Comfort for the Day

“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. “Speak comfortably to Jerusalem; and call out to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received of Yahweh’s hand double for all her sins.”

The voice of one who calls out,

“Prepare the way of Yahweh in the wilderness! Make a level highway in the desert for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain. The glory of Yahweh shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.”

The voice of one saying, “Cry!”
One said, “What shall I cry?”
“All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, because Yahweh’s breath blows on it. Surely the people are like grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God stands forever.”          Isaiah 40:1-8 (WEB)
God’s chosen people spent many generations wandering in a desert or exiled or fighting enemies and then taken prisoner and exiled again! They grieved for their loss of home; their relationship with Yahweh.
I grieve today. Compared to Israel my loss is very new, very personal, and even small by Kingdom size. My Father, my compassionate, loving Father does not compare my grief. He just sees His child’s heart hurting and pours out His comfort. His comfort is personal and extravagant (double), lavish as it comes perfectly to the spot that aches and weeps.
His comfort does not just come as a balm but it also brings hope. It brings the promise that the valley will be made level. If my steps today seem to be on a rocky stretch, God promises He will clear the way and offers His hand to steady my stumbling steps even before I know I need the help.
God’s comfort does not minimize my grief as foolish but validates that this life is fleeting and when death comes there is sorrow at the separation. He gently reminds me that the separation will be but a season as He has promised that we who put our trust in Him will be reunited with Him and each other for all eternity. The mouth of God has spoken and I can put my trust in Him.
And so today I am separated and saddened by that separation. But I have this Hope that promises what I now cannot see but believe by faith and the testimonies of the very ones who have gone before me.

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Disciples are not “Lone Rangers”

“You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.”     Matthew 5:13 (WEB)

Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Withstand him steadfast in your faith, knowing that your brothers who are in the world are undergoing the same sufferings.        1 Peter 5:8-9 (WEB)

Here are two Scriptures that speak to me and answer why I should be surrounded, connected, to the Body of Believers.

Peter warns that our enemy, Satan, never rests from looking for an opportunity to ambush a believer. Satan knows that his time is short and he wants to cause as much damage and death as he can. He goes for the easy target. Who is an easy target? The one who believes he is OK listening to a preacher on TV and has only “me, myself, and I” as a study partner? Or the one who worships and studies with others and so has a network of prayer partners and ‘family’ who seeks god’s will together? Satan would rather fight one than an army! Sobriety and self-control has proven to flourish when those of like minds come together to witness and encourage each other. The same group watches out for each other, waving a red flag when danger approaches.

Jesus said we are salt. Salt is flavor and it is a preserver. As I was discussing the Matthew passage with my husband, he pointed out that Jesus may have been encouraging His small group of disciples that a little salt provides a big flavor and so they, though small, will bring great impact. In the Body of Believers (for good – or not) we each impact the Body and the Kingdom. We are to provide good ‘flavor’ in our walk, allowing the Father to use us where and to whom He will. We can become ‘flat’ and of no use if we do not stay connected and filled.

The problems in the established church are many. I refuse to give in to obvious opportunities to bash but instead ask God to correct in me and share what He teaches me as He sees fit. The Body of Believers where I am connected is not primarily inside a building called a church. It is a network of brothers and sisters across the world of many backgrounds. We all love the Lord and are seeking Jesus’ direction in every aspect of our lives. We share and study and pray with each other and for each other. I am blessed to know that this close group will not only lift me up but love me enough to honestly speak words of love, even to discipline. I need encouragement and discipline!

See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers [and sisters!] to live together in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head, that ran down on the beard,
even Aaron’s beard; that came down on the edge of his robes;
like the dew of Hermon, that comes down on the hills of Zion:
for there Yahweh gives the blessing, even life forevermore. Psalm 133 (WEB, my addition)

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Who Comes First?

— Henry Neufeld

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the assembly, being himself the savior of the body. But as the assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything.        Ephesians 5:22-24 (WEB)

Jody asked me to respond to this text, by discussing the role of wives as she discussed the role of husbands yesterday, and I’m very happy to do so. You see, I think it is a text that 21st century American Christians are almost certain to misunderstand in some way. There are two reasons for this. The first is that we misunderstand the world in which Paul lived, and the second is that we misunderstand God’s view of leadership, often called “headship.” I may annoy some people by saying so, but I have come to dislike the word “headship” intensely, because I believe it has been used to cover up a multitude of sins.

