Month: March 2021

TeacherStudent

THE TRINITY OF PROMISE, LIGHT, and HOPE

STAY.  WATCH.  PRAY.

36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsem′ane, and He said to His disciples, “Sit here, while I go yonder and pray.” 37 And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zeb′edee, He began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther He fell on his face and prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” 40 And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and He said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, Thy will be done.” 43 And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, He went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. 45 Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, My betrayer is at hand.” 

(Matthew 26:36-46)

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AWAKEN.  ARISE.  FOLLOW.

The directives from Jesus to His disciples were clear. Yet, they did not watch. Instead, they slept, and they were not praying in this somnolent state. His companions, His friends, the chosen ones who would carry out His mission when His purpose on earth was fulfilled could not even stay awake, watch, and pray. Three separate times, Jesus came to them and found them asleep.

Three separate times. Jesus prayed to His Father as the disciples slept, asking if what is to come could somehow, if it was possible, pass from Him. Yet, He still acknowledged it was His Father’s will that He would obey, not His own. He was awake. He prayed. He stayed with His Father.

A trinity of commands. A trinity of prayers. A trinity of response.

The hour was at hand. The betrayer was at hand. The disciples were not prepared for what was to come.

There was a scattering of the disciples as Jesus was taken. “And they all forsook Him, and fled.” (Mark 14:50) They were not asleep this time. Awake to what they saw, they might be taken too by association with Jesus. They did not stay with Him, except Peter who turned back and followed, but at a distance with the crowd. Yet, he did not stay with Jesus in loyalty.

A trinity of cock crows. A trinity of denial as Peter declared he never knew Jesus.

And what of us, His disciples today? Have we stayed? Are we watchful? Are we praying? Are we awake? Have we risen to His call to teach others about Him?  Are we truly following our Lord Jesus in the open, not the shadows?

AWAKEN.  ARISE.  FOLLOW.

We have a Trinity of Promise, Light, and Hope to guide us

 in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Let us remain faithful.

STAY.  WATCH.  PRAY.

(Sharon G. Tate blog 03/28/2021)  teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

SOLITUDE WITH GOD

And when it was day He departed and went into a lonely place.

(Luke 4:42)

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“Who wants to go camping!” A hand is not raised. It is mine. Anyone who knows me at all is aware that camping is not “my thing.” One problem is the campfire smoke with autoimmune lung disease, but overall, I just am not a camper. However, the concept of “getting away from it all” is, often, desirable and needed.

“Getting away from it all” by going to God alone, in solitude,

wherever that place, whenever that time may be.

For me, it might be in the morning when I first awaken. My personal one-on-one talk with God.

During the hours in the day, it might be communicating with Him while washing dishes, doing the laundry, reading a page in a book. Connecting. Maybe remembering a prayer forgotten. Thinking of someone who is hurting. Maybe it’s me, needing support for the day.

It might be later in the evening outside on my deck or looking out through a window, watching the sky blossom into a beautifully vivid sunset. I stand there in gratitude to my Creator for His creation and this moment in awe and reverence.

Alone time with God is the most precious time.

Being with the One who truly hears and listens.

Communicating with my Father who loves completely.

Pouring out thoughts and feelings openly to my God.

15 But so much the more the report went abroad concerning Him; and great multitudes gathered to hear and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But He withdrew to the wilderness and prayed.

(Luke 5:15-16)

Withdrawing from others, withdrawing from self to join with God in prayer–the communication He has offered to us freely, anytime, every time.

Jesus needed this time,

Alone with His Father,

In solitude with God.

How much more do I

Need to withdraw

And seek His Presence.

Always finding Him,

Waiting for my heart

To open unto Him.

(Sharon G. Tate blog 03/21/21)  teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

‘WHAT SORT OF MAN IS THIS. . .?”

23 And when He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but He was asleep. 25 And they went and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?” Then He rose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey Him?”(Matthew 8:23-27)

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38 But He was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do you not care if we perish?” 39 And He awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” 40 He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?”   41 And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey Him?   (Mark 4:38-41)

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24 And they went and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing! 25 And He awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even wind and water, and they obey Him?” (Luke 8:24-25)

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As I write, the March winds are howling. If the pond that I can see from my window was not frozen, the waters would be churning in agitated motion with waves lapping against the banks. It would not be a safe place for a small boat with passengers.

