MARTHA KNOWS HOW - MARY KNOWS HIM (PART 1)

"Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" 'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Luke 10:38-42 NIV


I would like to approach this passage of scripture in the perspective of a worshiper ...

(1)Martha Served But Mary Sat At The Feet Of Jesus (Luke 10:38-42):
We are all familiar with this one story when Jesus visited the home of the two sisters. Martha came to Him to complain about her sister, Mary. God used the story of two well-known women in the Bible to demonstrate to us the type of relationship He wants with each of us.

I get the image of a house busy with people engaged in numerous conversations around the house. Martha is running about trying to figure out how everybody is going to get fed and coordinating the logistics of cooking for all the people. Somewhere in a secluded corner the Lord Jesus Christ is calmly teaching a handful of people who are intently listening to His every word. Mary is sitting at His feet, very content and very settled.

Martha frantically rushes over to interrupt the intimate gathering. Everyone casually looks up at her as the Lord easily sets the record straight. Feeling compassion for Martha, He reassuringly says, “Martha, Martha … you are worried and upset about many things, but only ONE THING is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." After all, if Jesus could feed the 4,000 (Matthew 15:32-39) and the 5,000 (Matthew 14:14-21), then certainly He could handle supper for a house full of people.

Jesus said:
"ONE THING is needed ..." As worshipers, especially if you are in the ministry of worship (i.e worship minister, worship leaders, musicians, singers).

RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS IS THE FOUNDATION FOR WORSHIP

King David said:
"ONE THING I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple" (Psalm 27:4). David's primary occupation was to seek God and His beauty. God declared David to be a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). Imagine that? Wouldn't you love for God to say that about you? I know I would.

(2)Martha's Emotion vs Mary's Comfort (John 11:32)
In another story about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, the two sisters had different reactions to the news that Jesus was coming to see them after their brother Lazarus had died. There are many lessons that Jesus prepared us to see in this whole scenario. Herein we focus on the differences between the two sisters’ approaches to Jesus before He brought Lazarus back to life (kindly read John 11:17-40)

In verse 20 - Jesus was coming
- Martha took off quickly to find Jesus (impatient and anxious)
- Mary stay at home (probably waiting for Jesus)
In verse 25 and 26 - Jesus spoke to Martha but
- Martha did not really hear Jesus(verse 21-22). She was focused on what she had to say to Him. - Mary only went to see Jesus after Jesus called her (verse 28). She went without delay (at the right time).
In Verse 30 - Jesus met Mary in the same place as Martha
- Mary said the same thing as Martha, but unlike Martha complaining to Jesus, Mary worshipped at Jesus' feet(verse 32). Consequently Mary got a different response from Jesus(verse 33).
- Martha had not spent the time in God’s presence (just as in Luke 10) was overcome by her feelings did not believe. Her faith was not at a high level. Even when Jesus was ready to raise Lazarus from the dead, Martha was filled with unbelief(verse 39). Our unbelief can block God's miracles in our lives but, again Jesus lovingly corrected the situation (just as in Luke 10), when He said, “if you believed, you would see the glory of God ” (verse 40).

Both Mary and Martha were believers in the one true God. But, their walk was not the same. Martha knows how ... whereas Mary knows HIM ...

Martha's Syndrome:
Fret & Worry
Complain
Focus on feelings
Anxious
Unbelief

Mary's Solution:
Quiet
Peaceful
Prayerful
At Jesus’ feet
Faith

To be continued next week ... (3) Martha Served While Mary Worshiped (John 12:3)
Blessed week
TPWC

GOODBYE GRUMBLINGS!

He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me,

and he prepares the way so that I may show him

the salvation of God.

Psalm 50:23

Continuing from last week's post on - "A Deeper Gratitude", this week a TPWC's member posted an interesting question on her Facebook's status:"How do we know the will of God for us so that we can be in the centre of it?" There were many enlightening and inspiring answers .....
I gave my input with a perspective of a worshiper and thought it would be good for us to know that the easiest & fastest way to be in the centre of God's will is to walk in the spirit of THANKFULNESS! 1 Thessalonians 5:18 speaks so clearly "IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD!"

There is something very powerful and transforming if we dare live a life of walking in the spirit of thankfulness. God's will easily fall in place in everything we do. On the contary we will struggle like the Israelite in the "wilderness of God's will" if we choose a life of complaining, grumbling or murmuring. In 1 Corinthians 10:10-11, the apostle Paul was speaking about the behaviour of the Israelites in their wanderings from Egypt to the Promised Land ... "And don't MURMUR against God and His dealings with you, as some of them did for that is why God sent His Angel (of death) to destroy them. All these happended to them as examples to warn us against doing the same things; they were written down so that we could read about them and learn from them."

