The Berean Lamp Memory Verse for this week is: “For…

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The Berean Lamp Memory Verse for this week is:

“They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, teaching again and again, they would not listen and receive instruction” (Jeremiah 32:33).

SERIES INTRO: In this Memory Verse for the Devotional Friday, we’re continuing our series looking at the blessings of truth that man credits himself with discovering through his own reasoning in the modern age – but which actually originate from God’s Word. It is a poorly illustrated point that the Holy Spirit through the Church has changed the world for the better – as Jesus said He would (John 16:7-8). All the peoples of the world have truly been blessed by the testimony and labors of the Church – it is a remarkable different place since Jesus came into the world. Why then do so many scholars and pundits try to lay only blame and bad reports at the feet of the Church, giving themselves the credit for the good that Christ has brought through His Bride? Increasingly, books, articles, and reports are painting the Church as a terrible blight on the world – a relic of ignorance, superstition, and cruelty – when the opposite is actually true.

THIS WEEK: Where did the western world get the idea that education was important for everyone, and that the pursuit of truth and knowledge was important? Was it a return to Greek and Roman ideals? A evolved sensibility? No, it actually came about through the Church. Until very recently in the west’s history, the Church was the driving force that initiated literacy and education for everyone – being influential in teaching the common people and in starting institutions of higher learning. The Church was the only persistent, effective institution offering education to the common man across national boundaries over the last 2000 years. The Church was the only way a poor person of low birth to be educated and prepared for service in the Church or government – This often incited the ire of the nobility, such as King John, when they had to contend with “lower classes” being influential, highly educated people. The Church championed literacy and education throughout European history. This should be no surprise, for God calls Himself a teacher to all and Jesus was called “rabbi” or “teacher” who taught the poor and the common people. The Bible puts a heavy emphasis on education, the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, and a desire to know truth. In fact, the great educational institutions of European and American history were often started as divinity schools that expanded with the Protestant Reformation to explore God’s creation, seeking knowledge and wisdom. The role of Christianity in western education is foundational – from Britain’s earliest center of learning, “the college” formed by the Celtic preacher St. Illtud in 500 AD to Oxford University, The University of Cambridge, Princeton University, and Yale University – to name a few. Yes, they were all begun and managed as Christian education institutions, spreading true knowledge to mankind everywhere. Even the printing press was invented so that the knowledge of the Bible could reach the common man in their own tongue and it brought with it the potential to share all manner of knowledge. With Isaac Newton’s Christian education, he applied Biblical principles in his approach to science (that God is a God of laws, and therefore, His creation is governed by discernible laws that we can study and learn from), and the single greatest leap in the Scientific Revolution was sparked. The world likes to claim the Church is a purveyor of ignorance, but the opposite is actually true. The Church has always been and still is the single greatest force in the world for education and literacy for the common people. Christians are the innovators and creators of modern education with its desire that people everywhere have access to truth, true knowledge, and wisdom, regardless of race, background, wealth, prominence, importance, etc, so that they may have access to God’s Word and learn about Him and His creation. Unfortunately, as mankind turns its back on God and His Church, it is falling into ignorance and darkness, turning our education centers into spreaders of false “knowledge” and depravity – the western world is in danger of losing all it attained through the work of the Spirit. Yes, once again, the Holy Spirit through the Word of God in Christ’s Church is what brings mankind the knowledge of truth. Let’s look at some verses from Scripture that inspired Christians to pursue learning and education and sparked their desire to teach others.

May we give credit to God before men for the good work His Holy Spirit has done through the Church in spreading truth, knowledge, and wisdom throughout the entire world. May they turn back before it is too late. Even so, Amen.

Other verses to consider:

“Now listen to me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You be the people’s representative before God, and you bring the disputes to God, then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do” (Exodus 18:19-20).

“Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Assemble the people to Me, that I may let them hear My words so they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children’” (Deuteronomy 4:10).

“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).

“You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 11:18-20).

“But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you; and let the fish of the sea declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this, in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?” (Job 2:7-10)

“Behold, God is exalted in His power; Who is a teacher like Him?” (Job 36:22)

“Make me know Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day” (Psalm 25:4-5).

“He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way” (Psalm 25:9).

“Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord” (Psalm 34:11).

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding” (Psalm 32:8-9).

“Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You” (Psalm 51:13).

Listen, O my people, to my instruction; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not conceal them from their children, but tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done. For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers that they should teach them to their children, that the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children, that they should put their confidence in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments, and not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart
And whose spirit was not faithful to God” (Psalm 78:1-8).

“He who planted the ear, does He not hear? He who formed the eye, does He not see? He who chastens the nations, will He not rebuke, Even He who teaches man knowledge? The Lord knows the thoughts of man, That they are a mere breath” (Psalm 94:9-11).

“Teach me good discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Your commandments” (Psalm 119:66).

