Jesuss said, “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are brothers…. Nor are you to be called ‘Teachers,’ for you have only one teacher, the Christ!
Ever since I followed this instruction of asking the Lord to teach me whenever reading the Scriptures, I gain more knowledge much faster than before. Now I can see my understanding before was so limited and often miss the point no matter how many times I study it. The true gospel message is simple and clear if I learn them from only one teacher, the Christ. This process is not complicated, after reading a few verses I pray silently asking the Lord to tell me what’s the meaning or how to practice them. Then wait for the answer, usually some verses or ideas would come to me the next morning.
This time, I can see that Peter and John’s letter have outlined the message with clear instructions on how to do it step by step. And I just could not see this before. I had too much confidence on my own ability of understanding the scriptures.
Prepare for Action
- 1Peter 1:13 (NIV) Be Holy Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
- Prepare for what action? It is written, 1Pet 1:17 (NIV) Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. Yes, live in reverent fear is required. All believers have to prepare our minds.
- What does it mean in reverent fear? It is written, 1Peter 1:22 (NIV) Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. Fear God means obey His Word. Then, the start of a new life, 1Peter 1:23 (NIV) For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. This is God’s definition of born again. Those who have no fear will pick some and ignore other scriptures.
- Chapter 2 explained the key to be born again, 1Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: This is vital to spiritual growth. Desire the sincere milk of the word means seeking and asking God through prayer. This desire is emphasized in Paul’s letter multiple times, and that is God’s way to build up the church.
- 1 Corinthians 12:31) Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. (LOVE) And yet I will show you the most excellent way. (LOVE)
- (1 Corinthians 14:1) Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.
- (1 Corinthians 14:12) So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.
- (1 Corinthians 14:39) Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
Both Love and Prophecy are gifts from God, we don’t have them. The word of God says “eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit“, that means to pray eagerly. That should be the top priority of prayer. But in the past I was not very serious about “do what it says”, then became as James 1:22 said “so deceive yourselves”. Without asking the only one teach, Jesus Christ, I can’t see it clearly. Without eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit our faith may not grow. I hope God’s people can learn from my lesson, stop wasting time on man-made doctrines and teachings. The word of God taught us how to pray for the gifts, there many examples in the book of Psalms, they can serve as template of prayers.
- Psalm 25:4-5 Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You do I wait all the day long. This can be a template for everything. When we want to have the love from God, “Show me Your way of love, O Lord, and teach me how to love.” Then wait for him all the day long. Because my heart didn’t really desire anything in the beginning, I have to pray this for many many times to see result.
- Psalm 86:11 Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name. We don’t pray like this, that is why very few have the fear of God and live in reverent fear.
- Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. This is how to “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.” Without asking God to search us, many are deceived into believing they are on the narrow road to heaven.
- Psalm 19:13-14 And keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; do not let them rule over me; then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. This is the prayer we always need, it’s very difficult to keep ourselves from presumptuous sins.
To follow the psalms and pray a few times will not make any difference, it is only when they become our heart’s most desired items, then we can experience the change. It can take a long time. All these are the preparation for the only required action.
Live For The Will Of God
Peter summarized this in one verse, 1Peter 4:2 To this end: that he no longer live his remaining time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. It pointed out a simple truth, there are only two ways of life, one way is to live in the flesh, another for the will of God. Only those who take up their cross and died to self, then they will live for the will of God, not before.
False teachers and deceivers have one thing in common, they don’t care about God’s will, nor oracles of God. They are no better than the Pharisees, remember Jesus said; (Matthew 15:14) Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit. From their prayer you can know they don’t seek God’s will, nor instruction on how to do it. Therefore, we must pay more careful attention to the scriptures on God’s will;
- 1Peter 2:15 (NIV) For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.
- 1John 2:15,17 (NIV) Do not love the world or anything in the world. … The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
- Matt 7:21 (NIV) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many prefer a different jesus who did not say anything like this.
