Cross My Heart Ministry

“…She begged Jesus
to drive the demon
out of her daughter.”
Mark 7:26

My Bible labels this passage, “The Faith of a Syrophoenician Woman,” but I think “The Persistent Prayer of a Mom” works just as well.

This Gentile woman comes to Jesus on behalf of her child.  Verse 26 says she begged Jesus.  When was the last time my prayers for my children could be described as begging?  How about you?

Jesus replied with, essentially, a “to-the-Jew-first” answer.  This woman’s tenacity and persistence are on display as she responds boldly to Jesus, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

She doesn’t argue with Jesus.

She doesn’t take on the Jew vs. Gentile debate.

She doesn’t even plead her own daughter’s worthiness to be healed.

She is humble in her boldness – content to be a Gentile “dog” as she begs for crumbs from the table.  Asking only for the crumbs demonstrates both her humility and her faith in the power and the person of Jesus.

When have I prayed with a tenacious, persistent boldness on behalf of one of my children?  When, in humility, have I asked for the crumbs from heaven’s table?

Forget justice.  We must plead for mercy and beg for grace from our great, all-powerful, compassionate God.

Jesus healed this woman’s daughter.  He acknowledged and rewarded her faith as He did so.

When we don’t press in and ask for the impossible, perhaps it suggests both a lack of faith and the presence of fear.  That fear is a lack of trust, a lack of belief that the prayer could really and truly be answered. Do I harbor fear that what I ask is not in God’s plan? Have I held back because of fear that my prayer either won’t be answered or would be deemed a foolish request?

He has power over death.  Nothing else is too great for Him!

James 4:2 says, “You do not have because you do not ask…”

Matthew 7:7-8 challenges, “Ask … seek … knock.”

Hebrews 4:16 encourages, “…come boldly to the throne of grace…”

Lord, show me where I need to pray with unrelenting, bold faith for each of my children.  Give me insight into their needs. Give me the faith of the Syrophoenician woman.  Teach me to pray with passionate persistence and confident faith.

(No teaching lecture link this week, as our Bible study group used the time to stuff shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.  This was our Love Out Loud project for this semester.  And check out this timing – several weeks ago, I submitted my writing assignment for the WMU blog and it just “happened” to be published the very week we were completing our Love Out Loud project at FBC, Siloam Springs!  You can read the blog post at the WMU site here:  http://www.wmu.com/index.php?q=blog/adults/team-blog/love-outloud }

“You give them something to eat.”
Mark 6:37

The feeding of the 5000 is found in Mark 6:30-44 – the only miracle performed by Jesus and recorded in all four gospels.  Jesus is doing some multi-tasking here.  He is not just feeding the multitude, He is also using this event as a classroom for teaching His disciples.

As the day continued, the disciples suggested sending the crowd off to find food.  But Jesus gave them a seemingly impossible assignment:  “You give them something to eat.”

Has Jesus ever given you an impossible assignment?

Has He ever told you to start a ministry … to go on a mission trip … to love an unlovable person … to stay married…..to stay faithful….to go…to give…to forgive…to give up….? How about to just be quiet?

The response of the disciples in verse 37 mirrors the response we often give when God asks us to do the seemingly impossible: “No way!”

And apart from Jesus, our assignment is just as daunting and just as impossible.

Jesus questions in verse 38, “How many loaves do you have?”

He begins to coach them.  Take inventory — what do you have?  It’s so easy for us to focus on what we don’t have.

Taking inventory was a short job for the disciples.  They came back with two pathetic little fish and five loaves of bread.  It was the first century equivalent of a lunchable.  Barely enough for one growing boy and certainly not enough for a crowd of 5000.  Not nearly enough.

Where do you take inventory and find you don’t have nearly enough…..not enough patience….not enough love….not enough courage…how about enough faith?  Are you willing to take what you do have and offer it to God, acknowledging it is not nearly enough from you — but trusting in faith that He will fill in what is missing?

Jesus then gives instructions for everyone to sit down in groups and in an orderly fashion. (If you’re a Type A personality who likes a bit of structure, planning, and organization in life, you probably love this part.)

Jesus then proceeds to give thanks to God and break the bread.

Jesus prays.  Jesus in his earthly body, the divine in the flesh…relied on the heavenly father to work the miracle.

