Got to Build that House on the Rock!

Posted on September 11, 2010 by Jody Neufeld

[Jesus said,] “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”      Luke 6:46-49 (NIV, emphasis mine)

Earlier this week (Wednesday’s “I Can’t Take It With Me…”) I shared that I had begun to journal again. No surprise that I am “better” today than I have been in several weeks.

I had to shake my head and smile as I bowed my head, remembering the times I cried out to God (“Lord, Lord, help me!”) and heard His response … and then did not respond to His command. Oh, my Lord! I wonder if anyone hearing Jesus on that day felt the Arrow of the Lord hit them as it did me!

Then Jesus says that to have the whole package; to build a sturdy foundation of faith in my life I must come and spend time with Him. I cannot keep Jesus at arm’s length or pick Him up 1-2 hours/week and build a relationship that will stand through the storm. I must hear His words. That is a conscious choice to listen just for His voice and tell any other voice to “Take Off!” And then once I hear God’s voice directing me on the path He has laid for me, I must then choose to obey. No wishy-washy or maybe or “when I get around to it”. Swift obedience comes from trust which comes with spending time and listening.

Notice that Jesus does not say that if I do these things that storms will never come. No He makes the statement that says, quite frankly, that storms will come. No doubt. So get ready and build a house of faith that has a firm foundation. Sink my faith deep into the Rock. And who is the Rock? Jesus. No shortcuts. Time and study with the Teacher. There is the foundation that will take me through all the storms.

Excuse me, Jesus is speaking. Class is in session.

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Check the Fruit

Posted on September 9, 2010 by Jody Neufeld

[Jesus said,]“For there is no good tree that brings forth rotten fruit; nor again a rotten tree that brings forth good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. For people don’t gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.”       Luke 6:43-45 (WEB)

A wonderful man of God, Rev. Steve Hill, said one night that sometimes God give “Twinkie messages” and sometimes they are “brussel sprout messages”. I happen to be one of the few who actually likes brussel sprouts but I get the point. So this is a warning that this is a brussel sprout message God spoke to me about in the last 24 hours.

The sermons I have heard most often that use this Scripture as the foundation are about my personal life. My life is known by what I say and how I live my life. It is the good that God places in me that overflows out of me and on to others. It is choosing to be a branch in His vine (John 15) that will bring a harvest that will flow to others. Check the fruit in my life! Is it good fruit? (Galatians 5:22) Is my focus on ‘worry’, criticism, and despair or is it on the good? (Philippians 4:8)

But here is the next layer. I believe God wants me to use the same ‘check’ on those to whom I spend time. Is there an overflow of good fruit from those that I call friend? I should be sowing good seeds into my friends but they, too, should be producing good fruit. Friends, people I hang around, should not be dragging me down. This can be difficult to live. It may bring some hard choices. It may mean that I do not have many close friends. Jesus didn’t. It wasn’t because He was God and didn’t need them. I think He was setting the example. He had many who followed Him (John 6), but He had only 12 that He spent a lot of time. And only three saw the extraordinary and miraculous: Transfiguration, the raising of the dead girl, the intimate prayer in the garden. And it is recorded that Jesus spent a good deal of time with only one. The Father.

Choose friends, those that are companions and confidants, wisely. Seek God’s wisdom for who He wants in your life. When I committed my life and followed Jesus, I had two friends that were not good for me. God did not tell me to abandon them or never speak to them. I just could not go to movies and bars like we always did. They did not want to change. They did not like it that I did. God sent me friends that He picked. They are a treasure. My old friends come to my mind sometimes. I pray for them to find the Best Friend that I have.

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I Can’t Take It With Me…Can I?

Posted on September 8, 2010 by Jody Neufeld

[Jesus said,] “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”     Matthew 6:19-21 (WEB)

I have recently completed a book by Debbie Macomber, One Simple Act. It wasn’t an easy book for me to read. I thought it would be about generosity and, well, I’m a generous person! At first I wasn’t even going to read the book because I didn’t think it was for me. Then as I began reading the book, I didn’t like it! It didn’t say what I thought was obvious and what I wanted to hear! God has a way of doing that.

It was in the last chapter that I got the message for me. Mrs. Macomber told me that I could take it with me! I wasn’t sure what she meant. I still wasn’t sure after I finished reading the book. Then I remembered a ‘treasure’. It was 1995-1998. It was the beginning of the Pensacola Outpouring Revival. It was also a very tough time for our family as we all went through a divorce. The treasure was that I spent many hours with God and His Word. I read and studied as I never have, including my time in nursing school! I was a sponge. And God was pouring out His Living Water! My Sword (Bible) became well-used, with many notes and lines and I filled journals with my thoughts and questions and God’s answers. And so I shut Mrs. Macomber’s book and picked up my Sword.

