Note: I preached a message on Sunday that will bless you. Here is a link to it. Please watch if you have the time. This is a link to the full message: https://youtu.be/vYRScf7NvIw?si=qWjoAD5wV8BhXVz2
Today, we continue our series entitled “Laser Focus,” with the point being that we should live with a Laser Focus on the Fixed Purpose God established for us before the world began.
This is the main scripture we will be looking at this year.
(Proverbs 4:25 TPT)
Set your gaze on the path before you. With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead, ignore life’s distractions.
Today, we will also look at this passage:
(Luke 10:40-42 NIV)
40 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!”
41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,
42 but few things are needed–or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
So, what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Don’t Let Serving God Distract You From Receiving From God.
— Jesus was in Mary and Martha’s home. He was their guest.
— Martha was busy serving Jesus and His team, while Mary was sitting at His feet, receiving from the Master.
— Martha’s distraction wasn’t bad in itself; she was serving. You can make the argument that she was doing a good thing. He was being hospitable and respectful. However, even good activities can become distractions if they take our focus off God.
— When Jesus is speaking, we should be in “receive mode.”
— Jesus was in her home, and He was pouring out, but she was so busy serving that she was missing out on the impartation that was going forth.
— She was so upset that she wanted Jesus to tell her sister to STOP WORSHIPPING and START WORKING.
— WORK and WORSHIP are both necessary, but you must discern when to do which.
— You can become so busy doing things for God (in most cases, through the church) that you fail to receive from God, which is a dangerous place to be.
— I have taught you many times to minister to others out of your OVERFLOW. When you minister to others out of your OVERFLOW, you are pouring out, but you are still good yourself because you are pouring out from your abundance (of wisdom, love, mercy, grace, peace, money, etc.).
— Martha was not serving out of her overflow. Her service left her in a deficit. As a result, she murmured, complained, and compared herself to her sister. This is the type of attitude you will develop if you attempt to minister to others out of a deficit and not an overflow.
— Martha needed to be ministered to, but since she was trying to minister when she should have been receiving, it led to nothing but frustration for her and her household.
— God wants you to serve His people. But only after you are healthy enough to do so.
— In this season of laser focus, where we focus on God’s fixed purpose, let’s ensure we are healthy enough to POUR OUT, so we are not left with a deficit in our hearts.
— Serving is vital, but not at the cost of losing our connection with God. You must ensure you are connected to God and spiritually healthy before you start attempting to POUR OUT because if you are not healthy, you will RUN OUT quickly, and it will cause a problem for you and all those around you.
— As you prepare for 2024, consider your spiritual activities and responsibilities. Are they bringing you closer to God or subtly pulling you away?
— If you are not careful, you can allow things you are doing in the name of God to hinder your relationship with God.
— Don’t be distracted by serving. Serve from a place of health, vibrancy, and overflow so you can POUR OUT and still be full. The Holy Spirit will replenish you regularly as you spend time with Him, and He will lead you as you become a conduit of His blessing.
2. The Cost of Anxiety and Worry.
— Martha was “worried and upset about many things,” which echoes common feelings we all face.
— Over the past few years, I have encountered people with more mental health challenges than the previous 20 years combined. It’s like the devil is ramping up His activity where mental health is concerned.
— If you are not careful, you can be like Martha, in the presence of God, while still being stressed out, frustrated, and complaining.
— Negative anxiety can cloud our spiritual vision, making it difficult to see God’s purpose.
— Worry often stems from our attempts to control situations instead of trusting in God. Martha was trying to control what her sister was doing. She even interrupted Jesus while He was teaching and asked him to tell her sister to stop worshipping. She was trying to tell Mary what to do, and she was even trying to tell Jesus what to do, all because she was stressed and frustrated.
— When you fail to rest in God’s grace, and you attempt to perform work for God by your own human power, human ability, and human strength, you will do nothing but wear yourself out, get frustrated in the process, and become an irritation to all those around you.
— Part of focusing on God’s fixed and intended purpose for 2024 is learning to rest in His grace.
— Mary was resting at Jesus’ feet while He was teaching. She was receiving an impartation of grace. As a result, she was stress-free, at peace, and growing in the process. On the other hand, her sister was missing out while Jesus was pouring out, and she was frustrated. I teach THE GRACE LIFE for a reason. This is the way I am convinced we are supposed to live.
— When you rest in God’s grace, you learn to trust His plan, path, timing, and purpose. When you live this way, fear, frustration, and anxiety will have no power over you. However, if you don’t learn to rest in God’s grace, anxiety and worry will rob you of your peace.
3. Learn to Choose “What Is Better.”
— Mary and Martha both had a choice. One chose working while Jesus was teaching, and the other chose worshipping so she could receive what Jesus was releasing. Jesus made it clear that what Mary chose was better!
— Jesus said, “Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
— To make the most of 2024, we must learn to make good decisions.
— Mary prioritized her spiritual well-being during a moment that she sensed was critical. There will be plenty of time to work. But when God is moving, you don’t want to be so busy working that you miss out on God’s best.
— Choosing the ‘better part’ means making deliberate decisions that will help promote your spiritual growth.
— It’s not about inactivity but about prioritizing activities that align with God’s purpose. It wasn’t like Mary was doing nothing. She was doing something. She was in RECEIVE MODE. We just learn to FOCUS and LOCK IN, in RECEIVE MODE, when God is moving.
— Don’t confuse being busy with being productive in Christ. If your busyness is keeping you from receiving from God when God is moving, then you are prioritizing activity over spiritual development. While God does not want you to be lazy, He also does not want you to prioritize activity over discipleship.
— Jesus will reward you when you make the right decisions. Jesus affirmed Mary’s choice as the ‘better part’ — a choice that wouldn’t be taken away from her. This underscores that when we make the right choices in line with God’s will, not only will God reassure us, but our decisions position us to receive His best.
— The Holy Spirit will lead you to strike the right balance between serving and receiving. Both are essential in a believer’s life. One cannot pour out effectively without being filled and refreshed in God’s presence.
— Take a moment to assess/consider your daily activities. Are they bringing you closer to God? Are they in line with His purpose for your life? Or is your life so busy that you are more apt to experience burnout than revival?
That’s enough for today.
I may discuss burnout further tomorrow.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I live with a laser focus on Your fixed purpose for my life this year!
I choose to prioritize receiving Your wisdom over mere activity.
You teach me how to balance service and personal spiritual growth.
You help me recognize and resist the distractions that can lead to spiritual burnout.
I refuse to let worry and anxiety cloud my vision of Your purpose for my life.
I am grateful, Lord, for Your wisdom and reassurance as I walk the path You have set for me.
I am focused on Your purpose, I live free of all distractions, and anxiety has no power over me.
GREATER IS COMING for me because I am walking the path You have ordained with unwavering commitment and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit!
I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. AMEN!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
