What is the point of gaining more knowledge than needed if one is not able to teach what one has learned?
~ The Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 2 Timothy 2:24 NIV ~
It doesn't appear that teaching is a "gift." Teaching must be of one's own will. It doesn't come with the package of life. Teaching is not part of the sinful nature. Teaching is a form of reproduction, which was one of the first and last commandments - to reproduce, make disciples, multiply, etc. Therefore, it can be inferred that teaching is godly, if teaching the Truth. Reproduction is important; if it did not exist, no more generations, hence death.
Jesus Christ, forgive me for the sin of lust for knowledge in my life. Teach me how to teach the Truth, which I have learned from You, to others. I want to be useful.
Things have been intense lately. It's all the more encouraging though. I know I'm taking new steps out, inviting my new friends to Bible studies, listening to people who need an ear, etc. Satan attacks me so much. The devil can have that credit, because he deserves to have the bad credit. I'm protected by my dear Rock, Jesus, the Christ of my life and the whole world. This last week, I almost decided to go to a gay bar. But with it being a struggle of mine, my lesbian friend whom I consider my mentor and helper in this, advised me to not go. She paralleled it to the eating of the fruit in the Garden. Eve longed to know more, her eyes were definitely opened when she ate the fruit. Sometimes, ignorance is better. If I had gone to the gay bar, my eyes would have been opened, and a whole new level of the battle would have started. Thus God heard my prayer, "If I shouldn't go, don't let it happen." Well, it sure didn't anyway. My friend whom I was going with had some other issues going on, so it wouldn't have been worth it if we tried going anyway. The thoughts have not left. They slowed down to almost "zero" a while ago. Then they popped up again, so visciously, i think the temptation/thoughts were so obviously a spiritual attack. Homosexual thoughts are still a struggle for me. Maybe it will get easier in the winter, when girls wear more clothing on their body... idk. Anyways, the other night, when the thoughts kept coming to my mind like every minute (which is nowhere near normal), i started praying to God, because I didn't understand why they were coming at me so violently, and He answered the same answer that was from the beginning of this battle (earlier in the fall). He reminded me to "stand firm." God says that a lot in His word. But my original instruction is to stand firm as spoken in 2 Chronicles 20. It also says stand firm in several other places, especially in Eph 6, when it lists the armor of God that we should be wearing any day any time, to withstand the attacks. I was facing attacks Wed night very harshly. The Lord God has told me not to fight, but to stand firm, and I will see the deliverance that He would give me. Sure enough, I obeyed what I was instructed, and the thoughts became less. They still came, but less frequently.
Praise be to God, it is Jesus Christ who steps in and rescues me from the sinful nature of my mind. Romans 7:24ish
Alright so this song has been catching my attention lately.
"How great is our God, sing with me, how great is our God, and all will see how great, how great, is our God!"
I was enjoying the hill today on campus. I pushed play on my mp3 player to play this. I listened to it and laid back, looking up into the beautiful greenery against the partially cloudy sky, with the sun beaming through. It was beautiful. I raised my hand high and I was reminded of a NT verse as I sang along:
"When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 'Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!' Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, 'Teacher, rebuke your disciples!' Jesus replied, 'I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.' Luke 19:37-40
The song How Great Is Our God is a song of joining together to praise our God, to give Him the glory, as we sing together. 1 Peter: we are being built into a house. we are all stones, being built into one house. the foundation, the cornerstone, and the finishing piece, the capstone, is the very Lord who spoke the above words about stones to the Pharisees. we are the stones being built together for His praise!
Conclusion: I think stones are something cool to look into.
A. John 14:1 – “TRUST” 1. Do not LET your heart be troubled. 2. Trust in God. 3. Trust in Jesus. 4. Therefore, trust the Spirit of Him (the Spirit is how we know Jesus is God)
B. Psalm 19:14 – “MEDITATION” 1. Speaking good is based on good in the heart 2. Luke 16:45 – “out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” 3. Proverbs 7:2-3 – “keep commandments and live; write them on heart.”
C. Ephesians 6:17 – “SWORD” 1. Sword of the Spirit 2. Word of God = Sword 3. Genesis 3:24 - “He placed a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life.” a. Proverbs 4:23 - “The heart is the wellspring of life.” b. Hebrews 4:12 – “The Word of God is sharper than a double-edge sword.”4. Jeremiah 31:33 – “I will write my law on their hearts.” a. Relates to B. 3. above b. Symbolizes the intimate, pure fellowship we once had with Him in the Garden.
