A wise man will hear, and will increase learning—– Prov. 1:5

It is amazing that some folks have such a bad attitude toward education. Too many are like the farmer who said to a well-educated city preacher, “Tha good Lawd don’t got no use for your book learnin”. To which the preacher replied,”Nor has He any greater need of your ignorance”.

Well, regardless of what some people think, the Bible stresses the importance of learning. You’ve heard it said,”What you don’t know can’t hurt you”, but that’s not true. Not only can it hurt you, it can kill you! Hosea 4:6 says,”My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge–“. Yet multitudes attend Sunday School and church every week who seldom learn anything. Some make no effort. They are distracted by a non-stop effort to please self and see no need to dig deeper in the Word of God. Then there are others who have simply never learned how to learn and they go on day by day thinking they have reached their intellectual limit, so why try? But there is also the wise man who realizes there is always more to learn and he refuses to be satisfied with his intellectual attainments. He loves to learn. He longs after knowledge like a thirsty man longs for water. He yearns to learn. This is the kind of person who makes a difference in the world. He understands the times and knows what to do. Feeding on the Word of God, he grows and it shows.

How is it with you–do you have a yearning for learning? If we are to be among the wise we must acknowledge the importance of learning, we must admit that some of our ideas might be wrong, we must attempt to learn, and we must apply what we learn unto our lives. Learning involves more than just becoming acquainted with the facts. We are to become doers of the Word and not hearers only.

Complaining about my problems, I feel ashamed when I think about what all Paul suffered and endured. The fact that he learned to be content regardless of circumstances amazes me. How did he do it? We find the answer in his testimony before Agrippa—“Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day–“(Acts 26:22).

This event took place about a quarter of a century after Paul’s conversion. During that time he faced many enemies, suffered many trials, and was exposed to great danger—and he wasn’t out of the woods yet. God had brought him to “this day”, but the day wasn’t over. Even as he spoke his life was on the line. Yet through it all, he tells us, he had received God’s help everyday to that very day! That’s why he could face the future with assurance.

Is that not enough for you? Think back—remember where He brought you from and where you might have been. Was there ever a day when God refused to help you? Has He not brought you to this day? Is that not reason enough for you to believe that “he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”?(Phil. 1:6). The help you received yesterday should give you hope for “this day” and everyday until the day of the Lord. Regardless of what “this day” holds, be faithful to do your duty and you will never lack for help from heaven!

Thou shalt teach [these words] diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up– Deuteronomy 6:7

God could hardly have given us a more vivid illustration of thorough teaching, of daily instruction. When you are sitting, when you are walking, when you are lying down, when you are getting the children up…talk to them about my Word.

In the hustle and bustle of life, we often forget the things that are most important in life. We often let the busyness of our daily schedule and the plans that we have for our family get in the way of devotional, Christ-centered conversations.  But notice that God does not say not to be busy, or not to make plans. Rather, He says in your busyness, in the hustle and bustle, in the daily schedule there is the perfect time and place to talk about Me!

What does God have to say about getting dressed? 1 Peter 3:3-4. What does God have to say about learning and education? Proverbs 4:7. What does God have to say about eating and drinking? 1 Corinthians 10:31. What does God have to say about the weather? Psalm 135:6-7.

It is in the midst of daily life that we are most able to teach our children about the relevance of God’s Word to daily life. So talk about it—diligently—with your children.–From “A Good Thing”

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.–Eph. 6:11

Tom Clancy wrote a book called,”Battle Ready”. I have no idea what the book is about, but the title addresses a need in every Christian’s life. We are smack-dab in the middle of a conflict, and it’s not going to end as long as we are on the earth. We can’t stop it and we can’t escape it— but we can endure. If we are wise we will prepare for it, or as Clancy put it be “Battle ready”. As someone said,”If we fail to plan for the future we are planning to fail in the future”. Preparation is the key.

The problem is that most people are unaware, unprepared, uncommitted, unwilling, and/or unconcerned. That’s why they end up a causality. Sadly some of them never realize that they are in a conflict or that they have been conquered by the enemy. They live and die without having ever known that they failed miserably. True success is is discovering and doing God’s will, finding and fulfilling His plan for your life. But that’s not the end result of life for the average person, and that is tragic!

Until a person becomes a child of God it is impossible for him to be successful. Although he might occasionally do things that are in keeping with the precepts and principals of God’s Word, that’s not the norm. Nor is it his motive to obey and glorify God. So the road to successful living must begin with the new birth. We become a child of God then a disciple of Christ. And that’s where the road gets rough and the fight fierce! While salvation doesn’t cost us anything, discipleship costs everything. We must be willing to forsake all to follow Him. The good news is that He has provided everything we need for victory. As we put on the whole armor of God we are enabled to stand, fight , and win. Are you battle ready?

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.–Phil. 3:14

 The Christian life is meant to be a life of progress— and there is always room for growth. Since we never arrive at the full likeness of Christ in this life there is always a need for change. The problem is that our progress is often impeded and our growth is stunted. And we error in several different ways.

Some are going in circles. There is movement enough, but no actual progress. Others have wandered astray–moving, but in the wrong direction. Some have come to a complete stop—they make no effort and experience no progress. Some have done a 180, a total turn-around. They were “defenders of the faith” but now defend the very things they once despised and denounced. Then there are those, and they are many, who move at a snail’s pace–headed in the right direction, but much slower than they should. They should be teachers, but are spiritual first-graders (Heb.5:12).

So, where are you? Have you been distracted and going in circles, or deceived and gone astray, or discouraged and sitting still, or 180 degrees from where you ought to be, or moving in the right direction at a snails pace? If you aren’t moving forever forward at a rate normal for you something is wrong, and you need to deal with it. Wherever you are and whatever the cause, if you aren’t moving forward you are headed for trouble. If you have ceased to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:18) you are backsliden. Confess your sin. Conform your ways to the Scriptures. Commit yourself entirely to God. Get yourself on the move again and keep moving onward, upward, and forever forward.