First, my fellow men, in a nutshell, no text in the Bible tells us that we get to rule the world. And ladies, it doesn’t mean that you’re door mats, or that your gifts matter less than those of the men.

How can I say this when I’m commenting on a text that quite clearly tells wives to be subject to their husbands? Surely this puts us in a privileged position! And indeed in the world in which Paul lived, the men had the power in their households and the women had very little. Even those men who believe they have a mandate from God to be the absolute rulers of their own households have little power compared to what a man had in the Roman world.

Now I could challenge our understanding of this text by asking you to read some other texts, such as Galatians 3:28 or even the texts that lead up to this one in Ephesians 5:15-21. No, I’m not going to discuss them. Get out your Bibles and read them. In fact, try reading the whole book of Ephesians. It’s very few pages and it will do you great good!

But I think there’s enough right in the text I quoted to answer most of our questions if we’ll listen to it carefully. You see, we think so much in terms of hierarchy, of who is more and less important, of who is more and less powerful, that I think we have great difficulty actually reading this passage. What we want to do is hear something specifically about who is in charge, about who gets to give the orders.

If we follow the chain through this supposed hierarchy, we come to Jesus, who is the head of the church. And what did Jesus do? He gave himself absolutely and completely for us. He died for us. He didn’t lord it over people in a human way. He lorded it over people through service, love, and sacrifice.

What I believe Paul was trying to do in this passage was to bring the institutions of his day—and indeed of every day following—into subjection to Jesus Christ. And because that was a hierarchy, he speaks of putting Jesus at the head of the hierarchy.

But that’s where there is a tremendous irony. In Matthew 23:11 Jesus says that the one who wants to be greatest must be a servant. When you climb to the top of the authority pyramid as Jesus constructs it, you discover that you’re at the bottom.

But Jody asked me to talk about the role of wives, and I’m going to do so. I believe that role is very clear in our text and many others—it is the role of a servant, just like that of the men. It’s the “upside-down kingdom” where getting to the top doesn’t make you lord over anyone.

Here’s some quick points:

  • A wife is to exercise her gifts as called by God. Husbands, if you are getting in the way of this, you’re headed the wrong direction.

  • A woman who is looking for a husband should look for a husband who will put her second—second to Jesus.

  • Ladies, your husband is not your spiritual protector. Jesus is. Your husband may help protect you from the enemy, and you may help him. Jody and I have found many times that we could have avoided errors if one of us had spoken up at the appropriate moment and the other had listened. Note that this is not just me, as the husband, providing wisdom to my wife. It is my wife sharing her wisdom with me.

  • A single woman is not somehow more subject to the attacks of the enemy than a married woman. God’s power is not limited by our marital state. If God has called you to be single, either for a season or for your lifetime, he is also there to protect you spiritually.

God not only brings our earthly hierarchies into subjection to him, he destroys them. He turns the power pyramid upside down. Carry that to its logical conclusion.

Have you ever seen a pyramid successfully standing on its point? When you try to make yourself an authority that is not in sync with God’s system of servant leadership, you’ll look just as silly.

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Marriage, God is still teaching me

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it; that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Even so husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly; because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones. “For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will be joined to his wife. The two will become one flesh.” [Genesis 2:24] This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly. Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.           Ephesians 5:25-33 (WEB)

I am looking at Scriptures this week that I may not have thought applied to me but since all Scripture is good for teaching (2 Timothy 3:16), I have reconsidered!

This is one of many Scriptures that would have been good to commit to memory as a young girl. It give the characteristics of a God-loving, God-fearing man.

The man who loves God first is one with his priorities at a good beginning. I knew my husband, Henry, loved God before I knew anything else except his name. I knew his testimony before I knew about his family or his income. His humility and kindness made his looks just an added bonus!

