Michaela Teaching A Bible Lesson
I do not know who this young girl is. This picture was found on Photobucket along with the caption. I wonder if she is teaching a class from church. Maybe she is teaching her brothers and sisters at home. What I do know is that she is following the commandent of Christ to reach out to others with the Word of God. Don’t you think this is a beautiful picture, this young girl, with a Bible in her hands, speaking forth, prophesying the Word? I do.
So, what are we doing? I mean as Christians, what are we doing for Christ? We banter back and forth and go on and on defending our pet theological positions, but what is being accomplished for the kingdom of God?
Some go to church on Sundays and think they have fulfilled their religious duty for the week, and because of their attendance on that one day a week, they think are OK with God. Nothing really happens through the rest of the week. Do they read their Bibles daily, pray and submit their life to God….? What about telling others about Jesus. Witnessing is probably one the hardest things for a lukewarm Christian to do….and why is it so hard? It shouldn’t be.
When you love the Lord, you have a joy in your heart, even in trials and hardships. It should become natural for us to share this with others. The Holy Spirit gives us the words to speak and the tools necessary to do His will … so what is the difficulty here? Obedience to His Word? An uncommitted life? Unregeneration? Submission? Sin? It is probably a mixture of all these things that prevent us from going out into the world and revealing with our mouths the glory of God. But emphasis may be placed on the latter.
“Oh, but I witness by being a good Christian and living a good life”, you may say. “People can see by my example that God works in my life.” This may be the case but your good example does not get someone else saved, unless they hear the Gospel. There are many good people out their doing “good works” but this won’t save them or anyone else for that matter. Good works without faith is empty. I read about all the works of the great humanitarians and wonder what their mindset is. Do they pat themselves on the back thinking, “Chalk one up for me and the good guy in the sky”….Do we do the same? Remember our good works are like filthy rags in the sight of God. Even in best good intentions are fulled with motives that are tinged with pride and selfishness.
Lets take a look at words of Jesus right before He left this world and ascended to be at the right hand of the Father where He resides today.
Mark 16:15-16
Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Matthew 28:19-20
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
According to these verses whoever does not believe will be condemned and it is our responsibility to preach the good news of what Jesus did for us so that we can have eternal life. After that believers are to be baptized and taught to obey the teachings of Jesus. Can we do this? Of course we can, Jesus tell us that He is with us till He returns.
About 3 years ago during the lecture at Bible Study our teaching leader stated, “You know that you are now being trained for your own personal ministry.” At first this went over like a lead balloon with me. I did not want to hear this, but the same statement was repeated again shortly thereafter. This time there was not a sinking feeling but instead there was a realization that the Holy Spirit was working in me. The time had come to consider what my personal ministry involved and I began to pray about it.
The plan that God has for the Christian today is not different than the believers of the first century. The command of the Great Commission is the same for all time. This command is for every believer. So, I had to ask myself… am I making anyone a disciple of Jesus? Am I teaching anyone to obey the words of the Lord Jesus Christ? What was my answer? No..not one.
As we can see from the above verses, Jesus is not talking just about missionaries who go abroad, or just pastors or ministers. He is talking about ALL believers. I know what you are thinking….I am afraid. But consider Matthew 28:18:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Then add, ” And surely I am with you always.”
As a believer you are set aside for the use of God. You have the Holy Spirit at conversion and are born again. There is a profound awareness of the Spirit which gives us the confidence that we belong to Him. Romans 8:16 says:
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”
As a child of God please share the blessings and the truth that you have found in your own life. Think back and try to remember who told you about Jesus Christ….A preacher? A relative? A friend? It was someone speaking and teaching the Word of God.
So Jesus is with us. He indwells us through the Holy Spirit. He gives the words to speak, the strength to do His work, and the courage to go boldly and proclaim His glory. He is the great enabler, and I know this so very well because this mouse of a person, who has no words, who has no courage, and is usually trapped by fear, has been able to do and say things that are certainly not of or from myself.
