Text: Jeremiah 42:1-6

1 Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near, 2 And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant;  (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:) 3 That the LORD thy God may show us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.   4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you;  behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words;  and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you;  I will keep nothing back from you.   5 Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the LORD thy God shall send thee to us.   6 Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee;  that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.  

Thursday, 10^th October 2024

A TEACHABLE SPIRIT 2

Text: Jeremiah 42:1-6

Memory verse: Ezra 8: 21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.

To develop a teachable heart and Spirit, we must learn to listen. Invest in one another by listening to another's stories. Take the time to listen patiently. We miss a lot of the blessings by moving too fast rather than taking the time to listen. Take genuine interest in hearing someone’s experience. Choose a posture of attentive listening to understand how others are experiencing things so you can care for those around you. Ask questions, learn to ask good questions. Wonder about things, especially how other people feel. Spend time inquiring how someone else perceives a situation. Ask how they are feeling and what thoughts they might have to contribute. We learn more when we let all the voices share their perceptions.

Be willing to accept correction. We will not get everything right and sometimes we will need to be reminded of what is truly important. When someone offers correction, consider it a gift. You will probably want to defend your choices, but maybe you are missing something. Listening to correction does not mean you have to admit failure immediately, so let go of defensiveness. Wonder what it is that they are seeing. We correct those who we care about. We correct because we care enough to see those, we love make wise choices. We often learn much more from our mistakes than from our successes, but the key is how we respond to those failures.

Recognize everyone has something to teach us. God has gifted us with unique gifts and talents and we have all walked through different experiences. We can learn from the lives of others. God’s kingdom is diverse and when we engage with those outside our own culture and experiences our world becomes much richer. Delight daily in discovery. Incorporate learning into your daily life by seeking better understanding and celebrating your discoveries. Have fun each day learning new things. God's world is filled with unique blessings, if you tune your eyes and ears to experience them. Choose to ponder and gain a better understanding.

Don’t keep your learning a secret, share it. Demonstrate to your kids how you are learning new things each day. Share regularly how you are growing in God’s word. We never get to a place where you act as though you have arrived and know everything. We can grow and learn together if we are willing to share how God is stretching us. God has much to teach us in this life, so leave your un-teachable attitudes behind. God will teach us through his word, through creation, through life experiences, and through the people that we meet each day. Developing a teachable spirit will help us to delight in your life-long learning.

CGDS Hymn 10; SS&S 788:

ARE YOU SHINING FOR JESUS, MY BROTHER

1. Are you shining for Jesus, my brother,
Shining so clear and bright,
That the souls that are perishing round you
May be guided to him by your light?

Refrain

Shining for Jesus are you shining to-day?
Shining for Jesus, shining all the way;
Shining for Jesus, in this world of care;
Shining for Jesus, shining everywhere.

2. Are you shining for Jesus, my brother,
Shining in deed and in word?
Is your life by its purity showing
The likeness of Jesus your Lord?

3. Are you shining for Jesus, my brother,
Shining for truth and for right,
Where bold unbelief and its minions
Are posing as angels of light?

4. Oh, shine out for Jesus, my brother,
Shine where He needs you the most;
And shine where the darkness hangs deepest
O’er the path of the straying and lost.

5. Shine only and always for Jesus:
Then, when your toiling is o’er,
In mansions of glory eternal,
You shall shine as the stars evermore.

 Prayers 

1.  Lord Jesus, open up new thigs to me as I position myself to learn.

2.  Lord God Almighty, break and remould me, prepare me to accept corrections and be mended in Jesus’ name. Amen.

3.  Pray for others in this regard.