Harmony with God (Reprise)
​
​
​
​
Definition of HARMONY
1 archaic : tuneful sound : melody
2 a : the combination of simultaneous musical notes in a chord
3 a : pleasing or congruent arrangement of parts <a painting exhibiting harmony of color and line> b : correspondence, accord <lives in harmony with her neighbors> c : internal calm : tranquillity
4 a : an interweaving of different accounts into a single narrative b : a systematic arrangement of parallel literary passages (as of the Gospels) for the purpose of showing agreement or harmony
​
Definition of HARMONIOUS
1: musically concordant
2: having the parts agreeably related : congruous <blended into a harmonious whole>
3: marked by accord in sentiment or action
​
Genesis Garden
​
Gen 1:31-2:3 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (2:1) Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. (2) And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. (3) And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
​
No sickness… disease… infirmities… sadness… death… decay…
​
Gen 2:25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
No shame.
​
Disharmony Discord
​
Definition of DISCORD
1 a : lack of agreement or harmony (as between persons, things, or ideas) b : active quarreling or conflict resulting from discord among persons or factions : strife
2 a (1) : a combination of musical sounds that strikes the ear harshly (2) : dissonance b : a harsh or unpleasant sound
By one man’s sin… all of creation was affected… infected and it made a resounding sound of discord and disharmony. The more and more time passed by, the more and more, the disharmony became evident.
Gen 3:6-7 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (7) And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
Gen 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
Shame became the norm.
In this symphony we call life the works of the flesh are the disharmonious chords that lead to depression… the feeling of wanting… dissatisfaction… guilt and no clear conscience. Our sin leads without fail, to death.
​
When we find ourselves in tune with the Spirit of the Living God we are walking in agreement with Him as the Spirit leads. We are marching to the melody, rhythm of the symphony and orchestration that He has ordained and written as the Master conductor.
We are not trying to have anyone hear our instrument above others. We are not singing our own melody to our own tune within God’s masterful orchestration; otherwise, there would be dissonance.
It is the rebellious vessels in the house that cause friction, dissonance, conflict and strife… and where there is strife you can smell flesh. Where there is strife there can be found a proud heart.
1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
You have two choices in life… walk in the flesh or walk in the Spirit?
Jas 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
When members of the body function in a manner not in accordance with their purpose you have disharmony. You have tumors… ticks… spastic mannerisms… It’s like listening to the beat and rhythm of a slow melodic song and dancing to it like you’re in a mosh pit or some hip-hop, herky-jerky motion. It doesn’t fit. It isn’t in harmony with each other.
1Co 12:14-21 For the body is not one member, but many. (15) If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? (16) And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? (17) If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? (18) But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. (19) And if they were all one member, where were the body? (20) But now are they many members, yet but one body. (21) And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
I want my title before my name… children or young men & women running before being sent… women holding a position were not made to hold causing division, disorder, disharmony in the Body, yet…
1Co 12:25a That there should be no schism in the body…
1Co 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
We don’t search the scriptures… we don’t let the scriptures dictate to us what we are to do, what we are to be. We choose what we want to do first, go do it… then later on we take scriptures out of context to justify decisions we have made.
Examples in the scriptures of members of the body that were out of order:
Joseph’s Life
Israelites asking for a king
1Sa 8:5-7 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. (6) But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. (7) And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
Solomon’s Reign
1Ki 3:9-14 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? (10) And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. (11) And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; (12) Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. (13) And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. (14) And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
1Ki 4:24-25 For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him. (25) And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.
1Ki 11:1-13 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; (2) Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. (3) And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. (4) For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. (5) For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. (6) And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. (7) Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. (8) And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. (9) And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, (10) And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. (11) Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. (12) Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. (13) Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.
This is what happens in the body of Christ… when members of the body are driven away and cut off by the lusts of their own heart.
Jas 1:14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (15) Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Period of the Judges
Because the enemy was not driven out entirely and extinguished from the face of the earth (chapter 1)…
Jdg 2:1-4 And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. (2) And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this? (3) Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you. (4) And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
It’s not only corporately within the Body of Christ… happens individually to each member of the Body of Christ.
Individually, we maintain and hold on to disharmonious elements which lead to having discord in the symphony we call our life. When we heard the melody of heaven and began dancing to the rhythm that leads to eternal life, it changed us. It made us walk differently, talk differently, look differently, feel differently, react differently. We were altogether changed.
Yet, somewhere along the line we were tried, tested… maybe we got tired… we began to hear again the echoes of a melody we once walked in and so we tried to dance to both melodies, but it was funky, freaky, and to altered to be divine anymore. It is this snare that has been the downfall of many a saint, because they would not rid themselves of that which was commanded to be sacrificed on the altar of submission to Him.
There are things that God has required of us to let go, to tear down, to forsake altogether, to drive out and we have disregarded His counsel because deep down inside we have believed “It’s not that bad. I don’t do it as much as I did before. I don’t take part in it like I used to. I’m being very careful. I have no alternative. I don’t have a choice!”
We deceived ourselves and have not realized that the little compromises we make over a long period of time cause us in the end to be way off His course, finding ourselves in the wide way that leads down the path of decay, destruction, and ultimately death.
​
When one man sinned, death passed to all men because they all sinned…
​
Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
​
Because of that one man’s offence judgment came upon all men…
Rom 5:17-19 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) (18) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. (19) For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
But the good news is because of one man’s obedience man are made righteous.
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
​
In order to be reconciled to God we must walk in harmony with our Lord and His word.
​
The scriptures are a symphony of harmony with elements of disharmony filled throughout. The discord was always man’s rebellion to the divine symphony of heaven. The good thing is that what began in harmony, shall in the end, be forever restored to its initial harmonious intentions.
​
The result of disharmony or discord in music is agitation… in life it is guilt, sadness and death without Him.
​
The result of harmony in music is enjoyment and appreciation... in life it is righteousness, peace & joy in Him.
​
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
​
Only repentance and steadfastness to the Lord, His will, His ways and His word makes this possible.
​
© copyright 2015 Jesus M. Ruiz