Today Brother Bob gives you all a wonderful picture of Mary listening to Jesus and Martha busy with housework and the cares of this world neglecting Jesus. Jesus told Martha don't neglect the one thing that is necessary that is taking time daily with Jesus and meditating on the Word of God that is Jesus. We find the story of the picture above at Luke 10:39: And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But, Martha was cumbered about much serving and came to Him and said, Lord dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things. But one thing is needful and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her.
One of Brother Bob's favorite scriptures that tell us to place Jesus first in our lives is Matthew 10:37 that says He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Colossians 3:1 tells us If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Are you taking time daily to seek Jesus and meditate on the Word of God? If you are like Mary pictured above and meditate and attend daily to Jesus and the Word of God, Joshua 1:8 promises you prosperity and good success. Joshua 1:8 tells us this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the is written therein; for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Next Brother Bob is going to give you all a lesson on one word attend and a woman named Lydia who attended daily to the Word of God. The word attend in Hebrew means to constantly hear, be attentive, hearken, and listen to Jesus and the Word of God like Mary in the above picture. Open your bibles to Proverbs 4:20 and learn this lesson. If you daily attend, listen, and be attentive to the Word of God, you will receive life, health, and overcome this world. Proverbs 4:20 says My son, attend to my words, incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
We can learn a lesson from a great woman of God named Lydia who daily attended unto Jesus and the Word of God and was comforted by God through the ministry of the Apostle Paul. Acts 16:14 says And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. Because Lydia attended and took time for Jesus, later on she was comforted by the Apostle Paul. Acts 16:40 reads And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
Also, I encourage you to be like the christians at Berea and search the scriptures daily to obtain the blessings of being noble with the royalty of a king. Acts 17:10 says And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea; who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Remember to put Jesus first above everything in your life and all your needs will be met. To put Jesus first in your life, daily consider the poor, widows, and orphans who need our prayers and assistance daily. Remember, when you have done it to the least of these Jesus said you have done it unto me. Remember if you seek Jesus first and assist the poor daily, I promise you that all your needs will be met and you will always be blessed on this earth. Matthew 6:33 says But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
I pray in Jesus name all who forevermore read this will be like the people of the churches of Macedonia who liberally gave their riches to the poor and were greatly blessed. 2 Corinthians 8:1 says Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
OK, take a look at the above picture I found that shows Jesus providing manna for the children of Israel in the wilderness and keeping them alive. Let me ask a question and then give you an answer from the Word of God. The question is at Psalm 78:19: Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? The answer is definitely yes and is found if you read the story of the widow woman at Zarephath at 1 Kings 17:10-16 who after she blessed the prophet Elijah with her last meal and cruse of oil, Jesus made food appear out of nowhere and the widow woman at Zarephath always had food and water during the famine. Jesus also made food appear out of nowhere for Elijah when Elijah wanted to die under a juniper tree and an angel baked a cake for Elijah and provided water that sustained Elijah for 40 days and nights at 1 Kings 19:6-8.
Brother Bob wants to share a testimony with you all about a scripture that saved my life. I encourage you to always say and remember Philippians 4:19 when you need a miracle such as food to live, money to pay for a house or apartment, or a miracle of healing. Right now say Philippians 4:19 and believe it. Say But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. God and Jesus, not man, mother, father, brother, sister, friends, or relatives, but only Jesus will always be there for you and Jesus will always take care of you.
Twenty years ago, Brother Bob had no job, no way to pay rent or buy food, and I remember I laid out on a floor and the devil said I would die. To overcome the fear, I kept saying But my God shall supply all my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Jesus did bless Brother Bob and my little brother let me live with him in an apartment and the next week I got a job that I still work on after 24 years. Psalm 37:25 says I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. Hebrews 13:6 promises So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Realize that the bread or manna falling from the sky to bless the children of Israel is Jesus. Jesus is our answer to keep us alive and provide all our needs. Open your bibles to John 6:32 that says Jesus is the bread to sustain us all. Daily remember with your hearts Jesus Christ crucified to receive this bread to survive and overcome this world. John 6:32 says Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto Him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
Don't be like the people pictured above who were not satisfied with the manna or Jesus and wanted a substitute for Jesus called quails. Whenever someone tries to receive peace and happiness from anything outside of Jesus it never works. The quails did not satisfy the children of Israel. They had to work to gather the quails and they died before they could even swallow one bite of the quail. Remember, don't try in yourself by works to be blessed by God. The work was already done by Jesus at the cross. Just believe in the finished work Jesus did for us all at the cross and glorify Jesus and not your own works.
The story about how the children of Israel died when they chose quails instead of Jesus is at Numbers 11:31 and reads And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp. and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth. And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails; he that gathered least gathered ten homers; and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague.
The above story makes Brother Bob remember the story of the fool who gathered much food in barns and said he could eat drink and be merry. These children of Israel did useless hard labor for two days and piled up quail everywhere and thought they could live off the quail for years but like the fool in Luke 12:16 they died before they could even enjoy any of the fruit of their labor. After I read these stories, this makes Brother Bob want to just give away his money to the poor needy widows and orphans all around him. The story of the fool in Luke 12:16 reads And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do; I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him. Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall these things be, which thou has provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Jesus told us to pray and fast to cast out the devil. Jesus told us at Mark 9:29 This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. The true fast to cast out the devil (blessing the poor and not starving your body of food) is stated at Isaiah 58:6-11: Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger; and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day; And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
OK my last picture for today's bible study is of the great prophet Micaiah who spoke and warned King Ahab to not go to battle at Ramoth Gilead. Note in the picture above that this enraged Ahab and that King Jehoshaphat sitting by Ahab will almost lose his life for associating with wicked Ahab. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says Be not deceived; evil communications corrupt good manners.
I tell young kids and teenagers everywhere about the story above and that they should not associate with kids their age when they sell drugs, get drunk on alcohol, rob, or steal with guns. Brother Bob says do not judge people who are drug addicts, alcoholics, or criminals. Just remember while these people are sinning separate yourselves and do not partake in any wicked deed. Love these lost ones and meet them in a public place, or restaurant, or at church, and pray that the lost person change and start living for Jesus. Also, remember, if a convict, murderer, rapist, or ex drug addict, or alcoholic repents and starts to live for Jesus, forgive that person and associate with that person and lift up Jesus. When someone comes to Jesus that person is a new creature in Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says Therefore if any man be in Christ, his is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
1 Kings 22:32 tells us how Jehoshaphat almost lost his life and experienced trouble for associating with wicked Ahab. 1 Kings 22:32 says And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel (Ahab). And they turned aside to fight against him; and Jehoshaphat cried out. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots percieived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. Jehoshaphat had a track record of trusting in man more than Jesus. Earlier in his life he also trusted and relied more on king Ahaziah than Jesus and built great ships with Ahaziah and Jesus broke and destroyed these ships going to Tarshish.
I conclude this bible study by telling you all to abide by Proverbs 3:5 that says Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to the navel (comfort your nerves) and marrow to thy bones (refreshment to your body like a refreshing cold drink of water on a hot day.)
As always I've enjoyed writing this bible study. I welcome the following new countries that read these bibles studies. Welcome Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland, Ghana, Aruba, Mexico, and Taiwan. To my international friends feel free to correspond and write to Brother Bob at my email rz9tlm@gmail.com. All those who read these free bible studies are in my prayers. Keep in contact. Your friend in Jesus Brother Bob Malkin, 2233 Pinetree Lane, Apt. N., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068. (614) 604-7133.
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