Spiritual Gifts, 31

 ~ The Spiritual Gift of Music – God’s Symphony ~

 

Opening Comment  ~  “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.  Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (James 1:16-18).

 

A Divine Symphony  ~  Before we leave the gift of music there is another aspect of music and Spiritual Gifts.  Many of you know that I love spiritual analogies, metaphors, similes, etc.  The orchestra illustrates the use of spiritual gifts.  The following is from an old tract – entitled “The Symphony of God” by Donald L. Norbie.  

 

There is a hushed silence as the curtain rises upon the symphony orchestra.  The conductor enters with dignity, bows low and takes his place.  His baton is upraised, commanding attention of all.  As he begins to lead the symphony, all are keenly aware of his leadership and direction.  A vast array of instruments is spread before him.  There is the violin and the cello, the clarinet and the oboe, the trumpet and the trombone, besides a host of others.  All are different, but all have a special piece to play, a special contribution to make.  The flute is very different from the French horn, but each is vital.

Note how each player keeps his eye on the conductor.  The conductor’s mood is seized and interpreted by each player.  At times his arms move gently and slowly, and the music becomes tranquil and peaceful.  His thoughtful mood is heard in the pensive notes that fill the air.  Then the mood changes.  His arms move dynamically and powerfully, and as the players catch the spirit, the music surges and rolls with powerful emotion.  The power of music stirs the soul of the audience.

 

Isn’t it amazing that out of the maze of instruments, there comes one voice, one harmony to delight the ear?  What is the secret?  The symphony, this “sound together,” is only possible because the will of each player is completely bent to the will of the director.  His whisper is an absolute command.  Thus, out of many different voices comes one symphony, one harmony.

 

There is a spiritual parable in this for the believer.  God has given different gifts to His people.  Christians should be thankful for each gift, not envying others, nor despising them.  Each has a needed note to sound in the symphony of God.  “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:4).  How utterly foolish Christians are to despise or neglect any of these gifts.  Each has his part to play for the glory of God.  But how can there possibly be a symphony of spiritual blessing in the gatherings of the saints?  May one suggest that, even as in the orchestra each player must be completely led by the conductor, even so each gift in the assembly must be under the control of God the Holy Spirit.  There is only disharmony in the orchestra if each player is a law to himself.  There must be absolute control of the conductor.

 

Being subject to the Holy Spirit is a vital mark of the New Testament church.  If the Holy Spirit’s leadership and direction are acknowledged, He will produce a symphony of love, of understanding and of united action.  Mark the unity of those early days.  “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul” (Acts 4:32).

 

In a symphony every person takes his cue from the conductor.  The same musical piece will be very similar each time.  Unfortunately, most churches are more like a hockey game... Each game is an original, fun to watch as a spectator, brutal to participate in, with everyone following the puck doing their own thing.

 

Closing Comments  ~  “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.  Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.  Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.  Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.  Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.  Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:12-16).

“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:6-7).

“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10). 

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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Question – Jesus, 104

 ~ Regarding Reasoning, 4of5 ~

 

Introduction  ~  This series is about questions involving Jesus.  Some were asked by individuals involved with Jesus Christ while He walked on earth.  Others are questions that Jesus Christ asked others.  We will look at questions on about 130 topics (some may split into two or more posts).  Even so, it is far from an exhaustive list.  

 

Scripture  ~  “Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.

“When He saw their faith, He said to him, ‘Man, your sins are forgiven you.’ And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, ‘Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’

“But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, ‘Why are you reasoning in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven you,” or to say, “Rise up and walk?” But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins’ — He said to the man who was paralyzed, ‘I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.’

“Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, ‘We have seen strange things today!’” (Luke 5:17-26).  

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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God Is My… (Psalms), 72

 ~ God Is My Hiding Place, 2 ~

 

Introduction  ~  Previously from July 16, 2017 through January 6, 2019 ALN posted a series of 60 posts of “Jesus is…,” and now we look exclusively at who “God is…” from the Book of Psalms.  While not a complete list these posts occur are in the same order they are in the Psalms.

 

Passage  ~  “I hate the double-minded, but I love Your law.  You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your Word” (Psalm 119:113-114). 

 

Other Passages  ~  “You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance” (Psalm 32:7). 

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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