TeacherStudent

Who will be on watch when the Lord comes?

return-of-jesus-matthew-25

“For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman,
let him declare what he seeth” (Isaiah 21:6)

Ticking time. Who is watching?

Time seems to be elusive. We age, our children are “suddenly” adults, and our parents become cherished memories. When did it all happen? Who was watching?

It can happen in a moment—even though it was a decade. It can occur when we aren’t watching. Likewise, the coming of Christ can take us by surprise, unawares, if we aren’t  alert and ever watchful.

We are told in God’s Word that we must be on watch at all times:

Luke 21:34-36  (34) But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. (35) For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. (36) Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.
Matthew 24:42  Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.
1 Corinthians 16:13  Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

In order to be watchful, we must be awake:

1 Corinthians 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.

When we are not vigilant in our watch, we can risk our own salvation– and the salvation of others who may be watching us. When we do not declare what we see and know about God and the coming of Christ and what we must do to prepare—we have failed as watchmen.
We must each take care that we do not stumble, becoming our own Watchman, so that we are ready when the Lord returns.

Ticking time. Are you watchful?

(Sharon G. Tate blog 08/09/15) teacherforjesus.com Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

The Right Time is God’s Time

God's timing and patience
         Everything Has Its Time

1) To everything there is a season,
     A time for every purpose under heaven:

 2) A time to be born, And a time to die;
     A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;
3) A time to kill, And a time to heal;
     A time to break down, And a time to build up;
4) A time to weep, And a time to laugh;
     A time to mourn, And a time to dance;
5) A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones;
     A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
6) A time to gain, And a time to lose;
     A time to keep,And a time to throw away;
7) A time to tear, And a time to sew;
     A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;
8) A time to love, And a time to hate;
     A time of war, And a time of peace.

              Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

But how do we know when it is “time” for each of these? How do we determine the “season” that is right—to act or not to act, to do the first course of action or the opposite? The answer is that we don’t know. By our own knowledge, by our own judgments, by our own opinions, by our own instincts, by our own feelings—we don’t know. It is only through communication with God in His Word and through prayer that we can find the answers we need.

Self-reliance leads us into actions with consequences that can be devastating. “I didn’t see that one coming” is a familiar phrase and one that is often true, because we don’t have the sight of God. The corner, the turn, the distance are not visible to us. “God is my co-pilot” used to be a bumper sticker on vehicles. But God must be the pilot, and we can’t be “back-seat drivers.”

In a world of uncertainty, untruth, immorality, and sin, isn’t it time to be still and listen to God for the answers? His direction is available any time we ask for it—if we just take the time to seek His wisdom, His insight, and His sight to guide us in our thoughts, in our decisions, and in our actions. That time is now.

(Sharon G. Tate blog 08/02/15) teacherforjesus.com Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

HEAR MY VOICE: I WANT TO LIVE!

 You created me in the womb

MOTHER:
Within yourself, I became
A living soul without a name;
An entity not yet formed,
Sheltered against outer storms,
By walls created to sustain
God’s breath of life in me–
The tiny child yearning to be.

ME: I came from you, Lord.
(For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. Psalm139:13)

ME: You knew me even before.
(“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you . . .” Jeremiah 1:5)

ME: You are the Maker of how I am being formed.
(As you do not know the path of the wind,
or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb,
so you cannot understand the work of God,
the Maker of all things. Ecclesiastes 11:5)

ME: I have been created to be a blessing from You, a gift and legacy to my parents.
(Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. Psalm 127:3)

ME: I want to live.

**********************************************************************************
How many children never had the chance to be? How many scientists, artisans, poets, doctors, teachers, preachers, disciples of the Lord have been lost to us through ABORTION? Could cancer, MS, and Alzheimers have been cured by them? Was there a great leader in their midst who might have been a peacemaker during national or international strife and war, saving thousands and even millions of lives?
Who might God have created to help mankind deal with our human frailties and problems? Yet, these babies were not given the opportunity to live.

