Don't Let Anything Stunt Your Growth

Ephesians 1:13

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Ephesians 1:14

Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:18

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Ephesians 4:3

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:4

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

Ephesians 4:5

One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

Ephesians 4:6

One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Ephesians 4:7

But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Ephesians 4:11

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

Ephesians 4:12

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Ephesians 4:13

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Ephesians 4:13 ESV

until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

Galatians 4:1

Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

Galatians 4:19

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

Ephesians 4:14

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

1 John 3:6

Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

1 John 3:7

Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

1 John 3:8

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 3:9

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

1 John 3:10

In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

1 John 3:11

For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

1 John 3:12

Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

Luke 10:38

Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

Luke 10:39

And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

Luke 10:40

But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

Luke 10:41

And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

Luke 10:42

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Matthew 9:20

And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

Matthew 9:21

For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

Matthew 9:22

But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

A Vineyard and the Inheritance Part 2

2 Samuel 23:9-12 He’s not distracted that his hand is cramped onto the sword. This is not the time for quitting.

9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: 10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.

11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines. 12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.

Last week Naboth’s stood his ground and refused to give up the inheritance received from his fathers. This inheritance connected to God’s promises was important enough for Naboth to die for. Everything battle you face in life is not worth dying for, but Eleanor, Shammah and Naboth knew when it was time.

Romans 8:37

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Revelation 12:11

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Ahab and Jezebel’s approach symptomatic... the serpent deceives. The dragon takes by force. Ahab asked permission. The initial approach was not to take but to entice Naboth to yield. Satan cannot take whatever he wants. 3 problems people have spiritually:

1. Unsaved and blindly walking towards the edge of eternal destruction.                                  Through the word

2. Say, “I love God,” but have no desire to know Him.

3. Know His word, just disobey—not that big a deal

Snake and a plan

Underestimated is the exercise of free will and the trickery of Satan. Satan slithers w/ his traps and tricks into position. His venom paralyzes. He wraps, squeezes and his constriction wraps and entraps. Once the trap is set it’s never as easy to get out [Psalm 91]. One last thing to say about the free will, deception and the strike. A snake repeatedly flicks its tongue many times before it ever sinks its fangs. It’s sensing both the prey and the environment. It’s sensing and adjusting as needed.

Like a snake, Satan hides his real intent until he’s ready to strike. He hides in the shadows watching our responses to situations and circumstances. Satan will put people and situations in our path to position us for the strike.

A Rat and a grape

Believer’s are not supposed to be vulnerable prey. They have access to the truth. He has the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit gives discernment. The more a person yields to the Holy Spirit and focuses on God’s truth, the more discernment they receive. The more a person yields and focuses on what life has brought, the more distracted they become—the more vulnerable they are.

Examples:

1. Two single adults. Both desire companionship. Both love God. It starts innocent. It starts as a friendship. It starts slow. Talking turns to texting, and before you know it texting turns to kissing. And well from there not much more needs to be said. How dare you preacher. I’m an adult, and I am allowed to kiss or make out with someone if I want to! Yes, you can do what you want with your free will. That’s the point. He flicked his tongue, sensed you were ready for a nibble, the paths converged…

2. There are a lot of people who want a new life. Tired of drugs, tired of men or vice versa, just looking for fellowship—need some good social companionship. They seek out fellowship with other believers, and end up in a church full of false doctrine. You think demons of lust are bad? You don’t want to get caught up in doctrines of devils. That serpent will slowly constrict the life out of you.

Jezebel and Ahab are types of spiritual darkness infiltrating the kingdom of God. Adam allowed the serpent into the garden, Ahab allowed Jezebel into the kingdom and Christian’s, have been known to allow darkness into their lives:

But Paul warned

KJV Ephesians 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

NASB Ephesians 4:27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.

NIV Ephesians 4:27 and do not give the devil a foothold.

Eleazer the son of Dodo and Shammah were examples of God’s people taking a stand against darkness, not giving into it:

Ephesians 6:10-11

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Ephesians 6:13

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

NASB Ephesians 5:8-14 a teenage girl whispers to her friend about what her and her boyfriend did 2 nights ago

8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.

