“Taught of God”

Possessing the Divine Premium

“But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.” 1 Thessalonians 4:9

Note here that the great apostle of Jesus didn’t liken being “taught of God,” to simply laying up head knowledge. Some who are self-serving hireling are misled to believe that simply being a type of talking head for Jesus is what is important. That is, just learning the facts so that you can speak them and have people follow you in building a local church business. Nonsense. God specializes is changing and transforming the lives of His few obedient true servants who lay down their lives to follow Christ daily. When a person is truly being “taught of God,” that person is not only learning the words of God but he’s also being transformed into the image of Christ, the Son of God. That is what God “predestine(d)” His people to be – “conformed to the image of his Son.” (Romans 8:29)

He who “is love” teaches those who truly walk with Him how to love. This is the pillar fruit of all who know the LORD. The absence of His love toward others is proof of an apostate heart.

Are You a Talking Head or Love Walking Disciple?

While knowing God’s Word is ultra important and makes us a more useful vessel, being a doer of His Word is even more important. Obviously, we can perhaps not separate the two because we must know His Word in order to do it. Yet, doing His Word requires the blessed power of the Holy Spirit who ministers in our lives as they are laid down, crying “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” (Luke 23:46) Presenting our lives a living sacrifice to the LORD is our reasonable service and is obeying the Word (Romans 12:1). – “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:22) Here the Bible informs us that the person who is not a doer of God’s Word is deceived. This would mean that the LORD is calling that person to lay down his life – to fall prostrate before His Majesty, waiving all of his rights. Head knowledge never translates into character until we choose to obey His Word by laying down our lives to prefer the LORD and others above ourselves – just like Jesus did (Philippians 2).

Are you willing to lay down your life?

It has been wisely stated that “One cannot lead another where he’s not himself willing to go.”

To go to seminary is clearly to be taught of mere men while walking as a disciple of Christ is being taught of God.  The LORD’s method of preparing a man to be used of Him is not seminary. No, instead, it’s a life of the regular disciple who daily takes up that cross and follows Christ through thick and thin, through victory and sometimes defeat. Now, many take the world’s method over God’s. They vainly surmise that they can go to a so-called higher learning institution like Bible College or seminary and simply learn facts about the Bible. They are led to believe that if they simply say all the right things that they will be a success – as the world measure success.

“Knowledge puffeth up but charity edifieth (builds others up).” 1 Corinthians 8:1

It’s only as the LORD changes, transforms and fills the man that He will use that man. God doesn’t send people to seminary – men do that! It’s a total waste and puts the student into a place of needing to repent of and denounce such worldly wisdom. The LORD inducts each of His children into the school of the Holy Ghost and Word at the moment He saves them. THAT is God’s way of preparing His children to be used of Him.

The LORD prepares the man in proportion to how that man obeys Him in the taking up of the cross daily. That is, setting himself aside and giving the LORD reign! – “He must increase but I must decrease” is the life truth of all who are walking with and being further prepared to be used of God (John 3:30). Be not deceived: There are no shortcuts!

When a person is truly being “taught of God,” that person is not only learning the Words of God but also he’s being transformed into the image of Christ, the Son of God.

Truly walking in God’s love requires that “daily” cross and divine raising up Jesus and His apostles often spoke of (Matthew 16:24-25; Luke 9:23-24; John 12:24-25; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Galatians 2:20; 6:14, etc.).

The emphasis of Bible colleges and seminaries is to learn mere head knowledge and how to market your community. They prepare men to be church business, franchise owners. That’s all they can do. Only the LORD himself can make a disciple as that individual obeys, walks with, and abides in Christ. Seminary emphasizes the self-serving aspects of running a business which includes seeming as if you know the things of God – to the unlearned listeners. Walking in God’s love is ignored for the self-loving purpose of filling the building.

But walking in God’s love is high priority in the divine economy and that won’t change – ever. Loving God and ones neighbor is the highest priority (Matthew 22:37-39).

Becoming a true disciple of Christ means setting aside self-will and walking in His love. This is foundational and permeates the lives of all of Christ’s few, authentic disciples. It’s only they who are qualified to be used of God. They are “prepared unto every good work” and “meet (fit) for the master’s use.” (2 Timothy 2:21).

Learning Love

GOD’s LOVE can only emanate from our lives as we seek the face of He who “is love.” (1 John 4:7-8, 16-18)

Drink this one in:

“And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19 We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” 1 John 4:14-21

The LORD is not impressed if we give, feed the poor, prophesy, and even give our bodies to be burned, if we are not one with Him. When we are born again and presently abiding in Christ, His love will permeate our lives.

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (KJV)

The daily cross Christ commanded is the key to being filled with God’s love. Study love. Learn love. Do love! Walk in love!

Prayerfully read Philippians 2:3-10 every morning for the next week.

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