Faith

Having a Teachable Heart

March 22, 2018 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  
Then you will know the truth and the truth shall set you free.   John 8:31-32

I have to admit that today was a bit of a struggle. But in that struggle, I came to, what to me is a startling conclusion. I’m becoming too settled in my ways. I’m becoming one of those older people who prefers to have things a certain way and doesn’t want them to change. GAH!!!! I need to stop that way of thinking. I need to remain open, with a teachable heart and spirit! No being a close-minded curmudgeon for me!!!!

The thing is, to avoid becoming such a person I have to make sure that I do hold to what is true and right. Not letting the winds of change give me any reason to doubt the veracity of what I know to be true. Truth must be held to but I must remain open to change that is just window dressing you know?

So how does one maintain a teachable heart?

It’s a hard question to answer in some ways. Which is silly you know? I think about my boy and how he heeds my words, how I can point him to a good resource, and show him a book. I can show him a youtube video or watch a lesson from Drive Thru History and hear “I never knew that before”. I hear words like “Mom, tell me if I’m wrong ________________________” and I can either say ‘yes, that’s right’ or ‘almost but think about _____________’ and occasionally ‘no’. He has a teachable heart.

Now I have a teachable heart. There are times my lad tells me something I didn’t know before and it’s like wow.. that’s cool Or I’m doing my devotions and discover a new truth and think..neat how nuggets of truth are sometimes just hidden away. So it’s not like a don’t have a teachable heart right?

What then IS a teachable heart?

Is it the willingness to go beyond knowing stuff? To be able to take knowledge and apply it in some way to your life, learning and position? Is that having a teachable heart? For instance, taking the knowledge that ants always work for the good of the colony (a lesson from my boy)… and remembering from scripture that God tells us to look to the ant in Proverbs 6 (a lesson from God). Putting those two bits together and thinking how as “ants” we should be looking to the betterment of the Christian Family and work diligently at it? Is that having a teachable heart? Is having a teachable heart realizing that just because words to my favourite hymns have been changed doesn’t make them bad or annoying… it’s just changing words to fit the times we are in? Is having a teachable heart mean accepting rebuke and letting that rebuke (assuming it’s an accurate one) change your perspective and heart and therefore your actions?

How does one foster a teachable heart?

As I think about what it means to have a teachable heart I have to consider how one gets from point a (learning) to point c (doing).

Point A needs to be a willingness to learn, to be taught, to listen to those who know something you don’t. God’s word is full of information I don’t know. Teachers in books and in school know information that I don’t. But if the willingness to learn isn’t there, the learning will come MUCH harder you know? No drive to learn, no push to remember right? It’s like a delayed doing a spelling program with my lad because he had NO desire to learn, he was content with where he was. But this year he wanted to learn spelling, and so that internal push has helped him immensely to learn to spell better which is very good.

Point B. Applying what you learn. Take my lad and his spelling. He asks how to spell a word and now if I ask him what would be at the end of a word with a long vowel.. he can fill that in. If he tells me something about his ants and asks a question I can usually answer it now because he talks and I listen because it’s important to him that I do. (do I really care that much about them???? honestly no..but I care about him so I learn and find ways to apply that knowledge that make him smile). Ants like crusty honey and dead insects! (So they now get the dead flies I run across). 🙂 Practical application is a great thing to do.

Point C accepting correction if the learning didn’t happen well. My son had a spelling list to go through today. He forgot that consonants are doubled at the end of a word if they have a vowel in front of them. I corrected him and his response was “oh right mom, I’ll remember that for tomorrow”. Acceptance of correction. When I get mad at someone for cutting me off in traffic and I feel that inner tug on my spirit… that’s correction. My change in perspective is my acceptance of that correction.

When it’s hard

I have to admit that sometimes it’s hard you know? Like when I feel the tug that I need to do something different…. like trying to get poetry published (it’s a goal.. just one poem this year in a magazine of some sort)…but Oh….stepping out of one’s comfort zone. I don’t want to. I want to stay in the safe “maybe I’m good enough” zone.. instead of stepping out into the possible rejection zone. Just not sure I want to make that leap you know? It’s hard.

When I recall a lady on the crew saying she carried a bag of stuff with her to give to homeless people. I feel a tug that perhaps I should do the same. But don’t because of the what ifs…what if that person rejects the offer? What if they only want cash and dump out the offering. It’s hard.