Sometimes we feel too weak to stand

David’s men came to serve him before he was given His crown. When they first arrived, they looked weak and pitiful:

1 Samuel 22:1-2

1 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him. 2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

Think about that. They were distressed and in debt. David wasn’t on the throne yet, but he was the rightful king and they came to serve him. After spending time serving him, this is how a couple of these men were described:

Eleazer’s hand grew weary in the battle, but his hand clung to his sword. Paul learned in (2 Cor 12:9) “In my weakness, His strength is made perfect.

God’s word tells us not to grow weary in well doing when everyone else ran away, in fear, God helped Eleazer grip the sword tighter.

Why you want to fight over a patch of peas Shammah? Because these peas don’t belong to the Philistines. This pea patch belongs to God, He gave it to us and the people of God don’t give up their inheritance to the devil.

If New Testament Christian’s would spend more time learning what the scriptures say, so they could believe what God says about them instead of what the world says, they, too, would become kingdom warriors:

This thing we’re seeing with Israel is big. This thing with America is big. The vineyard was big, the pea patch was big, but you do understand that there is something bigger, than the conflict in Israel and what we’re experiencing in America? The snake is flicking his tongue and he’s trying to gain an angle on people’s souls, and more than anything he wants the souls of God’s people:

Luke 17:21

Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Satan wants the kingdom of God and the kingdom of God is in God’s people and people think that they’re ready, and I so hope that we are.

But just as the devil offered Adam and Eve a lie, he offers people lies today and wants them to trade their eternal inheritance for something temporary. He tried to do that to Jesus also:   

Luke 4:6-8

6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. 8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Satan told Jesus that the kingdoms and their glory were delivered to him, and that now, he can give them to whomever he wills. Who do you reckon gave Satan the kingdoms?

Adam yielded his authority to Satan, as a result, Satan has power on earth.

Deliver- to surrender or yield.

God gave it to Adam, but Adam traded his authority to Satan for a lie.

Jesus doesn’t yield to Satan or His friend’s:

Luke 4:8

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Matthew 16:23

But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

There is no time to get snared in Satan’s traps

Both Peter and Satan were trying to get Jesus to focus on temporary kingdoms. You might get caught up in temporary problems, but Jesus said that the offense is a trap, the trap is a temporary promise, and he’s telling Satan to get behind him. What is the trap in front of you?

Jesus came from heaven to earth to give us back our power and our inheritance, so that He can resume His plan of filling the earth with His glory.

Inheritance from God

Satan wants to steal what God has given you. In Christ, God has given us great power and an inheritance, and its important that we understand what we have in Christ:

Ephesians 1:17-19

17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.

Throughout the Bible, the people that failed God and received a bad testimony from the scriptures are those, who didn’t care about God’s word, didn’t believe God’s word or were somehow deceived related to God’s word.

• Adam, was deceived & delivered his power to Satan

• Esau didn’t care & sold his birthright for a bowl of lentils

• The 10 spies didn’t believe and said they were grasshoppers in the eyes of the giants

• Israel cowered in fear and unbelief as Goliath ridiculed God’s people

• The prodigal son spent his inheritance on prostitutes and pig slop

• Adam failed but Jesus said, “It is written Satan”

• Esau sold out but Jacob wrestled with God until finally his name was changed to Israel

• The 10 grasshoppers died on the other side of Jordan but Joshua and Caleb crossed over and killed giants

• Israel cowered. But then David showed up and sunk a rock in Goliath’s head and fed his flesh to the birds.

• The prodigal woke up one day, lost his taste for pig slop and prostitutes and said I’m going home to serve my father and there, unexpectedly, received again his authority with a ring and a robe

Satan tries to convince us that he has something better.

Better wife

Better husband

Better job

Better car

Lies and distractions he uses to get an entry and keep us away from our purpose for God’s kingdom. There are 2 questions that must be asked before making the deal:

1. How will this affect my eternal inheritance or purpose?

2. Is this decision consistent with the written word of God

The more time that we spend w/ God, the more sensitive to His Spirit we should be, but if we are already distracted, [RAT w/ a grape] it’s easier for him to slip in and take something that doesn’t belong to him.

Conclusion

2 Kings 9:30-33 what does she think, she can seduce the new king? Isn’t that what the devil does though? Tries the same old tricks. How many times does he get the same person w/ the same thing time and again.

30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window. 31 And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master? 32 And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. 33 And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot.

