Jesus Know Him and Live (Part 1)

This is a message from leading the way with Dr. Michael. You sat we pray that it will encourage you in your walk of faith. If you would like to learn more about Dr. you Seth for leading the way, please visit LTW.or stress, it really is you problem in our culture and our society in the world I talk to people all over the world. Stress is phenomenal. In fact, all you need to do is you look at the books in the seminars about stress management to realize the enormity of the problem. Most social scientists tell us that we live frantic disjointed and disconnected lives. As a matter of fact we are in constant battle.

Just trying to live a focus life in a well ordered life is a battle and most people have their priorities are sideways and that's really the cause of most stress.

Every study had shown that at least 60% of us are living in a continuous state of stress constantly stressed out. I know that the medical scientists have been warning us and very few people are heating up warning that are continuous stress that a persistent stress is very dangerous for our physical well-being and factor continuous stress can suppress the immune system. It opens the way cancer and infectious diseases and uneven strokes.

In fact most stress management experts have concluded that stress is caused by the way we respond to our circumstances rather than the circumstances themselves may give you an example. You get stuck in traffic.

What you do when you can scream and yell and honk your horn do sign language and all of the things that people do when they get stuck in traffic or you can say thank God I got 15 minutes of uninterrupted time is the way you do your circumstances, the University of Wisconsin has a very extensive stress management Institute and they found that 90% of all the stresses brought about by worrying worrying about things has already happened, or worrying about things that don't happen or worrying about things that could happen. None of what you have any control knowledge of the human rod because this is really important. Most of the advise of the so-called experts on stress management. Most of the advice is very helpful and I'm not against that at all. Very helpful but I wanted tell you about the permanent cure for stress. Now whether your stress is self-imposed or a reaction to your circumstances. Whether your stress is self-inflicted or produced by somebody else putting it upon you whether your stress is of your own making or not. The first thing you need to know is that in the words of Hudson Taylor said it doesn't matter how great the pressure is what really matters is where that pressure lies doesn't lie between you and God or doesn't lie behind you so that it might press you closer to the heart of God and the Bible gives us lots of examples.

I mean you go from the Old Testament and New Testament, and lots of examples of people who either allowed stress to put a barrier between them and God, or allow the stress of life to press him closer to the heart of God.

Lots of examples, but I want to zero in on two sisters, one chose Jesus she chose to know Jesus and she experienced joy and contentment, and the other sister.

Stress tests all foxhole much that she did not only resent her sisters contentment. She actually blamed Jesus for her stress. I'm going to take you back into this time capsule in history and illustrate what I'm trying to tell you by looking at those two sisters, Martha and Mary.

The story is recorded in the Gospel of Luke chapter 10, Jesus was a close friend of this family. He often came four times of refreshment with this family and this family was made up of two sisters and a brother is not mentioned here, but his name is Lazarus we find out about him later. In fact, in another incident.

Later on, this was early in Jesus's ministry, but later on Lazarus the brother, the only brother only male in the family become very sick and he died and Jesus comes four days after Lazarus was buried and the corpse begin to smell and with the power of his omnipotence. This is Lazarus come out of the comes out of the tomb, raise the dead, but this was earlier in Jesus's time earlier visit. Look with me at verse 38 and 39 and Jesus and his disciples were on their way and he came to the village where a woman there. Martha opened her home for him or to him. So far so good right. She and her sister called Mary sat at Jesus's feet listening to what he says. A beautiful picture a beautiful picture. I think you agree Mary was a younger sister you say Michael how do you know that in the Hebrew language. Whatever the name comes first is the older and the family. Mary realized what an incredible privilege for Jesus to be in the house.

What an incredible privilege for her to sit at Jesus feet. What a blessing it is to fellowship with Jesus.

What a blessing it is to be able to sit at his feet and drink deeply from his words. Martha on the other hand, she was a prototype of Martha Stewart of today. She absolutely was an intense lady.

I mean she was perfectionist. She was based on performance and give it your all type of person you don't talk about instead of choosing Jesus to knowing Jesus and experiencing life that is worth the name Martha chose performance and got herself into a frenzy. But that's not all.

Look at verse 40 but Martha was distracted when I come back to that word is a very important word with all preparation that had to be made so she come up to Jesus. When that happens. Just watch out more. Don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself daily to help me.

