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It may look great to other people when we clean up our lives and live morally. But self-help methods end up hurting us in the end. The truth is we can't help ourselves. When we try, we open ourselves to the attacks of the devil who loves to take possession of our souls. What we need is for Jesus Christ to take possession instead.

It's easy to give up on praying when we don't see immediate answers. In a culture where instant gratification is the norm, persevering in prayer is a strange concept. But God calls us to continually come before him with boldness. We can have confidence that when we pray according to God's promises, he will be faithful and delighted to answer them.

Lord, teach us how to pray. The plea that resounds through history started with the disciples. So Jesus taught them. The one who was in constant communication with his Father, showed his disciples how they could have the same relationship.

They say if you want to get something done, give it to someone who's already busy. Martha was that person. She knew how to get it done, and was great at serving. But somehow in her preparation for Jesus' visit she forgot the most important thing: the person she was serving.