Teacher offers great support!

One morning while I was having my devotional times, a thought came to me. Since I am having my quiet times at the same time everyday, why not make my quiet times into a class. Anyway, school had begun and the bell had rung and I made my quiet times into a class.

I tried to go to class everyday in the morning. By the way, there were evening classes offered also. I wanted to start out my day with a morning class. Sometimes, I would be late to class and that made me sad because my teacher always waited for me patiently. My teacher was very committed to me.

Jesus is the best teacher I can ever have. After, I would take a seat He would ask me if I had any questions or comments from the previous 24 hrs. If I had them, He would ask me to tell Him those concerns.

Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30, NIV)

So everyday, I would go to Him with a question, comment, or concern. The terminology He used to talk to Him is called prayer. After that, He would tell me to take out His textbook that He gave me. He wanted to address my questions, comments, and concerns by teaching me from His textbook. This became my Quiet Times.

When I took out His textbook, I learned it was no ordinary textbook but had the power to change lives. Whoa! Wait a min! What was I reading? I learned that I was reading God’s Word. The Words were so soothing to my troubled heart. Every issue and concern I thought about was being addressed in God’s Word. I just needed to know to look in the right place. I had to talk to the Lord before I knew in what section of God’s Word I could find answers to my problems. The terminology to address God’s Word is called the Bible.

What an awesome textbook this is because of the power to speak to us 24 hrs a day/7 days a week. I even learned how to behave in this world. My class was over when I was handed my homework for the day.

Jesus wanted me to remember all that He had spoken to me through His Word. Jesus assigned me important homework assignments each day. Jesus wanted me to apply what I had learned today in class throughout the day.

Jesus assured me that I could call Him anytime if I was confused or did not apply what I learned in class today. I took Jesus on that offer. Sometimes the homework was really challenging to do but Jesus made it possible.

For example, one of the assignments was to go and love my enemies. "Now wait a min Lord, that’s too much to ask", I said! Even when I questioned the assignment it did not make Jesus mad. Jesus reminded me that He was there to help me. He gave me a promise.

"I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13)

That promise is so true as I depend on Him and not on my own understanding. Anytime I was having difficulty with what was in the textbook or with the homework, I knew I could go to Him because He offered office hours too.

Express Your View

Start year 2002 with a new perspective

As the New Year has approached, how many of you have wished you did things differently last year and have made resolutions to do things differently this year? I do not know about you but I have wished I did a lot of things differently. I cannot change the past but I can do things differently in the present and have faith for the future

Maybe you have messed up badly and feel like your life will never change, maybe you have been hurt so badly and feel like it cannot get any worse, maybe you have been stepped on all your life and feel like you cannot get up anymore.

Though your future seems futile, I want you to know there is hope. It is not the kind of hope that is wishful thinking but a real inspiring hope.

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)

How many wonderful opportunities you have missed, it’s not too late for you to change your life around. In this New Year of 2002, you can also become a new person. I don’t mean change your name or your face but you can be changed on the inside that will change your lifestyle on the outside. If you are discouraged and think, there is no way you can have your life changed around, I want you to know that with

Christ all things are possible. Jesus loves you so much more than anyone can love you. We have limits on love based on what others do for us but Christ’s love for you is unconditional. For unto us a child was born and that child was baby Jesus who later died for our sins and came back to life to save us. If we do so much for those we love and our love is limited, think about how much Jesus will do for you whose love is unlimited.

Whether or not you have a job, a boy or girl friend, family, fame, fun, or fortune is not what Christ sees in you. He sees you as being so precious and wants to take care of you. No matter where you have been or what you have done you can come to the Savior. Your

age does not matter as the Lord can make an impact in your life. He reaches out to you with helping hands.

You have a golden opportunity to start 2002 with the Lord on your side. Let me assure you, there will be a transformation you will see in your own life. When Christ touches the hearts of those who come to Him, there life will never be the same again.

You will have a totally new perspective on life as you spend daily time with Him praying, reading the Bible, and being involved in a community of followers of Christ. Even as you face the storms of life, the winds cannot shake you for you will have a firm foundation on the Rock, Jesus Christ.

Express Your View