In John 5:19, Jesus said, “”I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”

If Jesus needed to pray….if Jesus relied on the Father, then surely you and I must do so, as well!

Jesus then gave the food to the disciples to distribute.

God delights in allowing us to cooperate — to participate in what He is doing.  Isn’t the fun part handing out the blessings? Giving a cup of cold water in the name of Jesus…giving lunch to a hungry person…a filled shoe box to a child…..sharing the love of Jesus to bring a smile to a weary face or sharing food to quiet the growling of a hungry tummy?

Don’t walk away because the assignment is too tough.  Don’t give up because you don’t have enough. Wait for Him to work.  Choose to walk by faith. Let your breath be taken and your mind be blown by what He provides.  What has Jesus given to you that is not for you, but is to be passed on to someone else?  Don’t hold onto it for yourself.  Allow Him to use you to be a blessing to others – be that conduit of love, receiving from Him and passing it on to others.

And then be amazed when He provides.  Not only is there enough, there is more than enough.  There is satisfaction:

“They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.”
Mark 6:42-44

We bring so little…not nearly enough….but we bring and offer what we have ….and He makes it enough.

The mission that is impossible on our own becomes possible with Jesus! What impossible assignment has He given you?

{ If you are studying through Mark with us, please read Mark 5:21-6:52 this week.  Here is the recorded teaching lecture on this passage: http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/2013/11/11/ladies-bible-study-mark-lesson-1011-laura-macfarlan-11-7-13/ }

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples,
“Let us go over to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat.
Mark 4:35-36a

Periodically, the Gospels record accounts of Jesus pulling away to be alone with His Disciples.  He often says it is specifically to rest.  In the verses following those listed above, Jesus Himself needed a rest, as the Scripture reports He was taking a nap.

Jesus was both God the creator and fully human.  His body of flesh became tired.  He grew weary.  He knew when He needed a time out and He took it.  As our creator, He actually designed our bodies to need rest.

I have a confession:  I don’t do rest well.  I don’t nap.  I push on and keep pushing.  Even when I know I need rest, I usually refuse myself the blessing.

After reading this passage, I’m convicted.  My refusal to rest is an area of pride to be confessed.  (Funny thing about pride – you kick it out the front door and here it comes.  Sneaking in the back!)

If Jesus needed rest and took a nap, then surely this girl does, too. (And maybe, just maybe, you…the girl reading along….might need some rest, as well.)   In fact, often a good night’s rest can bring an entirely fresh perspective on a worry or problem.  Those issues that loomed so large seem not so much so after a few hours of sleep.  What we may often categorize as a huge emotional or spiritual battle may really just be a need for physical rest.

A phrase is jumping out in verse 36 that I’m not sure I had noticed before:  Leaving the crowd behind… All too often, we view rest as our reward for finishing the job.  “When everything is crossed off my To Do list, then I will rest,” I’ve told myself.  The reality is for every one cross-off, there are usually two add-ons!

As Jesus sailed away in the boat, there were still people along the bank.  Every single person was not prayed over, healed, or touched.  Many were still there.  Is that as huge to you as it is to me?  I can actually give myself permission (gulp!) to nap when there is still work to be done!

I think I’ll sleep on that one.

{Here’s the corrected link from last week’s teaching on Mark:  http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/2013/10/28/ladies-bible-study-mark-lesson-9-laura-macfarlan-10-24-13/ }

Also — thought you might enjoy this week’s WMU blog:
http://www.wmu.com/index.php?q=blog/adults/team-blog/wmu-can-partner-wm-women%E2%80%99s-ministry

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves,
“Quiet! Be still!”
Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
Mark 4:39

Jesus chose to calm the storm that day. He chose to make the wind die down and the waves to be still.

But He doesn’t always choose to calm the storm.

And sometimes even when He calms it, He doesn’t do it on our time table. Sometimes instead of calming the storm…He calms the believer in the midst of it.

Ever found yourself in the eye of the storm…..peaceful and calm…while the storm rages all around?  That kind of peace – the kind that “transcends all understanding” (Philippians 4:6-7), surely could only come from Jesus.

