Am I Still Teachable?

One of the saddest developments in aging is the inability to learn new things.  You know the old saying, "you can teach an old dog new tricks."  Well, in some ways that is not true.  The largest group of first time users on the internet are people over 55.  I was at the Apple store recently, and there sat a group of 60 year olds all being trained on how to use an Ipad.  It was really cute! The problem is more about not being willing to learn, than it does with the ability to learn. For a Christian, we have the eternal Spirit of God who is continuing to write God's law in our hearts.  In Jeremiah 31:33 we read:

33But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Learning shouldn't be a problem for the believer, the Holy Spirit is writing the best kind of knowledge in our hearts. What I have noticed among some Christian leaders however, is an unteachable spirit, a life that does not accept any further instruction from anyone. Some leaders will only accept what they receive as a "Rema word" or a direct communication from the Lord. Their personal revelations guide them, and often some of these "revelations" are simply the invention of their own making. The New Testament teaches us that we are to be accountable to other believers, called the Church, and it is through the Church that God will reveal His word.  Why? Because there are gifts that are given to the church to help us to better live our lives for God. For example:

Ephesians 4:11  11And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, These are the gifts that God has given to His the Church, and they minister the word of God through their gift. The Gifts Defined: The Apostles remind us that we need to start churches in places we don't have churches. The prophet corrects us, and warns us of things to come according to God's Word. The evangelist stirrs our hearts to share the gospel.  The Pastors watch out for our spiritual growth and as a counselor gives us great advice for how to live our lives. The teacher helps us to process the Word of God  and to learn the principles to live by according to God.  Do we ever stop learning at the feet of these gifts?  No, it's continual, and renewing, always shaping us to be the image of Christ in our world. What I may know today about God can be improved upon tomorrow if I remain teachable to what God is writing everyday in my heart. Growing in wisdom, is the gift of age, and it's okay to get older. But as we age, let's make sure that we don't stop growing wiser in our understanding of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.  Having said all of this, I want you to listen to one of the old timers who talks about the desire to continue to learn more about God. Here is the late Leonard Ravinhill on anointing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biSQTNgEyus Keepint it honest and truthful...K