Can we hear their cries? Can we feel their pain? Can we give them voice? We must—by praying for the “unborn” who are actual human beings with a soul instilled by the Maker who breathed life into each one of them. Let us pray for those babies who are kicking and moving inside their mothers, visually seen in ultrasounds, and heard through stethoscopes- beating hearts that must pulsate with our own to have a voice.

ME: I am here. I want to live.

(Sharon G. Tate blog 07/26/15) teacherforjesus.com Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

JEHOVAH SHALOM–THE LORD IS PEACE

peace I give to you not like the world 

The LORD gives strength to his people;
the LORD blesses his people with peace. (Psalm 29:11)

When reading the headlines in the newspaper or hearing the day’s events as presented by the nightly news anchor, we might question, “WHERE IS THE PEACE, LORD?”
Jesus clearly answers us: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

The world outside may be a raging storm, our inner world may be a tempest–but He gives us peace from it all, if we are willing to let Him into our hearts. The Lord gives us this promise when winds blow, lightning strikes, hail falls, floods rise, inner thoughts assail in our moments of uncertainty and fear: (6) Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (7)And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7). Jesus is the “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” who gives us refuge from the storms of life (Isaiah 9:6).

 Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
(Isaiah 54:10)

The only way we are removed from this peace is by our own doing– when our faith is weak, when we fear a sinful society seems beyond redemption, when our internal thoughts become ridden with doubt. Through all of this, we limit God, and His peace cannot reach us. The giving end from God is always powerful and strong; the faulty transmission comes at the point of reception– you and me.

Let this admonition from the Apostle Paul be one that carries us through the struggles in life, that we may have God’s peace and hope inside us always:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

PEACE! PEACE! BE STILL.*

* “Master, the Tempest is Raging” lyrics by Mary Ann Baker 1874

(Sharon G. Tate blog 07/19/15) teacherforjesus.com Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

The Master Teacher’s Classroom

FOLLOW+JESUS footprints

Hopefully, most of us have a special teacher whom we remember more than the rest. We may recall where we sat in the class, who was next to us, what course it was, the practical lessons that were taught, the more meaningful life messages that were imparted, and the relationship that existed. In retrospect, we may even see the influence in our own lives from the teaching, from the teacher.

Each one of us can have THE special Teacher in our lives Who is above all the rest . . . Imagine having the opportunity to take the elective class taught by The Teacher Jesus, the One who can impart the most powerful life messages of all time to us. We think about the cost, the other choices, and decide to take His class, not yet fully aware of the actual cost involved.

The Master Teacher welcomes us at the door, shaking our hands and introducing Himself as He has been identified before by former classmates: “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.” (John 13:13). We are awed and humbled, unsure if we are worthy to enter, but His smile assures us that He wants us here.
Where should we choose to sit—up front, directly at His feet; in the middle, not that bold; in the back, still unsure of our place here? How prepared are we to listen, to take notes, to grasp the meaning?
We sit down; we listen; we hear–and we, too, are amazed like those who heard Him teach before: (28) When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, (29) because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. (Matthew 7:28-29).

The class continues on a daily basis and every day we ask: How many lessons will we recall when we return to our homes, to our jobs, to our everyday lives? How many will we actually live by? How many will we impart and share with others? The answers partially depend on what relationship we have—and continue to have– with this Teacher.

As we depart from the classroom, our “Teacher and Lord” imparts a powerful message to us: (19) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

“The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher” (Luke 6:40).
Have we been good students?

(Sharon G. Tate blog 07/12/15)  teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

GOD’S FAMILY PLAN: Reflections from a Single, Christian Parent

Plans I have for you

It seemed an insurmountable task—raising a four-year-old son alone. This was not something I ever expected to happen, and, thus, was not prepared to meet at all. Having married a Christian man in the church, embracing the concept of family with both mother and father parenting, I never anticipated being a single mom. But, there I was—and there he was, a son whom I would have to be mother and father to throughout his childhood years, his pre-adolescent years, his teen years, his young adult years, and beyond. I came to realize that this definition of a single mom is fairly accurate: “She has to have four arms, four legs, four eyes, two hearts, and double the love. There is nothing ‘single’ about a single mom.” ( Mandy Hale) It wasn’t supposed to be this way though. The other arms, the other legs, the other eyes, the other heart were missing in physical presence. If we look at statistics today, we will find that the “other” –the father—is physically absent in many families in America, including Christian ones.

