Running after Jesus

Posted on October 6, 2009 by Jody Neufeld

Jesus went out from there, and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon. Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of David! My daughter is severely demonized!”

But he answered her not a word.

His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away; for she cries after us.”

But he answered, “I wasn’t sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

But she came and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, help me.”

But he answered, “It is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

But she said, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.       Matthew 15:21-28 (WEB)

Do you find Scriptures where God does not respond in the way that you expect – troubling? Yes, I do, too. There are passages where God is furious (yes, I do see the justice and logic) and wipes out entire civilizations! There are passages that describe gallons of blood and not an animal or child was left! Too often it may be generally thought that these passages only occurred in the OLD Testament and Jesus is always gentle and loving. Hmm. He does not respond to this woman’s pleas for her daughter with love and concern, does He? Why is that?

One answer spoke to my heart. Jesus came to walk roads that I may walk. Roads that are difficult and unjust and when I find myself in that place the best moment in the whole awful time is when I know that Jesus “has been there – done that”.

As I read this passage I could see the woman running down the road, begging for help. She probably felt ostracized and at the end of whatever rope she had been hanging. She had no other options and so she turns to One that she has been told has done miracles for others. She begs for help, not for herself, but for her child. How could Jesus refuse?

Jesus ignores the woman! When she continues to beg and pester Him, He finally makes a remark that says – “You aren’t worthy of My help! I will help only the worthy, chosen ones!”

The woman does not give up! She is not intimidated! She will take crumbs from Jesus! She doesn’t have to have a whole, pretty loaf! She is desperate and will take crumbs!.

Fast forward to now. I am running down the road toward a church that I believe loves me. “Help me!” And no help is forthcoming. Maybe the leadership does not hear my plea. Maybe my pleas are too emotional and calling attention to a dirty sin. But I will take crumbs. Crumbs from Jesus is enough.

And that is the lesson that I learned from this passage. Do not allow people to dissuade me from what I know about Jesus. Trust Him to respond because He will. He is looking for that ‘crumb’ of faith. He takes a crumb and makes it a big whole! I may be an outcast by someone’s standard and I may be an embarrassment with my desperation and faith but this is where Jesus will respond: at the point of my desperate need. Keep running after Jesus in faith and I will get a response.

Please share what you learned from this passage!

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I am your Child.

Posted on October 5, 2009 by Jody Neufeld

They were also bringing their babies to him, that he might touch them. But when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. Jesus summoned them, saying, “Allow the little children to come to me, and don’t hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Most certainly, I tell you, whoever doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”

Luke 18:15-17 (WEB)

This weekend God continued to speak to me about children. He really wants me to understand our relationship: Father and child. Daddy and child.

We humans are very visual in our understanding and so when we think of the connection we have with our children we think that it occurs at the moment of birth. The moment we see the child. So much more goes in to that connection than what we see. Each child has a distinctive smell. Each has a distinctive way of moving. You could blindfold me and bring me 10 babies and by a sniff I could have identified my own. It has nothing to do with soap or talcum powder. It is their scent. From high in a stadium or the top row of a gym, I could distinguish my child from all the others in the same uniform by how they walked. How much more does the Father know me! He has known me since before He placed me in my mother’s womb. He created me and so has known me since He conceived me.

A child learns about his/her parent before learning that first word or taking the first step. “If I cry, she will come!” “If I cry, he will pick me up!” “They will make sure I am dry and give me the milk that I need.” “Oh, there is their face! I am so happy!” The first time your child smiles at you is – better than any birthday present!

Jesus wants me to understand that my relationship with the Father is just like that. All that I need comes from my Father. The Father responds to my every cry. His hand is on me to guard my every step, wanting to keep me from stumbling.

“But I asked for ____ and God did not answer me!”

Do you give your child every request they make? Do you always say “yes”? Does your child always understand they ‘why’ of your answer? Can you always make them understand?

Being a parent is loving your child enough to say “no”. It is loving your child even when they say, “You don’t understand me! I hate you!” It is always being available for that important talk. A talk that could bring that revelation of understanding and open the door to forgiveness.

God is the perfect parent. He disciplines but never in anger. He loves for all eternity and shows it in infinite ways. He holds with perfect comfort no matter how grown up I think I am. He lets go so I can take steps that strengthen my feeble limbs. He gave me Jesus, Himself in the flesh, so that I always follow and never have to go it alone.

