It is a choice.

I find the account of Mary and Martha to be rich. I have gone back and meditated on that account several times and gain new insights each time. We all know the story. Greg posted a thread on it a few days ago. We all identify with Martha. Yes. We give her a bum rap for not fellowshipping with Jesus. But honestly how many if us are not like Martha. We love Jesus. But we get distracted with the business of serving. Nothing wrong in serving Jesus. But it should come out of a heart in union to him. The serving should flow out fellowship with Jesus.

When Jesus was speaking to Martha he said that Mary had CHOSEN what is better. Thus our desire to fellowship with Jesus in prayer and the word should be a choice. Many threads have been opened up on the importance of reading or listening to the word. So simple. Yet the devil will throw every opportunity to keep us away from the word.

In a forum like this the temptations are so great. Or should I say distractions. We are blessed with many good sermons from choice servants of God. I say this respectfully and with all gentleness. It is far easier to pick up a venhill, Tozer, or Wesley than to pick up the Bible. Try It. The distractions want come as fast and furious if you decide to pick up Tosser.or listen to Paul Washer. But pick up your Bible and how the distractions will come.

Dear saints it is a choice. You can discipline yourself to read scripture. With God's help I have done so Not that I am there. I simply share that if God can help a blind nan with 2100 vision get into the word.. What can he do with you who have been blessed with marvelous sight? But saints it is a choice. God will nopt force you to read his word. Woo you with love, yes. Force you to read the word. No. Again it is a choice.

Someone asked how do you read the Bible? Best answer. One page at a time. Might I suggest something simple. Something I know does work. At least for me. And I know it will work for you. If you choose to do it. Read the New Testament like a book. Just start in Mathew and read through to Revelation. Don't try to exegete just enjoy. If you cannot read it or the reading gets boring or tedious. Get a digital Bibke and listen to it. You can get these by phone apps or buy them individually.

We are a culture who listens to audio books. When I was a kid I used to listen to records that were called talking books. I was allowed this because of being legally blind. Saints with the marvelous technology available why not listen to the New Testament. I have used the Travellers Go Bibke that has the whole Bibke downloaded on it.
Some will say that listening to or reading the Bibke even for the pure joy of it is not enough. I beg to differ. One can plop down in front of the TV and watch programs that deaden their spirit. Likewise one can listen to or read the word and be quickened in their spirit. I have done both.

Saints it us simply a choice. Which do you choose?

Bearmaster.

Dear saints whether you listen to the Bibke or read it. My exhortation is please do it. Rdg this is on my heart because of the urgency if the hour. We could very well come to a place where the Bible may very well be taken out of our hands and only what we have stored in our hearts will sustain us.

But really. The main reason to be in this most blessed and treasured book that God has left us is to know him. For surely we cannot know God apart from knowing his word. When we spend time in God's presence listening to his word or reading it. He will surely amaze us with rich revelations from heaven.

Bearnaster.

Sometimes I think we complicate the Christian life to a degree that God never intended it for it to be. I see long extended, wordy post that emulate the disputations of tbe Reformers I want to run. My soul cries out whatever happened to the word and prayer. Simple fellowship with with Jesus.

This is why time and again I come back to Luke 10:38-41. A beautiful illustration is laid out where Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to what he is saying. This is fellowship in its simplest form. This is the relationship calls us to. Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus so illustrates what God is desiring from us. He wants us to come and listen to his word. In essence he is inviting us to come sit with him and listen to his heart.

Notice what Jesus tells Martha. Only one thing is needed. That one statement from the Son of Go should well up to springs of living water in our hearts. Only one thing is necessary that God desires of us. To sit st his feet in his presence and listen to his word.

I apologize for tbe simplicity of this post. For it does lack deep theology. Lately I have been thinking about the persecuted church jn Iran. There sincere and pure devotion in prayer and the words of Jesus. Simple, uncomplicated, beautiful. Dear Jesus. May I be a Mary.

Bearmaster

Enid, dear sister, always appreciate your reflective post. Beautiful observstion about Daniel. He was in Babylon. Babylon was not in him. I an thinking of the words of Jesus where he tells his people to come out of Babylon in Rev. 18. Spiritually speaking. Good parallel to the world. We are in the world. But the world should not be in us.

Thank you for your insight.

Bearmaster.

I believe that is what Mary was doing as she was listening to the Lord seated at his feet. Letting his word go through her. Probably engaged with him. Maybe even asking him questions. Or just listening to him.