Such was not—is not—God’s intention for His children. His plan from the beginning was one man and one woman united in marriage: (18) The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” . . . (21) So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. (22) Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. (23) The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” (24) That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. (Genesis 2: 18, 20-24)

The unity would bring forth children, and God’s plan was for the children to have a father and a mother: (1)And God spoke all these words: (2) “I am the LORD your God . . . (12) “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.” (Genesis 20:1-2, 12) Paul reiterates this commandment in the New Testament: (1) Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. (2) “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise. . . (Ephesians 6:1-2) The command is still applicable today.

The task of raising a son was not one that I could manage alone as his mother. I could not fulfill the role as his father. Thus, I sought help from Christian men. His granddad became my son’s dad in many respects. I met with my brothers in the church and asked them to also help me raise my son and be the male examples he needed in his life: Teach him how to correctly tie a tie, teach him how to fish and hunt, teach him how to do house repairs, teach him how to treat a girlfriend, teach him how to be a loving husband, teach him how to be a good father, and especially teach him how to be a Christian man for God.

God’s plan for the family was—and is—perfect. We are the only imperfections in the plan when we make other choices that do not honor His Word. Heartache, despair, poverty, anger, violence, brokenness, falling away from faith, and more can—and will—occur when we change His family plan. Our children’s lives, futures, and eternity are affected by our choices as parents. A single mom cannot fully fulfill both roles as father and mother; two men or two women cannot fully complete both roles as father and mother. Let us strive to follow God, the One with wisdom, in all our choices.

(Sharon G. Tate blog 07/05/2015)   teacherforjesus.com   Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

Joy and Blessings in Trials: A Different Perspective

joy in presence of God

Can we experience God’s blessings through difficulty, tragedy, disease, or loss?

During such times, we may raise our hands to the skies while crying out, “Where are you, God?” Through the different phases of these hardships, our outcry may be “Why, Lord?” Inside, we may be struggling with the words, “Unfair. What have I done to deserve this?”

It takes a different perspective, not a human one, to move past these feelings and advance forward with the point of view revealed to us in James 1:2-4 (2) Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you are involved in various trials, (3) because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. (4) But you must let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

Our human selves do not normally find “joy” in trials. We experience pain, sorrow, depression, loss of hope and even anger. Faith can be lost during these times. But faith can also be greatly strengthened. To gain through trial, we have to perceive our struggles in a different way. Maybe when things are hard, that is when God is showing us just how much He does love us. Struggles can mold and shape us closer to His image; bring us to our knees before Him to seek His counsel, wisdom and forgiveness; and take us to the realization that we cannot make it alone without Him. We must be transformed by Him—  to be with Him. Trials can create this change in us.

Our individual “thorn in the flesh” is hard to bear, but it may be the blessing given to bring about the change that is needed to help us grow as a Christian and remain faithful. Our experiences through trials may also be used to help others with the same problem. Our attitudes toward hardship may bring souls to Christ. All has been done/is done in love—and through joy in the hope given by Christ.

Can we experience God’s blessings through trials? The answer is “yes” for those who remain faithful and persevere through the difficulties of life, through the “thorns” and the trials. The promise of eternity awaits us beyond this mortal clock. No more loss there. No more tragedy there. No more disease there. No more. In the presence of God, only blessings can abound. “Every generous act of giving and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father who made the heavenly lights, in whom there is no inconsistency or shifting shadow” (James 1:17).

Dear Lord, please help us see the blessings in trial. Help us use these trials to grow and mature in Christ. May we look for opportunities to bless others’ lives through our experiences with hardships. Help us persevere to the day when it is all made clearer in Your presence.  Amen.

