When I was growing up I did not like school. The only reason I went to class in high school was so that I could play football and baseball. I loved, and still do love to learn, but I hated school [going to class]. I felt like I was being forced to conform to a system that did not assist me in learning.

My mother was a very wise woman, and very intelligent. She was a gifted secretary and wordsmith. Her command of the English language was exceptional. Whenever I would use the excuse “the teacher does not know how to teach” or “the teacher did not teach the material” she would always respond with, “Don’t you have a textbook? Read the material! Teach yourself!”

That used to grate my nerves. How dare my mom put the responsibility to learn on me. I used to think she was so ignorant, so out of touch with reality. My mindset was, “They pay the teacher to teach.”

Now that I am a teacher

[a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ]

I see from “the other perspective.”

That same mindset is pervasive in most Christians. “They pay the preacher to do that.”

It is true, we do reap what we sow. Ouch!

Now, as a teacher I understand the wisdom my mother had. It is amazing how little most Christians know of the Bible. We live in a time when obtaining a Bible is so easy. Most Christians have multiple Bibles in different translations. With the advent and advancement of the internet a person can have access to most all of the translations of the Bible, concordances, Bible dictionaries, atlases, encyclopedias, lexicons and the list goes on and on.

In other words, we are without excuse for not reading and knowing the Bible.

John the beloved and longest living original disciple of Jesus Christ said this, “²⁶ These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. ²⁷ As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teachesyou about all things, and is trueand is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, youabide in Him” [1 John 2:26,27].

John is not telling his readers that teachers are no longer necessary. He is telling them that the anointing [the presence of Jesus Christ within them] will let them know if what they are being taught is true. The key, according to John, is our abiding in Him. To abide in Him we must abide in His Word because He is the Word.

In Acts 17 we see an interesting story ~

¹⁰ “The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹ Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word [they were being taught] with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”

These Berean saints did not rely on the teachers [Paul and Silas] to tell them what was being taught was true. They examined the Scriptures [O/T Scriptures] for themselves to make sure what they were being taught “were so”.

Saint of God, read, study, meditate on, memorize and learn the Bible. Your very life depends on it. Don’t be like the “church in the wilderness” [Acts 7:38 KJV] that said to Moses, ““Speak tous yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak tous, or we will die” [Exodus 20:19].

If the only “Word” you get is what your “Moses” says God is saying then you will shrivel up and you may eventually die. Your spirit is longing for the Word of God. You will not die if God speaks directly to you. It will not kill you to invest quality time with God in His Word. But you may die if you don’t invest the time to feed on God [His Word and His presence].

Jesus quoted Moses out of Deuteronomy 8:3 – “Man shall not live on bread alone but by every word that PROCEEDS out of the mouth of God” [Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4]. God is always speaking – He is called the Word of God. Jesus is the Word made flesh.

Saint, teachers are great assets to your spiritual development but they can never take the place of your personal communication with the Lord. You do not need an interpreter to communicate with God. Read the Bible and hear His voice. He has some really great things to say to you – Today!

For HIS Glory!

Dr. Kevin M. Drury

Positioned For Purpose

And A Hisstorymaker