Richard Maisenbacher
Last week Pastor Becky Maisenbacher shared a wonderful message of how the joy of the Lord is our strength. In Hebrew - joy is the manifestation of divine purpose fulfilled, and since everything in creation has purpose and when any part of creation acts according to its design, that part expresses and experiences joy (gladness). Thank you, Father, that your joy is my strength!
There were a few scriptures highlighted to me, and I have noticed that if I don’t pay attention to them my joy is very challenged! In other words, I become distracted, discouraged, and feel alone.
The culture of the 21st century has caused me to consider one of Paul’s “beware” verses in Colossians 2:8. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”
Jesus also asked us to beware in Matthew 16:6, “Watch out and beware of the leaven (teaching) of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” It seems necessary to pay attention to the paradigms of the world and the church!
In Proverbs 12:15 it says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a person who listens to advice is wise.” It might be faster and easier to just think the way we want to; however, it is still important to pay attention to others’ opinions and then use discernment. It does not mean we have to agree, but there seems to be an advantage in at least listening to what others may believe around us. It does not say that the wise man gives advice. It says that he listens. Wisdom is knowing how to hear, then sharing what the Lord has given us.
Then in my prayer time I started to focus on the Tree of Knowledge. Genesis 2:16-17, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat. For in the day you eat from it you will surely die.” In Genesis 3:5, “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.
Yada (knowing) in its pictograph is to make the door opening an intimate experience. Yada is making something happen which can be an intimate experience. “I will make a way to open a door of experience for myself.” Why did Eve eat of the tree? She believed it would improve her ability to make decisions on her own. It was good for food, a delight to her eyes, and desirable to make her wise! She intuitively knows what to do. She can save God some time now that she knows how to do things on her own. She might have thought, “Lord help me to be a little more independent, and self-reliant so I can take care of myself and meet my goals in life so I can worship you more.”
We can make decisions ourselves instead of relying on someone else. The Tree of Knowledge implies I will no longer be dependent on anyone. We begin to see how much the role of our personal desires plays in our determining good and evil. My voice now competes with God’s voice. Now decisions are looked at by what is good for me or bad for me. I can decide between what God asks and what I desire. This may open us up to sin, especially independence, however, God built desire into our hearts. It is not about getting rid of desire. It is learning to listen to God’s voice to direct the passion of our desire.
We know that we have daily decisions to make regarding which tree to have a relationship with. The Tree of Life or The Tree of Knowledge. The Tree of Life centers on knowing God intimately, relationally, and through His written Word. We therefore make decisions knowing His will for us. The other is The Tree of Knowledge and desiring to be independent of God in our decisions regarding good and evil. Obviously having a relationship with the Tree of Life allows us to express our intimate covenant relationship with God through the Holy Spirit!
In HIs Love,