Should we let the hardness stop us? I tell my lad that just because it’s hard to learn something doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep trying. Perhaps the learning has to happen a different way. If you want it to happen though, it will. I need to take my own words to heart eh? To keep trying to learn new things (new blog anyone???) to not get stuck in my befuddlement and concern.

What’s the point?

The point is… learn. Keep learning. Keeping finding ways to apply what you learn. Keep working through your mess ups….because they will happen.

If God teaches you something from scripture… put it into practice, even if it’s hard. Find a way to hold to those truisms and don’t get locked into traditional ways of doing things. Take a risk with what you learn. It’s how we cement the knowledge gained.

So tell me, what steps do you take to maintain a teachable heart? What are you learning lately and have you figured out how to put it into practice?

John Bears Witness

March 21, 2018 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

Yesterday we saw who John was and what his business was, today we will see his job come to fruition. John 1:29-34.

²⁹The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ³¹I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” ³²And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. ³³I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” John tells what he knows about Christ. John 1:29-34

I wonder if John was shocked when he saw Jesus walking towards him that day? Remember John is intently aware that Jesus is so much greater than he is.

Regardless of what might have passed through his mind the first thing that came out of his month was “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” He immediately acknowledged Christ for who he is and told everyone around him. He then continued saying “ This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” John’s whole purpose eh? To let people know that Christ was here, revealing him to the people of Israel. Acknowledging Christ’s supremacy.

In the book of John we aren’t shown Jesus’ baptism, but it is alluded to. John saw the Spirit descend on him. He recalled being told that the one he saw this happen to would baptize with the Holy Spirit, unlike John who only baptizes with water. This knowledge led John to testify to what he knew. Jesus was the Son of God.

I read those words and you know what comes to mind?

Do I tell others what I know of the Lord? Do I speak to what I know to be true? It makes me wonder what stops me when I am talking to those in my sphere of influence. It’s not like I don’t know the truth of God, of the truth of Christ. So what stops me so often? Something I must ponder and come to terms with so it is no longer a hindrance to me.

Who is John the Baptist?

March 20, 2018 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

Yesterday we saw that Jesus is the light of the world. Today we’ll learn about John the Baptist and who he is.
For some reason BibleGateway wouldn’t let me copy text tonight so I grabbed an image instead.

These 8 verses tell us not only who John the Baptist isn’t, but also who he is.

John was a man busy baptizing people in Bethany across the Jordan. This of course got the Jewish leadership curious about him. Just who was this Jew who was baptizing people and to what end?

Therefore they sent out some priests and Levites to question him, asking “Who are you?” John quite freely admitted that he wasn’t the Christ.

Still intrigued they then asked “Are you Elijah? Are you the Prophet?” John answered them NO.

The priests and Levites needed an answer so John gave them one : “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

I can just imagine the Levites doing a head shake and thinking “say what?” 🙂 This guy makes no sense. He’s not Elijah, the prophet or the Christ… so why in the world is he baptizing people? They actually asked him that. John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

There are times I wonder what the leadership thought of that answer, we aren’t told in these verses. John was clear that his actions predated another who was greater than he. His baptism was merely of water. I’m guessing it started a rumour mill of speculation going… people are people regardless of when in time they are. Who could this greater one be? Someone greater than John was coming? What would he baptize with if water was used by someone insignificant?

John though was simply clear. He was not the Christ, or Elijah or The Prophet. He was just the guy who came before the other guy, the greater guy, the one that others didn’t know about yet, but who was coming. This was who John was.

John didn’t seek glory here did he? He didn’t build himself up, he showed his unworthiness.

Makes me stop and think eh? Do I toot my own horn? Do I want to make myself look important? I try not to eh? But sometimes it’s hard not to say SEE, see what I did here? It’s not our role though eh? Our role as believers is to keep pointing people to the one that comes after us, the one whose shoelaces we are not fit to untie. Have I shown anyone Christ today? I hope so, but I fear not. I was friendly with people, but did they know I did so because of Christ? Probably not. How to change this, right now I do not know. But John makes me think… how do I point people to the greater one?

