April 22 – Following the Teaching

“When I was a son to my father, tender and the only son in the sight of my mother, Then he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live;” – Proverbs 4:3-4 (NASB)

Remember the manner we were taught the ways of life by our parents when we were very young? Our parents taught us what they had learned from their father and mother and life experiences. In our verses today Solomon spoke of this boyhood training when his parents King David and Bathsheba would teach him. He was then their only child, though later he had three brothers. In verse four Solomon quotes his father David and will continue the quote through verse nine. Solomon is was passing the instruction he received from his father to his sons (v.1). Solomon knew the importance of the sound teaching as he had received. The admonition to let “your heart hold fast my words” might be also said as “obey my words wholeheartedly.” That is what we want our children to do when we teach them. That is what God wants us to do when He teaches us. Keeping the commandments of God and loving Him with all our heart is the way to live in righteousness before Him. When we heed this teaching and the rest of this passage, we find and receive great value in understanding and observing God’s commandments.

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September 27- Each and Every Day

“The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.”  Isaiah 50:4 (ESV)

The Word from the Bible which we have today is a testimony of the prophet Isaiah.  We do know that God did give this prophet many messages to deliver to His people of that day.  And, we believe that God spoke to Isaiah about personal matters as well.  We are taking this verse today and applying the promise to ourselves.  An experience like this would not be only for special people like Isaiah but for all who know God.  We all can be used by God to give words of encouragement to those who are weary.  We also believe that God gives us messages when we awaken in the morning.  He has so much to teach us in our Christian lives and He want to teach us every day.  He knows first what each one of us needs to learn each day.  So, let's turn our ears and our hearts to Him and be willing to be taught by Him each and every day. 

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May 7 – Taught and Learned

“It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.” John 6:45 (NASB)

These words recorded in the Gospel of John were spoken by Jesus, the Son of God who came into this world from heaven.  While he lived on earth, He went about about teaching many about the wonderful truth of God and Himself.  Jesus knew that God the Father was also engaged in teaching people.  God the Father was preparing people to come to Jesus to hear more. We recognize that God is our great teacher. He teaches us  in so many different ways.  He has been teaching us through our experiences this past week so that today we will come close to Jesus and let Him be our friend. As we read our Bible or hear teachers and preachers read it and teach us from it, let remember that these are the ways for God to teach us what He wants us to know.  

February 1 – Learn and Share

“O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.” Psalm 71:17 (ESV)

In this psalm, the psalmist is looking backwards – he is likely in his elder years.  These words are an expression of confidence in God as he looks over past experience. He first praises God for teaching him truths that he needed to learn. This teaching began for him in his younger days. That may be your experience too. No matter how young or how old you are today, you can look back on the lessons God has taught you and you can thank Him. The psalmist could also testify that he had told others about the marvelous ways God had helped him. I trust that we all can give that same testimony. This is a wonderful privilege we have – the promise that God has taught us and we can tell others what God has done for us. Today, let us all thank God for what He has taught us and is teaching us and be faithful to share that with others.

June 14

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”  Luke 10:41-42 (NIV)

These are words Jesus spoke to Martha when she became irritated at her sister Mary for not helping her with household duties. Mary had been so attentive to what Jesus was teaching. She sat at His feet listening and was taking it in. Is this the way we react when we hear Jesus’ words? When we have an opportunity to read or hear His word taught, are we open to what He is telling us? We can miss it if we allow other things – even good things to distract us. Jesus said that Mary had chosen what is better and it will not be taken away.