In spite of the many miracles God had performed to deliver them from slavery, the Israelites didn't trust God. Everytime something went wrong, they COMPLAINED bitterly and wanted to go back to Egypt. Why did it take them forty years to cover less than two hundred miles? Even with women and children and cattle, they could have covered the distance in a few weeks. They were delayed because they MURMURED and refuse to trust that God would keep His promise to take care of their every need.

So what's wrong with a little complaining? What difference does it make? It does make all the difference in the world. Everything depends on how we respond to the little things in life. A marriage counselor will tell you that a marriage usually breaks up over little things. It takes only a small nail to puncture a tire. A small mistake by a mechanic can cause the crash of a giant airliner. A small misunderstanding can start a war. Little things mean a lot, because this is the level where we live, down at the nitty-gritty of our attitude at breakfast table, or in the long checkout line at the supermarket.
Grumbling comes so easily to all of us that we often don't even realise what we are doing. But grumbling is the very opposite of thanksgiving; a complaint is the opposite of trust; a murmur against your wife when she burns your toast is the opposite of a loving acceptance. The dictionary defines a complaint as an accusation. You know what? By complaining and grumbling you are actually accusing God of mismanaging the details of your life. The attiutde of thanksgiving and praise releases the power of God into our lives, but the attitude of murmuring and complaining blocks that power.

Our compliants and murmurings against God in the little things can keep us from entering into the perfect plan He has for our lives. The cause of the Israelites' murmuring was UNBELIEF, and UNBELIEF is the root of every one of our complaints. Unbelief, like all sin is a deliberate act of rebellion against God. We can choose whether or not to believe. The first step in dealing with any sin is confession ... admitting to the Lord that we are habitual grumblers, and confessing and asking God for forgiveness. Then we make an agreement with God not to grumble and promise instead to thank Him for every little thing that used to make us grumble. In practice, we will find that the Lord will bring into our lives the very kinds of circumstances that used to trigger our grumbling. When we see them coming, we can thank and praise God, because He is using those very incidents to bring about change in us. Once they made us stumlbe; now they will show us God's strength. Accepting every little thing that happens with joy and thanksgiving will release the power of God in and through us.

To be a worshiper, we need to begin disciplining our lives daily with the spirit of thanksgiving. The benefits of a thankful heart are many ... by giving thanks:
- We are in His divine will (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
- We have immediate access into His presence (Psalm 100:4, 16:11)
- The joy of the Lord will be our strength (Nehemiah 8:10)

Rejoice in the Lord, Always! (Philippians 4:4)
TPWC

A DEEPER GRATITUDE

Be Thankful
Colossians 3:15

Does joyful gratitude characterize our life? Does our hearts dwell in a culture of thankfulness? It should. When was the last time we were so overjoyed with God's work in our life that our praise began flowing spontaneously?If we have a hard time answering that question, ask ourself why? Is it because God has not blessed us enough? Or is it because we have failed to thank Him for His blessings?
Hebrew 12:28 says that gratitude is an acceptable offering to God. Why? Because it acknowledges Who He is better than any other attitude. It recognizes that He is a Blesser, a Giver, a Redeemer of incomparable worth. Gratitude sees God as He is. Here are four statements about thankfulness - requirement, really - from four different Epistles of apostle Paul:

1) Colossians 3:15-17

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

Be thankful - that is not a suggestion; it is a command. In ALL that we do we need to be guided by two principles: doing it "in the name of the Lord Jesus" and "giving thanks to God through Him"
2) Ephesians 5:19
"... speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
When you are full of the Holy Spirit you will continually give God thanks. In fact, you can measure the fullness of the Spirit within you partly by the spirit of a thankful heart. When you cease to do so, it is one sure indication you are beginning to leak out
3) 1 Thessalonians 5:18
"... in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
What is the will of God in Christ Jesus? To give thanks in everything. So if you are not giving thanks, as we have already see, you are actually out of the will of God.
4) Philippians 4:6
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."
Never bring a request to God without thanksgiving. There is nothing wrong with petitioning God for His help, but there is something tragically wrong with failing to thank Him often. Cultivate in your life a culture of gratitude.

The essentials of a Grateful Heart:
- It provides access to God's presence (Psalm 100:4)
- It unlocks the supernatural miracle power of God (John 6:11-12 the feeding of the five thousand)
- It ascribes glory to God by acknowledging His goodness (Psalm 107:1)
- It testifies to His character in the eyes of the world (Exodus 34:6-7; Colossians 3:17)
- It keeps us in His will (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Gratitude is an attitude that if it isn't flowing naturally now, should be cultivated zealously. Practice it often, and it will soon become as natural as breathing.

