Are You Teachable? The Bible reveals that God is looking for an important quality in Christians and future leaders in His Kingdom—teachability. Abraham listened to God’s instructions (Genesis 18:19). Moses was an extremely capable leader, but he was also humble and teachable (Numbers 12:3). David exhibited this same attitude when he wrote “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes” (Psalm 119:33). Solomon asked God for wisdom and an “understanding heart” so he could learn to rule wisely (1 Kings 3:9). When Jesus said the “meek” and “poor in spirit” will be blessed, He emphasized the need to be teachable and willing to learn (Matthew 5:3–5). However, the Scriptures also reveal that when we harden our hearts to God’s instructions, we will reap serious consequences (Proverbs 28:14). Let’s strive to be teachable so we can avoid problems and gain an everlasting reward in the coming Kingdom of God.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
One can't "strive to be teachable". And usually the one who tells others to do that actually means "let ME be your teacher". Striving to be teachable in a church context is just another form of compliance where going along to get along is the preferred path in a group setting.
ReplyDelete"Let me be your teacher?" It's more like "Let me be your master."
ReplyDeleteFor me to be "teachable" by LCG requires LCG ministers to teach truth, not error and tradition. Are they doing that?
ReplyDeleteWe are all open in some areas, or convinced that we know what there is that can be known in other areas. It's based on our life experiences.
ReplyDeleteHerbert W. Armstrong's methodology involved redefining parameters, and taking charge, as all extremely successful salesmen do. Because of this, and the ride many of us were taken on, those of us who have learned our lessons tend to be closed to Armstrongism and to those who would attempt to redirect it and to rope us back in to a toxic system replete with toxic pollutions of the Bible. Since we repel their efforts, in their parlance we are no longer teachable. By this we, and others who are just now awakening, are thought to be no longer teachable, although that is not a total description of our character or psyche. It just means we reject their shit.
Another of Doug's many recycled topics, which ironically gives us the answer. Doug doesn't believe LCG members are teachable!
ReplyDeleteHe's right 8:03! You can't teach them science at all! They are programmed against it!
ReplyDeleteThey sure seemed to be for it when Ambassador College was still in existence.
DeleteHow does Doug or any other person know if someone's heart has been hardened. I probably only could "if possible" address that to someone if I knew them for a decade or two like a family member. Only God knows the heart, and He searches the heart. And being teachable also means knowing that you might be wrong in a few areas, unlike LCG has been able to do.
ReplyDeleteI heard Dr. Robert Jeffers say on Christian radio the other day that there are times when we CAN know someone's heart. Their words and/or actions make it obvious.
DeleteWell I'm reminded of that verse in Jeremiah, "the heart of man is desperately wicked, who can know it." But a hardened heart? I do know what comes out of a man's mouth comes from within, but how would one measure someone to have it hardened. Perhaps the love of many grows cold in some ministries.
DeleteWhy are they not teachable? Cuz they already know: Laodicean!
ReplyDelete‘Let’s strive to be teachable also we can avoid problems…’
ReplyDeleteWhat type of problems Doug?
We all know the answer to that one don’t we, with the ministry of course.
North Koreans would understand the implications of Dougs comment.
So would George Orwell.
On many occasions I rebuked members at services, only to have them explode in my face or smear me. People sure love their perks.
ReplyDeleteThese ACOG recyclers will never reach the pinnacles of relevance which they are attempting to recapture. One of their prime obstacles is the basic mindset. Extremely conservative people are unimaginative, and actually wear that state of mind as if it were a badge of honor.
ReplyDeleteTracy Marrow, aka Ice-T, and his metal band "Body Count", in cooperation with David Gilmour of Pink Floyd have just released a totally new version of "Comfortably Numb" containing some really incisive commentary on the state of the world. The single is going viral right now, because it really captures the current Zeitgeist. Back in the day, GTA was aware of such cultural influences as popular music and was able to tap into them, adding a bit of relevance to Armstrongism. This is the first time in decades that something of this nature has surfaced, and one would think that at least one of the splinter groups would want to use it in a Feast of Tabernacles sermon, but alas, they'll probably all miss out! Ice-T does have short hair these days, but alas, he is not Manassite.
A lot of the groups are aging out and their leadership is aging. So they would have the hardest time to tap in to the cultural influences. Part of the problem is their culture of Manassehism. Who is and who is not.
DeleteThat's really a shame, isn't it 1:51. Jesus certainly had his finger on the culture of His day. His message was timeless. I believe that that is why the great crowds saw relevance in His messages. He preached a message of solutions based on character that was not based on our predatory human emotions. Transcendant behavior.
DeleteYea 6:59, it's a shame (but they can improve with the right leadership), and good points about Jesus during his day. He was sitting people who "he wasn't suppose to sit with" turning water into wine, giving parables about Samaritans, healing people no matter what day it was, allowing people to try and walk on water like He did, going into tax collectors homes all that kind of stuff and more.
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