Storms of life are faith testers…faith purifiers…faith provers…our faith is proved REAL in the storms we face.  Every mature believer looks back to a specific circumstance and testifies, “I don’t ever want to go through it again, but I’m so grateful for the truth I learned in it.” There are some lessons that can only be learned through struggles and challenges.

Those times are times we know Christianity is not just a club we’ve joined, but a relationship with a real person: The creator of the universe.  The one who loves us completely…unconditionally….who cares deeply…and has the power to calm any storm.

The crisis of faith comes for each of us when we realize God can…but chooses not to.  It is within His power to act, but He refrains.

Our response in that crisis of faith is to choose faith.  To trust God.  To believe He is ever faithful.  That He has eternal purposes for all He causes or allows that transcend my limited, finite, human understanding.  God is for me. God has not forgotten me.  God loves me – these are the anchors we cling to in the midst of the storm.

I know God can.  I will trust Him even when He chooses not to.

I know God is able.  He has eternal purposes for all He does.  He is God.  I am not.

What storm is testing and stretching and proving your faith today?  Rest well in the midst of it – He is able. He may calm the storm.  He may calm you in the midst of it.  But, either way:  He is able.

{ If you are studying through Mark with us, please read Mark 4:35-5:20 this week.  Here is the recorded teaching lecture on this passage: http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/2013/10/28/ladies-bible-study-mark-lesson-9-laura-macfarlan-10-24-13/ }

A farmer went out to sow his seed.
As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path … some fell on rocky places …
Other seed fell among thorns …Still other seed fell on good soil.
Mark 4:3-8

There is probably no parable more familiar than the parable of the sower.  Much has been written, taught, and preached on from this passage of scripture – and its parallel passages in Matthew 13 and Luke 8.

Often the focus is on the types of soils that point to the types of human hearts– the hardened heart, the shallow heart, the crowded heart, and the fruitful heart.

In addition to studying the soils, there is also truth to be gleaned by studying the sower himself. If asked to describe his character, words like faithful, hard-working, and diligent might come to mind.

Perhaps one more should be added to the list:  non-judgmental.

The scripture indicates he is non-discriminatory as he scatters the seed.  He doesn’t try to judge and analyze the soil.  He just does his job– scatters the seed and trusts God with the results.  No bending over to examine each plot of soil to discern its worthiness to receive the seed.  He just scatters.

There are four types of soil mentioned – three are not so great.  The three poor soils show little to no growth and no harvest.  Only one in four results in success.  Not really great odds by our standards.

We don’t think much of 1 in 4 odds:

• You and I wouldn’t get on a plane if we knew there was only a 1 in 4 likelihood it would arrive at its intended destination.
• We wouldn’t buy a can of beans if we were told only 1 in 4 was safe.
• And we wouldn’t have much confidence in a swim coach for our children who shared that 1 in 4 of her students could swim after taking her classes.

This farmer has some pretty dismal, miserable land to work with.  It’s hard, shallow, rocky, thorny – not great for growing plants.  But that’s not an excuse to not sow.  As followers of Christ, we are to sow the seed – the Word of God.  We are to share Jesus, the Living Word of God.

The people in our lives include some who are hard…others who are thorny …some who are shallow…but our job is to sow the seed.

We need not worry about judging or labeling the soil or being choosey about who is or is not worthy of receiving the seed.  Because, the reality is …none of us are worthy.

Like the farmer in Mark 4, our job is to scatter the seed – generously, liberally, non-discriminatingly.  We are to be faithful, hard-working, diligent…and non-judgmental.

We are sowers of the Word.  We have been entrusted with precious seed to sow.  This is our privilege.  Our assignment is to scatter the seed–without judgment–and trust God with the results.

Are you ready to do some scattering today?

{ If you are studying through Mark with us, please read Mark 4:3-9, 13-20 this week.  Here is the recorded teaching lecture on this passage: http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/2013/10/17/ladies-bible-study-mark-lesson-8-laura-macfarlan-10-17-13/ }

Then Jesus said,
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Mark 4:9

In Mark 4, Jesus began to teach using parables.  Our word, parable, comes from the combination of two Greek words:

Para – alongside
Ballo – to throw or cast

Our definition of parable:  A story placed alongside to help us understand the teaching.

A teachable, listening heart is required to glean the deeper truth the parable reveals.  Those with “ears to hear” will ponder and pray over the parable (and, indeed, all Scripture) to seek out the deeper truth it reveals.