Give Thanks!
TPWC

A DEEPER PRAISE

About Midnight Paul And Silas

Were Praying And Singing Hymns To God,

And The Other Prisoners Were Listening To Them

Acts 16:25

What do we do when our hostile environment seems to get the best of us? If we're like most people, we fight back, lament our losses, or just get depressed. Not Paul and Silas. They sat in a dirty Philippian jail in the dark of night singing hymns to God.

The reason they were in jail to begin with was because they were obedient to God. They cast out the demon out of the servant girl, but in doing so, they undermined an entire fortune-telling enterprise. Those who had been exploiting the girl's "talent" set them up on false charges - a reaction many people have when losing money. So Paul and Silas sat in a cell with a song in their hearts.

They could WORSHIP enthusiatically because they realised that their opponents had only seemed to get the best of them. They knew that circumstances can be misleading. They understood that the enemy's tactics are superficial scare tactics. Satan can create all kinds of situation havoc, but he cannot disturb the Spirit within us. If that's where we dwell - if we are immersed in the SPIRIT OF GOD - the difference between a five star hotel and a Greek jail cell is minimal.

Where do we dwell? If we are easily swayed by our circumstances, our quality of life will be manipulated by the enemy of God. If we live at a DEEPER LEVEL than that, grounded in the WORD OF GOD and filled with HIS SPIRIT, our quality of life cannot be shaken. Every situation will be an opportunity to WORSHIP, or at least to acknowledge the sovereignty of the Father.

This is a crucial principle to grasp if we are going to maintain our sanity in the hostile environment of a fallen world. We cannot live zealously for Jesus while living as a victim of circumstance. We have to read between the lines of our life and recognize both the enemy's surface tactics and the underlying will of God. The spiritual war requires great focus - and the ability to WORSHIP in dark places.
(an extract from Wonder Of The Cross by Chris Tiegreen)

What do we do "whenever we face trials of many kinds?" Or when we are walking through the "valley of the shadow of death?" James 1:2-3 tells us to consider it pure joy and to PERSEVERE. Paul commands us to "Rejoice in the Lord always!" (Philippians 4:4). We cannot do what Paul and Silas do if we have not been living and practising a life of praise and worship DAILY. The level of our praise and worship have to transcend beyond the weekend corporate worship. It must take DEEPER ROOT through our daily private praise (which include offering sacrifice of praise which is the fruit of our lips - Hebrews 13:15)

Midnight (speaks of hard times) loud (prisoners heard them) Praise and Worship are powerful:
- there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of prison were shaken
- immediately all prison doors were opened and everyone's bands were loosed
- Jailor and households were saved

TPWC

A DEEPER WORSHIP

God Is Spirit

And His Worshipers Must Worship

In Spirit And In Truth

John 4:24

As we step into the New Year, what will be our worship like? Is it a Sunday ritual or a frenzied emotion that you can put on and take off? Is it limited to one style of music or a particular church? Most important, is more than skin deep?
God seeks those whose worship emanates from deep within. He desires legitimate praise and integrity between heart and mouth. He wants to be the One we treasure most. Most of all, He wants you. ALL OF YOU!

What is worship? What does it means to present yourself as a "living sacrifice"? Is there a set time and place for it, or does it encompass ALL of our lives? Considering the priority the Bible places on true worship - and Jesus' declaration that real worship is what God is after - these are enormously important questions. Considering the central role of worship in the life of a believer, it is our entire reason for being, as well as the eternal activity of the saints in heaven, according to the Word - we might do well to consider what God wants it to be like.

Does He prefer informal or formal? Ritualistic or spontaneous? Noisy or quiet? Dignified or recklessly passionate? Nearly everyone has an opinion on these alternatives, but they aren't really the heart of the issue. What God desires most has less to do with how we express our worship than with the spirit behind it. In our adoration of our Creator, God seeks inspiration and integrity and a spirit of sacrifice. He wants our outward expression to match our inward attitudes. He wants us not to worship ignorantly, but to know who He is. He wants it to be real
(an extract from Worship The King - Chris Tiegreen)

Today, God is still seeking, searching and longing for worshipers who will choose to worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). Be that worshiper that God is after.

Be blessed - invite you to join me in worship with this inspiring song - YOU ARE THE ONE by Paul Baloche & Lincon Brewster

Blessed New Year! -TPWC