Jesus first warns me that anything that I accumulate here can rot or someone or circumstances can steal it away from me. “Lord, You know that I know that to be true!” I spoke about divorce. Prior to 1995, I thought I had all that I could ever want or need. I had a loving husband, three awesome children, a big house, two cars, a job that was moving me up the career food chain, and lots of friends. I went to church because many of my friends went to the same church and I wanted to set a good example for my children. My children, on some basic level, discerned that my relationship with God was bogus. They didn’t buy the ‘church thing’ because it wasn’t really that important to me or their dad. And though I had all this, I wasn’t happy. When I took time to think about it, I was worried about my marriage. I was worried about my children. I was worried about my job. And how would we pay for everything? “Let’s just buy more ‘stuff’ and not think about it!” God taught me a life lesson that there is so much ‘stuff’ that I do not need. I may want but I do not need. We all learned a very hard but valuable life lesson.

Jesus then encourages me to instead learn what real treasure is. It has to do with generosity, as Mrs. Macomber reiterates. It brings to mind another teaching of Jesus:

“As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.”      Luke 6:31-35 (WEB)

Did you read that passage more than once? Did you read it slowly and really think about it? This is why my flesh did not like the message of Mrs. Macomber’s book. Jesus sets the example and it isn’t easy but it is simple. And with God’s grace and mercy that He promises He will give in sufficient measure, I am learning. And I am going to take my treasure with me!

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Prayer Focus

Posted on September 7, 2010 by Jody Neufeld

Prayer of St. Francis (English translation, 1912)

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me show love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen.

Prayer is conversation with God that involves listening as well speaking. I admit to spending more time speaking than listening. Anyone else want to own up, too? I suspect God isn’t too surprised about my lop-sided percentages. Prayer is for my benefit. For me, prayer is the time with the Teacher who sifts through the emotions and I end with the peace of the Truth. I hear the truth of the situation but also the truth of Who He is in the situation.

Too often I begin my time of prayer asking God to change a situation; change someone so they are better. The most powerful prayers, the ones I think God really wants to hear and answer, are the ones when I ask Him to change my character. Unfortunately it is easier, for me, if God will change the circumstance instead of changing me. For me to change, it’s hard work. Takes some spiritual, emotional, and often even physical, exercise! But having Jesus as my life coach ROCKS! Jesus got ready for His mission, didn’t He? Remember the mission for which Jesus trained? Yes, if I follow Him, I will be ready for whatever comes.

St. Francis’ prayer is major spiritual aerobic exercise. If I say it and mean it, I will be asking God to change me. Like Paul, I lament that I do the things I do not want to do and do not do what I do want to do (Romans 7). It is the power of God’s Spirit that can change that lament into joy. I become what God has created me to be. I will be offering this prayer to God as a desire of my heart. Jesus and I will be exercising together!

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Labor Day 2010

Posted on September 6, 2010 by Jody Neufeld

“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”      Matthew 11:28-30 (WEB)

Every year on this day, I think of my father. He worked very hard in his life. He grew up on a farm. I am not sure there is harder work than that which is demanded of a family 24/7, 365 days out of the year. Livestock do not understand a 5 day work week and fields do not thrive on 8 hour days. After leaving the farm, he worked in a shoe factory, a local gas station, and a trucking company both on the dock and as a driver. Both of his children went to college which was not provided to either him or my mother.

Labor Day is holiday for a few people. For many, it is a regular work day. This Scripture is for all of us. Whether we labor as my father did or we are blessed to have some holidays, all of us labor and carry burdens that are not meant to break out backs or our spirits. Jesus wants to give us rest that is better than anything from mattresses made from fancy foam or magic numbers!

Whether you are working today at your job or working at home or enjoying a holiday, take time to give God thanks for His provision and trust Him for blessings to come. Rest your concerns and worries on His shoulders because He loves you so very much.

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Psalm 57

Posted on September 3, 2010 by Jody Neufeld

Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me, for my soul takes refuge in you. Yes, in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, until disaster has passed.

Do you have any ‘disasters’ in your life? Any worries? Any dark clouds announcing an upcoming storm? Yes, sir, I’m crouching under His wings! God parted the Red Sea. Jesus calmed the storm and blew open a grave. Yes, God can handle any storm that blows my way!

I cry out to God Most High, to God who accomplishes my requests for me.

God promises that He will complete what He has started in me (Philippians 1:6). Even ‘disasters’ have a purpose. Oh, how difficult that can be to accept much less understand. However, in the darkest times of my life, when I was weakest, God’s strength brought me through and my ‘spiritual muscles’ were certainly stronger. Maybe I can learn from Jacob who wrestled and would not let go until he was blessed. Wrestling certainly builds muscles, doesn’t it?

He will send from heaven, and save me, he rebukes the one who is pursuing me. Selah. God will send out his loving kindness and his truth.