Sometime today take time to read Psalm 139. Read it slowly like a child reads a favorite passage in their favorite book. Read it aloud. Feel your Father’s hand on you as He watches His child read His own words to Him. How wonderful is that!

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Miracles Happen…Every Day

Posted on October 2, 2009 by Jody Neufeld

Out of the depths I have cried to you, Yahweh.
Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my petitions.
If you, Yahweh, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you, therefore you are feared.
I wait for Yahweh. My soul waits. I hope in his word.
My soul longs for the Lord more than watchmen long for the morning;
more than watchmen for the morning.
Israel, hope in Yahweh, for with Yahweh there is loving kindness.
With him is abundant redemption. He will redeem Israel from all their sins.          Psalm 130 (WEB)
We are so fragile. No matter how old we are; no matter how educated or successful in our careers, we are still God’s children. That is very apparent as we go about our daily lives. Our physical bodies will only go so long without care, fuel, and water. Our mental capabilities are limited by how long we push and how much we try to retain until our mind says, “Enough!” And I believe our spirit is at the same time the most fragile and yet unbelievably resilient. So intimately connected to our emotions, our spirit is battered by grief and the unconscious hurts from those we love the most. Resilient because we do regain our joy from those same places, and, if we are wise, from our Creator.
It is wisdom to turn to our Creator because Who would have our best interest and our good health more in mind than the Father who created us. Too often we mistakenly believe that “I got myself into this mess so I must find my way out”! How arrogant and just plain stupid. As the best of fathers, our Lord does desire that we learn from our mistakes but He also wants to help us up and dust us off – even kiss the boo-boos and make it ‘better’. Who else is always there no matter the time or situation? Who else is always listening and knows when just to listen and when to speak the words of comfort or even give that kick in the pants?!
I may be one of the most independent, “I can do it” daughter that God has! I resist admitting my need for help and try to cover my weakness with ‘faith face’ and bravado. Underneath I am the little girl who never heard the compliments but heard every comment about how she came up less than what was expected. God has been whispering in my ear His love and joy and, yes, even pride in His beautiful daughter. He has given me Jesus to speak His desire to have an intimate, one-of-a-kind relationship with me. His Spirit speaks softly to my spirit. His voice is never trying to outshout that ‘old voice’ but over the years has grown to be the voice that I want to hear. It is like tuning in my spirit to the frequency of His voice. And I am strengthened by Him. The depths aren’t so deep and the despair is gone. It’s a miracle. Some say they have never seen a miracle. I have…every day.
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A Mighty Work of God, Where? By Whom?

Posted on October 1, 2009 by Jody Neufeld

John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow us.”

But Jesus said, “Don’t forbid him, for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name, and be able quickly to speak evil of me. For whoever is not against us is on our side. For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you are Christ’s, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.”      Mark 9:38-41 (WEB)

“Jesus, we saw this church down the street having revival meetings every night for the last week. They do not believe like we do so we told our people to encourage their friends not to go there.” This, unfortunately, is an accurate modern day retelling of this Scripture passage.

From 1995-2000, millions of people came to Pensacola, FL to meet with God. It became known as “The Pensacola Outpouring”. As Scripture verifies, when God manifests Himself in a tangible way it can be frightening, puzzling, and extraordinary wonderful all in the same moment. The Israelites at Mt. Sinai and the disciples in the days after the resurrection had a variety of reactions and responses to the events. What I cannot understand I may often reject because to accept an unknown is to also acknowledge a loss of control and certainly brings me out of a comfort zone. Jesus, as loving and compassionate as He is, spent most of His ministry years leading His disciples far, far away from their comfort zones.

Thousands maybe even millions were forever changed after their experience during that time in Pensacola. I was one of them. I went from being ambivalent, even apathetic, about God to spending hours reading and studying the Bible. Hymns that I had once thought boring and insipid brought tears to my eyes as I raised my voice in thanksgiving for how God had healed my shattered heart. That has been almost 15 years ago and the tears still fall for His extravagant, tender love.

A mighty work was done in the name of Jesus at a church located in an area of the city known for crime and poverty. Some thought Jesus would only show up at a large, prosperous church. A mighty work happened in Jesus’ name at a church known to be charismatic. I personally met people from every denomination, evangelical and charismatic, Catholic and Protestant, Jew and Muslim, atheist and agnostic. They came from down the street, from Japan, Europe, Russia, South America, Africa, and every country between. Many were “just pew sitters” like me but just as many were church leaders including pastors and teachers who were beat up and dried up. They left after receiving a fresh drink from the Living Water of Jesus. They received messages from the Lord they served and prayers that comforted and healed. They left renewed and strengthened.

