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 follower 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 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 believers 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.

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 to live it fully and abundantly. We can know that we are truly beginning to learn when our individual way 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 will characterize every follower of Jesus Christ.

Preparation
Walking in the way God has chosen for us involves four disciplines. These include 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 experience and seek within our path. Of these, preparation is by far the most important.

By His Word and Spirit, God helps each of us find this way; but we must be about the task of seeking it by coming to Jesus daily and learning from Him (Matt. 11.28-30). In order 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.

It also means careful 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).

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). 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.

God has prepared a way for you, and He can teach you what it is. 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

This week’s study, Learning Jesus, is Part 4 of a 5-part series on Following Jesus.Each week’s study is available in a free PDF which you can download by clicking here.

Christians learn best when their learning is framed within a Christian worldview. Our free online course, One in Twelve: Introduction to Christian Worldview, is available any time, and at no charge. Click here to learn more about this helpful and challenging introduction to Christian worldview, presented in 12 diagrams by T. M. Moore.

Take up the challenge of your Personal Mission Field – and do so with a friend. Watch the video on our Mission Partners Outreach for more information about how you can begin to follow Jesus in your Personal Mission Field (click here).

The Lord uses your prayers and gifts to help us in this ministry. Add us to your regular prayer list, and seek the Lord concerning whether He would have you share with us. You can contribute to The Fellowship of Ailbe by using the contribute button at the website, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452.

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