- Psalm 143:10 Teach me to do your will; for you are my God: your spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. This prayer pointed out a fundamental truth — don’t ask man for teaching God’s will. The main purpose of prayer is to know the will of God. A hypocrite may say the Lord’s prayer, “Your will be done”, but that’s it. He just don’t care what his will really is, for he has no intention to do it anyway. Only real believer will ask the Lord, “teach me to do your will”.
- John 4:34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. This is the only spiritual food for a believer to live, in (Matthew 4:4) Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” The daily bread in the Lord’s prayer is exactly this spiritual food. So that whoever lives for Christ can receive instruction of what to do everyday. Many sheep are spiritually dead because they don’t have this food. Man-made doctrines will only lead to destruction.
- John 10:27 (NKJV) “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. If anyone really believe Jesus’s word, he would like to pray psalm 28:1 if he can’t hear Him; “To you, LORD, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit.” On the other hand, the goats can’t hear his voice, nor do they care. They will not pray anything like this.
- John 16:13-15 (NIV) But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” His words is telling us all truth, including the will of God, is made know to us through the Spirit, not men. Beware, many false teachers without the Spirit want you to follow their words instead of seeking God for truth by prayer.
- 1Peter 5:1, 3 (NKJV) The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: … nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; An elder or leader should be the example to the flock. As it is written 1Corianthians 11:1 (NIV) Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. Watch out! Be on your guard against false teaching by those who do not follow the example of Christ, as they are everywhere.
- Colossians 3:1-2 (NIV) Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. This is the instruction on how to live our daily life on earth, the result of disobeying it is also written; (Philippians 3:18-19) For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. Many sheep do not spend enough time in the word, they are in great danger.
Now let’s pray Psalm 119:57-80 and Psalm 90(AFV)
You are my portion, O LORD; I have said that I would keep Your words.
I entreated Your favor with all my heart; be gracious unto me according to Your word.
I considered my ways and turned my feet unto Your testimonies.
I made haste and did not delay to keep Your commandments.
The bands of the wicked have surrounded me, but I have not forgotten Your law.
At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto You because of Your righteous judgments.
I am a companion of all who fear You, and of those who keep Your precepts.
O LORD, the earth is full of Your mercy; teach me Your statutes.
You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I have believed Your commandments.
Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I have kept Your word.
You are good, and do good; teach me Your statutes.
The proud have forged a lie against me, but I will keep Your precepts with all my heart.
Their heart is gross like fat, but I delight in Your law.
It is good for me that I have been afflicted, so that I might learn Your statutes.
The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver.
Your hands have made me and formed me; give me understanding so that I may learn Your commandments.
Those who fear You will be glad when they see me because I have hoped in Your word.
I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right, and that You have afflicted me in faithfulness.
I beseech You, let Your steadfast love comfort me, according to Your promise to Your servant.
Let Your tender mercies come to me so that I may live, for Your law is my delight.
Let the proud be ashamed, for with guile they have wronged me; but I will meditate on Your precepts.
Let those who fear You turn to me, and those who have known Your testimonies.
Let my heart be blameless in Your statutes, so that I may not be ashamed.
97-104
O how love I Your law! It is my meditation all the day.
Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the ancients because I keep Your precepts.
I have held back my feet from every evil way, so that I might keep Your word.
I have not departed from Your ordinances, for You have taught me.
How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.
O LORD, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting You are God.
You turn man over to destruction, and say, “Return, you children of men.”
For a thousand years in Your sight are as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
You carry them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep; in the morning they are like grass which grows up.
In the morning it sprouts and shoots up; in the evening it is cut down and dries up,
For we are consumed by Your anger, and by Your wrath we are troubled.
You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your face,
For all our days pass away in Your wrath; we finish our years as with a sigh.
The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they are fourscore years, yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for it is soon cut off and we fly away.
Who knows the power of Your anger, and Your wrath according to the fear that is due to You?
So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.
Return, O LORD! How long? And show compassion to Your servants.
O satisfy us in the morning with Your mercy, so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Make us glad according to the days wherein you have afflicted us, the years in which we have seen evil.
Let Your work appear unto Your servants and Your glory unto their children.
And let the graciousness of the LORD our God be upon us; and establish the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands, establish it.