I have found it to ve a rich blessing to listen to an audio New Testament. Just sitting quietly. Letting tbe word if God gk through ne.

Thank you for your insights. Very rich.

Bearnaster.

Martha represented the Old Testament of Works. (Acceptable)

Mary represented the New Testament of Rest. (Better)

Perhaps both are true. I do nit believe Martha was working for her salvation. But we see that perhaps she thought her works would be acceptable to God. So Approved has a good insight in that Martha does represent works in terms of serving God. Yet Mary does represent rest in that one needs simply to sit and listen to him. And Sree's insight is valid that when one listens to Jesus, service and ministry flow out of that.

So brothers I value from both of your insights.

Bearnaster.

Martha was not working her Salvation by keeping Law here.

This is my cue for another Sabbath away from SI.

Peace

Brother will be sorry to see you leave but understand tbe need for a Sabbath rest. Particularly from the forum. It seems a few good people are leaving the forum for whatever reason. I am sorry to see them go. It seems there contributions will be missed.

Just know. I always appreciated your post.

Blaine aka Bearnaster.

Again to marvel the simplicity of what Jesus says is needed should stun us. We in our fleshly ways complicate the walk of Christ to a degree Jesus never intended. We are as Martha becoming distracted by how we think we should serve Jesus. We lose close proximity to him by focussing on tbe fruit rather remaining and resting in him. So hat his life may flow through us.

Jesus tells Martha, only one thing is needed. What was Mary doing? Sitting and listening to Jesus. Hello!!!! Only one thing is needed. Listening to what Jesys is saying. That is being in your New Testament. Reading and listening in the Spirit. Or listening to his words in an audio New Testament. Inky one thing us needed. Listening to what he is saying in humility. Sitting at his feet jn an attitude of humility in your heart. Only one thing is needed. To be in tbe heart of Jesus as expressed in the words of tbe New Testament.

Jesus echoes his heart desire in Mathew when he says to come to him all who are weary and burdened. He will give them rest. Take his yoke. His yoke and burden are easy and light. For they are rest. He says another thing. Learn from me. He buds ys as Mary to learn from him. Listen to him. Be in his words. Met tbe words if Jesus film our hearts and mind. Read them. Meditate on them. Reflect upon them.

He says. Only one thing us needed. That is to be as Mary, to sit at his feet listening to what he is saying to our hearts.

Lord Jesus. Please give ys the heart of a,Mary to listen to you.

Bearmaster.

So many voices of distraction are telling us how to walk with Christ. Yet in his marvelous simplicity. Jesus tells Martha. Only one thing is needed. And the example of Mary is put before us. What was Mary doing? Sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to what he was saying. This presupposes Mary was in direct contact with Jesus listening to his words.

Indeed Jesus tells us that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. The One who articulated these words also said. It is the Spirit who gives life. The flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken are spirit and they are life. Peter reaffirmed this when he told Jesus. Lord you have tbe words of eternal life. To whom shall we go? Indeed to whom shall we go. Yet we run to our systematic theologies, our expositions, commentaries, sermons, etc. What ever happened to picking up the New Testament or an audio New Testament and listening to tbe pure word if Gof itself.

Peter writes to his readers to crave the pure spiritual milk, the pure word of God not diluted by nan. Yet I fear we crave the writings of men over the words of Jesus.

Yet Mary had no commentary, all she had was Jesus. Just listening to his word. I find this equally true among the persecuted. They lack the commentaries and praise God are not contaminated by man's theology. If they are blessed by a Bible or New Testament. They devour it. Reading it constantly. For sure they will relish the word of God. Only one thing is needed. The words of Jesus. Just listening to them.

Again I read when people in restricted nations get a Bible. Tears will come to their eyes. They will hug and kiss that Bible. They will treasure it as pure gold. I wonder, rather humorously, would one do that to a commentary.

Again only one thing is needed. Simply Jesus and his word. One need not a reference library. Bunyon never had such a library, only his Bible Yet the word God flowed out of him. The Anabaptist never had libraries, only their Bible. Yet the word of God flowed out of them. The persecuted don't have a library. If they are blessed with a Bibke or New Testament. The word of God flows out if them.

Again, only one thing is needed. Simply Jesys and his word. Simply a New Testament. Dear God, may I be as Mary listening to Jesus.

Bearmaster.