Jesus makes it clear that the work we do probably won’t be perfect!  He doesn’t ask for perfection, just a humble, willing heart.

Jesus makes it clear that I should leave the judging to Him and only Him. If I want to know if a ministry is “of Him” – check the fruit that comes from it. If people grow closer to God and give Him all the credit for how their lives have changed so that they are serving and loving others – then be thankful that Kingdom work is being done!

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Last is Great

Posted on September 30, 2009 by Jody Neufeld

He [Jesus] came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?”

But they were silent, for they had disputed one with another on the way about who was the greatest.

He sat down, and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.” He took a little child, and set him in their midst. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such little child in my name, receives me, and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.”        Mark 9:33-37 (WEB)

It is passages like this that tells me that truly God can (and will) use anyone who is a disciple of Jesus. I do not have to be perfect!

It is so easy to look at the disciples’ behavior from over 2000 years of hindsight. “How could they argue among themselves when they were with Jesus??!!” “They should have been honored and totally awed that they were among twelve!!!”

Have you ever argued – ok, discussed with passion – in a church committee meeting? Have you ever been angry – upset – with another Christian because they did not agree with you on some point? (ouch!) Feels like I have just been dropped into Capernaum!

“But I have never tried to be the greatest!” Oh, but I have done tasks; done them well and never received any credit or any applause for them. It hurt. It was an ugly, truthful moment.

“If you want to be first with Me, Jody…you must put yourself at the end of the line and you must serve others. All others, Jody, not just people you like or even just people you know.”

Jesus did not say that I must go to some small, very poor country in order to be obedient. He said I must make a heart change and be willing to go wherever He sends me and do whatever He asks me to do. It is about my heart to Jesus. It is about the pride and how I judge tasks as worthy of my time and attention. And Jesus did it all to make it clear – “so can you, Jody!”

It may be easy for me, now in this century, to welcome children in. Children are important and primary in my world. I will give a child my attention. I believe they are the most important single group in a fellowship. In Jesus’ time – not so much. So what group gets little of my attention? Who falls to the top of the budget cuts? Take a look at the budget of the fellowship/church that you are connected. Look at the total. What percentage is put to children? To youth? To evangelism? To missions? Now look at the percentage that goes to maintaining buildings. Hmmm. What does Jesus think about that? Am I on point with the example that Jesus gave? That is worth some prayer time.

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Speak, Jesus… I am listening!

Posted on September 29, 2009 by Jody Neufeld

They went out from there, and passed through Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to know it. For he was teaching his disciples, and said to them, “The Son of Man is being handed over to the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, on the third day he will rise again.”

But they didn’t understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.        Mark 9:30-32 (WEB)

One of the questions I ask myself every time I write a devotion: “Is what You are saying to me, Lord, only for me or am I to pass this along?” Most days not everything is to be passed along. God is so – perfectly God – to be able to take His words and focus them through the power of His Spirit exactly into my heart. And I know He does this for many of you because you testify with your comments and emails and I rejoice when it is a little “nugget” that God delivers just for you!

Jesus did not give all teaching to everyone. In reading the gospels, we are told that only Peter, James, and John accompanied Jesus to the moment of transfiguration, the raising of dead girl, and His most intimate time in the Garden. Here in this passage of Mark, Jesus is bringing His disciples to a time apart from the usual crowds to give them an important piece of prophecy. He tells them openly (and clearly) that He is going to die and will rise on the third day. Why wouldn’t they understand those words? Because it was not what they wanted to hear.

Jesus speaks to me like that, too. He speaks a truth to me. I say “I don’t understand” or I pretend it is not for me but “surely for that ONE over there”! If I cannot be nakedly honest with Jesus, then with who? Jesus is leading me down the path to growing, to healing, to learning which produces a closer relationship.

The disciples fear the truths and so they believe that if they do not ask, Jesus will not tell! If I don’t ask Jesus who knows the answers then who will I be trusting? Truth can be scary but truth from Jesus comes with the assurance of the One who speaks. Some would say that “Jesus doesn’t give you more than you can handle”. I actually think that I have received much more than I can handle on my own! When I allow Jesus to carry the most weight, I can walk through some difficult truths and hear His voice explain and speak to my heart. It is a relationship with dialogue. We discuss what He is saying. It is a wonderful, intimate experience.

