I’ve never been good at what we used to call “new math.” Oh. I can add, subtract, multiply and divide. That’s all I need to know for what I do in my life. I don’t need new math. I just need the old, basic arithmetic. But I remember my high school algebra teacher. Well, here’s what I remember. I didn’t learn much, and I’m not sure how I even passed the class. I never took another math class in high school. Then I went to college, and one math class was on the agenda. The instructor was amazing. She made learning math seem easy. I’m not sure that I aced the class, but I learned more than I ever had in high school. But the information didn’t stick with me because I never needed to use it again.

Years later when I went back to school, math was one of the required courses for the degree I was pursuing. But I had to take a placement test to determine my proficiency level. It was maybe a fifteen question quiz. When I took my finished quiz to the proctor, she started grading it. Then she looked at me and said that I must have mixed up the answers to the questions. I said no, I didn’t and walked out. I knew I would have to take the most remedial math class that was offered before I could take the one math class required for the program.

I began the class. The instructor was good. He explained things well. I thought I was catching on, but then I would go home and start on the homework. I wasn’t keeping up with the work. My math knowledge had reached its limits. I quit the class and the school. Years later, I opted for another school and degree that didn’t require math.

From my failed math experiences, I learned that I need a math instructor who keeps things simple and uncomplicated. If I had had that type of instructor in high school, perhaps I would have been able to go further in my “new math” skills. But ever since then, I’ve opted for a life without the requirements of too much math, and I’ve survived just fine. And I’ve decided that if math becomes a requirement in my life, the key for my success is having the right instructor. I need someone who is patient and keeps the instructions clear and simple.

I realize that math proficiency is not related to only the instructor. It lies with me, too. And I realized many years ago that math just isn’t my strong point. And I’m fine with that. But I do need to have math skills in order to be proficient in this life, whether I like it or not. It’s up to me to take the initiative to learn the basics and apply them to the areas of my life where arithmetic is needed. I can’t slough off on it just because it’s not one of my strengths.

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Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Psalms 25:4-5

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Life can teach us hard lessons if we live a hard life. If we always seem to go against the teachings of those in authority, we can end up in tough life lessons. And it’s not really necessary, but we do it to ourselves because we think we know best.

The same can be said for our spiritual lives. We want what we want. And we don’t want God telling us what we can and can’t do. We want to set the rules for how we live our lives. And we let our social influences lead us. Even when they lead us down a dark and winding path that moves us further from God, we seem to follow blindly.

Oh. We may think we’re following God because, after all, we’re Christians. We go to church. We give money to the church. We may even volunteer to work in different ministries in the church. But we may find ourselves following the latest spiritual leaders who aren’t leading us biblically. And we think they are because their teachings sound so easy to follow. They don’t require use to change to do anything uncomfortable or self-sacrificing. But when we don’t read and study God’s word, we can be easily led astray. It’s easy to trust anyone who tells us to do only comfortable things. But when we read the Bible and Jesus teaches us that those who call themselves his followers must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow him, then we start squirming in our seats.

Just this week, I saw a conference posted online where speakers and pastors were teaching other pastors unbiblical lessons. And then those pastors will go back to their churches and possibly teach their congregations these same unbiblical lessons. What is going on?

The only instruction that believers can trust is Scripture, which was inspired by God who doesn’t lie. He doesn’t bow to the latest fads. He doesn’t show favoritism. He offers full and complete forgiveness when we confess and repent of our sins. He instructs in the way we should live. He corrects us. He shows love and justice to everyone, regardless of the color of our skin or our birthplace.

Oh sure. We need others to come alongside us to mentor and disciple us. We need pastors who speak solid biblical truths preaching to us from the pulpit every Sunday. And then we must read and study the Word of God and apply it to our lives. There’s no way around this requirement, because it’s the only way we get to know God.

Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. Matthew 7:15

But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. 2 Peter 2:1-2

God’s instructions are straightforward, not complex. The ten commandments clearly tell us how to live. The Sermon on the Mount spells out the gospel of holy living in clear and concise words. Jesus didn’t beat around the bush when he preached to the multitudes, and those same simple words of instruction are given to us today to hear and obey. And every word written in that precious Book leads us to God. The story of salvation is not rocket science, and it’s definitely a math assignment. No one needs an advanced degree to understand it. The homework given to us is to obey the message of Jesus and embrace a life of repentance and forgiveness and then walk in obedience.

As Oswald Chambers says, if God speaks to us then we either do what he asks or tell him that we will not obey. We’re more than happy to listen to what other people say about God. We just don’t want to hear from God directly, because then we have a decision to make. And if the decision to obey God may cost us something more than we’re willing to give, we turn in the opposite direction. As a pastor recently said, there is a point of no return, and it’s either at our last breath or at the second coming of Jesus. Let’s not wait too late to make the decision to follow Christ.