Intimacy with GOD by Esher Shoshannah (e book reading free .txt) 📕

the promises in I Cor. 10:13 and II Cor. 4:7-9.

So important is Mary's heart that the Holy Spirit, while talking about Martha, interrupts the train of thought and directs our focus to Mary. He wants us to see her sitting still in the house while Martha was acting in haste (John 11:20). Mary had formed a spiritual habit when all was going well and now she would apply it to the deep valley of her soul. Mary was doing what Jesus had taught in Luke 21:19, "In your patience possess ye your souls." Her emotions were under control. Her actions fulfill Psa. 37:4-5, "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass."

What Mary learned at Jesus' feet in Luke 10 would be enough to get her through this ordeal of death and still love Jesus. The moment finally comes when Jesus calls for Mary. Only when Jesus gives the OK does she move, quickly and without a word. Do you wait for the Lord or do you rush out in the flesh to solve every problem? Those who were there to comfort her followed, not knowing where she was going. She kneels in front of the Lord.

Mary's body language speaks to all around and to the heart of the Lord. It was saying, "I don't understand why You didn't come but I still love You. I know You could have healed him but that didn't happen. I will not blame You. I have faith in You even though I am confused. I truly am submitted and committed to You with all of my heart." The Holy Spirit makes note of all those weeping there. But Martha is not mentioned. At that moment I believe she was too angry to cry!

In Luke 10 Mary surrendered her heart to hear His Word. Here, she is at Jesus’ feet witnessing. Later, she is given the credit for having won the group to the Lord. The Holy Spirit says, "Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him (John 11:45)." He specifically singled her out. The Holy Spirit could have said, "those who had attended Lazarus' funeral" or "those who were with Martha and Mary." But He didn't! 

A surrendered Mary, consumed with Jesus, was used to lead the others to the Lord. She had surrendered to Him in her woe.

 

III. KNEELING AT JESUS’ FEET TO WORSHIP

We now come to the most precious moment in Mary of Bethany's life. Read John 12:1-6 and Mark 14:3-9. Mary is at Jesus' feet but now it is for worship. Here again was a choice made by her. Of all those there, she alone proved to be a real, true disciple by giving up her best (perfume) in worship (Luke 14:33).

Mary had saved the perfume for anointing His body, revealing that Jesus was on her heart and mind way before this act of worship. Had Jesus revealed to her, while sitting at His feet in Luke 10, that very soon He was going to die but would rise from the dead in three days? Here in John 12, she gave that which cost her something (sacrifice of time, energy, thought, substance - see II Sam. 24:24). What love! What devotion! What humbleness! That's worship!

She anoints Jesus' head and feet with a very, very costly perfume (worth 300 denarii). Her heart was saying, "I am submitted to Your thoughts (head) and I am submitted to Your ways and authority (feet)." Notice that Mary breaks it. It cannot be retrieved! She didn't save any of it! It was all for Him. The value could be at least $16,800 in today's money (Matt. 20:2 - a denarius is a day's wage, in our day it would be – 300 x 8(hrs./day x $7.00/hr.). Here she is consumed in worship for Jesus. She is giving the Lord what He desires most (John 4:23,24). The fragrance permeates the house. As you break over His feet what is most valuable to you, your will, the fragrant, spiritual aroma of this living sacrifice will fill the place where you are and then follow you wherever you go that day!

What a blessing! Mary carried Jesus' fragrance with her all that day and so with us, when we surrender to Him. Then she is attacked by Judas with a biblical principle - the feeding of the poor. He says, "What a waste Mary! Many could truly be helped who are in need. Look at you. You don't care about those who are perishing because of hunger." Judas wants all the attention placed on the poor. Mary directs all the attention onto Jesus! The disciples picked up on Judas' "righteous" thought and actually began to scold her. Today, we would say, "Aren't there young girls in your neighborhood who would love to have just a little of that costly perfume? You then could witness to these girls and lead them to Christ." Why didn't the disciples notice that Jesus was not upset about the costly perfume being poured out on Him?

The disciples were angry with her for wasting the costly perfume. However, Mary is so focused on Jesus that she does not retaliate against them with angry words. As with the situation with Martha, Mary simply looks to Jesus to solve the problem. Mary was totally surrendered and dependent on Jesus in every circumstance. That is exactly what He wants you to do. Surrender all to Him, all the rights to your life.

