Maintaining Spiritual Harmony Through Faith and Community
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored the concept of "maintaining the tension" in our spiritual lives, using the metaphor of tuning a musical instrument. Just as a guitar must be correctly tuned to produce harmonious music, our lives must be in tune with God to bear good fruit. This tuning involves three key practices: spending time with the Lord, immersing ourselves in Scripture, and being part of a faith community. These practices help us align our hearts with God's will, ensuring that our actions are not just technically correct but also spiritually sound.
We delved into the story of Job to illustrate the importance of maintaining faith amidst suffering. Job's life was filled with unimaginable trials, yet he remained steadfast in his faith. Despite losing everything, Job's response was to worship God, saying, "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." Job's story teaches us that faith is not about understanding every detail of God's plan but trusting Him even when life doesn't make sense.
We also discussed the dangers of relying solely on logic and reason in our faith journey. Job's friends, who offered theological explanations for his suffering, were rebuked by God, while Job, who maintained an honest conversation with God, was ultimately blessed. This highlights the need for a balance between knowledge and faith, emphasizing that our relationship with God should be both intellectually sound and spiritually vibrant.
Finally, we were reminded of the power of faith to disrupt the natural order and bring about miraculous change. Whether it's healing the sick or transforming lives, faith acts as a chord that resonates deeply, challenging the world's logic and reason. We are called to be bold in our faith, trusting that God can and will do the impossible.
### Key Takeaways
1. Spending Time with God: To be in tune with God, we must spend quality time with Him. This involves not just knowing about God but truly knowing Him—His likes, dislikes, and His voice. John 15:5 reminds us that apart from Him, we can do nothing. Our relationship with God is the foundation of our spiritual tuning. [05:00]
2. Immersing in Scripture: Reading the Bible is crucial, but it must be done in the Spirit. Inviting the Holy Spirit into our reading helps us understand the depths of God's Word. As Smith Wigglesworth said, "I read mine in the Holy Ghost." This spiritual immersion transforms mere knowledge into life-changing wisdom. [06:15]
3. Community and Fellowship: Being part of a faith community is essential for spiritual growth. Hebrews 10:24-25 emphasizes the importance of meeting together to encourage one another. The church's purpose is to worship God, edify the saints, and reach the world. These communal interactions help us stay spiritually tuned. [06:48]
4. Maintaining Faith Amidst Suffering: Job's story teaches us the importance of maintaining faith even when we don't understand our suffering. Job's unwavering trust in God, despite his trials, serves as a powerful example. Faith is not about having all the answers but trusting in God's sovereignty. [11:09]
5. Bold Faith and Miracles: Faith has the power to disrupt logic and bring about miraculous change. Whether it's healing or other acts of God, our faith can challenge the world's understanding and reveal God's power. We are called to be bold in our faith, trusting that God can do the impossible. [25:44]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:24] - First Worship Experience
[02:32] - The Importance of Persistence
[03:26] - Right Actions, Right Heart
[04:11] - Tuning and Tension
[05:00] - Spending Time with the Lord
[05:35] - Immersing in Scripture
[06:15] - Reading in the Holy Spirit
[06:48] - Community and Fellowship
[07:38] - The Three Essentials
[08:37] - Maintaining the Tension
[09:11] - The Story of Job
[11:09] - Job's Response to Suffering
[13:13] - Job's Honest Prayers
[15:00] - Faith Over Logic
[17:36] - Trusting in God
[19:57] - The Danger of Creating Our Own Theology
[21:30] - Contending for Miracles
[23:17] - Faith in Action
[25:44] - The Power of Bold Faith
[27:24] - Disrupting Logic with Faith
[28:10] - Conclusion
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. John 15:5 - "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
2. Hebrews 10:24-25 - "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
3. Job 1:20-21 - "At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: 'Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.'"