(Sharon G. Tate blog 06/28 15)  teacherforjesus.com   Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

Growing in Faith as Children of God

God's children

Stages as the child of our earthly father:
From “Da, Da” to “Daddy” to “Dad” to “Father,” we each progress through the stages of being the child of this man, our God-given parent.
“Da, Da” may be our first spoken words to him. We bond with smiles and bottle feedings, love and basics. We need him for everything.
“Daddy, please,” we plead as toddlers. We test him with our endless explorations and curiosities about life. “Why, Daddy?” “How, Daddy?” “Lift me up, Daddy.” Atop his shoulders, we see the world.
“Dad” is the more adult name we choose when we enter pre-adolescence. Dad is on the sideline as we spend more time with friends. Yet, he can be fun to hang out with too.
“Dad, you just don’t understand!” we utter in annoyance, walking away, the misunderstood teen child. We think often of our independence and escape from this sometimes boring man who lives in the past -but we still need the car keys. We come to the realization that dad doesn’t know much.
“Dad, my next college tuition payment is due.” Speaking as the young adult child, Dad is the source of our wants and needs—college funds, car payments, cash, and maybe a little advice on the side.
“Dad, let’s talk.” Now the older child, we bond more as friends. Surprisingly, we discover that Dad knows more now. We acknowledge his experience. “How should I teach my son to ride a bike, Dad?”
“Father,” we speak with endearment for our aged parent. We, the maturing child, know father has wisdom that we wish we had more time to uncover. Mortality is increasingly visible in father’s body; immortality is viewed in his eyes. There is little time. . .
*******************************************************************************
Stages as the child of our heavenly Father:
Have we not, also, progressed through these stages in our relationship as children of God, our Father? We begin with Him in the beginning. We are first fed with the milk of His Word. We feel His presence and His love always. As we strive with impatience to try and be patient with our own children, we are in awe of God’s long-suffering love and faithfulness during the many stages when we, His children, test Him, neglect Him, walk away from Him, put others and things before Him, use Him for our wants—and yet, He continually waits, constantly waits for us to grow up and walk with Him.
In our “older child” stage of faith, when we do walk and talk with the Father in conversation and in prayer, we seek His advice in the Word. We grow through the relationship. In our maturing stage of faith, we show reverence for the Father and recognize His great wisdom. We long to be with God, sensing the eternal in Him through the soul He implanted in us. We know there will be forever time with this Father. . .

Even as we view our own offspring as “children,” regardless of their physical age, our heavenly Father, also, beholds us as His children and has prepared a home for us to be with Him always. Father’s Day is every day to honor our heavenly Father and remember His sacrifice of His only Son, given so we can be His adopted children. We have a Father who will never fail us, who will never leave us, who will always love us.

Worthy of reverence, deserving of honor, we give you thanks, ABBA Father.

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

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WOULD I BE THE ONE WHO WENT BACK?

in all things give thanks

(11) Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. (12) As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance (13) and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
(14) When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
(15) One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. (16) He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
(17) Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? (18) Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” (19) Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”  ( Luke 17:11-19 )

Ten lepers, forsaken and outcast by their society, seek Jesus, with the belief that He can cure them. Acknowledging Him as “Jesus, Master,” they loudly call out, pleading that He “have pity” on them. Jesus sees their plight– but does not immediately heal them. Instead, He requires an action to demonstrate faith and obedience, instructing them to go and see the priests. Each one obeys and is healed while making this journey of faith to Jerusalem. The healing is affirmed by the priests who tell each man that he can rejoin his society once again, no longer the leper to be feared.

