Along Bible Paths:. Henry E. Neufeld
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him soon. At one point, I think her daddy was helping her with some words and she said, “Stop, Daddy! You’re messing up my prayer!” We have all laughed at that but it certainly preaches to all of us. Remember how Jesus told us to have the faith of a child? May we remember that God hears the prayer of our hearts (even if words fail us!) and answers well!
A blessing is a prayer that leaves out manipulation and personal agenda and instead asks God to pour out His gifts upon His child (or children). The example of this prayer given by God to Moses and addressed to the Levites asks for such good stuff ! When praying for someone no matter what the specific need, including these elements is asking for a double blessing, isn’t it? When someone has, say, a health need, lifting that need to God and being specific as the Holy Sprit leads and then asking God to protect and show mercy and kindness and goodness and cover that person with His peace – that is truly asking God to give more than they could ask or imagine!
[Jesus said,] “But I tell you who hear : love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.”
Luke 6:27-28 (WEB)
Jesus’ words are never – careless. He always says what He means. I may not always understand it the way Jesus means but maybe His first phrase here gives me a clue about that! “You who hear me.” Do I want to hear what Jesus says? In this case, the words that I have heard and received about ‘blessings’ even goes for those people in my life who hate me, dislike me, irritate me, bug me, and even mistreat those I love. Yes, do I really want to hear that?
[Jesus said,] 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. Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful.
Luke 6:32-36 (WEB)
Jesus asks more of me. Jesus gives more to me. He gives me all that I need to be obedient and glorify the Father. It comes down to a choice on my part. It comes down to my flesh. There aren’t many in the ’enemy’ category, thank my Lord, but they do exist. What healing, what joy, what heavenly peace comes to me when I make the choice and ask the Holy Spirit to give me what I need so I can pray blessings over all!
July 15
Jesus Came
[Jesus said,] “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Luke 19:10 (WEB)
Look at that profound and yet beautiful statement: Jesus came to seek and save what was lost. Jesus came as a man. I can not even understand the many reasons why Jesus came fully man and fully God. I can’t really wrap my mind around what that means much less the ‘why’ of it. I do know that God Himself came here on earth as a man. He had to sleep. He had to eat. He had to earn a wage. He had to love – some people easier than others maybe in His humanness! He had to grieve when His earthly father, Joseph, died. He had to suffer physically the whipping and crucifixion. He had to suffer the scorn of His family and His church. Jesus did all of this (and more!) because of love. Love that I did not deserve or ask Him to give. Love that had He asked I probably would have refused it. Up until the age of 40, I was convinced that I could handle (and should handle) my life and if I just worked hard and had some ‘breaks’ from fate – my life and that of my family would be OK. I signed up for church. That was an important box to be checked. I like to do stuff and I could use my expertise and talents there. I did not accept free gifts. Church was a place to pay my dues so I stayed on God’s good side so He would like me.
Jesus came to find me even when I did not know I was lost and needed saving. And there is also the fact that there were times I did know I was so very unhappy (lost) but still thought I could make it better. I should be able to do this!
“He was there all the time. Waiting patiently in line...” – Gary S. Paxton, 1975
Jesus came and when I stopped digging that hole and reached out my hand; sweaty and dirty like I was, helpless to do anything more on my own, Jesus’ hand was there waiting to grasp mine and lift me up. I still get sweaty and dirty when I step off the path but that is for another day.
Thank You, Jesus. Thank You. You love me even when I am most unlovable. You see me as I can be and show me the way – walking before me. Thank You. Those are my words for today: Thank You.
July 16
Where is The Kingdom?
Being asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, he [Jesus] answered them, “The Kingdom of God doesn’t come with observation; neither will they say, ‘Look, here!’ or, ‘Look, there!’ for behold, the Kingdom of God is within you.”
Luke 17:20-21 (WEB, my emphasis)
Yesterday Jesus was speaking about how much He loved me – even when I didn’t ask and couldn’t earn His love. Today, Jesus took His love a step further and says He has picked me (and you) to be His Kingdom.
Jesus says the Kingdom, in its glory and as He promised, will not come with my keen religious knowledge and/or prophecy of what is to come or should happen. In fact, Jesus says that no one will be able to say “Here it is!” or “There it is!” because –
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation; namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, [not giving us what we deserved!] and having committed to us the word of reconciliation. We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For him [Jesus] who knew no sin he [the Father] made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God [in right relationship with God].
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (WEB, my emphasis and paraphrase)
Paul said, it well. God had no Plan B. It was God’s plan all along to come in the flesh – as man – and be the only sacrifice that could cover my sins so that I could be Jesus’ ambassador; His representative 2000 years later to others. I am the representative of God’s Kingdom! ME! Less than perfect – still in need of forgiveness when – after choosing to follow Jesus in 1995 (and I haven’t changed my mind!) – I still need Jesus to bring me back to His chosen path for me when I wander off. How far have I wandered since 1995? (If you could see me right now you would see me blush, roll my eyes, and drop my head in shame.)
If I reference the Bible, the writers, taking down God’s words for me, do not list sins as “little” or “big”, do they?
Jesus said, He did not get rid of the Law but He tried to get me to understand that sin is not just my actions but more about my heart. (Matthew 5) Paul comes along in Galations 5 and while he gives a list of what is my sinful nature and how that reflects my life, Paul is trying to say what Jesus said, “Jody, it’s about what is in your heart that builds my Kingdom. If your heart is sold out to me first, your life on earth despite all its imperfections will build My Kingdom.”
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