How God teaches

[marksman]

When one come to God to learn of Him, HE takes you right back to crawling, one must crawl before one can stand, one must stand before one can walk, and one must walk before one can run.

But who is willing to empty themselves of them selves to forget that 20 30 40 years of study to go to God and start form the beginning, because a vessel filled with mud has not place for God

Empty cup

When you come to the end of your self, than you will be teachable.

Who is willing??

Posts like this make me wonder what it is all about? It seems to me that the writer has started in the middle. Plus there is an accusative tone to the post that does not encourage people to investigate the issue.

On a personal note, I was prepared to empty myself of everything and begin at the BEGINING again because I was not happy about what I saw going on in the church. I delved into the word of God and books written by people who definitely knew what they were talking about. I sifted the wheat from the chaff to come up with a new understanding of who Jesus is and what the church should be.

What is people's response? 50/50. But there are some who get terribly offended with someone who has done the hard yards and searched the scriptures and come up with a different understanding to them. It is made even worse when you say you have done the study and been to university and Bible College to educate yourself in all sorts of ways. Their response is usually who do you think you are?

So let me tell those people who I am.
I am a person that God has blessed with an analytical mind that comes with being autistic.
One who will leave no stone unturned to gain facts that they are looking for.
One who is not ashamed of what they believe once they have come to a conclusion after vast amounts of study.
One who is not dismissive of other people's expertise and knowledge because they have been trained and taught in some of the finest educational institutions on earth.
One who is not as arrogant to say that what I say is true so you can go and take a running jump.
One who believes that no one has to believe anything I say, that is their personal choice.
One who believes the scripture that says there are not many teachers among you but when there is one, I want to hear everything they have to say. That is why I have a personal library of over 1,000 books. If you think that is a lot, I have a friend who has a personal Library of 7,000 books.
One who believes that but for the grace of God go I so I do not claim any particular knowledge other than that which God shows me.
One who was a failure at school so any knowledge is not mine to boast. It is a work of the Holy Spirit.
One who as I get older I have become more dependent on the Holy Spirit for guidance even in little day to day things.

 

[mjrhealth]

That is why I have a personal library of over 1,000 books

I have none, Just Jesus.

 

[Davy]

When one come to God to learn of Him, HE takes you right back to crawling, one must crawl before one can stand, one must stand before one can walk, and one must walk before one can run.

But who is willing to empty themselves of them selves to forget that 20 30 40 years of study to go to God and start form the beginning, because a vessel filled with mud has not place for God

Empty cup

When you come to the end of your self, than you will be teachable.

Who is willing??

God does the calling, not man. And to think that God is not able to impart His Truth by The Holy Spirit very quickly into one He has called and chosen is the false applying of man's limitations to God Himself.

 

[icxn]

...Empty cup

When you come to the end of your self, than you will be teachable.

Who is willing??

The 'empty your cup story' is a very well known Zen* Koan:

Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!" "Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"​

As for how God teaches, there's actually an apt Koan for it, too:

Many Zen pupils were studing meditation under the Zen master Sengai. One of them used to arise at night, climb over the temple wall, and go to town on a pleasure jaunt. Sengai, inspecting the dormitory quarters, found this pupil missing one night and also discovered the high stool he had used to scale the wall. Sengai removed the stool and stood there in its place. When the wanderer returned, not knowing that Sengai was the stool, he put his feet on the master's head and jumped down into the grounds. Discovering what he had done, he was aghast. Sengai said: "It is very chilly in the early morning. Do be careful not to catch cold yourself."

The pupil never went out at night again.​

In other words, God teaches us with great gentleness (John 8:10-11).

_____
* I do not endorse Zen. I only recognize that butterflies can often find nectar even in bramble bushes.

 

[mjrhealth]

God does the calling, not man. And to think that God is not able to impart His Truth by The Holy Spirit very quickly into one He has called and chosen is the false applying of man's limitations to God Himself.

