JESUS, the TEACHER (31)

In Section Five, 

we meet

JESUS

the TEACHER

I think that JESUS, the Storyteller; and JESUS, Teacher are closely related.

<>

Having been a teacher, I remember when weaving a lesson through storytelling 

seemed to make the lesson more enjoyable for both student and teacher.

That storytelling ability and a song makes the lesson stick a bit better.

This section on JESUS, the Teacher seems to have fallen at just the right time of the year, 

as teachers soon begin their preparation for the next school year, many already have.

There is so much more to take into account being a teacher nowadays

that every minute preparing ahead helps you deal with the extra being required of 

the teachers in our school/education system.

JESUS

is the ultimate example for

the Teacher

but the bar Jesus sets is a pretty high one!

Sadly, far too many teachers (and students) are paying a very high price 

in our schools these days with their very lives, just as Jesus did yet

Jesus sacrificed for an eternal reason.

The loss of teachers and students

is an absolutely senseless loss

without any reason.

This tragedy

in our lifetime has to end now!

It is completely out-of-control - 2023 statistics show us clearly.

This is not why we become teachers, nor why we send our children to school!

I might never have the chance to speak out against this

as I do right now, as I begin with

JESUS, the Teacher

I pray we look closely at the lessons that 

JESUS

teaches and see that

Violence (Gun Violence)

does not fit with any of His Principles, Character or Design

for His Children.

In no way, does any of this violence & hate line up with Scripture!

<><><>

In this section of

JESUS

the TEACHER

there are 9 chapters or weeks: #31-39

31. Flying Standby 7/30 32. A Prayer Warrior            8/6 33. Focused on the Father  8/13 34. The One Who Provides 8/20 35. The Treasure Principle  8/27 36. A Marriage Counselor   9/3 37.Can One Become Two? 9/10 38. Love: Can Two Stay One? 9/17 39. The Number One Priority   9/24

Can you guess what that last one is?
<><><>

In the introduction to JESUS, the Teacher, James Merritt writes:

"Scholars debate almost everything about who Jesus was and what He did. But all agree He was a masterful teacher. He spoke with an understanding of spirituality and philosophical depth that continues to dazzle the minds of the masses. His teaching addresses life's most pressing problems and helps us navigate through them. The trick is to encounter Jesus' familiar phrases & well-trod wisdom with fresh eyes."~James Merritt

I couldn't agree more, plus this is so concise & well said that I decided I needed to share it.

It gives such a good overall view of JESUS, the Teacher!
I can already see some of the lessons that I should have paid better attention to in my life.
Coming to know and relate to JESUS in all of these capacities,
 gives me such a broader view of the JESUS I know & fall more in love with Him
every.single.day
if that's even possible
but doesn't even come close to how much He loves us,
that He would speak to us & cover all these aspects of our lives
in simple yet complex ways,
where we can always learn more and grow more as
He stretches & challenges us as we read & reread His Word given to teach us,
help us, encourage us, motivate us, guide us, transform us ...
What a Teacher! What a Savior!
I'm not one of those scholars,
yet I know a Masterful Teacher when I meet one
or have the privilege to sit under His Teachings & learn.
There are many wonderful teachers,
in fact, each year, in each state, there is a chosen
Teacher of the Year
as well as finalists from which they're chosen, but
JESUS
is the Master
Teacher of Every Year
without a doubt, we have so much to learn from Him!
<>
Here are the Scripture readings for this week:

Matthew 7:1-6; 1 Corinthians 2:14-16; John 12:44-50; Romans 2:1-11; Romans 14:1-12

I'm not too sure what "Flying Standby" is or means for this week?
but I hope to understand after finishing reading 
these subtitles/segments:

"First Impressions"; "To Judge or Not to Judge"; "Eliminate Improper Judgment"; "Participate in Self-Judgment"; "Validate Righteous Judgment"

"Lord, teach me to see myself and others clearly, so that I might be more aware of my own sin and more passionate about Your grace for sinners like me."

Thank You Teacher - I'm ready to sit at Your feet again
for more lessons!