The disciples were not on a small pond but on the sea in a boat “swamped by the waves” during a great storm. And Jesus was asleep. They called out to wake Him, so He could see their dire dilemma, addressing Him as Lord, Teacher, or Master in these accounts. Yet Jesus was, also, referred to as a man. When they pondered the magnitude of power needed to calm the winds and sea, indeed, this was no ordinary man. “What sort of man is this…?” “Who, then, is this…?” Did the question reflect a storm within of uncertainty, of fear regarding this man Jesus? The disciples had witnessed His miracles. Yet, the mortal mind will engage in human reasoning to explain the obedience of the elements to this man Jesus: “What sort of man is this…?”

Jesus rebuked them for their lack of faith. Haven’t we all been there, in the storm, facing the tumult, fearful of the outcome? Did we think Jesus was asleep? The disciples reached out to Him. Yet, they did not comprehend His power and authority. Do we, likewise, fail?

The storm may be daunting: “You are in respiratory failure.” “You have Stage 3 cancer.”  “Your baby is stillborn.” “Your mother passed in the nursing home in COVID restrictions.” But Jesus IS awake and living. He waits for us to reach out to Him through our fears, our despair, our heartaches and tears. And He can and will give us the saving calm we need. “Peace! Be still!” It is up to us to accept His peace, His presence, His plan, and His love which may involve a rebuke for our lack of faith.

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be in dread of them: for it is the Lord your God who goes with you; He will not fail you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have; for He has said, “I will never fail you nor forsake you.”

(Hebrews 13:5)

We cannot turn to anything or anyone else but Him for the salvation and peace we need—whether we are in the small boat on the pond dealing with the lesser problems in life or in the boat on the sea during the most difficult storms.

(Sharon G. Tate blog 03/12/21) teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION: TEACHING CHRIST

Train up a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not depart from it.
(Proverbs 22:6)
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Recently, I had a Facetime chat with my grandchildren. When my six-year-old grandson was in view, I saw that he had lost his other front tooth. I started singing, “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.” He looked at me oddly and said,
“I never heard of that.”
It was just a moment of sharing something that he had “never heard of” from a past that was not his, but it represents an interaction we need to have with our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and all those younger than us. It is, especially, important that we share Jesus Christ and the Word–as teachers, mentors, and living examples like Paul was to Timothy.
3  I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience, as did my fathers, when I   remember you constantly in my prayers. 4 As I remember your tears, I long night and day to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your  sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lo′is and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you. . . 13 Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; 14 guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.
(2 Timothy 1:3-5, 13-14)
Timothy had the teaching and example in his youth from his mother and grandmother. This was the foundation that Paul could build upon to help Timothy become a strong disciple for Christ.
A disciple is not above his teacher, but every one when he is fully taught will be like his teacher.  (Luke 6:40)
We have opportunities to be the teachers, mentors, and living examples for those closest to us and those we encounter, even if for a few moments. A woman in the church my grandchildren attend seized upon an opportunity and started an online Children’s Worship on Zoom since the church has not had in-person services due to COVID. This is a wonderful opportunity to reach these children who would, otherwise, miss this teaching. The teacher told me that my grandkids ask to pray for me as I have been dealing with COVID and lung issues. It gave me the opportunity to reach out to my grandchildren in a letter to tell them that I am praying for them as they have prayed for me. To my granddaughter, who is eight, I told her we have this special bond in prayer between us, that I pray for her and she prays for me. I did not see her reaction to this, but I do know a seed was planted.
Many seeds need to be planted with our youth. The adage “it takes a village” is so true, and it is reflected in this verse from Proverbs:
Where there is no guidance, a people falls;
but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
(Proverbs 11:14)
A nation will fall if the generation that follows is not guided by the generation before. The love of the Lord and the Word must be planted and nourished.
One generation shall laud Thy works to another,
and shall declare Thy mighty acts (Psalm 145:4)
Every child is “my child” and “your child” in the sense of God’s community.
13 Then children were brought to Him that He might lay His hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people; 14 but Jesus said, “Let the children come to Me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”  (Matthew 19: 13-14)
Children can–and do—teach us, and we need them to remind us how we must be before our Father and our Lord and Savior. Yet, it is, also, our responsibility to be the example for them.
It is “the other” whom Jesus always looked after in His life and in His death. He continues this focus now into forever. To have the mindset of Christ, we must, likewise, have others in our minds and hearts.
4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant being born in the likeness of men.  (Philippians 2:4-7)
We do not want our children to say to us later in life,
“I never heard of that.”
(Sharon G. Tate blog 03/07/21)  teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word