Tag Archive | teacher

Swimming Lessons

Have you ever noticed that children only lose one tooth at a time? Old teeth must go to make room for new arrivals; for there will be tougher things to chew in life, but if they lost them all at once there would be no eating.

Do you see why I take you a step at a time?

You still have to eat!

If I took you into the deep too quickly, you would lose the ability to function in the natural world and you wouldn’t yet have learned to swim.

Just as kids learn to chew a little at a time–I’ll take you deeper a tooth at a time.

And

Just as the child keeps ‘working’ that tooth, I want you to get to work on your process. Pay attention when the tooth begins to loosen–you’re about to get something bigger to chew on, but first, we must get that baby tooth out.

I’ll take you into the deep.

One tooth at a time…

I’ll teach you to swim.

“–for every one who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their faculties trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.” Hebrews 5:13-14

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30

“A disciple is not above his teacher, but every one when he is fully taught will be like his teacher.” Luke 6:40

“And have you forgotten the exhortation which addresses you as sons?–“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by him. For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers to discipline us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time at their pleasure, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:5-11

“The earth, O Lord, is full of thy steadfast love; teach me thy statutes! Thou has dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in thy commandments.” “Thy hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments. Those who fear thee shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in thy word.” Psalms 119:64-66, 73-74

“Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God; consider the outcome of their life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings; for it is well that the heart be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited their adherents.” Hebrews 13:7-9

“Obey your leaders and submit to them; for they are keeping watch over your souls, as men who will have to give account. Let them do this joyfully, and not sadly, for that would be of no advantage to you.” Hebrews 13:17

“My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of honeycomb are sweet to your taste. Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” Proverbs 24:13-14

“If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you be sated with it and vomit it.” Proverbs 26:16

Lavish Spending

Mar12

Anoint Me to be of service to you.

It is a hard thing for you to consider–Me serving you, but that is what prayer does it–

Enlists My service
Calls upon My help
Sets Me to act on your behalf

I AM not appalled at this–I crave it!

I want you to seek Me out–daily, hourly, whatever you can spare. But I AM most pleased when you are not ‘sparing’ time for Me, but ‘spending’ time with Me.

Freely and lavishly spending your time on Me.

I came to serve and to teach you to walk in My footsteps–to follow My example. So pray–actively and seek to enlist My active response.

I AM listening

I AM at your service, even as you are all about mine.

“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper, laid aside his garments, and girded himself with a towel. Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded.” Jn. 13:3-5

“When he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and resumed his place, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” Jn. 12-16

“–whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matt. 20:26-28

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.” Jn. 14:12-14

“For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those that do evil.” I Pet. 3:12

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.” Jn. 15:7-8

The Extra Mile

Mar10

Clamor and evil speaking must cease. For if you are willing to follow Me, then you must be willing to think like Me; speak like Me. In loving your neighbor as yourself you submit to that person’s heart, conceding that you will care for it as your own; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cares for it.

Will you…

Go the extra mile to care for the heart of a friend?

How about the heart of one you don’t even know?

I created him too, will you love him even as you love Me? I expect this from you, just as you expect Me to care for you…

And I do

Oh, I really do–care for you!

“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” I Jn. 1:5-7

“A disciple is not above his teacher, but every one when he is fully taught will be like his teacher.” Luke 6:40

“For no man ever hates his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.” Eph. 5:29-30

“Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.” I Cor. 10:24

“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves; let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to edify him.” Rom. 15:1-2

“Make love your aim–” I Cor. 14:1a