Jesus: the Light of the world

March 19, 2018 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

I was all set this morning to start going through the Old Testament book of Zephaniah this morning, but the sermon I heard yesterday morning on John 12 had me thinking… maybe I should do the book of John instead? That thought resonated through my being, therefore, let us embark on the story of the Son of Man as told in the book of John. We start our look at John 1:1-18.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

John tells us clearly that in the beginning was the Word, going on to explain that the Word was with God and the Word was God. As we read through these next verses we will come to the understanding that the Word was Jesus. (see v14). The result is that we know that Jesus existed since the beginning of time, Jesus is separate from God and at the same time is God. Through Christ all things were made… isn’t that amazing to think about? I would not exist if it weren’t for Jesus. He is the source of life, he indeed is life. Without him nothing that lives would be around. Pretty big thought isn’t that?

In verse 4 we read this : in him was life, and the life was the light of men. When I read that verse I’m drawing back to one of my favourite forms of reading.. fantasy literature. A big theme in many of those books is the light and darkness that exist in different beings, and often the light that is in different people is attributed to a greater being. One of the things I have learned is that hidden within all peoples is the knowledge that God exists and that truisms from the bible can be found throughout the world. Isn’t it interesting how this truism comes out in fantasy as well? Anyways, seeing this truism in fantasy gives me a glimmer of what that means in the life of people. Some people will show forth the light that is within them well.. in fantasy, it is best seen in those that follow that greater being most closely. Don’t we see that in the lives of believers? Don’t believers show forth the light of life best?

This light that we show shines bright in the darkness around in, and darkness can’t beat back the light. It can’t stop the light from shining. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

This light as a witness. A man indeed sent by God by the name of John. He came to bear witness about the light. This man wasn’t the light, but came to point the way to the light. We know from other readings that John baptized Jesus. (see Matthew 3).

Now this light, was a true light, and gives light to everyone. I read “true light” and I automatically compare this light of a flashlight to the sun. There is NO comparison. Doesn’t matter the brightness of the flashlight, compared with the sun it’s nothing. Even the light of the moon which reflects the sun can make a flashlight unnecessary. Anyways, we are told in verse 9 that the light was coming in to the world, and in verse 10 that the light was in the world. We know the world was made through him, but like so many things, the world didn’t know him. He even came to his own people and his people didn’t know him, they didn’t receive him. This seems so sad to me. That he came and he simply wasn’t recognized. Imagine you create something and it acts like it doesn’t have the faintest clue about who you are?

And yet we get verse 12-13 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. We have the right to be called children of God!!!! Not because of our birth and or our determining, but only because of God’s determining.

This Word (Jesus) became a human and lived among us. John proclaims that we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. Sometimes I wish I could have been around when Jesus walked on the earth, to be able to have seen his transfiguration, to really see that glory. Reading it in the bible leaves that spot of distance you know? To be able to actually see the Lord though, especially if I knew what I know now. Able to hear his words and ask questions directly of him. It’s no wonder to me that John declared that Jesus, though he came after, came before and ranks higher than he.

But oh, from Jesus, from his fullness, all have received grace upon grace. Grace and truth through Jesus, not like the law from Moses. But grace and truth beyond measure. And Jesus, Jesus makes God known to us.

This word, made flesh, from the beginning of time, shows us God the Father.

There is so much in these verses that I can’t do it justice, at least that’s how I feel. It’s wonder you know? The knowing that Jesus has always been and that he came to earth to show us God the Father and to bestow so much grace upon us. He is the light that outshines any other light and is the source of the light we have within us.

Shine forth that light eh! Testify to the glory that is God! Oh I need to show this wonder to the world.

Wonderful, Merciful Saviour

March 18, 2018 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

We sang this song in church last week. I thought it was just a beautiful song.

I hope you think so too.

Provided Questions, Provided Answers

March 16, 2018 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

Provide

When I think of this word a number of ideas run through my mind. Things I struggle with right now … wanting a church where I will feel fed, yet… needing to meet the needs of my lad who attends Cadets at this church and needs boys he can grow up in the faith with, and a wonderful middle school group that discusses the sermon after church. I think about all the things I want to get done in the house before our move and feel tuckered out by physical limitations too often. I think of the grin on hubby’s face with a job granted him, even though it’s not the one he really wants (and is well suited for). I think of my bunnies and how I want to care well for them, and wondering how to best do that with an impending move. So many thoughts run through my brain. And then God reminds me that he has it already worked out. He moves, he builds faith.

Provided Questions, Provided Answers

The Lord 
  I want to know
  I need the answer
  What do I do?
  What do I pray for?
  How do I decide what the best course is?