What a promise and encouragement! It is His presence, His love, and His truth that sustain and lift me. We must choose to live in this place.

My soul is among lions. I lie among those who are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

I am in the world, not of the world. God did not intend for me to live ‘away’ but instead Jesus said I was to be a light and I should shine before everyone so that the Father is glorified.

Be exalted, God, above the heavens! Let your glory be above all the earth!

In everything I do, may You be glorified, Lord.

They have prepared a net for my steps. My soul is bowed down. They dig a pit before me. They fall into its midst themselves. Selah.

Revenge belongs to God. To exact a revenge or some ‘justice’ involves judgment on my part – and judgment is not my job!

My heart is steadfast, God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises. Wake up, my glory! Wake up, psaltery and harp! I will wake up the dawn. I will give thanks to you, Lord, among the peoples. I will sing praises to you among the nations. O For your great loving kindness reaches to the heavens, and your truth to the skies. Be exalted, God, above the heavens. Let your glory be over all the earth.

You are worthy of my praise, Lord!!  You are worthy!

Whether David wrote this ‘song’ or someone else — what a pattern for my prayer and worship life! Lay out my life, all that I am and that is in my life, and allow God to take the burdens on His shoulders and carry it to completion.

Morning or evening and in between, I bring my requests before the Lord… and wait in expectation! Not in despair or doubt, but expectation!  And as I wait, I praise You, Lord, because You are You — and worthy of praise!  That is a comforting place to be.  God is not only faithful but He is faith.  And I want to be plugged in to that outlet!

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Knowing God

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Jody Neufeld

Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus, and said, “You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things. For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I announce to you. The God who made the world and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands, neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath, and all things. He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons, and the boundaries of their dwellings, that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ‘For in him we live, and move, and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’       Acts 17:22-28 (WEB)

I am originally from Missouri.  Some would say that my personality is typical of the state motto “Show me”!  I like things that I can quantify.  I like my desk organized. I dislike clutter. And I think God likes to mess with me on this!  It is very difficult for me to ‘just be’ and allow God to ‘drive the car’ or ‘steer the boat’. I like an outline with well defined goals and sublists on how to achieve the goals. (There are people laughing as they read this and there are some nodding in agreement and wondering what the problem could be!)

God gave me a brain and He gave me gifts. He has blessed me with organizational skills. He expect me to use the gifts He gives me. But sometimes I misuse the gifts. When I attempt to over-think and run ahead of His plan, then I am not where He wants me to be. Paul says to these people that they are very intelligent but they need to remember what they know – that they do not know everything, including not knowing a lot about God.

God understands (since He created me!) that I do not know all about my Creator. It is logical that the created does not know all about the Creator. And so He wants me to walk in faith.  God gives me promises; tells me truths. He tells me His grace is sufficient.  His love is everlasting. I should be joyful in hope.  How do I quantify those things?  How do I know when I have ‘enough’ so that I am prepared ‘just in case’? I don’t want to repeat ‘mistakes’ or go through bad times again. I want some kind of ‘God insurance’ (assurance?) that if I just pray enough, study enough, fast enough, serve enough, store up enough, that I will be ‘safe’.

God doesn’t promise that. He promises that He will always be there. He promises that He will not give me more than He can bring me through. The point is that I do not try to do it myself. God is there for me to reach. He is engaged in my life. He died for my life. Jesus is as close as I will allow Him to be.

It doesn’t matter where I’ve come from — only where I am going with God.  Today is a brand new day on the journey. 

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I Can Stand on this Rock!

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Jody Neufeld

Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, “Stand up and bless Yahweh your God from everlasting to everlasting! Bessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise! You are Yahweh, even you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their army, the earth and all things that are on it, the seas and all that is in them, and you preserve them all. The army of heaven worships you.                                                        Nehemiah 9:5-6 (WEB)

There have been a lot of ‘fads’ in my life.  I wore my hair very straight (had to iron it!) and parted in the middle in college. I wore cropped tops and huge bell bottom pants. I did not wear platform shoes because I was already tall! I had some gigantic hoop earrings. I had boyfriends who had blue leisure suits. (YUK!) And then there were all the American idioms: Groovy, Way Out, Rad. All these important influences that made their way into my way of life have come and gone.  It is interesting to me how some are now returning (bell bottom pants and platform shoes!) — as if they were that great the first time around!

Scripture tells us that God is “everlasting”.  No flash in the pan is He! I could list the many, many things He has brought me through but when I think of it as a list right now, I feel depressed about all of it. But when I consider where I am now and where I have been, I feel the joy of the victory that God has given me! Without Him, I truly would have perished!

I can count on God.  He isn’t going any where.  He isn’t giving up on me. I have been shaking-my-fist angry at Him. He sat there and took it and then held out His arms to hold me. I have turned away from Him in despair and frustration. And seen The Prodigal play out in my own life. The Father stood watching for me to turn back around and when I got over my ‘mad’, trying to figure it ‘my way’ and turned around, He came running toward me with open arms.