My STORY

JESUS the STORYTELLER
our STORY Teller

 As I finish yet another Section - Four out of Eight; meaning halfway through 52 Weeks with Jesus (devotional book by James Merritt) as I focus on JESUS in 2023; I realize that JESUS is the very BEST STORYTELLER, and there is even a Scripture in Hebrews (12:2) that calls Him, "the Author & Finisher of our faith". Although this verse is not speaking of Jesus, as the actual Author of our story, I do believe that He is ... since "author is an originator or Creator" and that He IS; Jesus is the ultimate Author and that is what He does in each believer's life as we hand our lives over to Him, and we can watch as He pens our story ... page after page, with all kinds of ups and downs, but He definitely is weaving each day or page into the next to create a tapestry of our entire faith journey. It may not be a Parable, yet I can see Jesus, teaching and using each thread to tie together the difference He makes in our lives; the days that He walks through our hard times and then all the beautiful moments He creates in our life. He calls each one of us to share our life with one another and with others that do not yet call Him, Lord and Savior. He wants our Story to make a difference for us and for others. As in the Parables, He wants us to share our common experiences - good and not-so-good - so that our STORY will connect with His Story, bringing us all closer together to understanding, with compassion and caring that unites us rather than divides us. He wants us to learn and grow closer to Him and others through our stories interlocking and changing us for the better. We all have a story to tell!

Surely, if JESUS has and was the STORY TELLER of your STORY, what might He want you to share. I love people who tell or share their STORIES. My father was like that and repeatedly he told and retold his stories of his STORY to anyone that came to visit so I heard them often. Many were his "world world II" stories, POW story and then some were about his amateur boxing days. But he was most often telling his STORY to all. I, too, enjoy story telling but not too often are they the ones from my personal life but rather ones already in a wonderful book. When I was in my high school Drama Class/Club, part of an assignment once was to tell & act out a story. My favorite one was Dr. Seuss' "Horton Hatches the Egg". Right now, this summer, the birds have chosen to build their nests close to our house entrances above the doors - this is not the delight you may think it could be. But back to telling our stories...or better said/written -God's story in our Story. Because HE is and that's the best part.

Years ago, back in 2010, I decided to attempt to put my STORY together as how I saw and understood it at that time. I think that if I wrote a new STORY of my faith journey now, it would hopefully be different and better. Yet I am sharing the links to that attempt to share my STORY

again here - I had just gone through a devastating experience in the last month of 2009, which might have influenced my writing or train of thought as I wrote; a very dear close friend had taken his life and I discovered him. A life shattering experience like that profoundly impacts your heart, soul and mind. It is one of many throughout my life that I know - without Jesus - I would not have made it! Jesus changes everything! And our prayers change everything! So clearly, our STORIES are meant to change and inspire, encourage and impact the lives of those around us. I hope my STORY may help you see how God loves & desires us to be image bearers that bear our stories - one to another; seeing our differences and similarities as we press on and continue to deepen our faith, strengthen our hope and increase our love for one another through Jesus Christ, who took all our stories & brought them to the Cross to redeem and forever change us to be more like Him. May you see Jesus in my STORY!

THIS IS MY STORY... Part I. MAZES... this too is my story...  MESSES... this too is my story... MIRACLES... this TOO is my story THIS IS MY STORY... PART II THIS IS MY STORY... Part III THIS IS MY STORY... Part IV THIS IS MY STORY ... Part V. THIS IS MY STORY... Part VI THIS IS MY STORY... Part VII. END of THIS STORY

If you just go to the Blog Archive (in the right side bar >>>)
and go to the year 2010 to open August you will find all of these blog posts
<><><>
Perhaps if I had found this website "Tell Your Story" I might have had a better STORY of
MY STORY
or more polished if I had followed others I have now found:
"How to Write about Your Life"
"Telling Our Stories"
"Preparing Your Personal Testimony"
{this is more of what I was trying to do}
"5 Simple Steps to Write Your Faith Story"

"Perspectives: On Sharing Our Stories" by Kelly O'Dell Stanley{I received this as an email}
<><><>
What is the best part of your STORY?
every one of us
have a
STORY