Martha was distracted, I will attempt to explain that words very important, but you notice that Martha was not doing anything wrong.

She was doing God.

But, beloved, I wanted to listen to me. There are countless millions of people in our society who are busy doing good things.

There are countless number of people who say I do a good because it makes me feel good.

Countless number of people who see themselves as good people because it doing good things. I'm not against good things. But listen doing good things better than doing nothing.

But I'm here to tell you what God's word said not what I think God's word says doing good things that draws you away from Jesus and his salvation is not worth 1/2 a hallelujah don't shoot the messenger I'm telling you what God's word said with this Martha Stewart of the first century was a perfectionist and performance driven my goodness people, not just investment will talk about Martha. There's a whole region that will talk about mother. Oh, about her dining room table how exquisite it is, how beautiful it is how perfect it is how beautiful it looks and all of the food. Martha's food just to die for our meeting her food is delectable. No one can hold a candle to Martha's recipes. Everybody trying to get them. Everyone is by her magazines trying to imitate her excellent taste first century. Martha got herself into such a frenzy in preparation while her sister was sitting there worshiping Jesus. I just wanted to get this picture okay.

Her sister Mary chose to honor Jesus.

Her sister Mary knew what the Bible said the Old Testament obedience better than sacrifice King Saul so they can bribe God with the sacrifice and then live in disobedience and prophet Samuel said to him, obedience is better than sacrifice, and so Martha's level of anxiety and stress that just begun to go to the roof. I mean, you see the smoke coming out of her nostrils.

Nonmaterial something growing up in the Middle East and with a house full of women and I can imagine dear all, Martha. I mean she was needing the Dell and was she doing this is looking at Mary and if looks with Carol men would've been blown at the smothering look at her little what is she thinking.

What is she thinking she got religious all of a sudden on me. Look at Mary and she doesn't care if the dining table looks nice and she doesn't care if the food is ready on time will not live in a country pounding at the Army County Bible open fellowship with Jesus listening to Jesus worshiping Jesus and Martha, stress and self-pity and feeling sorry for herself just began to really grow up from the inside. Finally she brought what Jesus listen the more air you put in the balloon the easier bursts right. Be very careful of bursting your balloon because there is an answer to your stress and so she basically sister Jesus you don't care, don't you care. Martha assumed not only that Jesus didn't care. But she also assumed that Mary is responsible. My sister has left me to do all the work myself through phone for me and she tried in this Jesus to do her bidding. Tell her to come and help me let me repeat myself just for a minute because it's important. It was fine for Martha to be preparing food admirable Archie was doing, but his absolute biblical truth. My friend listen to me very carefully. All of our human efforts to do good and do good work.

All of our activism, all of the working our fingers to the bone without Jesus is not worth 1/2 a hallelujah I don't like the rules and I was thinking about this and I think about how many false accusations have been thrown at Bible believing Christians by those who think that they can earn the salvation through good works by those who think they can earn heaven by their efforts by those who think they can earn eternal life by their own activism.

I was talking to someone that I did not know she can introduce yourself to me at a party and she said the she brought the name of somebody that on you, and I knew from previous life and she started telling me you need to know how many bake sales. She helped how many bazaars she hosted for charity you need to know how many silent auctions she conducted for charity.

Although she does this, and she does that and she does the other thing and I was listening and I was listening as you said.

She noted war. Now those of you who know me you know that sometimes. Sometimes I really can bite my tongue really do. Sometimes I cancel.

Sometimes I can't. I gotta confess to you that time I couldn't and I said to her without Jesus. All that means nothing. This dear lady took off faster than I could.

But my eyes I'm serious.

I mean I people run away from me before, but she did. I blinked and she's gone better than saying what others have said a rather have someone curse me today for telling the truth then spend eternity crossing me the seat we live in a time where society at large and miniature is preaching cell salvation that is the tragedy we living in in this age millions of people are brought into this erroneous concept that if I tried to be good and do good. I can earn my way to heaven. But there is one humongous problem with that God said you can work yourself into a frenzy. You can organize humanitarian and charity events 24 seven, but without knowing Jesus as your only Savior and Lord of this life. You cannot have eternal life. I don't like the rules, but I'm thankful that somebody back younger love me enough to tell me the truth so I can come to Jesus people who stress themselves out thinking that they can learn the favor of God or the favor of others.

The often blowup when things go wrong. Others develop this cold relationship with God.

