Psalm 119:99

Psalm 119:99

No limits to learning

When someone says that they have more insight than all their teachers, we would probably assume that they are arrogant or deluded! How can we go around boasting that, however much others seek to instruct us, we know more? I will attempt to explain. In my youth I had an immense hunger for learning especially learning about the Word of God. I attended conferences, Bible teaching sessions, house parties and the like, and would hang on to every word spoken by the teachers, making copious notes as I listened. I borrowed books from my father and other friends and loved nothing more than to go to Christian bookshops and buy the latest publications. My bookshelves swelled with commentaries, biographies and publications covering every subject associated with the Bible. These books were not for casual reading, they were for study and learning and ultimately the truths embraced would find their way into countless sermons and Bible teaching sessions. 

Many of those tomes have long gone, they have been given away or destroyed, they have no relevance anymore. Why? Because I no longer need the copious writings of others to feed my soul or to inspire my teaching, I have the Word of God and time is limited, I would rather spend my time researching with Him direct than pursuing the ideas of others. Of course, there are books that still inspire wonder and interest. Of course, there are preachers and teachers who open windows into new areas of understanding, but none of them compare with the Holy Spirit and His ability to instruct in ways that go deep into the heart. 

This journey of discovery is a journey that we are all taking part in, I liken it to car travel. The lazy motorists turn on their satnav and let someone else tell them how to reach their destination. The more astute buy and study maps and try to remember the road names and the places that are passed on route. The most experienced drivers seem to know where they are going, they need no visual help and no disembodied voices telling them where to go, experience and confidence in their navigational skills are enough for them to safely make it to their destination. In spiritual terms, that’s the benefit of meditating on the statutes of the Lord!

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