The serpent is still looking for an entry. Ahab wants the vineyard. If you won’t give in Jezebel is going to try to kill you to take it. Jesus refused to give up the kingdom of God for an earthly counterfeit. Naboth refused to sell the land. The Eunuch said, “Enough!” And threw her out of the window.

I can’t prove what I’m about to say, but it’s hard for me to believe that at least one of these eunuchs didn’t hear what Jezebel told Ahab her plan to set up Naboth. I believe they heard her wicked plan. I believe they heard the news that Naboth died standing up for the inheritance, and I believe that they were ready for a new king!

A Raging River in my Soul

Psalm 23

A raging river in my soul

I often think about the lives of Bible characters and then remember messages that I have preached. These thoughts intersect with thoughts that I think about people that I know today.

Maybe you only think about a couple people, but I think about most of the people in the church pretty regularly. I consider the things that I know about each person’s life. I consider where they’ve been and where they are. I consider the trials and circumstances and the battles that they may face.

What happened to Tamar after Amnon threw her out and locked the door?

What could have Absalom done differently that would have prevented his anger and bitterness that resulted in his tragic death?

What made the little girl from Israel stay hopeful even after she was taken captive and forced to served in Naaman’s house? How was she not full of sorrow and heartache over losing her parents and able to witness about God’s power and help Naaman the leper get healed?

What would have happened to Peter after the denial had Jesus not helped him?

Did Paul just conveniently forget Stephen’s stoning?  Or was there a time, not mentioned in scripture where his heart was overwhelmed with sorrow for the things that he had done in the past?

Surely, he allowed God to heal his heart and turn his failures into victories instead of letting the devil use them in his life to make him want to quit.

He must have allowed the Holy Spirit to enter in to those deep places of his soul and bring healing? Or do you think that he just buried those thoughts somewhere deep in his heart, in one of those compartments in his soul— you know throw it in a room of the mind, close the door, lock it and forget about it?

I don’t know. The Bible doesn’t speak on that. Sometimes the Bible is either silent or synoptic on things and we can only wonder.

But we do know that in the world there are tribulations: the word means to be pressed. Life is full of trials that cause pressure and pressure that we just try to pretend isn’t there is not really being dealt with properly. These hidden problems can be quiet and peaceful one moment and suddenly swell into raging river the next.

Hurts and pains can occur anytime along the life span. We can be hurt as a child by our parents. Some people have had harsh childhoods. They grow up in an environment where there was either some type of abuse or neglect: verbal, physical, sexual… or maybe it’s not that, maybe it’s just neglect. Sometimes you can just feel like someone doesn’t love you or care much about you and that they are rejecting you and it can be painful. So what do we do about that? What are we supposed to do about that?

I know you people are pretty seasoned in the word. Maybe someone will watch on video and say, “Well, I’m over here waiting to hear preacher, what must I do?” You must, I must, the people in this room must learn how to allow God to heal them.

“Nah, I’m good preacher. I’m a man and now you’re talking about girl stuff. Feelings and all that kind of stuff.” Well, maybe you think right now that you don’t need healing from hurt that has been caused to you, but is it possible that someone else needs healing from hurt that has been caused by you?”

In one of the recent messages I preached, I mentioned that the veil is torn and access has been granted. In His presence there is fullness of joy and where the presence of the Lord is there is free-dom. Would we enter in and let Him minister to these places of hurt in our hearts.

Have we let Him into the deep places of our hearts? To turn on the light, to search the heart to try the reins, not looking for sin alone, but looking for sick spots, disease, infections of the heart, poisonous plants or roots of bitterness that have been placed by other people, or will we let Him reveal the hurts that we have caused others?

No, I like locking it away in a compartment and hiding it. That works for me. No, it really doesn’t because many times this is the weight that besets you. Many times this is the weight that breaks in on you and messes up you race.

Hebrews 12:1

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Weight- a bulky mass, a hindrance, an encumbrance.

I have to be honest, as we move further into the plan of God, I’m realizing that this church isn’t going to be for everyone. This church is for people who want to know what God is really saying to the churches, a church for people who are willing to let Him start with them and from there use them to start on someone else, but don’t be deceived, once He starts, He will never stop because He wants to deal with both the sins and the weights that are trying to beset you. Satan, through sins and weights is trying to wall you off in the race [illustration].