Martha blew up at Jesus and her sister. Did you know that most of the stressed-out people are prone to blame others for their plight. Did you know that.

It feels like there is not fair with all the good that I'm doing and you're telling me what I must know Jesus is my only Savior and Lord friend and only then, cannot be saved is what he said that's what he said in his inviting you his inviting you to come find him know him and live forever after you come to Jesus he's going to give you strength is going to give you supernatural strength to serve him and you got a sever more joy and Goliath not as a graduate or something so you can own now. It's gratitude and thanksgiving.

Look at verses 41 and 42 because I don't want to take my word for it. I want you to Jesus and work for someone to check me out here. The Lord answered Martha and said Martha Martha, now we give your secret about the Hebrew language whenever the term is repeated twice, like when Jesus says truly, truly, I say to you whenever the name is repeated twice, it's a sign of an intensified emotions. Martha, Martha, you are worried your stressed-out Europe sad about too many things but there's only one thing that is really needed and Mary has chosen Jesus.

She came to know me and that can never be taken away from her. They can take away your close they can take away your liberty they can take away your phone they can take away your treasures, they can never take away Jesus from that is why today there are millions of Christians throughout the world. A gladly dying for Jesus.

If you hear the stories that we hear every single day people are tortured and they gladly die for Jesus because they know they can take everything but the can't take away Jesus and that's what Jesus said. Mary found the word that is used here by Dr. Luke got stressed-out.

It's really means to be pulled out into many different directions, let me ask you this.

Do you feel that you're being pulled into many different directions today. Do you feel that you are being torn apart from the inside. Today I'm in you feel confused and uncertain and stressed-out today.

Do you feel that you are spreading yourself so sadly do you feel that you are spreading yourself into you feel that you're on the treadmill in life and you don't have to get off you feel that your spinning your wheels and going nowhere.

I've got good news for you today. Good news for you today know Jesus and live.

Not only this life that is life. The stress free, but for eternity with him in heaven. What are those many things that she was scattered about walls for Martha may not be for you.

The things a scattering, you may not be what Scott is Martha for Martha, of course, was the bread and the meat in the napkins or the Soviets as they say in England or the timing or the setting all my all these things but you have other things that are distracting you from Jesus the most important thing in life. Ask yourself the question, what are the things that are distracting you from the one and only most important thing in life that we plead with you, don't let the most important thing in life, namely Jesus be lost in the shuffle.

Don't let it lead not one thing distract you from the perspective and steal it away from you and maybe a person here today so you know I really believe in Jesus admired Jesus a I'm very moved by the love of Christ are really like. Jesus is the Christians. I don't like the hypocrites.

That's okay. Welcome to the club.

The question is not whether you believe in Jesus, but whether you believe Jesus is world of difference between those two. Do you believe Jesus and the difference between believing in Jesus and believing Jesus can be illustrated. In this classic story that some of you already know about tight rope walker by the name of Blondin Blondin was renowned, of how he would stretch a cable and walk across it one time he stretch this cable across a vast expanse of a section of Niagara Falls and he literally walked across and back without the aid of the pole that help them balance himself and the crowd just would want them, and they applauded very shouted to their amazement and delight.

He decided that his this Don is going to walk across on the wheelbarrow mature enough to come all the way from one into the other on the Wilbur rickety looking Wilbur and as he was looking at the crowd below and you notice from all the masses of people that there was a board, wide-eyed, jaw-dropping, and looking at him, transfixed Blondin looks at this young boy and he sister him. He said young man, do you believe that can walk back on this. Wilbur convoys videos sir, are you sure believe that absolutely.

Is it okay jump up and get into the Wilbur was a different story and the board declined the invitation.

As I would to see believing Jesus is taken with his work believing Jesus take him at his work is it when you come to me on the villager on the lookout of my hand securing his hand. I'm not asking you to do away more people go blind faith in here that in the media all the time. Well might be true might not but you just have faith, faith, faith, abuse the work know what I am inviting you to have faith that is based on the historical evidence of who Jesus is. That is believing his words and that he and he alone is the one who lived every dread is right is what he thought. And Jesus said I am the only way to salvation only when you believe in me, and you put your whole trust in me. Not only will you lose the stress of life to be assured of me walking with you today by day, moment by moment, but you can be assured that the moment you close your eyes and death will be with me in heaven, for heaven is all about Jesus