· Be teachable.
o
Are
you teachable? He doesn’t need “know-it-alls;’ He wants people who are willing
to learn. Are you a know-it-all?
· Be available.
o
Jesus
needs available people who are teachable.
· Be transformed.
o
We
have to change and change hurts.
§ My mama would pull our
hair up and put a ribbon in it. We would wince but she would say, “It hurts to
be beautiful.”
o
“God
is more concerned about our character than our comfort.” Paul W. Powell.
· Know you are valuable
to Jesus.
o
Martha
thought she had value because she was productive.
o
Her
true value was that she was His.
· Stick it out!
o
Martha
stuck around and heard Jesus’s rebuke.
o
We
must be willing to do the same.
o
Jesus
will prepare our hearts to listen and learn.
o
His
rebuke is gentle.
o
We
can receive it or refuse it. Stick it out!
· Be humble.
o
When
flaws are pointed out, don’t be quick to be offended.
§ Don’t point out others’
faults in defense.
· Stay close to Jesus.
o
Intimacy
with Jesus is better when we receive and apply correction from Him.
o
You
will hear Him and sense His presence clearly.
· Prioritize Jesus.
o
When
Lazarus died and Jesus finally came, Martha left a house full of people to meet
Jesus. She threw aside her obligations.
· Don’t be bossy!
o
Don’t
order Jesus around.
§ How to answer your
prayer?
§ How to deal with a
person?
o
Let
His authority decide what is best.
·
Put
Faith On!
o
Do
not wear Doubt.
o
Do
not wear Self-Interest.
o
Know
who Jesus IS. The very son of God. Christ, the messiah.
· Wear “New” timelessly.
o
Get
a new heart – a changed heart from Jesus.
§ Ask.
§ Be Teachable
§ Be willing to listen.
§ Act on what you hear.
o
Respond
to discipline.
§ Definition of discipline:
the practice of training; obeying for spiritual purposes.
· Pay for It!
o
Pay
attention to the voice of God.
§ That thought that came
to you and lines up with the Bible.
§ The impression in your
heart that reflects His character.
o
Do
not thwart His work.
§ It’s our opportunity to
be transformed.
o
Face
what He might say.
§ He loves you.
§ He is gentle.
· Sin clogs up and distorts.
o
Give
up your denial and rebellion.
o
Not
only listen to His voice but obey it. It clears the heart.
o
You
will become a “know it all” that people refrain from, if you are always learning
but not acting on what you learn.
o
Get
rid of what you have learned is sin in your life.
· Apply Obedience
liberally, or you will shrivel up.
o
Refusal
to apply God’s truth may actually keep us from hearing His voice.
o
We
can become accustomed to God’s voice, and it no longer moves us.
§ Ezekiel 33:31-32 in
part: “…they...listen to Your words, but they do not put them into practice.”
o
Obedience
is essential to a close relationship with Jesus.
§ He will reveal what
really matters in each of our lives.
· The places we try to
hide He will put His finger on.
· Be receptive.
o
If
you are teachable, you will come around to obedience quickly.
o
Our
loving Father will do whatever it takes to break rebellion in us, so we don’t
suffer in sin.
§ Remember He is gentle but
to the point.
o
Martha
paid attention to Jesus.
§ She was teachable.
§ She took the tender
rebuke.
§ She accepted His words
though painful to hear.
o
Hebrews
12:11 in part: “…discipline…it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace
for those who have been trained by it.” Beautiful!
· Make Over Time!
o
Don’t
refuse corrections.
o
Respond
with a teachable heart.
o
Don’t
stay in your trespasses and sin.
o
Don’t
get tangled up in emotions, hurts, and past disappointments.
o
Reflect
His glory.
o
Reject
the world’s values – only conform to what God values.
o
Lay
down your old life.
· Transformation in the
Mirror (A beautiful woman in Christ).
o
He
transforms you into someone entirely new.
o
You
now submit to His power.
o
No
more worry.
o
Tongue
speaks out of a heart of love for Jesus.
§ No gossip.
§ No lies.
§ No ungodly judgements.
· No more pointing the finger
at someone.
o
Your
wealth, things, and “stuff” are not worshipped or idolized.
§ You are generous.
§ You give to advance His
kingdom.
o
You
adore the Lord God.
o
You
have a purpose.
o
You
have someone to follow.
o
Sin
no longer disfigures you.
o
You
drink living water.
o
Your
thoughts are now His thoughts.
o
Joy
is yours to bubble over with.
o
Your
mouth sings a song.
o
You
are compassionate.
§ You come alongside
others.
§ You help and bear burdens
with others.
o
Your
voice resonates softly, strongly.
§ Confident.
§ Youthful and optimistic
as opposed to cynical.
o
Your
heart is clean and warm.
o
You
have a renewed right spirit.
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