True Learning (2)

Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. Psalm 25.12

A way for each of us
Every disciple of Jesus Christ has a calling from the Lord, a way of life the Lord has chosen, a way to live in the world as a citizen of the Kingdom of God and a follower and ambassador of Jesus Christ. When we have begun to learn the truth that is in Jesus and His Word, we will find ourselves journeying in that way, putting on Jesus and living as His witnesses in every situation. Then we will know and experience more of the grace, Presence, and power of the Lord for making all things new in and through our lives.

There is a good deal of mystery here, for no two disciples follow the same path, take up the same calling, or express their love for Jesus in the same situations or to the same people. Each of us has a Personal Mission Field to which the Lord sends us day by day for the purpose of making Him known and bringing near His Kingdom. That mission field comprises the “as-you-are-going” places and people of our lives, that part of the world to which Jesus has sent us for the purpose of being and making disciples (Matt. 28.18-20).

When God Himself has instructed us in His truth, we will accept His calling, identify our own path, and take up the disciplines that will help us fulfill our calling with power and joy. We can know that we are truly beginning to learn when our individual path becomes clear and we find ourselves walking in it faithfully, day by day.

Yet though our ways be many and varied, certain similarities in how we approach our path and work our Personal Mission Field will characterize every follower of Jesus Christ.

Preparation
Walking in the way God has chosen for us involves four disciplines. These are the preparation we make each day, the conversations we hold with others, the ways we demonstrate the transforming power of truth in our own lives, and the kinds of transformations we seek and realize within our Personal Mission Field. Of these four disciplines, preparation is by far the most important.

By His Word and Spirit, God helps each of us find the way specifically chosen for us; but we must be about the task of seeking it by coming to Jesus daily and learning from Him (Matt. 11.28-30). To learn this way, and to walk in it, we need to put ourselves in a mode of continuous preparation. This involves being with the Lord – in His Word, prayer, meditation, fasting, solitude, study, and worship – so that we encounter His glory and are transformed by it. Nothing good or lasting will result from our efforts as disciples making disciples apart from prayer.

Effective preparation also requires thoughtful and prayerful planning, so that we commit our time and work to the Lord before we arrive at it (Ps. 90.12, 16, 17). As part of our time with the Lord, we should talk with Him about the day ahead, preparing our schedule and our minds and hearts for walking with the Lord in every situation, so that we make the most of all our time for fulfilling our calling as followers of Christ (Eph. 5.15-17). Think ahead to the places you will go and the people you will see during the day. What will be required of you as a disciple of Jesus? What opportunities for encouraging other disciples will you have? Get a picture in your mind of what you might do or say, and offer that to the Lord in prayer.

Other aspects of preparation include reading books, participating in a study group, having a prayer partner, prayerfully thinking through how to apply each week’s preaching to your work, and being diligent in getting to know people and their needs.

If we have poor or inconsistent habits of preparation, we will never realize the full scope and joy of our callings in the Lord.

Conversation, demonstration, transformation
As we improve our preparations for the way God has chosen for us, we will learn how to make the best use of our words in conversations with others so that they experience us as truthful, gracious, edifying, informed, and focused on the Savior.

The Bible has a great deal to say about how we use our tongues, and, since we cannot avoid the daily conversations in which we become involved, we must prepare for them before Jesus, so that our voice is one with His whenever we talk with anyone about anything.

Further, in the way God has chosen for us we will demonstrate the servant heart of the Lord Jesus in our relationships with others (Jn. 13.1-15). Following Jesus as a seeker, servant, shepherd, sower, and steward will provide many opportunities for growth in the Lord and serving others. This will mean learning to be sensitive to the needs of others, taking the initiative to show love, give help, extend a caring gesture, or sacrifice some precious possession for the sake of others. When the words we speak and the ways we relate to others are increasingly like the words and ways of Jesus, we will know that true learning is taking place within us. Then, with solid preparations in place, and growing in our ability to speak and serve like Jesus, we will discover ways of making an impact for the Kingdom of God on the people, situations, and culture in which we are continuously involved.

That is, we will think in terms more of how the Gospel can transform us – soul and life – and through us, bring transforming grace to bear on the people and in the social and cultural arenas of our lives. If we prepare well for transformation, and if our conversations and the ways we demonstrate the grace of God are focused on transformation, then we may expect to see righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit increasing in our experience and all along our way – the Kingdom of God, coming on earth as it is in heaven (Rom. 14.17, 18).

God has prepared a way for each of us as disciples of Jesus, and He can teach us what it is, help us to find it, and empower us to live for Christ in it. You’ll know you are truly learning when His way becomes increasingly your way as well.

For reflection
1.  The way God has chosen for you provides the setting within which you will follow Him. Have you identified your Personal Mission Field?

2.  How would you assess the state of your daily preparations for walking in the way God has chosen for you?

3.  How might you make better use of the opportunities God gives you for talking about and showing Jesus to others?

Next steps – Preparation: If you have not mapped out your Personal Mission Field, watch this brief video (click here), download the worksheet, and get going!

T. M. Moore

Know, Love, Serve
The great thing about following Jesus is the more we learn of Him, the more we love Him; and the more we love Him, the more we will serve Him in every aspect of our lives. This is the argument of our book, Know, Love, Serve. A free copy is waiting for you by clicking here.

Are you a Gospel sponge? You can be, and wouldn’t that clean a few things up nicely? Check out this month’s Personal Mission Field Workshop by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.