D. Zechariah 4:6 – “SPIRIT” 1. Not power 2. Not might 3. Galatians 5:22-26 – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
E. Conclusion 1. John 4:24 – “God is Spirit.” 2. John 1:1 – “God is the Word.” 3. Spirit = Sword = Word 4. Spirit + Word --> Sword 5. Trust the Spirit/Word (A. 4.) 6. The Spirit/Sword/Word guards the heart.
F. Extra Related Verses 1. Psalm 119:11 2. Psalm 119:30 3. Ezekiel 36:26-27
These battles are not ones I chose. Yes, I walked into them knowing my faith would be strengthened. (Even as I am typing this, this is the time in the heat of the battlefield, where things are being blown and tossed around crazily.) I hope I share with you that giving up is not an option for me. Faith doesn't let 'giving up' exist. However, being a human/mortal, there are such things that hinder that potential.
I am currently faced with some situations. Though I don't understand them, I pray and constantly hope that the greater good of these happenings is being played out to its maximum goodness. What is happening I have learned that I do not have control over anything except my action of obedience. I can choose to pursue what my mind lays out as best, but having higher ones above me saying I shouldn't take those paths, keeps me seated where I am. If things were under my care only, which they full-well are not, I would do the exact opposite of what has been asked of me, which I have been doing.
This particular situation, I am scared, is weakening what is out there for me to benefit. I know full well, and have prayed many times about this, that I still have a purpose in being around. I have prayed to God and asked Him to take me unless I can be used. Call this spiritual-assisted suicide, or something of the like, if you will, but I believe when my body dies, my life mission is over. (I am just visiting Earth, if you want to look at it that way. My body is a gift from God - a suit - so evil gravity does not separate my masses.)
Anyways, this situation saddens me because, out of obedience to my 'authorities', I must do what 'goes against the grain' in my mind. Now, becoming helpless, as a contributor to this situation (meaning I am unable to contribute my say), I can only voice to God what I perceive as happening. I perceive this situation as a battlefield and the enemy might currently be advancing too much. This frightens me.
It is not honorable to God to revolt against the authority over me, therefore I feel I am not allowed to have a say. It is not honorable to God to fight at this point, being reminded of the psalm "be still" and in the exodus "I will fight for you." I find it 'going against the grain' within me to sit back and watch something happen that has not proved itself to be good or worthy [yet].
Overall, yes I am praying for nothing but good to result from this change. I think because the whole issue hasn't resolved yet, that leaves the feeling inside me kind of 'on edge', thus the helpless feeling of 'going against the grain within me'.
When you are face to face with a situation you can't do anything to help, no matter how much money you have or what abilities you were set with in life, there is nothing you can do to help the unfortunate in front of you. If that extreme chance has happened to you, you and I both know (hopefully), that the passion inside of us is an overwhelming amount - nothing God intended. When all possibilities of help have been exhausted - (visualize this) you collapse to the ground in front of a pure shining light, 'help' is on your mind, but you are speechless, not even tears, the situation has transformed to that of a burden on your back, and you want to lift this burden from you to the Eternal, who can help, but you are helpless to the point you cannot get the burden off your back, but the Eternal is there to offer help. But that's the deal, He only offers it until you take the deal - then He completes His part of the deal.
In that visual picture, if you chose to get the help needed, the burden is lifted. However, the situation/battle was never given up on. Only the burden of helping the unfortunate shifted. Before I give up, I want to make sure that I have enough strength/faith to hand it over to the one who CAN help, and will. If I don't give it up, it isn't my situation to have the problem vanish and no longer be a burden. The Eternal can only control that. The burden, still on me, would wear me down, naturally; it will weaken me and eventually rot me. A burden does not give up. Humans choose to surrender to that enemy sometimes rather than giving it to the Eternal.
Giving up on a helpless situation is not an option. Giving up a situation to the Eternal is an option, and, from my experience, is the better option (opposed to keeping it on oneself).
"Be strong and work, for I am with you," says the Lord your God.
Haggai 2:4
See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides Me. I put to death and bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of My hand.
Deuteronomy 32:39
God comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
2 Corinthians 1:4
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28
Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
Luke 9:62
The joy of the Lord is your strength.
Nehemiah 8:10
They who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength... they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31
Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Therefore the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring - not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.
Romans 4:3,16
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Colossians 3:14
In Him we are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.
Ephesians 2:22
On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised. Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, "Live!" I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew up and developed and became the most beautiful of jewels. Your breats were formed and your hair grew, you who were naked and bare. Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness, I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine. I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. You were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. Your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign Lord.
Ezekiel 16:4-14