The man who considers his wife’s needs first may not always remember you like waffles over pancakes but he is going to know and remember what God has gifted you to do in ministry. That fact will weigh on the decisions for where you worship; even where you live. There was a time when a ministry opportunity for me appeared to be opening. It would have meant a move. Henry was willing to move. Henry wants me to fulfill my call.

Leaving your parents and joining with your spouse is more than geography and sex. It is a covenant, a holy vow and commitment, between you, your spouse, and God. No one — NO ONE — gets another place at that table. Not your parents. Not your children.

Your spouse should know without a doubt that he/she is #2 in your life after God. You do not sacrifice your spouse in order to please your parents. Your decisions should reflect the characteristics of you and your spouse as a unit — not those of your parents. Your children should know that “Mom and Dad time” is important and worthy of consideration and respect. They should know that Mom and Dad love each other and so their home is a place of love, respect, and forgiveness. Children should know how to say, “I’m sorry” because they have heard their parents say it to each other — and to them.

Marriage is passion that goes far beyond the physical. It is love sifted through your relationship with God that brings more compassion, kindness, gentleness joy, faith, peace, patience, and, yes, self-control and mercy (forgiveness) than you ever thought possible to give — and receive. It is a mystery — a miracle.

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Is that You, God?

Reprinted from September 9, 2005
Give ear to my words, Yahweh. Consider my meditation. Listen to the voice of my cry, my King and my God; for to you do I pray. Yahweh, in the morning you shall hear my voice. In the morning I will lay my requests before you, and will watch expectantly. Psalm 5:1-3 (WEB)

I think the most frequently asked questions I get when teaching about prayer and an intimate relationship with God are,  “How do I know it is God talking to me?” and “How do I know that I am following the will of God?”  Good questions.  I don’t think the answers are difficult but their application is contrary to my nature!

God is truthful.  His words today do not negate His words of 2000 years ago.  So when I believe I hear His voice, what He is saying to me will line up with what He said to Paul two centuries ago.  God will not tell me that it is OK for me to worry about my children.  He will not tell me that what I am dealing with now is more difficult than anything Paul had to do — so my worry is justified.  No, God is able to take care of my concerns just like He did Paul’s.

I believe that I know I am IN the will of God because that place has a very distinctive characteristic: peace.  The will of God may be a place that is outside my ‘nature’ or my ‘flesh’ but my spirit recognizes it and it is a place of peace for my spirit.  My family and I have been through difficult ‘seasons’ including a time when my youngest son had a recurrent cancer.  Through every step as we decided about doctors, place of treatment, path of treatment, and timing, God directed each step.  The difficult task was to ‘wait’ on Him.  We might have a question at 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning and the clear answer did not show itself until Thursday at noon.  When it came, it was clear and it came with such peace!  Waiting was difficult!  I wanted the answer on Tuesday at 8:05 a.m.!!!  But waiting brought the perfect answer and the perfect peace!!!

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the gentle,
for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness,
for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven…
But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.     Matthew 5:3-10, 6:33 (WEB)
If you haven’t read Matthew 5 and 6 in the last 3 months, I encourage you to take time this week and do so.  There is so much in those two chapters that I think that I could read it every day for a month and still get something new every time!  Jesus’ words during the Sermon on the Mount are often quoted in discussions about God’s will and obedience until the words seem almost cliché.  They are NOT cliché.  They are succinct and true!  The tough part about hearing from God and KNOWING that I am hearing Him is the building of my relationship with God by following Jesus’ example.  Seeking FIRST God’s kingdom and a right relationship with Him and THEN put everything else in a list below that!  This doesn’t happen over night.  It comes with a growing, living relationship with my Lord.
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Pay Attention

Command and teach these things. Let no man despise your youth; but be an example to those who believe, in word, in your way of life, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity. Until I come, pay attention to reading, to exhortation, and to teaching. Don’t neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the elders. Be diligent in these things. Give yourself wholly to them, that your progress may be revealed to all. Pay attention to yourself, and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.         1 Timothy 4:11-16 (WEB, my emphasis)

I hope you will take the time to read this Scripture again. If the translation here is a bit too unfamiliar, pull out your Bible and read it slowly and let it simmer in your spirit.

