Taught of God

"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye." Psalm 32:8 KJV

These are the words of the Lord to the Psalmist. Our Lord makes it very clear in both the Old and New Covenants that He is the primary teacher of His people. There are many references scattered throughout the Old but for our purposes, I just want us to look at the ones in the New. (All references are King James - simply because I have it near by).

"It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me." John 6:45

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you in all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." John 14:26 KJV

"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 KJV

"But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." 1 John 2:27 KJV

There are, of course, more but this is sufficient for us to see that the Lord expects to be our primary teacher. How does He do this? Is it just through a knowledge of the Scriptures? What role do people teaching people have in this scheme? 

First of all, in our walk in Jesus, we must always be open to other people, what the Lord is teaching them and having them share. This definitely is important, but in our world today we have made it "the" way of being taught. Someone, operating in the five-fold gifts (Ephesians 4:11) studies, prepares a lesson and then gives that lesson - or some situation similar. Yes, as a teacher, this is important and we learn from God like that. But that should not be the primary way. 

The role of the Scriptures is primary in understanding how God teaches us. Without the Scriptures, we are left to man's wisdom and ingenuity, neither of which have any inherent value. So we have the Scriptures. Is the only way the Lord teaches us through the Scriptures our studying out what others have said? Well, once again that is important. It is important to work with the language (many helps are available here) and to search out what others think it means, but the Scriptures written above point to another way entirely.

The Lord wants to be our primary teacher. As we study the Scriptures and have our time with Him, He speaks. As we hear Him, He will show us what He is talking about in the Scriptures and lead us into understandings, insights and revelations out of the text that we have never imagined. He teaches us of Himself. 

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 KJV

This is out of the Scriptures, through the Scriptures, and into the Scriptures. He unfolds, reveals and allows “knowings” that teach us incredible things about Him. 

"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." John 14:21 KJV

Our Lord is very personal. He is our teacher. In order to receive that teaching, we are to become open to Him and be His friend. Our prayers need to rise from being about our needs into a searching of His heart for the matters at hand that he knows. This calls for us to allow Him to be the focus of our time, and we will discover that He, in turn (like a good friend). will make us His focus. His teaching ability far exceeds what we can conceive on our own. He is able in the Spirit to launch us into realms of "being in Him" that thrill and rest us, all at the same time. He is able to take our minds and delight them and show them His great salvation while He enriches and ministers to the pressing needs of our moment. 

As our teacher, He is able to implant within our hearts and minds the wonder of Himself through His word in such a way that obedience is a flow from the river of His love. 

Why do we run from Him? Why isn't His teaching the most important item in our day? Why do we think the pressing matters in our day, outweigh the delight He longs to give us in their process?