No one said He couldnt, but one must be willing to hear, and so few are.

 

[dev553344]

When one come to God to learn of Him, HE takes you right back to crawling, one must crawl before one can stand, one must stand before one can walk, and one must walk before one can run.

But who is willing to empty themselves of them selves to forget that 20 30 40 years of study to go to God and start form the beginning, because a vessel filled with mud has not place for God

Empty cup

When you come to the end of your self, than you will be teachable.

Who is willing??

I don't think this applies to everyone. Some already walk as God wants, others not so well.

 

[marksman]

I have none, Just Jesus.

Yes, I used to be proud of being ignorant.

 

[DPMartin]

Who is willing??

most don't period. if you belong to the Lord its usually a case were He lets your circumstances and or situation bring you to were you become pliable in His hand. when you are crying out for mercy you're where you just might need to be.

 

[mjrhealth]

Yes, I used to be proud of being ignorant.

Yes many study all there lives and never find Christ, He is a stumbling block to many. If knowing Christ is ignorance I hate to think what mens wisdom is.

 

[marksman]

Yes many study all there lives and never find Christ, He is a stumbling block to many. If knowing Christ is ignorance I hate to think what mens wisdom is.

I can't help you there because I never said knowing Christ is ignorant.

 

[mjrhealth]

I can't help you there because I never said knowing Christ is ignorant.

Thats the problem with the learned cant help anyone.

 

[Rita]

I have loads of books, but I look upon them as testimonies to what the Lord has said and done through others who have equally been open to learning. I have some friends who say they only read the bible, but I would rather hear what the Lord is doing in other people’s lives in the here and now as well.
As long as I am growing in Christ, as long as I a can look back and see spiritual growth and more evidence of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, then I see learning.
Different people learn in different ways , Marksman says he has an analytical mind, well I have a reflective one. God will work with us as individuals. We have personal relationships with the Lord, so I figure he knows that it’s not a case of ‘ one glove fits all ‘ and I am grateful for that.

You know you can empty things at different speeds and in different ways........

Rita

 

[mjrhealth]

I have loads of books, but I look upon them as testimonies to what the Lord has said and done through others who have equally been open to learning. I have some friends who say they only read the bible, but I would rather hear what the Lord is doing in other people’s lives in the here and now as well.
As long as I am growing in Christ, as long as I a can look back and see spiritual growth and more evidence of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, then I see learning.
Different people learn in different ways , Marksman says he has an analytical mind, well I have a reflective one. God will work with us as individuals. We have personal relationships with the Lord, so I figure he knows that it’s not a case of ‘ one glove fits all ‘ and I am great full for that.

You know you can empty things at different speeds and in different ways........

Rita

Might be so, but God can take a lifetime to begin to even 1/4 full the cup, if people are not willing to listen, and few are willing to listen to Him.

 

[Rita]

Might be so, but God can take a lifetime to begin to even 1/4 full the cup, if people are not willing to listen, and few are willing to listen to Him.

You are presuming that God is not part of the time period. When we come to Christ we have baggage, some more than others, some are fortunate to heal instantly but not everyone. That baggage can act as a barrier and it may not be that the person is unwilling but that barriers to being able to surrender take time to break down. Of course there will be some who simply don’t want to surrender, by choice- but I think it is very wrong to presume that this is the case with everyone.
God can take as long as he wants in this lifetime, it’s what waits the other side of this lifetime that is really important - isn’t it !?
It seems that you are putting blame on people, presuming that if they are not where you are then it must mean that they are not listening or being open to God. I would rather trust that the Lord is working in the lives of my brothers and sisters and that the work he has started in them he will finish, equally I apply that promise to my own life.
Rita

 

[mjrhealth]