### Observation Questions
1. What does John 15:5 say about our relationship with God and the importance of remaining in Him?
2. According to Hebrews 10:24-25, what are the three purposes of the church mentioned in the sermon? [06:48]
3. How did Job respond to his suffering according to Job 1:20-21? What was his attitude towards God in his trials? [11:09]
4. What were the three key practices mentioned in the sermon that help us stay spiritually tuned? [07:15]
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does spending time with God help us stay "in tune" with Him, as described in John 15:5? What does it mean to truly know God beyond just knowing about Him? [05:00]
2. Why is it important to read the Bible in the Spirit, and how does this practice transform our understanding of Scripture? [06:15]
3. In what ways does being part of a faith community contribute to our spiritual growth, according to Hebrews 10:24-25? How does this align with the sermon’s emphasis on community? [06:48]
4. How does Job's story illustrate the balance between maintaining faith and understanding suffering? What can we learn from Job's honest conversations with God? [11:09]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your daily routine. How can you incorporate more intentional time with God to ensure you are spiritually "in tune"? What specific changes can you make this week? [05:00]
2. When you read the Bible, do you invite the Holy Spirit to guide your understanding? How can you make your Bible reading more spiritually immersive? [06:15]
3. Are you actively participating in a faith community? If not, what steps can you take to become more involved? How can you encourage others in your community to stay spiritually tuned? [06:48]
4. Think about a recent trial or difficult situation you faced. How did you respond? How can Job's example of worshiping God amidst suffering inspire you to trust God more deeply in your own challenges? [11:09]
5. Have you ever relied too much on logic and reason in your faith journey, like Job's friends? How can you balance intellectual understanding with a vibrant, trusting relationship with God? [15:44]
6. Bold faith can lead to miraculous changes. Is there a situation in your life where you need to exercise bold faith? What steps can you take to trust God for the impossible? [25:44]
7. How can you apply the concept of "maintaining the tension" in your spiritual life? What practical steps can you take to ensure your faith remains strong and vibrant, even in challenging times? [08:37]
Devotional
Day 1: Cultivating Intimacy with God
To be in tune with God, we must spend quality time with Him. This involves not just knowing about God but truly knowing Him—His likes, dislikes, and His voice. John 15:5 reminds us that apart from Him, we can do nothing. Our relationship with God is the foundation of our spiritual tuning. [05:00]
Spending time with God is more than just a daily routine; it is the essence of our spiritual life. Just as a guitar needs regular tuning to produce harmonious music, our souls need consistent communion with God to stay aligned with His will. This involves setting aside dedicated time for prayer, worship, and listening to His voice. It’s about building a relationship where we not only speak to God but also hear from Him, understanding His desires and aligning our hearts with His.
In John 15:5, Jesus emphasizes the importance of abiding in Him, stating that apart from Him, we can do nothing. This abiding is not a passive state but an active, ongoing relationship. It requires intentionality and commitment, much like any meaningful relationship in our lives. As we spend time with God, we begin to recognize His voice more clearly, understand His heart more deeply, and align our actions with His will. This spiritual tuning ensures that our lives produce the beautiful music of His kingdom.
John 15:5 (ESV): "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."
Reflection: Think about your daily routine. How can you intentionally carve out time to spend with God today? What specific steps will you take to ensure this time is meaningful and uninterrupted?
Day 2: Immersing in the Spirit of Scripture
Reading the Bible is crucial, but it must be done in the Spirit. Inviting the Holy Spirit into our reading helps us understand the depths of God's Word. As Smith Wigglesworth said, "I read mine in the Holy Ghost." This spiritual immersion transforms mere knowledge into life-changing wisdom. [06:15]
Immersing ourselves in Scripture is not just about reading the words on the page but allowing the Holy Spirit to breathe life into those words. When we invite the Holy Spirit into our Bible reading, we move beyond intellectual understanding to spiritual revelation. This means praying for insight, meditating on the passages, and allowing the Spirit to guide our thoughts and reflections. It transforms our reading from a mere academic exercise into a dynamic encounter with God.
Smith Wigglesworth, a renowned evangelist, emphasized the importance of reading the Bible in the Holy Ghost. This approach ensures that our understanding is not limited to human wisdom but is enriched by divine insight. As we immerse ourselves in Scripture with the Holy Spirit's guidance, we gain wisdom that transforms our lives and aligns us more closely with God's will. This spiritual immersion helps us to see beyond the surface and grasp the deeper truths that God wants to reveal to us.