I’m over here running...

But there are weights, burdens and I don’t even realize it but they’re getting in the way. They change the way I treat other people. I’ve been hurt, so I hurt. Oh man you’re talking Psychology. No, I’m talking Psuchology.

The pains that we suppress and refuse to give to God can affect our spirit man? They can cause a heaviness or cause one to become broken, which results in us not handling our business right towards others.

Sometimes we’re the one that caused the pain, but we’re so busy thinking about how we’ve been wronged that we’ve moved past what we did to others and we’re  ready for our blessing from God, but He’s got me stuck in a spot and I can’t move. Why can’t I move from here? Why does it seem like I’m stagnant in my walk? Why do I not grow? Maybe He wants to deal with these things in our heart. The issues of the heart. The weights and the sins we caused others or that have been caused towards us. He wants to heal us.

It doesn’t matter whether you use the word soul, heart or mind it doesn’t matter— all these words speak about a certain layer in the inner person that we really don’t know much about. The word has some things to say about it:

1 Thessalonians 5:23

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God wants the entirety of our person to be separated from the world and to be made holy unto Him. We know that this is an ongoing process. We understand that this is an ongoing work of the Holy Spirit. We understand that the Holy Spirit works through the work of the cross and like a surgeon He’s cutting away flesh and planting seeds of fruit that will result in a new harvest of hope that will result in joy for you, your family and others around you.

If you were already wholly sanctified, if your soul was already where it needed to be then He wouldn’t warn you:

Romans 12:2 (a)

And be not conformed to this world…

He wouldn’t tell you that there was work to be done in  your mind if it was already completely fixed. I had a conversation with a man of God recently who made the point but the mind is nous and the soul Psuche. Yes, I know that but the mind, nous is a smaller part of a larger compartment called the Psuche or the soul, which is the mind, the will and the emotions. The mind is a smaller part of a larger compartment, but in a sense it’s really the control center of the soul, which is who you are as a person.

In the life of the believer, the Holy Spirit is supposed to be the dominant controlling force in our lives and under that our mind, which influences the soul is supposed to be subject to the Spirit of God and help the Spirit render our soul in its proper order. Once it’s under the domination of the Spirit, then the other two parts of the soul can be in order: the will and the emotions.

Romans 12:2 (b)

…but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

God doesn’t want us hiding the weights and pains from the past in a deep compartment in our soul. He doesn’t want us:

• “drugging” it away,

• drinking it away,

• taking pills it away,

• going to therapy it away.

• He wants us to bring it to Him.

• He wants us to let Him in so He can speak to us, have His way with us and do a deep work in our hearts.

DISTRACTIONS: Blockers of the Blessing

Luke 10:38-42 NASB

Martha and Mary

38 Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

We don’t really learn much about Mary from this story alone, but the scripture has certainly enlightened us to what’s going on in Martha’s life:

She was distracted— she had work to do; after all, somebody has to do the work. The KJV uses the word serving instead of preparations, interesting because it’s the same Greek word used to describe how Stephen the martyr and Phillip got started in Ministry. The word in the Greek is διακονία and it’s where we get our English word deacon.

KJV Cumbered, anxious and troubled

Cumbered—dragged all around, dragged away, driven mentally, over occupied, just too busy about a thing

Careful/ anxious—to be troubled with cares, seeking to promote one’s interests

Troubled—τυρβάζω tyrbazō; to make “turbid”, i.e. disturb: — trouble. to be troubled in mind, disquieted

1 Peter 5:7  [Concern/interest (Matt 10:29-31)]

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

To throw cast upon. Anxiety                   2 sparrows, hairs, value > many sparrows

Philippians 4:6-7. [sacrifice] a place set apart/suitable.     Penury>need/hunger vs self suf

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. My life is full of anxiety & turbidity Robert is a giver Does it say make your requests known to Robert or God?

Isaiah 26:3 (mountain of the Lord perfect peace to the one whose mind is stayed upon Him And that is where I transition from Martha to Mary)

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, (Unbelief)

whose mind is stayed on thee: the mind must be stayed upon Him (it cannot be Him & ?…)

because he trusteth in thee.

