Thursday, September 21, 2017

Is the WOOL blinding you from the NOISE? #JustBeingHere #Sin



How often do you take things for granted?

 
Maybe it is something you enjoy, like having a cell phone keeping you on track with just about everything in your life.

It could be your spouse who takes care of 100 things you may never even notice.

Your vehicle, your job, your home, your massive collection of Funko Pop! Characters ... No matter what it is we can become blind, deaf and dumb to it.

What about tradition, or habit? Is this taken for granted?

I think so... We get so used to a certain order of 'noise' in our lives and without it happening we may believe there is something wrong.

A book I read a while back deals with this kind of thing in various degrees and one of the more engrossing ones really stuck with me. It had to do with the mechanics of a post-apocalyptic silo.  The book is called "Wool" and the name is quite intentional as in the expression, "Pull the wool over one's eyes". 
You are going to need a little back story and I will do what I can to keep from spoiling anything as this series is quite an enjoyable read.
 
 
Like this, but bigger and deep in the ground
Imagine a post-Apocalyptic world where people are living in what is basically a massive bunker/fallout shelter called a 'Silo'.  Only a portion of the structure breaches the surface of the ground and deep within the depths there is machinery generating the power for all the people living in it.  The gears have been turning for an unknown amount of years, the people working in the area have long worn ear protection because of the constant noise of the machinery churning and turning. 

One of the maintenance workers sees an opportunity to do a little fixing up and pulls a few strings to have everything shut down for a short time so they can clean up and reset the gears.  The fix takes a while, keeping many people in the Silo with less or no power for a time.  They get the work done and the moment finally comes to have the system turned back on.

Everyone is holding their breath as the key is about to be turned to get the machines churning again.

 The key is turned and the tell tale signs of grinding and gears turning is not present what-so-ever.  

There is silence.  


They wait a moment ... but still nothing is heard, and just like if we had turned the key to our vehicles and received no response they move to turn the key again, but are stopped when someone comes running and telling everyone the machine IS running.
 
Come to find out, all the maintenance and resetting made the machine run so much better it was running completely silent.  They were amazed, they were proud, they were victims of 'taking things for granted' in such a way as to create a 'tradition', a noisy one to be sure, but it made them comfortable.
 
After reading this I knew it held a wonderful truth. No matter how much this 'noise' may seem to give you comfort by being in your life, it is actually a symptom of a root problem in the maintenance of your life.   

It is a cry, a grinding of the gears of your life - and that ... is NOT a good thing!
 
We always seem to bring up things which are actually beneficial to us as things 'taken for granted' but seldom try to root out the things we do that we shouldn't or are just unnecessary.

While lost in sin we are just like these people living in this silo, with worldly wool over our eyes ... or ears in their case, unaware of the impending destruction the choices we are making will have in our life, or afterlife more matter of fact.
 
There is a hope though, an assurance through the Holy Spirit.

 
--
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
Romans 8:12-13 (NIV)
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A change occurs within us - your desires begin to shift, your ears hear differently, your eyes see differently, but the old desires die hard.
 
--
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2 (NIV)
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The flesh will battle, it will do what it can to create dissonance.

--
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
Romans 7:14-20 (NIV)
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The sides at war?
 
The dissonant noise in one corner?
 
--
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21 (NIV)
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And the soothing sounds of proper gearing in the other?
 
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Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
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TiN RiP LA - is how it was taught to me when I was in youth group years ago and has stuck with me ever since.

The NOISE of sin in our lives CAN be beaten back!  The tuning fork of the word of God in conjunction with the Holy Spirit can be used to determine the sounds which should be produced in your life: Physical, Mental, and Spiritual.

Every step in the direction of Jesus reorders the gears to properly produce an orchestra of wonderful music, which is God's will for your life.

Seriously take a moment to ensure your life is properly geared!  Do not let the noise be your comfort, but take it as the warning it truly is and move towards the CHANGE which is needed!
 
There are not many people who begin to hear a change in their vehicle's engine and do nothing about it, but yet we do it in our own lives.
 
There must have been people in the Silo as the gears started to groan but they never stood up and made the changes to ensure the continual proper working of the system.
 
Do not let this happen to you!
 
You may feel like everything is fine, but be sure to be honest with yourself and look seriously within your spirit for these signs.  Are the things in Galatians 5 more prevalent, or are they the ones in Philippians 4?

 If it is the things mentioned in Galatians I urge you accept Christ, accept His sacrifice for your sins and let the WOOL from the Lamb of God cover you from the noise of "sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions  and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like."

If it is the things mentioned in Philippians I urge you to keep up your guard, to keep your life in tune with God's word.  As soon as you begin to hear the interference of sin move to reinstate the statutes of TiN RiP LA!
 
Is the WOOL blinding you from the NOISE? ... I hope so!
 
 
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