1 Corinthians 2:10-12 (ESV): "These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God."
Reflection: Before you read your Bible today, take a moment to pray and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your understanding. How does this change your approach to reading Scripture? What new insights do you gain?
Day 3: The Power of Community and Fellowship
Being part of a faith community is essential for spiritual growth. Hebrews 10:24-25 emphasizes the importance of meeting together to encourage one another. The church's purpose is to worship God, edify the saints, and reach the world. These communal interactions help us stay spiritually tuned. [06:48]
Community and fellowship are vital components of our spiritual journey. Being part of a faith community provides us with support, encouragement, and accountability. Hebrews 10:24-25 highlights the importance of gathering together to spur one another on toward love and good deeds. In a community, we find strength in shared worship, collective prayer, and mutual edification. These interactions help us stay spiritually tuned and aligned with God's purposes.
The church serves as a place where we can grow in our faith, be encouraged by others, and use our gifts to serve the body of Christ. It is a space where we can be vulnerable, share our struggles, and receive support. The communal aspect of our faith journey reminds us that we are not alone and that we are part of a larger body working together to advance God's kingdom. Engaging in fellowship helps us to stay focused on our spiritual goals and provides a network of support that is crucial for our growth.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
Reflection: Reflect on your involvement in your faith community. How can you be more intentional in encouraging and supporting others in your church? What steps can you take to deepen your connections within your community?
Day 4: Trusting God Amidst Suffering
Job's story teaches us the importance of maintaining faith even when we don't understand our suffering. Job's unwavering trust in God, despite his trials, serves as a powerful example. Faith is not about having all the answers but trusting in God's sovereignty. [11:09]
The story of Job is a profound example of unwavering faith amidst unimaginable suffering. Job lost everything—his wealth, his health, and his family—yet he remained steadfast in his faith. His response to his trials was to worship God, declaring, "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." Job's story teaches us that faith is not about understanding every detail of God's plan but trusting Him even when life doesn't make sense.
Job's friends offered logical explanations for his suffering, but they were rebuked by God. In contrast, Job maintained an honest conversation with God, expressing his pain and confusion. This highlights the importance of being real with God and trusting in His sovereignty, even when we don't have all the answers. Job's faith was ultimately rewarded, reminding us that God sees our struggles and will bring restoration in His time. Trusting God amidst suffering requires a deep, unwavering faith that believes in His goodness and sovereignty, regardless of our circumstances.
Job 1:20-21 (ESV): "Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.'"
Reflection: Think about a time when you faced significant trials. How did you respond to God during that time? What can you learn from Job's example about trusting God in the midst of suffering?
Day 5: Bold Faith and Miraculous Change
Faith has the power to disrupt logic and bring about miraculous change. Whether it's healing or other acts of God, our faith can challenge the world's understanding and reveal God's power. We are called to be bold in our faith, trusting that God can do the impossible. [25:44]
Bold faith is a powerful force that can bring about miraculous change. Throughout the Bible, we see examples of individuals whose faith challenged the natural order and revealed God's power. Whether it was healing the sick, raising the dead, or performing other miracles, their faith acted as a catalyst for divine intervention. This kind of faith goes beyond mere belief; it is a confident trust in God's ability to do the impossible.
We are called to have this bold faith, trusting that God can and will move in miraculous ways. This means stepping out in faith, even when it defies logic and reason. It involves praying for the impossible, believing for the miraculous, and acting in obedience to God's leading. Bold faith disrupts the world's understanding and reveals the power and glory of God. As we cultivate this kind of faith, we become instruments through which God can work miracles and bring about transformation in our lives and the lives of others.
Mark 11:22-24 (ESV): "And Jesus answered them, 'Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.'"
Reflection: Reflect on an area of your life where you need a miracle. How can you step out in bold faith and trust God to do the impossible? What specific actions will you take to demonstrate your faith in God's power?