Luke 10:42 ESV

but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Truth for your life

There is one thing necessary: but I have clothes to do, dishes to wash, the kids have to be bathed, I have to drive them to school, I’m single, I’m not married, I don’t have any help, or the husband I do have doesn’t help— side note: There are a lot of distractions in our lives that were never God’s will. His word is so clear in so many areas, and we blatantly ignore it, and do our own will and then ask Him to bless it. That’s not how it works church. It works like this: we seek His will through His word and prayer, we submit to His will, where we’ve transgressed His will, we repent and then He sends refreshing and healing and provision and guidance moving forward.

We can get mad or we can receive the word of the Lord and recognize the areas  of our lives where we have been in rebellion against God.

Let us understand this: many people make decisions that will affect their lives for years, one example is to have children outside of God’s prescribed order. Is the child beautiful yes, until they hit two and they start talking and acting out in rebellion and you thought changing diapers was hard. What about raising a child that won’t end up perishing in hell church? What about that? Well, if their daddy would help… You don’t need their daddy’s help. You need your Father to help their daddy. You need your Father to help you. You need your Father to help your children. How do I do that? The world says smoking pot is the answer, taking Xanax, depression medicine, don’t do it by finding another man to have another baby with— those things are distractions, they prevent you from hearing the voice of God. Those things will deceive you into thinking that you’re okay. You’re not okay if you are living in sin! Then what do I do?

You cast your cares on Him! God wants to turn it around. He wants to work in your favor, but He requires something. Listen to me closely, He requires something from you it’s called repentance. He wants you to quit blaming everyone else around you and take responsibility for your rebellion against His word, and He wants you to choose the good portion and to sit at His feet and drink the cup from His hand lean against Him and breathe, feel His heart beat. He wants you to choose the good portion, so what is the good portion that Mary chose?

She chose the River of anointing that was flowing out of Jesus. We weren’t there, but Jesus was in the house, He was speaking, anointing flowing from heaven, oil flowing from His lips and her soul longs for this, and Martha is right there distracted, in the very same geographical space but distracted. You are in here and some of you are tuned in and God is saying something that can help you and you will receive His word and it will help you, and then some of you are distracted—always looking at the phone, a turbid mind with a thousand different worries, cares and concerns.

That’s Martha, she misses her moment of visitation, she chooses something else, something other than the good portion, and the result is that lusts of the flesh manifest: envy, frustration, jealousy, irritation— Jesus ain’t taking this away from Mary girl. He will take away that ugly that’s all over you right now if you let Him, but He will not take this away from Mary, for this is why He came!

The work of the ministry

The presence and anointing of the Lord will always draw attention and a crowd. Once the crowd arrives, there is always work to do. When Jesus is present, people will be present and where there are people, there are Ministry needs. Martha is serving, she is doing διακονία, so she’s trying to do good, she’s trying to serve God, but everything she’s doing is in the flesh, it’s in her own strength, there’s no anointing on this effort, and so we have these two examples of response to the presence and ministry towards the Lord: one scurries and flits around, distracted, irritated, frustrated, can’t really get much done, because she’s consumed with busy work and it only produces jealousy towards others. The other one sits at His feet and receives the oil of His presence, a time of preparation and filling for the purpose of pouring out, later she will return to His feet and bring the oil she saved and pour it back upon Him. That’s work for the Lord, that’s the Spirit of God (Jn 12:1-3 fragrance filled; Mk 14:3-9 alabaster box).

This kind of love, devotion and ministry is not for women only. I have seen this type of love written in God’s word, words from David’s pen, popping off the pages, words that will warm the coldest of hearts and bring tears to the driest of eyes. Most of these Psalms of desperation that cry out and long for God’s presence were written by King David when he was running for his life, and far away from the house of God!

Psalms 42:1-3

1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

Psalms 63:1-4

1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; 2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. 3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. 4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.

Psalms 143:6-7

6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah. 7 Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

Psalms 43:4-5

4 Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God. 5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Maybe the difference between Mary and David is that this is her first time there [in the presence of God] whereas, David has been there. He’s been in the field seeking, writing singing and experiencing the presence of God. He’s been in the temple. Now, he’s on the run. He can’t get to the temple where God’s presence is located. He longs for it. He’s thirsty, he’s hungry

The proper version of a Christian life and servant of God, is a working Martha whose work is an overflow from praise, it’s a pound of spikenard, perfume of praise that comes out out of the overflow of time spent in His presence like Mary.