You are presuming that God is not part of the time period. When we come to Christ we have baggage, some more than others, some are fortunate to heal instantly but not everyone. That baggage can act as a barrier and it may not be that the person is unwilling but that barriers to being able to surrender take time to break down. Of course there will be some who simply don’t want to surrender, by choice- but I think it is very wrong to presume that this is the case with everyone.
God can take as long as he wants in this lifetime, it’s what waits the other side of this lifetime that is really important - isn’t it !?
It seems that you are putting blame on people, presuming that if they are not where you are then it must mean that they are not listening or being open to God. I would rather trust that the Lord is working in the lives of my brothers and sisters and that the work he has started in them he will finish, equally I apply that promise to my own life.
Rita

Not blaming any one, we all have a choice, the world has being made blind, probably a good thing for some, but some just refuse to see, all one can do is show them what God has to offer, Christ Now, God now, if they dont want Him that is between them and God, religion doesnt help neither does all this studying to make ones self approved. But there are those who do know who do hear who do see, who sit and wonder if they are the only ones, never writing just reading, they need to hear they are not alone, and they are not crazy.

 

[marksman]

I have loads of books, but I look upon them as testimonies to what the Lord has said and done through others who have equally been open to learning. I have some friends who say they only read the bible, but I would rather hear what the Lord is doing in other people’s lives in the here and now as well.
As long as I am growing in Christ, as long as I a can look back and see spiritual growth and more evidence of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, then I see learning.
Different people learn in different ways , Marksman says he has an analytical mind, well I have a reflective one. God will work with us as individuals. We have personal relationships with the Lord, so I figure he knows that it’s not a case of ‘ one glove fits all ‘ and I am great full for that.

You know you can empty things at different speeds and in different ways........

Rita

An excellent post.

 

[Rita]

Not blaming any one, we all have a choice, the world has being made blind, probably a good thing for some, but some just refuse to see, all one can do is show them what God has to offer, Christ Now, God now, if they dont want Him that is between them and God, religion doesnt help neither does all this studying to make ones self approved. But there are those who do know who do hear who do see, who sit and wonder if they are the only ones, never writing just reading, they need to hear they are not alone, and they are not crazy.

Yes, I know - but it’s Jesus that enables people to ‘ see ‘ - but like the man who was blind and only saw trees instead of people, he needed to receive clearer vision. It didn’t all happen at once xx
Yes, I am not a fan of religion xx
Rita

 

[marksman]

Not blaming any one, we all have a choice, the world has being made blind, probably a good thing for some, but some just refuse to see, all one can do is show them what God has to offer, Christ Now, God now, if they dont want Him that is between them and God, religion doesnt help neither does all this studying to make ones self approved. But there are those who do know who do hear who do see, who sit and wonder if they are the only ones, never writing just reading, they need to hear they are not alone, and they are not crazy.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study earnestly to present yourself approved to God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

That must mean if you don't study you're not approved by God and you need to be ashamed and you are not rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

 

[marksman]

You are presuming that God is not part of the time period. When we come to Christ we have baggage, some more than others, some are fortunate to heal instantly but not everyone. That baggage can act as a barrier and it may not be that the person is unwilling but that barriers to being able to surrender take time to break down. Of course there will be some who simply don’t want to surrender, by choice- but I think it is very wrong to presume that this is the case with everyone.
God can take as long as he wants in this lifetime, it’s what waits the other side of this lifetime that is really important - isn’t it !?
It seems that you are putting blame on people, presuming that if they are not where you are then it must mean that they are not listening or being open to God. I would rather trust that the Lord is working in the lives of my brothers and sisters and that the work he has started in them he will finish, equally I apply that promise to my own life.
Rita

Excellent post. I am so glad you are here giving your thoughts.

 

[marksman]

Might be so, but God can take a lifetime to begin to even 1/4 full the cup, if people are not willing to listen, and few are willing to listen to Him.

I ask myself this question. Do I spend more time watching TV than reading books that are going to build my faith?

If I do, then there is something wrong. If I don't then there is something right.