Tag Archives: ” the Lord answered

Chosen What Is Better

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The Prayer Filled Life - Day 70 - Luke 10:38-42 - Chosen What Is Better - Growing As Disciples

The Prayer Filled Life – Day 70 – Luke 10:38-42 – Chosen What Is Better – Growing As Disciples

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “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)

Sit And Listen

That does not come naturally to me. What does not come naturally to you? I am not usually one to sit and listen. Why is that? I am always on the go. I am often quite busy. It is often said by some, “I have places to go, things to do and people to see.” That statement describes me. It is also true that I have a long and virtually never ending “to do” list. Will you be happy with all your accomplished “to do” lists when you reach the end of your life. Are your never ending, “to do” lists, leading you to wisely spend your life on what will have been of lasting and eternal value? Are you doing what seems urgent now at the expense of what will ultimately be much more important? Who are you in the passage that you are now considering? Are you like Martha who is frantically busy, consumed by activity, and attending to mundane details that will in the light of all eternity, amount to nothing? Or are you like Mary, who would not miss an opportunity to draw near to me. She has set aside busyness and hurry to sit and listen to me. She wants to receive my instruction. She wants to follow my guidance. She wants to live in an intimate relationship with me. She is listening attentively to me. She wants to go where I guide her. She wants to do what I ask of her. At the end of her life, she will be grateful and thankful that she walked through life with me. She will have born fruit for my kingdom and brought glory to my name because she remained in me and I in her. She will live with no regrets regarding how she has spent her life. She will have invested her life in knowing me so she can go and do my will. Hasn’t she chosen what is far better? What about you? What choice will you make? Will you also choose what is better? Will you set aside a daily time to sit and listen, to be in my presence, to meet with me in prayer? Yes Lord, that is the choice I have and will continue to make. Only you have made me able to sit and listen to you. Only you are helping me to do what has not and does not come naturally to me. I have been and will continue to meet you with daily. It will be my joy to listen attentively to you. I will meet with you in prayer. That will be very good.

Lord, I know if I don’t set aside a daily time and place to meet with you in prayer, it will never happen. Life is busy. Life is distracting and deceptive. The busyness of life will never encourage me to sit and listen to you. Here I am now, speak to me, I’m listening. Amen

Key Question…  Why is setting aside time to meet with the Lord critical to developing an intimate relationship with Him?

Living It Out…  Choose what is better by setting aside a daily time and place to meet in prayer with the Lord.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that you will come to know the Lord intimately as you sit and listen to Him.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has guided your life as you have listened to Him.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you sit and listen to the Lord so you can develop an intimate relationship with Him.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Devotional Study Guide click here:

The Prayer Filled Life – Day 70 – Luke 10-38-42 – Chosen What Is Better – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                                                        Copying not permitted                                                                                    www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Mary Has Chosen What Is Better

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Knowing God - Luke 10:41-42 - Mary Has Chosen What Is Better - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Knowing God – Luke 10:41-42 – Mary Has Chosen What Is Better – Growing As Disciples

“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 10:41-42 (NIV)

Sit

There is a lesson in that one word. What’s that? There is a lesson in what word? Sit. You have had a very hard time sitting still. It has been even harder for you to sit still and be quiet. The hardest of all for you has been to sit still, be quiet and listen attentively. You do know me. I like to be constantly on the move. Silence makes me uncomfortable. I’d much rather talk than listen. How well have these qualities served you? What do you mean? How has being unable or unwilling to sit still, be quiet and listen attentively hindered you from knowing me? How has lacking these qualities hindered you from being taught by me? I see your point. What’s my point? You want me to learn to sit still, be quiet, and listen attentively at your feet so that I can come to know you. You want me to be able to hear from you so that I can be taught by you. Yes, I do.

This is going to be difficult. This is going to be a battle. This will require discipline. I will need your help. What are you saying? What are you asking for from me? I want to sit still before you. I want to be quiet so I can hear you. I want to listen attentively so that you can teach me. What’s the problem? You know me. Yes, I know you.  It will take every ounce of my strength to sit still, be quiet and listen attentively. You are worried that you won’t be able to do it. I know that I won’t be able to do it. Why is that? I have tried to develop these habits of sitting still, being quiet, and listening attentively to you. My own efforts have always ended in miserable failure.

Would you like my help? Yes Lord, I desperately need your help. Will you rely on me for my help? Yes Lord, I will rely on you.

Do you really want to leave your life of busyness? Do you really want my peace and calm to come into your life? Do you really want to stop being frustrated and frantic? Will you stop racing from one thing to another? Yes Lord, I want all that you have for me. Then set a time and a place to meet with me everyday. Make the time short and the place special. Start small and I will grow in you the desire to sit still, be quiet and listen attentively to me. You will begin to hear from me. You will come to know me. You will know that I am teaching you. I will strengthen you. I will make you able. My efforts in you will not end in miserable failure. Come now and sit at my feet. Yes Lord, I will.