Will provide  
  He tells me he will provide the answers.
  Hubby says one day at a time.
  I want to know now... 
  Worry sometimes floods my mind.
  My bunnies?
  My son's upcoming surgery?
  A part-time job...should I be looking?
  Hubby's long-term job outlook?
  
All my needs  
  He will meet them all.
  But I want it now! 
  I don't want time to sort it out.
  I don't want to wait for answers to be revealed.

According to  
  In time, in his way, according to HIS will.
  It's so hard to remember.
  To see the truism of this statement.
  My mind calls it out.  
  Answer my wonderings NOW Lord NOW!

His riches in Glory.
  Whose glory am I seeking?
  Am I looking to my own satisfaction?
  What is drawing me in?
  What worries do I need to face down?
  What faith do I have> 
  Will I allow it to be strengthened?

In Christ Jesus.
  Do I remember where my faith is founded?
  Am I looking for Christ daily?
  Where is God's glory based?
  I think in my heart... be still.
  I think in my heart... remember.
  Call yourself to order and remember
  Be sustained knowing that through this time
  God's glory needs be seen. 
  Have faith.  Be strengthened.

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

STOP

Come join us over at Miss Kate’s for Five Minute Friday. Five minutes to freewrite on a given word prompt. A time of encouragement and learning.

When God Does Things Differently

March 15, 2018 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. John 11:1-6

Jesus, Mary, Martha and Lazarus. People who loved each other. Mary, Martha and Lazarus knew that Jesus could do amazing things. Ergo, when Lazarus got rather ill they sent a message to Jesus. My guess is they hoped that Jesus would come and make Lazarus better.

But Jesus didn’t come. In fact he waited two days before he went to be with them. Jesus said that the illness wouldn’t end in death and would be the God’s glory in the end.

I wonder if his disciples thought that meant the Lazarus would die. That everything would turn out great. It’s hard to know right? We aren’t told in scripture what they thought. A person can wonder a bit. What we do know though is that Jesus didn’t do what was expected. Jesus tarried.

He had a reason, though he wasn’t explicit when he talked with the disciples, other than to say he died “and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe“.

11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

Honestly, if I had been in the disciples shoes I would have been very curious. How could the death of Lazarus affect my belief??

I can imagine the heart break of Mary and Martha though, knowing the Jesus was close enough to come, yet knowing that he didn’t. Seeing their brother die. How difficult that must have been for them.

I found it fascinating to read this sentence “So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. ” We’ve gone from Mary sticking close to Jesus wanting to learn from him to Martha going to Jesus while Mary stayed behind. Martha talking with Jesus, acknowledging that Jesus could have saved him…and then the joy of seeing Martha’s faith…knowing the Lazarus would be raised again.

Therefore we know that Martha at least knew that Jesus could have saved Lazarus, but he chose not to. He chose to tarry while Lazarus died.

For What Reason Could God tarry?

What do we do when we expect God to do something and it seems like he is just tarrying. Waiting to show up after it’s too late? How does one understand that?

We know that God’s plan was Lazarus’ illness end in his glory. The biggest realization we need to come to is that sometimes God has a good reason to tarry. It can be to show for his glory at a later date.
Jesus alluded to the fact that Lazarus’ death would increase their faith. This tells us that the Lord tarrying could be a matter of helping us by increasing our faith. Causing us to need to trust him all that more.
God’s ways are higher than our own. We can’t always tell why God acts as he does, but he always has a reason.

What can our response be?

What should our response be when it seems like God tarries?

Remember who God is, recall to mind what you know of God.
Remember a delay is not a denial. It’s just a waiting period.
Know that when God is ready, when the time is right, he will reveal what is meant to be.

Jesus met Mary and Martha where they were at. Seeing their pain and misery. Weeping along with them. When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept.

See when we are waiting, Jesus isn’t ignoring us. He knows where we are at. But look at what happens, see what happens next! He doesn’t leave us there. See look… look!

8 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

What do you think that did to Mary’s faith, Martha’s faith or the faith of the disciples? To see God in action like that? Wouldn’t it have just blown your mind? To see Lazarus walking out of that tomb in response to a call from the Lord Jesus Christ?

Now Jesus did challenge them to have faith, to believe him. He told them if they believed they would see the glory of God. AND THEY DID. They opened the tomb. They saw Lazarus walk out alive. Their faith was strengthened. The tarrying of the Lord had good reason.

Take heart! When the Lord tarries, there is good reason for it.

Faith

Having a Teachable Heart