There is no question that I cannot ask Jesus. I can ask the question and know that He will hear it better than I can say it and answer it better than I can imagine. We have ‘discussed’ here before how I need to be open to Jesus’ answer which may be outside of my expectation. The answer will always line up with proven characteristics of Jesus but it may stretch my plan. Jesus truly has the Big Picture and so my life must be flexible enough to move in the opportunities that open to be a tool in His Hands. WOW!

Let’s take time to ask Jesus to give us the courage to hear what He wants to say today. Gives us ears to hear and hearts to receive, Jesus, in Your name we pray. Amen.

Posted in Mark | 1 Comment

My Salty Self

Posted on September 28, 2009 by Jody Neufeld

[Jesus said] “Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”          Mark 9:50 (WEB)

My pastor preached about being salty yesterday. The title was “Have Salt in Yourself”. I came away considering the Church. Why do we avoid being salty?

Just think about foods that we eat every day and consider how they would taste without salt. Eggs. Tomatoes. French fries. Some foods like olives and pickles would not even exist without salt. Without salt in these foods, they would be defined as bland. Most of us are not attracted to bland food. How many are attracted to bland Church? When you think of Jesus and His words and ministry, does the word bland come to mind? No, not for me either.

[LORD said,]“Every offering of your meal offering you shall season with salt; neither shall you allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your meal offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.”            Leviticus 2:13 (WEB)

Do you think Jesus was remembering His words to the Israelites when He spoke about saltiness several centuries later to His then disciples? When He speaks to me about saltiness? I think He is still trying to get His message across. We keep trying to water down His messages, making them bland and tasteless. We want to “fit in” and be “politically correct” more than we want to be ‘salty’ as Jesus exhorted us to be.

I am called by Jesus to bring flavor into the world. That flavor is to have characteristics like salt:

  • good flavor, not bitter or sour

  • balanced, putting the amount in that Jesus directs making the end product palatable, not bland but not too much which can produce nausea

  • preserving that which is good

  • of value; of worth. Salt was currency. What God wants me to give is not cheap but it is free.

The ministry of these devotions would be considered the saltiness that God has given to me to give away. Though I may see myself as only the scribe to His inspiring words, it is my choice to make the commitment to the ministry and to obediently write without tainting the salt of His words. (salt vs. garlic salt) God’s words may not always be what I want to hear but they are always what I need to hear. This is what we should be hearing and speaking to each other. Church is a place of saltiness. One of the ways I am replenished. It is a matter worthy of daily prayer.

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The Eternal Anchor of Hope

Posted on September 25, 2009 by Jody Neufeld

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.       1 Corinthians 15:17-19 (NIV)

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.         Hebrews 6:19 (NIV)

Hope must have its origin in Jesus. If I do not believe that Jesus died, rose from dead, and now lives eternally, then my hope for anything is certainly built on a foundation of sand.

I have many hopes in and for my life, as long as it lasts here on this earth. I hope to be able to spend more time with my grandchildren over the next ten years than I have the last ten years. I hope to be able to have more opportunities to encourage and teach others how to grow into mature disciples. I hope God will allow Henry and me to network with more Christians who do not know each other now but will come together to build His Kingdom.

These hopes are alive because I know the assurance of the Hope of eternal life. Jesus is so real and His love so tangible that the gift of eternal life was given freely and I took it into my heart with that same freedom. With a tiny, faltering, baby step of faith, I was given Hope big enough to support all my other hopes and, yes, dreams. Jesus’ Hope is the anchor that keeps my life from being battered beyond repair in the storms of this life. I have been through some hurricanes! (And not just physical ones!) In those dark and uncertain moments, it is the anchor of Jesus’ hope that brings my eyes up to His eyes and I am no longer flailing among the high waves but, in fact, walking with Him on the water. Like Peter, the walk occurs when I go forth with a tiny drop of faith, no strength of my own, and know only that Jesus is the only way; that there is no other option. I will not abandon my walk with Him no matter how many times I stumble. Jesus is my anchor. [Read Peter’s experiences: Matthew 14:22-33, John 5:66-69]

His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.       Psalm 147:10-11 (NIV)

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.        Psalm 42:5 (NIV)

It is so simple and yet so hard for me to stop struggling to make something happen; pushing to move the boulder in my path and instead take Jesus’ hand and rest in His timing and care. It is not for me to just sit but instead to seek Jesus and His plan, keeping myself fit and ready. It is living in the peace that surrounds my Hope in Jesus, firm and secure in His forever love.

