Practising What We Teach

Philosophy View Of Teach

Give information about or instruction in a subject or skill.

Cause someone to learn or understand something by example or experience.

Encourage someone to accept something as a fact or principle.

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Biblical View Of Teach

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Deuteronomy 6:7 KJV

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Praying for anyone other than ourselves, families or friends is a spiritual discipline yet God expects us to! Samuel told the children of Israel that he considered it a sin against the Lord if he failed to pray for them. How easy is it to stop praying for people who seem like they will never change. After all if our prayers appear to be going unanswered why go on praying!.

In 1st Samuel 3:15-18 echoes that Samuel was called by the Lord while he was quite young began his teaching ministry by relaying a difficult message to Eli, the priest.

And Samuel lay until the morning and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.

Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.

And he said, what is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide anything from me of all the things that he said unto thee.

And Samuel told him every whit and hid nothing from him. And he said, it is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good. 1ST Samuel 3:15-18 KJV

Even tho Samuel was very young when God chose him to serve, as he got older God continued to use him. The Lord was with him and everything Samuel had to say was from God, he spoke with wisdom and truth. All Israel came to accept that Samuel was a prophet of the Lord.

And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. 1st Samuel 19: 20 KJV

Toward the end of Samuel’s life, the people of Israel clamoured for a “King like all the other nations”

And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. 1st Samuel 8:5 KJV

Samuel had rebuked Israel for insisting on having a King because they were unique among the nations and the Lord was their King.

And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God was your king. 1st Samuel 12:12 KJV

Although their habitual turning away from the Lord had wearied Samuel, he persevered and promised that he would continue in his prophetic office whether there was a King or no King. To pray and to teach those who wander from the truth takes spiritual tenacity. Samuel practised such endurance, he had been Israel’s leader from his youth and now as he grew old and gray he committed himself to continue praying faithfully for the obstinate children of Israel.

And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. 1st Samuel 12:2 KJV

According to 1st Samuel 12:23 & 25 echoes that it is also a spiritual discipline to teach others “what is good and right”. So often it can feel like such an all-absorbing task to teach our own families that we can fail to put out the effort for the larger body of believers. Let’s face it- it’s a sacrifice to prepare a Sunday school lesson or put time aside to meet young Christians and encourage them in the Lord. It also takes self-discipline to live a Holy Life, to hold people accountable, and to warn them that actions have consequences.

Moreover, as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king. 1st Samuel 12:23 & 25 KJV

In other words there are some things that are required of us

We need to spiritually discipline ourselves if we are ever to be used to teach others.

We must earn the right to be heard.

We must practise what we teach others.

And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.

And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.

Behold, here I am: witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.

And they said, thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man’s hand.

And he said unto them, The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness. 1st Samuel 12:1-5 KJV

John Milton Gregory’s outlines seven laws of teaching

1. The Law of the Teacher: If you stop growing today, you stop teaching tomorrow. 2. The Law of Education: The way people learn determines how you teach. 3. The Law of Activity: Maximum learning is always the result of maximum-involvement. 4. The Law of Communication: To truly impart information requires the building of bridges. 5. The Law of the Heart: Teaching that has impact is not head-to-head, but heart to heart. 6. The Law of Encouragement: Teaching tends to be most effective when the learner is properly motivated. 7. The Law of Readiness: The teaching-learning process will be most effective when both student and teacher are adequately prepared.

Things we can do to improve our skills before we teach

• Promote Collaborative Learning

• Research & Stay Updated

• Be Clear & Understandable

• Organize & Plan Ahead

• Set Realistic Goals

READ AND BE BLESSED