How much experience do you have as a Christian? What have you learned
so far in your walk with the Lord? When you get to heaven, what lessons
of life will you bring along with you? You are learning, aren't you??
What lessons, what experiences do you think the saints of days gone by
have carried with them into eternity? Will you leave this world empty
handed and empty-headed?? I hope not! God expects us to know, to do, and
to share certain things as His children. He educates us for a purpose;
there is a reason the Lord wants us to learn and have experience as a
Christian! We are going to look at this very topic today, so come with
me and bring along an attitude of eagerness to learn...
Job 32:7
I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.
First of all, how long have you been a Christian - just a few days, a
few weeks, a few months, a few years, or several years perhaps?? No matter
what the length of time is that you have been saved, there is a certain
amount of responsibility that comes along with being a member of God's
family. DAYS should SPEAK, and YEARS should TEACH, amen? How are you doing,
new Christian?? Are you opening your mouth for the Lord every day? Are
you telling others about the good things that God has done for you, how
he saved your soul from hell? Are you bubbling over with things He is
teaching you as you read the Word of God and it comes alive to you for
the first time ever? In spite of the fact that it hasn't been very long
since you've been saved, there is plenty to talk about! The goodness of
God alone could keep our lips busy speaking praises to Him and others.
The Bible doesn't say to wait until you know everything in scripture,
or wait about five years or so, it says DAYS should speak! Some of the
most encouraging conversations I have had have been with newly saved,
excited, and thankful young Christians who are falling in love with the
Lord. Their hunger for truth revives me!
1 Peter 2:2
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow
thereby:
Those of you who have walked with the Lord for a multitude of years now,
what are you doing with the various experiences you have had with God
over all this time? What are you doing with the marvelous lessons you
have learned in your Christian life? Are you passing them on, are you
teaching others, are you discipling? Is it all for naught??? Surely you've
seen some miracles take place in your lifetime... Surely you've seen God
at work in the lives of His people and noticed His love and protection
over them and you! What are you doing with what you have seen? Are you
exhorting others, are you giving them any hope? Your YEARS should teach
that God can be trusted....
Psalm 37:25-26
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken,
nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his
seed is blessed.
With all the books and tapes that are available to us today via Christian
bookstores, I find that it promotes a premature craving in believers to
teach, especially women. Everyone wants to be a teacher! The fact that
anyone can purchase a lesson or devotional book and gather together a
group of people to share with also promotes a false sense of the ability
to do so. Ladies, the Bible says that a multitude of years should teach
for a reason…. God prefers that many years of experience stand behind
the educator; He would not utilize a novice in this capacity. (1 Tim.
3:6) The young believer lacks practice distinguishing between good and
evil, therefore their teaching is minus the spiritual skill that it takes
years to achieve. Their ability to guide others will be limited, their
own faith not yet having withstood the test of time. Hence, self-conceit
becomes a viable temptation in the novice. The trouble is, very few individuals
want to wait on the Lord or sit under anybody else and learn…
Eccles. 5:1
Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to
hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that
they do evil.
Ladies, I hope we never forget why God is at work in our lives. Every
day He is teaching us something, morning by morning! May we never lose
sight of the great value in all that we have gone through in the past,
the great value in all that we might be going through at present, and
the great value in all that we will go through in the future. Let's willingly
accept the education the Lord is giving us, and then willingly share our
experiences, share our lessons that we have been taught. We need to pray
for teachable hearts, for if we are ready always to learn, we'll be ready
always to share.
Isaiah 50:4
The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know
how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning
by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the the learned.
Genesis 30:27
.....for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for
thy sake.
Let's let that last portion of scripture sink in for a moment... Do we
really understand that God blesses us with experience and blesses us with
the tongue of the learned for the sake of others? It's true! Such an education
prevents us from living selfishly, as islands. The lessons are not given
so you can become puffed up in your own wisdom. The incidences that you
and I go through at the hand of the Lord put us together with people you
and I would otherwise probably not have anything to do with! Our experiences
send us straight into the lives of strangers who need the Lord. Ladies,
our heavenly Father educates you and I for the purpose of helping us to
relate to other people properly, so that they might, in turn, to relate
to Him properly and come to the Lord as a result! What a caring God we
serve, amen? He sees those who are weary and sends them help...
So dear lady, are you ready to hear what the Lord would teach you or has
your desire to teach crowded out your own lessons? As a veteran believer,
will you faithfully accept your duty to tutor others? Will you allow your
experiences to be a magnet that God uses to draw others unto Him? Do you
understand the value behind them in the life of other believers?
John 6:45
It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every
man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh
unto me.
In closing, consider what you have learned so far in your Christian walk,
think back on what the Lord has taught you. Now think back on the number
of people you have reached out to as a result of your training. Is there
someone you are hiding the Lord from, someone you are keeping back encouragement
from today by not speaking or teaching of your experiences with the Lord?
What understanding has God blessed you with that He intended for you to
share with someone that you have forsaken? Why have you learned Christ
then - only to waste the knowledge or hoard it?? Days should speak and
years should teach - it's our responsibility as a child of God!
1 Corinthians 14:31
....that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