Can you imagine what this extravagant gift must have meant to Jesus as He was about to be unfairly tried, scourged and crucified? Within two days He would be taken from the Garden of Gethsemane and crucified. That powerful fragrance from the anointing on His head would still remain. As the false accusations were hurled at Him, and the whip of evil came crashing down on His back, and the hellish nails pierced His hands and feet, the sweet aroma of that precious fragrance still on His head spoke volumes to His heart - "There are those who deeply love Me! There will be others down through the ages who will love Me with the fragrance of their sacrificed wills to Me!" In the midst of the excruciating pain in His spirit, soul and body - love and joy were in the air! "...who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame...." (Heb. 12:2).

 

MARY WALKED IN HOLINESS (separated to Jesus)! THE RESULT WAS A LIFE FILLED WITH THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.

1. LOVE – In every aspect of Mary’s life Jesus was always the reason for living. Her heart was completely captivated by Jesus.

2. JOY - She knew how to spiritually humble herself and thus, she was highly exalted by Jesus resulting in unspeakable joy.

3. FAITHFULNESS - Mary counted the cost (being criticized, etc.) and always chose Him above everything and everyone else.

4. PATIENCE - She never lost her faith and trust in the Lord even during one of life's severest trials - death of a dear family member.

5. KINDNESS - Mary sought to worship Jesus with her precious gift of kindness and Jesus made sure she would be remembered!

6. GOODNESS - She was filled with Jesus and His word and the goodness of her spirit is still ministering today 2000 years later!

7. PEACE - With the eyes of her heart focused on Jesus, Mary was not emotionally rattled by difficult circumstances.

8. GENTLENESS – In all circumstances Mary’s body language witnesses to us clearly about her beautiful gentleness.

9. SELF-CONTROL - Although her character and motives were severely questioned, she remained silent and did not retaliate.

 

THE SACRIFICE OF SUFFERING IN SILENCE 

 

Mary of Bethany suffered the pain of silence in not reacting to her sister’s outburst of anger and the disciples scolding her in front of Jesus. It would have been so easy and seemingly so right but she didn’t. Jesus suffered in silence, so at times He calls on us to do the same and wait for Him to work. Isa 53:7 "He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth." (see I Pet. 2:23; Matt. 27:12,14). Have you been wronged, yet God is asking you to remain silent and wait? Pray Psa. 62:5 (NKJV) "My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him."

 

WHAT ABOUT YOU DEAR BELIEVER? Mary of Bethany surrendered every circumstance to her Lord whom she loved with all of her heart. Right now, why don't you do the same? Pray this prayer, "Dear Abba Father, It is no longer my will but Your will that I desire in my life. I surrender every person and every circumstance to You, now and for the rest of my life. I will totally depend upon You. In Your precious name Lord Jesus, amen!" (Rom. 12:1-2; Phil. 1:6).

 

 

MARY'S HEART IS SUMMARIZED IN THE SPIRITUAL SONG "AT YOUR FEET":

 

1. At Your feet, praising You,

  At Your feet, loving You, 

  At Your feet, hearing You,

  At Your feet, at Your feet,

anointing You!

 

2.Take my heart, at Your feet,

  Take my tears, at Your feet,

Take my will, at Your feet,

At Your feet, at Your feet,

breaking me!

 

3.Sanctified! set apart, 

       Sacrificed! was Your part,

 Satisfied! is my heart,

       At Your feet, at Your feet,

adoring You!

  

Esher Shoshannah

 

 

The vision of this book is to have you curl up in the arms of your Beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ, and become more and more like Mary of Bethany, totally consumed with Him alone! This love letter was personally written to you from the heart of Jesus, your heavenly Bridegroom!

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

PRAY WITH ME: "Dear Father, I give You praise from a heart full of thanksgiving; You gave me to your Son to be His bride (John 10:29). I desire to be more than just an ordinary believer. My soul pants after Thee! There is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee. I long for a deeper, more intimate relationship with You, my God. Holy Spirit, fill me continually so that my heart will overflow in rivers of living waters. In the name which I adore and cherish - the Lord Jesus Christ!" 

 

The Holy Spirit teaches that there is nothing more important than love (I Cor. 13:13)! True love bears and endures any difficulty and never fails (I Cor. 13:7,8). Love fulfills God's law (Rom. 13:10). Love for God causes us to obey and keep His Word (John 14:23). It is through a love for Him that we are granted to know the secrets of His heart (I Cor. 2:9,10). All things, no matter how good or bad in your life, will turn out for good if you are in love with the Lord (Rom. 8:28)! The Song of Songs exposes the