Postures in Prayer

His heart or his service

Text: As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”
41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10: 38-42(NLT)

Jesus visited two believers in the same house on the same day, Mary wanted nothing but his words and his heart. She sat quietly, refusing to be distracted. Jesus had time for her, he had things to say that she considered very important, she made his words her priority at that time.

She took a posture of humility, she sat at his feet, had no words to speak, no complains, no requests, but a heart condition that said, l want what you have for me now, that\’s all that truly matters to me.

Martha was busy serving others, and as she laboured in the power of the flesh, she became weary. The result l see is her posture as she approached Jesus. First, l see offence, she had a complaint about another believer, then she had a request, send them out of your presence to be like me, give me more so l can serve more,achieve more faster and be better at what l do.

Martha wanted to host Jesus, but not have time for him. She wanted to give him what she thought he needed instead of take his orders.

Can l encourage you to learn a lesson or two here, find time to seat at the feet of Jesus with a note book and a pen. Hear his heart first, before you jump into a new month.

Avoid the distractions of programs here and there onlinr, fasting programs that help you build your wish list instead of detox you of junk: carnality, wrong beliefs, erroneous teachings, lies that breed fear, strife, rivalry, greed and covetousness.

Be Home Alone with Jesus. Get out to somewhere quiet, and do some contemplative praying, a prayer of enquiry, listening prayer, whatever you may call it, skip the prayer list syndrome in this season and try the Habakuk 2 style of prayer.

Jesus said, … There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her ”

May your heart ask, seek and knock to know Jesus more and more.

Heart Conditions

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things. Luke 10:41

Our hearts hold thoughts of things we are upset about, things we are concerned about that have not happened.

All through this year, you had dreams, hopes and expectations that were not met. All these are locked up in your heart as you sit before the Lord.

They will continue to pop up in your conversation with the Lord and interfere with what you hear.

To have a very meaningful time and session in God’s presence you need to get these worries out of the way.

Many of the things we are worried about are other people’s expectations!

Many of the things upsetting us, arise when we compare ourselves with others!

Many of the things we are concerned about are things God has settled, that will happen in its time. Your worry and anxiety cannot bring
them forward in time.

Concerns about others; our spouses, children,parents, relatives staff even neighbors.

Most recently, the pandemic has brought so much disruptions into our lives that fear of death, anxiety about contacting the virus and the economic down turn have thrown up additional problems.

Hear what the Lord says about anxious thoughts
Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. Philippians 4:6

Sometimes we don’t even know all that we are anxious about. So let\’s pray this Psalm now : 139:23
God, examine me and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

Write out all the Lord shows you. Add to the list the ones that you know.

Why do we have to do this?

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength. – Corrie Ten Boom

Take that list and write on the opposite side of it, the promises of God that covers them.

Let God’s promises shine on your problems. – Corrie Ten Boom

Now cast it at the feet of the Lord, ask him to give you an exchange.

“I will give them a crown to replace their ashes,
and the oil of gladness to replace their sorrow,
and clothes of praise to replace their spirit of sadness\”. Isaiah 61

When we carry burdens we are meant to cast away, it produces negative emotions we are not equipped to handle.

All the anger, bitterness, impatience, rage, sadness are not meant for you, so release them.

Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you. 1Peter 5:7

Its time to clean up the hurts of the last season. Why do we need to do it?

The hurts produce offence, Unforgiveness and all manner of evil thoughts.

See this in Colossians 3

So put all evil things out of your life: sexual sinning, doing evil, letting evil thoughts control you, wanting things that are evil, and greed. This is really serving a false god. These things make God angry. In your past, evil life you also did these things. But now also put these things out of your life: anger, bad temper, doing or saying things to hurt others, and using evil words when you talk. Do not lie to each other. You have left your old sinful life and the things you did before.

The Lord is light, in him is no darkness at all. So don\’t try to act righteous, look carefully through this list again, see if any looks familiar, confess it, repent of it, receive forgiveness for it.

Mary had a heart full of cares and worries.

Intimacy cannot happen except the barriers are removed

Its now time to enjoy ,that uninterrupted time of fellowship with Jesus ,where you can hear him clearly without fear, shame or doubt.

Your love affair has been rekindled💓💓💓💓💓

Let his love surround you as you listen to this song.

You will feel so light as the burdens lift from your heart and Joy will be the result!

One thing

There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” verse 42 (NLT)

There is so much to remember that has already happened this year, things we want to thank God for, gifts received, blessings from God, new levels of growth and achievements, open doors, deliverances, healings, the list is endless. There are also things we wished did not happen. Dreams not met, delayed expectations, disappointments, all the things that didn’t give us Joy. Yes, many of them . But, they didn’t consume us, we are still here, Praise God! Jesus points us to something very important we must not miss today,

… There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.

Now as you sit at Jesus feet, what is that one thing that you are taking away.? What is that most important thing you need to treasure and hold unto tenaciously? Have you discovered it? All those who have encounters with God know that, the words are not often many. If you miss it …..

What is the one thing you are taking away? Is it the vision of the new things that are ahead? Is it the lesson of mistakes in months past that must not repeat itself? Is it the relationships that you must invest in or the ones to cut off? What is the one word you are leaving his presence with? Jesus said…There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” Don’t fill your plate with activities, there is one thing you must be concerned about.

Concern is not anxiety! Concern is not fear! Concern is not worry!

Concern is priority, attention, and focus!

This is your part in the journey of 2020.

…. and it will not be taken away from her .”

There are things we lost last year, there were taken away from us. But, there are things that will not be taken from you. The revelations that changed your worldview and mindset, the understanding you received when light flooded your soul, the peace you received when God came. It’s time to focus on the things that matter. Eternal things! There will not be taken!

Arise this morning, holding firmly to your most important thing from this month, and run towards a brand new season of open doors, victories, celebration and encounters with Jesus. He is waiting, he is ready, Come up hither says the Spirit!

Blessings

Roses&Thorns