As one who relies on Christ to empower and enable, the promise of His drawing near is sweet and amazing as He fulfills the promise, “I am with you always.”
There is a condition though….please desire to be a clean channel for the Lord to work through. Sin separates us from God and repentance draws us back to Him. Where there is unconfessed sin of yesterday there is no power for today. Until that sin is named and confessed you will have grieved the Holy Spirit and therefore you will not have any true spiritual power. While the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within the believer, it is possible that we are not always walking in the Spirit as commanded.
Too many times, formulas, or phrases weaken our prayers, and these mouthed words have no meaning. So pray ernestly, asking for forgiveness, giving praise and thanksgiving. Then come to Him with your petitions. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with His power for your servanthood. Know that it is nothing of your own making that will change the lives of others. Only God has the power to change lives.
As you spread the word remember the Parable of Sower. There are four different soils that the seed, the Word, lands on. It is not your concern of what type of soil the Word lands on, but just that the seed is spread.
So what is your decision? Who can you tell about Jesus? A friend, a co-worker, a relative? God will point them out to you. He will give you the words.
Rely and trust in the Lord, and He will do the rest.
15 comments
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June 19, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Lee
Am I teaching anyone to obey the words of the Lord Jesus Christ? What was my answer? No..not one.
Kim, I disagree with you here. This blog itself challenges leaders to look at things they may not have thought to look at before. It’s done that to me. And, in so doing, I look these things up in the Word. “Making disciples” means making followers. The word ‘disciples’ is actually translated as ‘teachers’ in the KJV. From the Greek ‘matheteuo’ it means:
1) to be a disciple of one
a) to follow his precepts and instructions
2) to make a disciple
a) to teach, instruct
So, I believe (and I’m open to reproof or rebuke here) that while we are to make new believers, of course, another part of the Great Commission is to help believers grow.
Additionally, another way to get the Gospel out is to support missionaries who are actually doing it full time in place of a job whether for a week or two or indefinitely.
June 19, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Lee
leaders = readers above
June 19, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Lee
Now I see why you choose the new avatar!
June 19, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Kim
Lee,
Thank you for your kind words. But really i wasn’t doing a darn thing till last year.
I started praying and asking the Lord to use me. I prayed for truth. Then in late 2006, i was reaching for the door handle of my car after bible study, when i was called into the discernment ministry. I attended a seminar put on by Discernment-Ministries (top researchers of IHOP) in Florida. Somehow i got this blog started…which is amazing in itself because i am dyslexic and have a hard time typing.
Then last year, i was asked to be a childrens leader in Bible study…I did not want to do this….i had never worked with children before…but what a blessing it has turned out to be. Now i was just asked to teach Sunday School.
The Lord needs and will use willing workers.
I am a mouse powered by the Holy Spirit.
June 19, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Mary B
Kim,
Kudos to Lee. He is absolutely right. I have learned alot and grown do to this blog. I really shutter to think where I would be and who I would be listening to had it not been for this blog.
I do find this particulr post very convicting. I will be seeking the Lord on how he can use me and to help me break out of my daily routine.
June 19, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Lee
Perhaps tangential to my first comment above re: making disciples by teaching instrucing:
Today I went to a local Christian Bookstore in search of some commentary. During my search two ladies came in and one mentioned a devotional which apparently uses Eugene Peterson’s The Message paraphrase. I’ve recently done a very small amount of research on this; and, I did not like what I saw. Here’s the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ from Matthew:
“Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best –
As above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you
and forgiving others.
Keep us safe
from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!”
OK, to me “reveal who you are” and “hallowed be your name” [NIV] say very different things. Recognizing God and praising him as Holy is WAY different than saying ‘reveal who you are.’ But, that is by far not the worst part.