This is a passage that I have not read many times. I would say that I have read it only when I was encouraging a youth in their call. Paul told Timothy that all Scripture is useful. (2 Timothy 3:16) Silly me not to have got the all part! This Scripture is for me also.

I may not be considered “youth” but God’s words are also pointed to me. “Let no one despise your gender, Jody, or your age.” Nothing is an excuse (or prejudice) that keeps me from being an example in all facets of my life. The excuses of others can only impact the ministry that God has called me if I let them! Is there any aspect of my life not covered in the words “love, spirit, faith, purity”? I can’t think of one.

Then there is the strong admonition to “pay attention”. Most of us have a teacher (or two or three) that has sharply spoken those words! What is to have my attention? What I read. What I am taught. And what strongly urges or warns me. I believe that means I am not only to “pay attention” as in understand and take in but also be careful what has my attention. Test the spirits, remember?

“Be diligent” and “do not neglect” the gifts and opportunities that God has given me. If I waste His time and talents, He will withdraw them and give them to someone who will pay attention! I should be growing in my ministry. There should be progress. God does not expect me to stay in kindergarten and He surely will not put up with my crazy teen years in ministry! David Ravenhill wrote a wonderful book, For God’s Sake, Grow Up! (ISBN#1560432993 ) on that very subject.

A warning is clear to me: Have some Holy Fear about what you teach. Whatever is taught to me must go through God’s sifting and pass His test first and then I pass it along to someone else. I am responsible for what I teach. It’s power (or lack) may have eternal consequences in another life. Holy Fear…give that some thought today along with careless words. My witness to Jesus in my life.

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Pray for our Nation

“If I shut up the sky so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now my eyes shall be open, and my ears attentive, to the prayer that is made in this place.”            2 Chronicles 7:13-15 (WEB)

There are many prayer meetings going on today, the eighth anniversary of 9/11 tragedies of 2001. Christians are coming together to pray for our country and leaders. I do a happy dance in my office to think of so many praying. However, websites tell me that there are some un-Godly prayers that will be offered.

Many are encouraging groups to pray for the downfall of the current presidential administration. Even the death of President Obama. Oh, my brothers and sisters, grab on to some Holy Fear and examine your hearts! Dr. Allan Bevere said in his recent blog “I am sorry, the political platform of the DNC and the RNC are not the equivalents to the Sermon on the Mount, and if you think they are even close, you need to be introduced anew to the biblical narrative.”

To pray for someone is to lift them before God. It is to ask God to come into their lives. Come closer. To bless someone with all that God is. Does the Bible reflect prayers where someone asks God to curse another? Yes. There are numerous places in the Old Testament where enemies of Israel are cursed by those crying out to God from their oppression and exile. What did Jesus say?

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax collectors [and politicians!] do the same? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48 (WEB, my addition)

Let us pray today for our nation and our leaders. Let us pray with renewed fervor for God’s wisdom which He said He would give freely if we ask. Let us pray for God’s presence in meetings that it be His voice that is heard by the respect and humility that pervades all who are present. May individuals hear the call of God in their lives causing them to lay down political agendas and take up instead the cross they have been asked to carry.

“May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to You this day, O Lord” [paraphrasing of Psalm 19:14)

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Dirt in God’s Hands

The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he was making a work on the wheels. When the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.                                   Jeremiah 18:1-4 (WEB)

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Jesus answered, “Neither did this man sin, nor his parents; but, that the works of God might be revealed in him. I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day. The night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When he had said this, he spat on the ground, made mud with the saliva, anointed the blind man’s eyes with the mud,..                                          John 9:1-6 (WEB)

As I have been meditating on God’s words this week about prayer – it is no coincidence as I am walking through a difficult season in my personal life. And so God, who is faithful, and loves me so much, brings me to these verses today. He asks me a question: “Will you be the dirt that I use, Jody?” Oh my goodness! And here I was expecting Jesus to ask me to be His well-known, white-robed disciple!