Lord, I have been busy. I have been worried and upset about many things. I have been frantic and frustrated. I have raced through life from one thing to another. Bring your peace into my life as I sit at your feet. Teach me. Guide me. Change me. Use me. Amen

Key Question…  How has spending time at the feet of Jesus Christ brought peace and calm into your life?

Living It Out…  Make a time and select a place to sit at the Lord’s feet so that you can come to know Him.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that you will be choosing what is best as you sit at the feet of Jesus to be taught by Him.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has changed your life as you have come to know Him.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you choose what is better by setting aside a time and a place to meet with the Lord.

Knowing God – Luke 10-41-42 – Mary Has Chosen What Is Better – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Chosen What Is Better

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Prayer - Luke 10:41-42 - Chosen What Is Better - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Prayer – Luke 10:41-42 – Chosen What Is Better – Growing As Disciples

“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 10:41-42 (NIV)

Here With You

Here I am. This is different. I’m the one who is usually worried and upset about so many things. I have been a very gifted worrier. If anyone could see the downside of any situation it has been me. At least I think that’s true. A part of me wonders how that could possibly be true. Why is that? Wouldn’t it make sense that I would have made fewer mistakes in life because of the amount of time I have spent worrying about my decisions? You have been a worrier. But, your worries have not made you more cautious. No, I think just the opposite has been true. My worrying has sped up the pace of my life. I have been so worried that I might miss out on something. Like what? I don’t know. I have been worried about missing out on anything and everything. So, your life has been a frantic effort to get things done. You have had places to go and things to do. Yes, that’s right. You have speedily gone to where you thought you should go to do what you thought you should get done? That’s right. But, you haven’t been sure about either. That’s true. So you’re worried about where you have gone and what you have done? You got it.

Why are you here right now? Now, I’m sure about where I want to be and what I want to do. What’s that? I don’t want to race through life anymore. I want to stop worrying and being upset about so many things. I don’t want to be uncertain about where I am going and what I am doing. I need to come to a full stop. I want to be here in your presence. I want to hear all that you have to say to me. I want you to heal my broken life. I want to give complete control of my life over to you. I know that you will guide me. I’m sure that you know exactly where I should go and what I should do. You have a purpose and plan for my life. You have good things already planned out for me to do for you. Yes, I do. You wont let me miss out on anything? No, I won’t. But right now, I don’t want to go anywhere or do anything. I want to rest in your presence. I need to be here with you. I have been missing out on spending time in your presence. I won’t ever let that happen again. I have heard your call. So, I’m here now to listen to you. That’s very good.

Lord, like Martha I have been worried and upset by many things. The worries, cares and demand of this life have demanded my time. I have answered their call. Now, I hear your call. I will come to spend time in prayer at your feet listening attentively to you. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Prayer – Luke 10-41-42 – Chosen What Is Better – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Chosen What Is Better

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Will - Luke 10:41-42 - Chosen What Is Better - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Will – Luke 10:41-42 – Chosen What Is Better – Growing As Disciples

“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 10:41-42 (NIV)

Sit Still

What choice will you make? What’s that? Will you choose to sit still so that you can hear from me? Will you calm yourself in my presence so that you can attentively listen to my voice? Will you make listening to me the priority of your life? Will you slow down and rest in my presence so that you will be able to receive all that I want to give to you? Will you wait for my instructions? Will you listen carefully to all my teaching? These are very important questions. Don’t pass over them quickly. Don’t consider them lightly. Take each question into your heart and mind and life. Determine carefully how you will answer me. Be true to your word. Make sure that you don’t say one thing and then do another. What do you mean by that? You know exactly what I mean by that. I should not say that I will come to sit in your presence to hear from you, if that is not what I will really do. That’s exactly right. How you answer these questions will determine the course of your life. If you listen carefully to me then you will know where I will send you and what I will ask you to do for me. If you listen carefully to me you will bear and abundance of fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name. I understand. I hear all that you are saying to me. That’s very good.

What will happen to you if you don’t come to sit in my presence? If I do not come to sit in your presence I will not hear from you. I will not learn to recognize your voice. I will not be able to hear your instructions. I will not receive your guidance. My life will be filled with chaos. I will chase after one thing after another. I will be aimless. I will not know your will. I will not walk in your ways. I will stumble through life. I will walk a crooked path and waste a lot of time. I will go where you have not guided me to go. I will try to do what you have not given me to do. My life will be unproductive. I will not be able to bear an abundance of fruit for your kingdom or bring glory to your name. If I don’t come to listen to you I will never be able to fully live the life that you have called me to live. That will not be true of me. Why is that? I have chosen to come to rest in your presence. I will listen attentively to your voice. I will wait for your instructions. I will follow your guidance. I will live my life with and for you. Yes, you will.

Lord, life is hectic and busy and filled with chaos. Protect my life from all the busyness and chaos that is in the world. Help me to choose to slow down to come to sit still in your presence. Help me to listen. Teach me to hear and receive all you have for me. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

God’s Will – Luke 10-41-42 – Chosen What Is Better – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com