Quotes
1. "See, the right actions without the right heart will not produce good fruit. The right actions, not with the right heart, are just going to produce a displeasing sound. And what happens, when we sit, and what we think our instrument is tuned rightly, we begin to adapt to that tuning. But until we get together with other musicians, and we see that they're in the right tuning, we go, oh, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I'm way off. I'm way off. See, I would propose to you that all of creation awaits for you to be in the right tune. All of creation is waiting for you to be tuned according to your Father." [04:11] (40 seconds)
2. "Church, it's not enough to know about God, we must know God. We must know Him, we must know what He sounds like, we must know what He likes and loves, and what He doesn't like. You must spend time with Him. It is how you are tuned rightly is spending time with Him. Number two, I believe it is spending time in Scripture. But not just in Scripture, it is spending time with the Lord in Scripture, in the Holy Spirit. It is inviting the Holy Spirit as you are reading the Word." [05:00] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "See, it is important to know that all these three things, spending time with the Lord, reading your scriptures, and being in community, all need to go, I believe, hand in hand together. See, if you tell me, I am spending time with the Lord, but you are not in scripture, I would come to you and go, well, who exactly are you praying to? See, if you are in scripture, but you are not spending time with the Lord, and not in community, I would say you are just a Pharisee. I would say that you are no better than one of them who just wants knowledge for themselves, but is not actually seeking transformation." [07:15] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "See, faith at the end of the day is just trust in him. It is trust in him. And what Job is flirting with is almost distrust of going are you really for me. What are you actually doing. What are you actually doing for me. See Job should not have leaned into logic. He should have stayed a poet. He should have been poetical in his response to God. He should have maintained his faith. See I believe the way that you maintain the tension is by faith. It is by having faith." [17:36] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "See, I would propose that we need faith today more than ever. Because faith is playing a chord that people have never heard of before. See, inside of that hair salon, inside of that hair salon, there were people who were watching this man. And faith disrupted their logic. And said, that was impossible. That was impossible. How did that happen? See, it birthed something inside of them that they never knew existed. We need today, church, to maintain the faith and have bold faith. We need to have bold faith." [25:44] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "See, we are those who are caring, are bearers of this faith. And the world, today more than ever, we are living in what's believed the postmodern era. Who is obsessed with science and with logic and with reason. But our responsibility in this world is to be the disruptors of logic and reason. Saying, well, you have been bound to a wheelchair. Well, let me pray for you. And let me see, let me contend and have faith that God will heal you. Let me contend and let me strum the chord of faith. Church, we need to arise in bold faith. We need to arise. The world needs it. The world needs to see that God is alive. That God is active. And God cares about everyone. It's the scriptures say, he desires for all man to be saved. To encounter him. To encounter him. Faith is paradoxical. It is believing in something that is impossible, yet it is made possible." [27:24] (63 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "See, I hope if I ever am struck with such a suffering that I would have Job's response. That the Lord gives and the Lord takes away. But blessed be the name of the Lord. But blessed be the name of the Lord. After Job does that, Satan comes back to God angry and he says, Well then let me afflict his skin. And God consents. Again, it's important to know that Satan is a beast at the end of God's leash. Satan is not in control. God is fully in control. For the first time, God tells Satan, You can take his things but do not touch the man. He is at the end of God's leash. God is still fully in control." [11:55] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "We must be in spirit and in truth. See one of the biggest dangers I believe facing the church today is people creating their own theology. It is people who are allowing. Well I don't actually believe that about God. So I am going to take all of this and create my own image of God. I am going to create my own interpretation of God. But not actually follow what he is doing. Not actually following him. This is why we need those three things. We need to be orthodox. See orthodox is not the real thing. The real religion that you might think of being orthodox is to be in good reason and in good doctrine. We need to have good doctrine." [19:57] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "See, I would propose to you that we must keep the faith and trust in God. Though we may not know why we are encountering the trial that we are in. Our response should not be God what are you doing. Our response should be Lord you give and you take away. Blessed be your name. See faith at the end of the day is just trust in him. It is trust in him. And what Job is flirting with is almost distrust of going are you really for me. What are you actually doing. What are you actually doing for me. See Job should not have leaned into logic. He should have stayed a poet. He should have been poetical in his response to God. He should have maintained his faith." [17:36] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "See, I believe that if you are attending the church, but you are not a part of, you are not reading scriptures, and you are not spending time with the Lord, my friend, you have just attended a daytime rave. That is all you have done today. All you have done is come and listen to some music, maybe get some coffee in you, and meet some people. We need all three things to work together, and those things tune us to be like our Father. Amen." [08:06] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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