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by Nathan Buck

After a long and struggling summer, some serious issues at work, health issues within our extended family, and then some doubt about our vacation even happening, we finally got the “all clear” to go. It was amazing. Everything we looked forward to was just perfect, and we UNWOUND.

I am sad to say that when we returned, it only took 48 hours for me to be completely WOUND again. Just that quick, on the heels of an amazing time of relaxation, I was stressed out. It was hard for me to see the way forward, especially since I let the horizontal struggles sweep me back off my bearings.

What are some simple principles that can help us move forward, to grow and to go the way God wants, moving forward in the horizontal, without losing sight of the vertical? This sounds like it should be easy. But there are plenty of things that can lead us off course, and most of them need to be handled FIRST in our mind, before we lose our way.

Read 2 Timothy 4:1-2. Paul is encouraging a young leader in the Lord and giving Him guidelines to stay on course. Those guidelines are just as relevant to us today as they were to Timothy then. 

Paul starts this chapter saying that he “solemnly charges” Timothy in regards to His purpose and calling. The Greek words Paul uses for “solemnly charges” mean to testify or give witness like in a court case. In other words, this is important, and it has the weight of life, death, and eternity connected to it.

What does he charge Timothy with? To be ready in season and out of season, to preach the Word of God. Do you know that we are all supposed to do this? If we believe what the Bible teaches that we are all ministers of the good news of Jesus, if we believe we are the priesthood of all believers, then we all share in this charge to preach. Maybe not on a platform or to audiences, but in and out of season. So, ALWAYS and EVERYWHERE.

In order to preach the Word, you have to know the Word. In order to know the Word, we have to learn the Word. So, what is the best way to learn? Check out these statistics in regard to learning. People remember: 
10% of what they read
20% of what they hear
30% of what they see
50% of what they see and hear
70% of what they discuss with others
80% of what they personally experience

But there is one more method that causes us to remember and learn better than all these. In fact, it has a whopping 95% retention by those who absorb and assimilate knowledge this way. Maximum learning comes from TEACHING OTHERS!

When we break something down and help someone else learn it, we actually improve our own abilities exponentially. Children who take on their own student actually learn faster and become stronger at whatever they are learning, because they are engaging every aspect of what it takes to grow and mature in their own abilities – at the same time they are helping someone else develop theirs. The same is true of our faith.

Knowing God is the most important aspect of your life and the most significant relationship you have. Are you passionately seeking to understand His Word, so that you can live and share His teachings and promises? Who are you learning from, and who are you teaching? Are you ready to preach in season and out of season? If not, who will you partner with for your learning and development? Who will you teach in order to galvanize and refine your own learning? Will you make the time to do so in regards to your faith?

The way forward starts with a solid understanding of our VERTICAL bearings and intentional growth and teaching from God's Word to keep us from being overrun and burnt out by the ways of the world.

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