“Hear, my son, your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching; Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head and ornaments about your neck” (Proverbs 1:8-9).

“My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; For length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you” (Proverbs 3:1-2).

“My son, observe the commandment of your father and do not forsake the teaching of your mother; Bind them continually on your heart; Tie them around your neck. When you walk about, they will guide you; When you sleep, they will watch over you; And when you awake, they will talk to you. For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light” (Proverbs 6:20-23).

“Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning” (Proverbs 9:9).

“The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, To turn aside from the snares of death” (Proverbs 13:14).

“And many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths.’ For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:3).

“O people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you. Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. Your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left” (Isaiah 30:19-20).

“‘Come near to Me, listen to this: From the first I have not spoken in secret, from the time it took place, I was there. And now the Lord God has sent Me, and His Spirit.’ Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to My commandments! Then your well-being would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea” (Isaiah 48:16-18).

“They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, teaching again and again, they would not listen and receive instruction” (Jeremiah 32:33).

“Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people” (Matthew 4:23).

“When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 5:1-3).

“Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness” (Matthew 9:35).

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

“And He went out again by the seashore; and all the people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them” (Mark 2:13).

“When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things” (Mark 6:34).

“Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers” (Luke 2:46-47).

Anyone can understand: “If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself” (John 7:17).

A poor uneducated blind man teaching truth to the “experts” of his day—they couldn’t take it: “The man answered and said to them, ‘Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.’ They answered him, ‘You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?’ So they put him out” (John 9:30-34).

“You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am” (John 13:13).

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:26).

“And when they had come to him, he said to them, ‘You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (John 20:18-21).

Practice what you teach: “and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? For ‘the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,’ just as it is written” (Romans 2:18-24).

“We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ” (Colossians 1:28).

“Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching” (1 Timothy 4:13).

“Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:16).

“The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2).

“The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged” (2 Timothy 2:24).

They teach so that those taught may also teach others: “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food” (Hebrews 5:12).

“Your hands made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments” (Psalm 119:73).

“A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel” (Proverbs 1:5).

“Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning” (Proverbs 9:9).

“It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me” (John 6:45).

“In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs” (Ecclesiastes 12:9).

“All your sons will be taught of the Lord; And the well-being of your sons will be great” (Isaiah 54:13).

“It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me” (John 6:45).

“The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge” (Proverbs 18:15).

“Boast no more so very proudly, Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; For the Lord is a God of knowledge, And with Him actions are weighed” (1 Samuel 2:3).

“‘Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people, for who can rule this great people of Yours?’ God said to Solomon, ‘Because you had this in mind, and did not ask for riches, wealth or honor, or the life of those who hate you, nor have you even asked for long life, but you have asked for yourself wisdom and knowledge that you may rule My people over whom I have made you king, wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. And I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings who were before you has possessed nor those who will come after you’” (2 Chronicles 1:10-12).

“The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge” (Psalm 19:1-2).

“For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6).

“Does not wisdom call, and understanding lift up her voice? On top of the heights beside the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; Beside the gates, at the opening to the city, at the entrance of the doors, she cries out: ‘To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. O naive ones, understand prudence; And, O fools, understand wisdom. Listen, for I will speak noble things; And the opening of my lips will reveal right things. For my mouth will utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverted in them. They are all straightforward to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge. Take my instruction and not silver, and knowledge rather than choicest gold. For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things cannot compare with her. I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth, I hate. Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine. By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, all who judge rightly. I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me. Riches and honor are with me, Enduring wealth and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, And my yield better than choicest silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, To endow those who love me with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries….Now therefore, O sons, listen to me,
For blessed are they who keep my ways. Heed instruction and be wise, And do not neglect it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts. For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord. But he who sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love death” (Proverbs 8:1-21;32-36).

“Wise men store up knowledge, But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand” (Proverbs 10:14).

“With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered” (Proverbs 11:9).

“The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge” (Proverbs 18:15).

“Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge, and he who hurries his footsteps errs” (Proverbs 19:2).

“There is gold, and an abundance of jewels; But the lips of knowledge are a more precious thing” (Proverbs 20:15).

“By the transgression of a land many are its princes, But by a man of understanding and knowledge, so it endures” (Proverbs 28:2).

“For wisdom is protection just as money is protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors” (Ecclesiastes 7:12).

“Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge; And their honorable men are famished, And their multitude is parched with thirst” (Isaiah 5:13).

“The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:2).

“As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:11).

“It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding” (Daniel 2:21).

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Isaiah 4:6).

“Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering” (Luke 11:52).

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:1-3).

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment” (Philippians 1:9).

“That their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2-3).

“O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called ‘knowledge’” (1 Timothy 6:20).

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever” (Psalm 111:10)

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The Berean Lamp Memory Verse for this week is: “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). SERIES INTRO: In this Memory Verse for the Devotional Friday, we’re continuing our series looking at the blessings of truth that man…