Know Your Tools

Tools are very important. Sometimes it is an issue of not recognizing a tool as a tool.

“Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae.”

New research, now published in the Journal of Neuroscience, looks into the similar mechanisms that the brain deploys to “autocorrect” and recognize spoken words.

Researcher Laura Gwilliams — from the Department of Psychology at New York University (NYU) in New York City and the Neuroscience of Language Lab at NYU Abu Dhabi — is the first author of the paper.

Prof. Alec Marantz, of NYU’s departments of Linguistics and Psychology, is the principal investigator of the research.

Gwilliams and team looked at how the brain untangles ambiguous sounds. For instance, the phrase “a planned meal” sounds very similar to “a bland meal,” but the brain somehow manages to tell the difference between the two, depending on the context.

The researchers wanted to see what happens in the brain after it hears that initial sound as either a “b” or a “p.” The new study is the first one to show how speech comprehension takes place after the brain detects the first sound.The study revealed that a brain area known as the primary auditory cortex picks up the ambiguity of a sound just 50 milliseconds after onset. Then, as the rest of the word unravels, the brain “re-evokes” sounds that it had previously stored while re-evaluating the new sound.

After around half a second, the brain decides how to interpret the sound. “What is interesting,” explains Gwilliams, “is the fact that [the] context can occur after the sounds being interpreted and still be used to alter how the sound is perceived.”

“[A]n ambiguous initial sound,” continues Prof. Marantz, “such as ‘b’ and ‘p,’ is heard one way or another depending on if it occurs in the word ‘parakeet’ or ‘barricade.'”

The brain uses its 'autocorrect' feature to make out sounds (medicalnewstoday.com)

The brain is a very powerful tool. How our brain works is simply amazing. This is one amazing tool that I feel we will not truly understand until we see Him face to face in Glory.

God has used many different things as tools at different times in the Bible.

Exodus 4:2 ESV

The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.”

God used a staff to preform miracles. There was nothing special about staff. It was not a sacred or spiritual object, but a tool God used at a specific time.

Judges 6:34 ESV

But the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him.

God used a trumpet to summon for war. There was nothing special about this trumpet except God used it for that time and that purpose.

This building has been used as many things over the years. A livery stable, model-t car dealership, hardware store, and now a church. This has not become a holy and sacred place because of a sign on a door designating this as a church. This has become a house of worship because the presence of the Lord is here. This is a tool God is using to reach our community.

God has given us tools and it is paramount that we use them. I have said many times that Jesus Christ has laid at our feet all the tools we need to be successful Christians. But what good is it to talk about how wonderful these tools are if we do not what they are or how to use them. So the Lord really laid on my heart about a series which goes through these tools laid out in scripture.

Philippians 4:6 ESV

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

It is very important for us to have an open communication with the Father. We cannot use the tools correctly if we do not communicate.

Psalm 119:105 ESV

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

The Word has everything we need to utilize our tools. Sometimes we have see the tool but we do not know how to use it correctly. Sometimes it is a case of using the right tool at the wrong time.

Demonstrations

The Armour of God

Ephesians 6:14–17 ESV

Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

The armour is definitely a major part of our tools. It is very important to be suited up. I am not going to spend much time on this because it has been covered a lot. As important as this is, the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit get neglected a lot. These are very important because these will all be put together to develop our divine nature.

The Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22–23 ESV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

The Gifts of the Spirit

1 Corinthians 12:8–10 ESV

For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

Developing the Divine Nature

2 Peter 1:5–8 ESV

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Conclusion:

It is God’s will for us to live an overcoming life. A life full of freedom from sin and fulfillment in the riches of God’s mercy and grace. We are meant to have a powerful mind and a servants heart just like Jesus. These things are not natural. You were not born with them. These come from utilizing the tools we have been given. Maybe you have not used the tools correctly or not at all. Maybe you have not made Jesus your Lord and Saviour so these have not been a part of your life. Great news. Today is your day.

Jesus has already done the hard part and He makes it as easy as knowing your A, B, C’s.

A - Acknowledge

Romans 3:23 ESV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

B - Believe

Acts 16:31 (ESV)

And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.”

C - Confess

Romans 10:9–10 ESV

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.