my talents and my self before Him and sometimes that means doing without instruments. Or anything for that matter. We forget that we are not coming to service for us, for our encouragement, although that certainly is a benefit. We come for others, to serve and encourage others. To commune with God, to blend in the heavenly host. To know a truth of God. To learn how to live as His child. To mature and grow as one of His. If I need an instrument to show me His way, that is nothing more than an idol. If I am relying on someone’s preaching to get me by, that too is an idol. How much do I jump in God’s word, how much do I long to hear His message? How much do I yearn for His advice? Am I giving myself to Him or doing what I think is giving myself to Him? Am I bare and lowly and humble before Him? Jesus spoke of going before God as meek people. How can one do that other than to break everything that could keep God from getting in, not an image of God that someone tells us about or plays on their instrument, or paints, but the true God? I, we, must come to know what it the true God.

When I am out of Synch (part 25)

And Jesus knows my condition. He knows I am poor, I mourn, and I am unjustly accused and ridiculed of many things, especially once I decide to follow God. And His great advice is demonstrated through the beatitudes (Matt 5:3), so that whenever I get down or frustrated, God’s other promises are always there. And these are too.

 

That leads to another point. How should I treat the penitent brother? If there is a brother that knows he’s sinned and is truly penitent of his actions, if he is demonstrating godly sorrow as spoken of in 2 Corinthians 2:1-11, then how does God expect me to treat him? Should I make him cower down in front of me or stand up in front of me while I orate to him how bad his sin was, or do I welcome him back? I am taught by Christ, God, and Paul, that I have no right to rebuke someone who has rebuked himself. If he knows he has made God cry, then those that teach tell me to hold him close and encourage him to bigger things.