God speaks to His prophet, Jeremiah, in this passage, several years after Jeremiah began speaking God’s words. Jeremiah had already been through “some stuff”. To me, God is reminding Jeremiah (and me) that He is the potter who takes the wet, common clay and molds and presses the clay into something useful and beautiful. The clay becomes useful and beautiful because of the hands of the One who does not give up on clay that may be less than perfect and less than malleable in and of itself.

Jesus comes to fulfill what was begun in the Old Testament. Jesus takes dirt; adds His own spit (something of Himself) and dirt goes from just being dirt – to being an instrument of healing. WOW! Dirt is not just something to be walked on or made into bricks. It is a wondrous tool in the Hand of God!

Am I willing to be just dirt? Am I willing to be nothing of consequence by the world’s standards? Am I willing to be – in God’s hands? Am I willing to be – whatever, whenever, wherever, and to whomever God decides me to be? I have the choice and it involves more than saying, “Here I am, Lord!” It is also a choice of where my eyes are turned. It is a choice of how my heart is open for Jesus’ direction or my desires.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the potter, I am the clay;
Mold me and make me after Thy will, While I am waiting yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway! Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me. — Adelaide Pollard, 1907

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Shhh…God is here

I will give thanks to Yahweh with my whole heart. I will tell of all your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in you. I will sing praise to your name, O Most High…
Those who know your name will put their trust in you,
for you, Yahweh, have not forsaken those who seek you.
Sing praises to Yahweh, who dwells in Zion, and declare among the people what he has done. Psalm 9:1-2, 10-11 (WEB)
Yesterday I was thinking about shouting. Today I am thinking about responses. I am thankful today. As I spent some time with God yesterday I again knew:
– God was already there, waiting for me. I did not have to get His attention. God was there. His attention was not distracted. He made me feel like I was His only conference in the day. Yeah! Right!
– God let me talk and talk and talk. I could be ‘chatty’ or as ‘closed-mouth’ as I wanted. God did not cut me off and He did not have to pry it out of me. He already knew. My talking helps me as I unload and allow the verbalizing of my thoughts to sift the emotion. As I say some things – I think, “Duh!” and see so much more clearly. God is Light and He illuminates, driving out the confusion and half-truths that are not Him.
– As I wind down, I hear God’s voice much more clearly. Getting my shadows and blankets of of “stuff” out of the way enables my human ears to hear what God has to say. To make prayer only about me and what I want to tell God is like never allowing my husband to speak and expecting our marriage to flourish! Being quiet before God is the gold in my prayer time as I sit and do not hurry the silence.
– Ending prayer and ending my day with thanksgiving for all that God has done is a way to rest so good in the presence of God. Going to sleep thanking God or counting my many blessings, is better than any fancy bed and certainly the sweetest music to my spirit.
Whether you begin your day with the Lord or end your day with the Lord or just walk through the entire day just having conversations with your God – there is always a piece to add or ‘flex’ a bit for God to have a fresh time with you. Whatever it is that God has suggested to you – try it! You will like it!!
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.         Psalm 19:14 (NIV)
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Shout to God

So the people shouted, and the priests blew the trumpets. It happened, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.                      Joshua 6:20 (WEB)

There have been times that I pray and pray and pray about a situation or for a specific person and time seems to drag on and on and I wonder if God is going to answer. Then I remember how faithful God is and I know that He will answer, but when???

Peter tells me that God isn’t slow but His timing is not like how I think of time. I get that. God is about eternity so what does one hour or one day mean?

I read a word from J. Lee Grady who writes for Charisma magazine. I hope you will take time today to go to this link and read what he has to say about shouting to God. Some of you may have never raised your voice to God. Maybe you think that isn’t something that you should do and you wouldn’t think about doing it much less actually do it! I hope you have never had anything happen in your life that warrants shouting at God. I have. I can promise you that you can shout at God – and live to tell the story.

Shouting isn’t about volume as in decibels but it is about the volume of your desperation. The stories of volume that I read in Scripture seems to agree with that. So back to my first paragraph – I am praying. I am believing that God is faithful. Am I desperate? Because when I am desperate I know that God is power and love and trustworthy. Yup, worthy of my trust. I am shouting what I know and believe.

Go now and read Grady’s words. Then get quiet with God – let the shouting begin!

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