Day 1

Scripture to Read: Luke 10:38

Jesus traveled to many places during His three-year ministry here on earth. As Jesus clearly said of Himself in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Jesus traveled the Galilee region, Northern Israel, and the surrounding areas, Samaria and Judea, Perea and the Transjordan, Jerusalem and the surrounding Judean sites, as well as other towns and sites mentioned in the Gospels. What God had Luke record for us next is found in Luke 10:38, “Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.” If God had given us this account only through Luke, we might not know the village Jesus entered. But God tells us through John (in John 11:1) that Bethany is the village of Mary and her sister Martha. But Martha is the one mentioned as having welcomed Jesus into her home. No doubt one of Martha’s strengths was her hospitality. God is also going to reveal to us how Martha was action-oriented and service-focused. These are both great strengths when geared in the right direction. For Jesus to change our lives, we must choose to welcome Him in and surrender every area of our lives to Him. We don’t have the right to pick and choose what Jesus controls in our lives, but we must willingly surrender to His full authority and follow Him wholeheartedly each day. Many say they believe in Jesus, but they have not surrendered to Jesus as Lord (James 2:19).

Challenge & Application

Being action-oriented and service-focused are great strengths, but for our lives to be transformed, what else is needed and why? Why don’t we have the right to pick and choose what areas of our lives we surrender to Christ?

Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!

Devotionals from this week

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Day 1

Jesus traveled to many places during His three-year ministry here on earth. As Jesus clearly said of Himself in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Jesus traveled the Galilee region, Northern Israel, and the surrounding areas, Samaria and Judea, Perea and the Transjordan, Jerusalem and the surrou...

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Day 2

God used Luke to introduce us to Martha, but then God also had Luke introduce us to Martha’s sister Mary. God had Luke record this in Luke 10:39, “She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.” The first thing we notice about Mary was that she was seated at Jesus’ feet and she was listening intently t...

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Day 3

God has shown us a few things about both Martha and Mary. Both of these ladies had strengths that God highlighted. But as God had Luke continue, we read in Luke 10:40, “But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell ...

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Day 4

Jesus was rebuked by Martha and then Martha actually told Jesus to tell Mary to help her. Jesus is so incredibly compassionate and kind. Jesus could have very easily rebuked Martha on the spot, but He didn’t. God had Luke record this in Luke 10:41, “But the Lord answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so ...

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Day 5

Jesus had a little more to say to Martha, for God had Luke record this in Luke 10:42, as Jesus said to Martha, “but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Jesus told Martha that there was only one thing truly worth focusing on and that Mary had made the best choice by focusing ...

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Day 6

If we’re not careful, we can all get worried and bothered about things each day. God has shown us through the lives of Mary and Martha how both of them made decisions, but that Mary’s decision to spend time with the Lord carried a much greater value than Martha’s decision to be a good hostess. Jesus never told Martha that prepping the meal an...

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Day 7

To be sure and make the same choice as Mary, to pursue deep intimacy with our Lord and His Word, means there are other things we have to say “no” to. God tells us in Ephesians 4:23, “and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” The only thing powerful enough to renew our way of thinking is God’s Word. We must be willing to read, study...

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