And so I’ve made a decision not to give up on Him.  It is a conscious choice. Some might waver back and forth. Maybe God has brought me through all these events because He wanted me to exercise my spiritual muscles!?! In the times that we now live and those that seem to loom in the near future, it is a steadfast heart that will not be blown about, looking for a mountaintop to land. A steadfast heart will keep moving ahead each day, relying on Jesus for peace, for direction, for every step.

What else in my life can I say the same thing?  Nothing! Zip! Nada! Good choice.

Posted in Nehemiah | Comments Off on I Can Stand on this Rock!

All Creation

Posted on August 31, 2010 by Jody Neufeld

Praise Yahweh! Praise Yahweh from the heavens!

Praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels!

Praise him, all his army! Praise him, sun and moon!

Praise him, all you shining stars!

Praise him, you heavens of heavens, You waters that are above the heavens.

Let them praise the name of Yahweh, For he commanded, and they were created. He has also established them forever and ever.  He has made a decree which will not pass away.

Praise Yahweh from the earth, you great sea creatures, and all depths!

Lightning and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling his word; mountains and all hills; fruit trees and all cedars; wild animals and all livestock; small creatures and flying birds; kings of the earth and all peoples; princes and all judges of the earth; both young men and maidens; old men and children: let them praise the name of Yahweh, for his name alone is exalted.

His glory is above the earth and the heavens.

He has lifted up the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near to him.

Praise Yahweh!     Psalm 148 (WEB)

A friend, who is a feature writer for our webzine, Bible Study Paths,  just sent me some pictures from her travels. They will be in the September edition of the webzine. There are some beautiful pictures of rivers, mountains, clouds, and the colors are indescribable.

I am struggling right now with keeping my eyes up on God. Sometimes the pit may seem deeper than it is and so the Light may seem farther away than it really is. The enemy and my flesh combine to deceive me on where I really am!

God has used my friend and the clouds, rain, even the neighborhood kittens to remind me that He has created it all and yet, as beautiful as it all is, He has named me … His child. I remember that Jesus said that the Father created the beautiful flowers and knows every sparrow but they are not His best creation. I am. You are.

Even when I look at the indescribable creation, I consider that God could have just created it all in black and white or just brown or just green. Look at the sky. Look at the trees. So many hues of color. Our Father is Creator of such beauty. There is a website that shows pictures taken with the Hubble Telescope.  Go to the site and click on “gallery”. Picture after picture of places beyond what I have listed so far. WOW!

God shows me again His faithfulness. He sees my struggle and sends so many people and brings His slideshow of love to lift me up. And then He speaks to my heart and reminds me of His promises. He shows me how to move forward.

Thank You, Lord. Thank You.

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On my Knees

Posted on August 30, 2010 by Jody Neufeld

A scribe came, and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.”

But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”         Matthew 8:19-22 (WEB)

I have wanted to write this devotion for some time. Every time I begin to write it, I find myself praying and weeping as I cry out to God to meet the needs of missionaries that I know.

All of us are called to be missionaries for Jesus Christ. Our commission is to go and make disciples and teach them His ways. So we are His witness in whatever we do and wherever we go.

Today, I bring our focus on those who have left their homes and gone to live among the people they have been called to serve. They are in the inner cities, the very poor of mountain regions, in foreign countries where they cannot publicly declare their faith or their intentions but they live their lives as a Light in darkness.

On Saturdays and Sundays, Turner Classic Movie and AMC channels often run World War II movies. Yes, most of them are flag-waving, John Wayne/Charlton Heston movies but somewhere in the script most of them ask a character the question: What are you doing to help the war effort? So I pose that to each one of us today: What are you doing to help the war effort? Do not be deceived or naive – We are at war! There is a fight for souls. It does not take an end times student to know that in the eternal time line we are more near to the end than Paul was! So if Paul says:

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.        1 Corinthians 15:58 (WEB)

… then we need to be laboring not sitting around!

Answer the call you’ve been ignoring. Do you really fear God more than man? Do you want to stand before God and explain why you ignored the urging of His Spirit to serve because it seemed too hard?

Step forward. Move toward the goal God has given. Increase your prayer as you increase your actions. God will open or close the path to confirm His plan for your life. He is faithful.

Most of us have been called to be part of the “support forces” in God’s Army. We are called to engage in battle on our knees. If you do not personally know missionaries to lift in prayer, send me an email and I will give you a name and location.

And while you are praying, do not forget to ask God where you should make an offering. God provides for His Army and He wants to bless us to be a part of His provision. Eat a piece of fruit for your meal and send that $10-15 to a mission.

Now he who establishes us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God; who also sealed us, and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.     2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (WEB)

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