Daily Devotionals for Women - Today's Encouraging Word from Scripture

PRE-REQUISITES OF GOOD TEACHING

The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable. Proverbs 15:2

I still tremble with fear knowing that I have been called to be a teacher of the Word. In the beginning of my ministry, I was a recording artist and never could have imagined the future. I’ve learned the hard way that teaching is so much more than just sharing information. Eloquence of the spiritual kind is what happens when what a teacher shares is shaped and empowered by God to go into a man's spirit, like a well crafted arrow, to change his life.

To teach successfully, I must have wisdom. That means I have come to the end myself and recognize that I am spiritually bankrupt without God.
To teach successfully, I must know people. I must understand the heart of a man and how he thinks, moves, and breathes with or without God. That starts with knowing myself as revealed by the Holy Spirit.
To teach successfully, I must be in tune with whether or not others are connecting with me. Blank stares, napping, shifting in their seats...these are not good signs. I must be open to others feedback.
To teach successfully, I must know when the hearts of my listeners are ready to hear the message. There must be fertile ground for the seeds to take root. A message delivered prematurely, even though it may be expertly crafted, is completely wasted. I may as well have curled up at home with a good book. And, there will never be fertile ground without prayer. Lots of it.
To teach successfully, I must know how to hear the voice of God's Spirit while I'm teaching. As one who used to be chained to my notes, convinced that I needed to have every "t" crossed and every "i" dotted, I have learned that God wants to tweak my messages during the delivery. If I don't know how to hear Him and don't have the guts to follow His lead, I will live in the bondage of perfectionism. I will forfeit the thrill of seeing Him move supernaturally through a Spirit-led tangent.

"The Scriptures come alive to me," is one of the greatest comments a teacher will ever hear. God is looking for those who are willing to do their own rigorous heart preparation before ever taking the podium. I’m asking God to never let me do anything less.

Break me and mold me. Burn the message into my spirit and remove the dross. I finally have no other agenda than Yours, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen

For more from Christine Wyrtzen and Jaime Wyrtzen Lauze, please visit www.daughtersofpromise.org