Does your heart want to hear?  Are we allowing the world, our own shallow thinking, or the evil one himself to drown out the powerful truth of Scripture?  Jesus Christ, the living word of God, wants to teach us.  Are we willing to listen?

I heard a story about a woman – let’s call her Linda – who had a five-year-old daughter.  Her daughter had disobeyed and had been sent to her room. After a few minutes, Linda went in to talk with her about what she had done. Teary-eyed, her five-year-old asked, “Why do we do wrong things, Mommy?”

“Sometimes the devil tells us to do something wrong,” Linda replied to her daughter, “and we listen to him. We need to listen to God instead.”

To which the five-year-old little girl sobbed, “But God doesn’t talk loud enough!“

Sometimes that’s what we want…God to talk louder over the noise we allow into our lives.  But I believe Jesus is a gentleman.  He wants us to come to Him, to want Him …and if we prefer someone or something else, He will politely keep knocking at the door of our hearts…keep whispering in our ear…calling out our name…but He will seldom push and shove His way in. He gave us free will to CHOOSE Him.  He is persistent in His pursuit of us…because He loves us.

He gave us ears to Hear…but the question is …do we want to hear?  Do we want to behave as if we have heard?

{ If you are studying through Mark with us, please read Mark 4 this week.  Here is the recorded teaching lecture on this passage: http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/2013/10/13/ladies-bible-study-mark-lesson-7-laura-macfarlan-10-10-13/ }

When they heard all he was doing,
many people came to him …
those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.
Mark 3:8a, 10b

As word of His ministry spread, Jesus was forced more and more to retreat and pull back from the crowds.  They pressed in and followed – not because they wanted to hear His teaching, but because they wanted to experience and see the miracles He could perform.  They wanted the blessings…but they didn’t necessarily want HIM.

It sounds a bit like the prosperity gospel teachers of today who try to “market” Jesus with promises of health and wealth.  We might ask those then and those today, “Do you really want Jesus…or do you just want what He can do for you?”

And then…as we ask that question…conviction comes….we look in the mirror and we ask ourselves, “Do I really want Jesus…or do I just want what He can do for me?”

What are you and I expecting from Jesus?

Do we want a Jesus who delivers when we call….wraps everything thing up with the bow on top just like WE want it?

We are so short-sighted…praying for the end…the bottom line…the happy ending…when so very often He is the God of the process. Teaching us, drawing us, molding us, and refining us through it all.

We want the problem to be solved.  He wants us to focus on His promises and provision in the midst of the problem.

Can I really…truly….trust Him…?

Can you?

If I’m trusting Jesus with my salvation…my hope for my eternal destiny…then surely I can trust Him with my now.

Hard things come to all of us. We pray…God seems to be silent or doesn’t answer the way we ask…or demand.  We question if He sees…knows….or cares.

Perhaps that’s because we are clinging to our expectations of how Jesus will respond…rather than clinging to Jesus Himself.  The presence of trouble does not mean God is absent.  But it does mean it’s time to hold on to Jesus.

{ If you are studying through Mark with us, please read Mark 3:7-35 this week.  Here is the recorded teaching lecture on this passage: http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/2013/10/03/ladies-bible-study-mark-37-35-laura-macfarlan-10-3-13/ }

“Follow me,”
Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.
Mark 2:13-14

Jesus gave a word of instruction and Levi followed in obedience.

Every mother would love that kind of obedience from her child.  Imagine:

• Take out the trash….and Sam got up and took out the trash!
• Load the dishwasher…..and Summer got up and loaded the dishwasher!
• Pick up your toys….and Kenzie picked up her toys!

We have experienced those moments as mothers…and certainly we rejoice in them.

But what about when we are on the receiving end of the instruction?  What about when God is giving us a command?  Do we obey immediately?  Do we recognize our Father’s voice?

Take note that it is the voice of Jesus Levi is responding to.  It is not the voice of Peter, Andrew, James, or John.  It is not the voice of a priest in the temple.  It is Jesus.

We are barely into chapter two of the gospel of Mark and already we see Jesus had different assignments for different people.  So far in our study, He has called four (and now five when we add Levi) to be disciples.  But He gave a different assignment to those he healed.  He told the leper to go to the priest. He told the paralytic to go home.