The story is engaging. I am involved, eager to read the rest of the story in anticipation of the coming reunions and celebrations. Continuing in the Word, I envision the scenes playing out: I hear the joyous voices of the ten lepers, now healed. I see the nine running to physically embrace family and friends, an act forbidden for so long. But, then, I notice the one lingering behind, separate from the nine. Suddenly, he takes a different path, turning back to find Jesus. I view the Master through the man’s eyes and hear him “praising God in a loud voice.” I watch as this man drops to the ground, prostrate at the feet of the One who healed him. In a humble attitude of respect, thankfulness, and acknowledgment of this man Jesus–more than man, hailed as Master, worthy of honor—the healed leper gives thanks and praise.

The man’s actions move me, and I begin to ask myself, in a whisper: “Would I have been the one who went back?” Then, the inquiry with self comes and I ask aloud, “Have I been the one who praises and thanks God for daily blessings, for saving grace? — Or have I believed, obeyed, received the blessings and healing, and left like the nine, forgetting to give thanks and praise to the Master who offers me His gifts?”

                    THE REST OF THE STORY: Honor-Praise-Acknowledgment-Gratitude

Let us always remember to proclaim praise and thanksgiving with humility, respect, and honor to our Lord and Master—not just at the end of our individual life stories, but from the very beginning and on every page.

(Sharon G. Tate blog 06/13/15) teacherforjesus.com Meditations on God’s Word

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“I CAN THROUGH CHRIST.”

I can do all things through Christ

I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO
STRENGTHENS ME. (Philippians 4:13)

Within this one verse, Christians can find hope, courage, support, and the will to persevere through “all things” that we encounter in this life. It is a simply stated verse with profound implications and possibilities for each one of us. What have we done with this verse in our lives? What does it really mean for you and me?

Instead of looking at the whole of the statement, an analysis of the individual parts can explain why this verse is so important to each Christian:

“I”   The first word makes the entire verse very directed to me with the use of the personal pronoun “I.” It means that “I” am the one speaking these words—aloud, in writing, while reading, in thought, in prayer.

“CAN”   It is possible for me, but the word “can” also reveals that it is up to me. “I can” if I want to; “I can” if I have courage to try; “I can” if I have faith to believe; “I can” when I seek God’s help. The use of this word shows if I don’t have the “I can” belief, it is unlikely I will proceed to action.

“DO”   This is the follow through to “I CAN.” It is up to me to act on the belief that “I can” in order to “do all things.” The little engine that kept saying “I think I can, I think I can” would not have made it to the top and over the mountain – if it hadn’t gone beyond merely thinking the words. The little engine needed to act, and so must I.

“All”   In many situations, a statement containing the “all” word is too inclusive, making it false. There are almost always exceptions to “all.” If we didn’t read the entire verse, stopping at “I can do all things”—then the statement would be untrue. By myself, I cannot do all things. This means I must recognize my dependence on God who can help me “do all.”

“Things” We tend to think of “things” in respect to physical objects. Yet, a “thing” has an expansive range of coverage. It has no specific name—so it can be just about anything. God has no limitations. Only I can limit what He wants to do for me —and what He wants me to do for Him.

“Through Christ”   He is the Way. He is the Door. I must go “through” Him to “do all things.”

“Who”   A pronoun replaces and references a noun. The noun in this case is Christ. There is no other “Who” but Him. Jesus Christ is the “Who” strengthening me– so “I can do all things.”

“Strengthens”   Christ holds me up when I feel I can not and helps me see that “I can” with- and through- Him.

“Me”   Full circle in the verse- from “I” in the beginning and back to “me” in the ending–I see that I truly need Him. Christ is my personal Cheerleader, my personal Coach, my personal Example, my personal Friend, my personal Savior, my personal Redeemer.

Although the verse begins with “I” and ends with “me,” it is not about me. It is always about Him. Alone, I am a weak vessel. Through Him, I can become stronger and “do all things” that He wants me to do and get through—for Him.

Have we really examined this verse to become fully aware of the meaning, the possibilities, the hope, and the promise God is so willing to offer to us? They are endless, but the words I must say and act upon, with unfailing belief, in order to do all things are —“I can through Christ.”

(Sharon G. Tate blog 06/06/15) teacherforjesus.com Meditations on God’s Word