Lately, I have observed in a much greater degree, the friction
of opinion, especially in the Church. One
article after another has Christian bloggers and article writers writing what’s
wrong with this person’s doctrine or what is lacking or what is being
over-stated. Imagining an observer reading some of this who
doesn’t believe or know for themselves, I can see where they are tossed about
by some of the waves.
Every Bible teacher is coming from a place of interpretation. They interpret the way they personally
see Jesus because it is their viewpoint coming from their place in life, what they've read, experienced and how they perceive it.
Joyce Meyer had a lot of abuse and
anger in her past. She teaches very directly
and believes emotions are harmful; probably because of the hurt she encountered
through her own life and the issues she has had with anger. She knows the saving grace of God and His
healing and His power and the transformation He makes in lives by helping her get a handle on anger and forgiveness. Hers is an amazing story and she serves Him
because she’s grateful and she loves Him.
Joel Osteen is one happy camper and he received a whopping
ministry, church and growth. He sees God
as an awesome provider beyond his wildest dreams. Of course he’s going to teach on the endless
supply of God’s abundance. It landed on him
like a ton of gold from a golden dump truck.
His father passed away and he inherited a ministry more than he ever thought he was
capable or worthy of, except he knew he loved the LORD and the ministry took off. He is grateful and wowed.
Teachers teach from what they know and how they know the
LORD. It is relational and it comes from
the place and way He impacted them most from the view of where they came from
and who they are because of Him.
It also comes from the way the LORD revealed Himself to
them.
Some Bible teachers have great knowledge and they are wired
to detail and the letter and study and teach from a knowledge base of
writings. Some teach from ways of
experience and relationship through His Spirit.
Those tend to be less detail minded and more open to the anything-type
of move of His; teaching more on love, joy, peace, hope, miracles and encouragement. I enjoy learning from those who teach a combination of both.
I confess that I watch and listen to probably 3-4 sermons/
messages a day. It has been more than that at times. I enjoy learning the
perspectives and views from a variety of people, knowing that we all see Jesus
from how He has revealed Himself. My
criteria to consider their teaching is that they acknowledge Christ as LORD, His death and resurrection
and we have need of His salvation that was given out of His love for us with the gift of eternal life.
In listening and watching them, I see how He loves them. Every teacher is imperfect and yet moved to
proclaim Him. I see His grace in their
lives and I also notice when their words drift from that grace. Then, I pray for them that they would make
their focus back to His face and who He is for them so that they can best use
the platform they have been given.
Some people become big followers of a person or teacher. I understand that. There are people I better receive from than others. Right now, I’m a fan of Creflo Dollar and his
Bible teaching. I had my Joseph Prince
days of incredible grace teaching, Beth Moore days of insight and womanly-heart
teaching, Joyce Meyer’s no-nonsense, Joel Osteen’s kid-at-Christmas joy and Christine Caine’s
Holy Spirit guided slur of sentences that cut to the marrow while said
through her delightful, little grin.
Teachers of Hebrew have
been enticing to me as well. God Himself has been teaching me a bit of Hebrew. (I write words I
believe He is telling me and He will sometimes run a line of Hebrew in which I
write it down phonetically and then have to look it up to translate it. He has also said lines I discovered were Aramaic, Sanskrit and once German. It keeps my
ears tuned and I’m learning. I love it when He does that.)
Remember to pray for your Bible teachers.
They are people. Don’t let a
teacher be your end-all-be-all, but find your own learning and insights from
the Great Teacher.
Your relationship with Jesus is a view like no
one else’s and it is meant for you from Him.
Let Him show you that Himself and let His Spirit guide you to Who He is
for you. It is your place of His grace
and love for you that reaches your soul for exactly the way you need and then
some.
Don’t put a teacher’s teaching above Jesus’. Guard yourself with that. Keep your heart recognizing Bible teachers for the
full gospel of Jesus as LORD and savior.
Love them, encourage them and pray for them that they will continue to
know Him more personally every day. We can't teach what we don't know.
We will always have different takes here and there because everyone has their own
view. We also have our own relationship
with Jesus. Let’s love one another as we
grow every day nearer to Him and asking for His truth.
Sometimes He will show
you Himself through others, through His Word and in your life. Figure out
who you
say that He is. He calls us to
that and it is that moment of one on One when it comes down to you and
Him.
Luke 9:18-20 ESV
18Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples
were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”
19They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say
Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to
life.”
20“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you
say I am?”
Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”
Ephesians 4: 13-15 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ
Let's enjoy the variety of ways the LORD has shown Himself to one another. I think of it like a potluck. We bring our best dish and share what we have. Holding to His truth in love as we mature in Christ and keep Him head of the table.
