The book has 12 chapters. I have read through Ch. 11. This is not a chapter by chapter run down of her book. What this is, is a synopsis of what I learned and took from her book. How some of what she said has impacted my walk with God. How her book, led me back towards the Lord. The rest of course will be up to me.
The basis of the book is the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42. Read that story. She finds many other bible verses and stories and other writings to go with what she is saying in the book as well. I am so grateful to the leaders of my Sabbath school class for picking this book, and praying for us to come to the class. It has moved me in a direction I don't think I would have gone otherwise.
1. We must spend time in God's presence, at Jesus' feet,. He will provide all we need to do what needs to be done and the support we need to get through the hard times.
2. "Salvation isn't about what I do; it's about what Jesus did", writes Joanna. That really got me thinking. I have always known it was about Jesus' sacrifice and not my works, but have you really thought about the LOVE behind his actions???
3. The only requirement for a more intimate relationship with Jesus is showing up with an open heart and mind. Bring yourself, he will do the rest!
4. There are "Three deadly D's of Destruction"
- distraction, discouragement, and doubt. These are straight out of her book. If you think about it, it makes sense. Satan uses these things to keep us from turning to God. He distracts us with busywork, then when we are distracted he discourages us which will in many cases lead to doubting God. If you look back you will see where all of these may have gotten you. I can see where they have gotten me.
5. In the story - Martha is busy working and preparing things for Jesus. She is in the Kitchen, while Mary is sitting at Jesus' feet in the Living Room. This is a running theme in this book. We MUST spend time in the Living Room with Jesus to be able to do all the things in the Kitchen. But we need to come as we are. She writes, "we can't get our spiritual act together, unless we go to the Living Room first". Let Jesus do the work on your heart. Let him in and you will change!
6. Be careful not to let the busyness of life come between you and Jesus. Again this is a form of distraction. You can fill up your life with many spiritual things, but its the relationship that counts. Keep that relationship and watch for things that detract from that hunger to know Jesus more.
7. Jesus is faithful, even when we are not! He is waiting for us! There are other poems about this.. but I wrote one that summed it up for me. My next post will have all 3 of the poems that have come out of my Living Room time with the Lord.
8.Jesus paid the ultimate debt. His sacrifice of HIS LIFE, paved the way for us to have a FREE intimate relationship with God. It's free for us to take! Again, he wants to know us! He wants us to come to Him!
9. Ch 8, " Lessons from Lazarus" had the biggest impact on my realization of God's abundant love for ME! ME???? and YOU! This chapter is about what we can learn from Jesus, Mary and Martha before, during and after Lazarus' death and resurrection:
6 lessons straight out of that chapter are:
a) "God's will does not always proceed in a straight line"
b) "God's love sometimes tarries for our good and his glory"
c)"God's ways are not our ways, but his character is still dependable" really hit me!
d)"God's plan is released when we believe and obey"
and God's Grammar Lessons....
a) "Never put a period where God puts a comma"
b) "Don't put a comma where God puts a period."
So the question I asked myself here is how do I know? Well our job is to follow God's will. So we pray and step out, I believe he will make his wishes known.
10. Have a teachable heart. Martha did. Be open to his rebukes and his commands. Follow his plan, not ours. Stop trying to write our own lives, let Him have the quill and the ink.
11.Show God your love the way Mary did. Abandon yourself to him. Give him your all!
I am still processing ch 11 and haven't read ch. 12 yet. I have been impacted by this book, BUT and this is a big but.. all it did was LEAD me back to the Bible! I found my answers there. Joanna Weaver includes many stories and quotes from others that helped to give me a better idea of what I was missing. In truth, the Holy Spirit was there, prodding me, poking me, shoving me! He wanted me to see, to understand, to read more about Him and about His Everlasting, Binding and Abundant Love.
Jesus gave his VERY life for us! So ask yourself this: (I did) Are you willing to give your all, everything you are over to him? To surrender completely to his will?
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