Education

Education – Change the Heart

Obedience

As we read in John 15:16, “If” we are obedient, “then” whatsoever we shall ask of the Father, in Jesus’ name, He will give it to us.  Acknowledging His sovereignty and our worship of Him is of course a pre-requisite to our request. Our hearts must be obedient to the Lord, that what we pray may be correct, according to His Word.

Prayer

Psalm 119:99 “I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.”  Prayer and meditation on God’s word give us an advantage over those who do not and because of our insight God chooses to bless us.

Worship

Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”  Deuteronomy 4:9 “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” God asks us first to Love Him with all our heart and we do this by our worship of Him.

Purpose

If the purpose is motivated by a desire for self-gratification, ultimately one will reach the top of the mountain and find there is nowhere to go but back down the mountain.  If the purpose is to fulfill a higher calling that blesses others, then when the top of the mountain is reached, it will put in plain view the top of the next mountain that is even higher.  Successful people are lifetime learners who are focused on increasing their knowledge, wisdom understanding and discernment.  These principles must be instilled in the lives of each student.  Life will never have meaning without an understanding that God is the author of all knowledge. In I Corinthians 12:12 we read, “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are un-presentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.  Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.”

Scripture

Scripture represents the foundation to all knowledge.  When we are diligent about the study of His word, he gives us discernment, wisdom, and understanding.  We have blinders on without these attributes.  We must have discernment of people to understand their motivation.  If the motivation is love for God and love for His people, we can trust an individual more than if they are self-serving in their approach.  When God gives us understanding, it is generally an understanding of things.  Just like the sons of Issachar, we too must know or understand the times we are living in and take corrective measures.  The world has its own agenda but so does God.  We will never be surprised by events when we stay in tune with God’s plan for our lives.  The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.  When we have wisdom from the Lord, he protects us and gives us a clear path for our lives.