“As above, so below” is an occultic phrase used in ritual magick! So, why on earth would Peterson paraphrase “Your kingdom come, Your will be done” as this? Or, more to the point why would an occultic phrase be used in the Holy Bible at all except perhaps to warn of its dangers?
This is also used in pantheism, panentheism, and, of course, New Age teachings among others. See article here:
http://www.frbaptist.org/bin/view/Ptp/PtpTopic20080311121823
June 19, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Lee
OK, this is what happens when I get distracted! I did not finish my thoughts as I was interrupted by a phone call.
Alright, back to the ladies in the store. I wanted to speak up and say something and nearly did; but, as they walked away, I put the thought out of my mind. A copy of a parallel of The Message/NIV caught my eye before I left that area. I walked away, picked up my commentary, paid for it at the counter and went out to my car. But, I felt troubled in my spirit; so, I knew I had to go back in the store.
I found the ladies a few aisles away from where The Message bibles and other materials using this paraphrase were. I asked them if I could speak to them and they agreed and followed me back to the area they were looking earlier.
I picked up the parallel and showed them the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ and mentioned the occultic nature of ‘As above, so below.’ When I had mentioned the fact that that phrase was occultic, they both looked at me rather strangely as if I didn’t know what I was talking about or something. I suggested they look it up themselves rather than rely on me — someone they don’t know. The one lady got defensive and said something to the effect of “God knows my heart” and I’m thankful for “His Grace.” They didn’t receive it well at all. However, I know I did my part. Hopefully, they’ll look it up later.
June 19, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Kim
Lee,
I am so glad you went back and talked to those ladies….you may have shocked them though…i know about that phrase and it is occultic. I have heard it used to justify kingdom building here on earth and i think this phrase also implies what you mentioned earliert, pantheism. All is one.
June 19, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Kim
Mary, the learning goes both ways…sometimes i just post and wait and see what you guys teach me…..
June 19, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Mary B
I saw a bumper sticker the other day with “As above, so below” and I was wondering if that person had any idea the meaning of that statement.
Lee, as a catholic I said the Lord’s prayer many many times and it had no significance to me. Shortly after I became a believer, my pastor did a sermon on the Lord’s prayer. And one of the things that really stood out was “Holy be Thy name” and what that meant, and I really began to get it -as if I had heard the Lord’s prayer for the first time.
I agree, you can’t change the wording. Reveal yourself is not the same as proclaiming God is Holy- His name is Holy.
Kim, I used to teach 4-6th grade sunday school. I havent really done anything for 15 years since. But last week my husband and I after many years of prayer just got informal custody of my 7 yr old niece. She is now going to be living with us. This is really good news. And she wants to come to church with us.
June 19, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Mary B
I meant 17 year old niece.
June 19, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Kim
Mary,
You saw a bumper-sticker that said “As above, so below”? Wow, i think that is really weird….but i guess i shouldn’t be surprised.
That is great news that your niece is coming to live with you. I know of the concerns you have had and she will be in good hands now. God answers prayer.
June 20, 2008 at 7:54 am
Mary B
Yes,
I recently found out that her other aunt who has legal custody against my niece’s objections is into Oprah’s miracle teachings. She also has crystals and apparently is a new ager. arrgg.
July 2, 2008 at 2:25 am
Caron
Amen, Kim, and YES! I love this picture! I pray I see my daughter in a picture like this (better in person) 🙂 as I attempt to raise her in the hear and admonition of the Lord!!! How precious in His sight!
Thanks for the picture and the article you wrote with it! Justin and I were just talking about this the other day… You must do both! “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” And, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every nation.”
God bless you,
Caron
December 12, 2012 at 11:11 pm
Tomis the Cat
“Think back and try to remember who told you about Jesus Christ…
A preacher? A relative? A friend? It was someone speaking and teaching the Word of God !”
That’s right, Kim ! Thank you very much for your excelent article that you have posted here ! May God bless you and keep you in His grace ! 🙂