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For What are You Hoping Today?

Posted on September 24, 2009 by Jody Neufeld

– Henry Neufeld

Now faith is the substantial nature of things we hope for, the clear conviction of things we don’t see. By this means the elders were approved.
By faith we understand that the universe was made by the word of God, so that things which are seen didn’t come out of things already visible…

Therefore restore the weakened hands and the bent knees, and prepare straight paths for your feet so that the lame might not stumble but rather might be healed.    — Hebrews 11:1-3; 12:12-13 (HN)

As I was reading this passage, my attention was repeatedly drawn to the word “hope.”  I have never really talked that much about hope before.  I’m pretty much a “facts” person.  I like to be realistic.  Even when I’m going out on a limb, I like to remind myself regularly how far out I am, how thin that limb is getting, and how close to the ground it’s bending.

You could say that I walk by faith, but with a powerful emphasis on how hard it is.  I take the step of faith, while making sure I’m clear that I’m really stepping over the edge.

When I was slowly walking away from the church after seminary, many people told me that all I needed to do was have faith. The problem was, you might say, that the lack of faith was precisely the problem.  Not one person suggested that I look for hope.  I wonder why that is.  Since then I’ve heard many, many sermons on faith for every sermon on hope I’ve heard.  Yet in the classic verse we use for defending our faith, we’re told to be prepared to give a reason for our hope.

Now look at our text for today.  In Hebrews 12:12-13 we are told to strengthen those who are weak.  Do you suppose we do this by telling them how they ought to be strong, or is there something else we need to do?  Then move back to Hebrews 11:1-3.  Faith is the “substantial nature,” the real essence of the things that we hope for.  Faith connects us to our hope!

But what if we try to have faith without hope?  Well, our faith may move us forward, but we will certainly miss the joy, and we may lose the faith.  Some of us seem to adhere to a John Wayne theory of faith—if we’re just tough enough, we’ll succeed. But God knows we need hope.

For what are you hoping today?

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The God Place

Posted on September 23, 2009 by Jody Neufeld

–  Henry Neufeld

Six days later Jesus took Peter and James and John and brought them to a high mountain apart from the rest, and his appearance was changed in front of them. And his clothes became sparkling white, much whiter than any bleach on earth could make them. And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and the two of them were talking with Jesus. And Peter responded by saying to Jesus, “Rabbi! This is a good place to be! Let’s make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He said this because he didn’t know what he was saying, because they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and there was a voice that came from the cloud: “This is my beloved son, listen to him!” And immediately after that they didn’t see anything, except Jesus himself with them.       — Mark 9:2-8 (HN)

I hope that we have all had experiences when Jesus was especially close to us and at the same time when he was especially glorious.  Those are the high points that can help us through our Christian journey.

I don’t know where your high points are, or how you experience them.  For some people it’s a time of worship in music.  For me it has most commonly been when I have taken on a passage of scripture to study thoroughly.  I pray, read the passage many times, ask myself questions about it and meditate on the answers.  There will be times when I feel Jesus right there telling me about that passage.  For others, it may be a time of retreat.

Whatever it is, if you have experienced it, you’ll be in some sympathy with Peter here.  The one thing that you know is that you really want to stay right there and never move.  It’s too precious a moment and too wonderful a feeling.  I have a friend who will say that there are no drugs that can create a high as good as God’s presence.  (To those of you who might worry, let me assure you that my friend is not saying that the presence of God is like a drug high, only better.  What he’s saying is that God’s presence is so there – that you have no hope of counterfeiting it with drugs.)

You really want to set up camp.  You really want to stay there.  But hear me:  This is only a taste!  The disciples are just tasting God’s presence.  They are just tasting being with Jesus in his glory.  That overwhelming experience is not the real thing.  That’s why you can’t set up camp as Peter wanted to.  It’s not that this is bad; it’s just that this is not where you’re really going.

Here’s some things we can learn about spiritual experience from this passage:

– It’s something God gives us to keep us going.

– We can’t camp where it happens.  God’s kingdom is inside (Luke 17:21).  God can visit you wherever you are!

– It won’t answer all your questions.  The disciples had to go on discussing the resurrection.

– It’s just a taste.  The full glory comes when we see Jesus face to face.

Let’s not just look for the experience, but let the experience of God’s presence empower us for the next step!  Let’s find the good place that goes with us all the time.

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