The call from Jesus to your friend will not be the same call He has for your life.  My call is different from your call.  Each of us must hear the voice of Jesus– to know what assignment He has for each of us individually.  If you don’t know, then ask!

We also need to let go of either:

1. Trying to entice someone else to join in our call.  Don’t try to drown out the voice of Jesus in your friend’s ear by raising your voice! It’s great that you are excited about your call…just don’t always expect everyone else to be excited about the same call.
2. Stop being jealous of someone else’s call.  Have you ever whined, “Jesus, why didn’t you give ME that pretty singing voice and make music ministry my call?”

We must walk in thankfulness for our own assignment…and be sure we are listening to Jesus for what that that assignment is.  When we hear Him, we need to follow in immediate obedience – just like Levi.

Even Jesus Himself acknowledged in John 4:34, “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me…”

If Jesus Himself only did the will of the Father…then certainly that should be the primary focus for our lives, as well.

When an idea pops into my head, I’m trying to train myself to ask Jesus:

1. Is this something you want done?
2. It is something you want me to do?

Then, if I’m certain, get up and GO!

All too often, I believe I have done things I WANT to do (or maybe things I feel guilty if I don’t do)– albeit good, kingdom things – but not things that were on His assignment list for me.

What is the will of Jesus for your life?  What assignment is He giving to you?  Are you listening to HIS voice above all others?

On-the-Go Truth:  The Woman of God follows immediately when she hears Jesus!

Are you listening?  What do you need to turn off so you can hear Jesus?  What mute button needs to be pressed so you can listen to the voice of your Savior?

We know the joy it brings to our mothers’ hearts when our children hear our instruction and obey immediately…so can you imagine the great joy it must bring our heavenly father when we listen…and follow in immediate obedience to HIS voice?

{ If you are studying through Mark with us, please read Mark 2:13 — 3:6 this week.  Here is the recorded teaching lecture on this passage:  http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/2013/09/26/ladies-bible-study-mark-213-36-laura-macfarlan-9-26-13/ }

“See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest…”
Mark 1:44a

In Mark 1, a man with leprosy comes to Jesus and is healed.  Jesus gave the healed man two assignments:  one do not  and one do.

First he said, “Sssshhhhh….don’t tell!”  Jesus asked the man to tell no one about the miraculous healing.

Jesus wanted the focus to be on His teaching.  He came to share the good news – to demonstrate He was the living Word, the Son of God.  Note how Jesus responded just a few verses earlier when Peter and the others interrupted Him,

 “Let us go somewhere else–to the nearby villages–so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”

Instead, Jesus instructed the man to go to the priest to comply with the Old Testament commands.  Leviticus laid out the rules about being declared clean after being healed from leprosy.  Jesus affirmed the Old Testament with this command.

A second reason he offered was to be a testimony to the priests.  He wanted the Jewish priests to know He was the Son of God.  This man was blessed with the assignment to be a testimony to the religious leaders.

But he disobeyed.  Mark 1:45a says, “Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news…”

It’s hard for us to criticize this man.  He had some good news and he wanted to share it! Isn’t it interesting to compare and contrast the assignment Jesus gave to this man and the assignment Jesus left this with us in the great commission:

• The healed leper was told to tell no one and he told everyone.
• We are told to tell everyone and often we choose to tell no one!

Is it just our human nature to walk in disobedience? Should we not be as joyful as the man healed from leprosy physically…to know we walk in spiritual healing for all of eternity?

Obedience can be difficult.  But I believe God blesses us when we obey Him.

What area of obedience is hard for you? Where is God telling you to do something and you are holding back…procrastinating…or worse yet…doing the exact opposite?

With whom has God told you to share the good news?  Are you praying for a specific person who needs to know Jesus – looking for and praying for an opportunity?

We need to also note that disobedience has consequences not only to ourselves, but also to others:

• In this situation, the priest missed out on hearing the testimony.
• The healed man missed out on being the one to share the testimony with the priest.
• And also – Jesus redirected his ministry to lonely places so as not to draw so much attention from those who wanted to see the “carnival” (for want of a better word!)

Being quiet was a hard thing for this man.

What area of obedience is hard for you?

Let’s ask God to enable us to do a hard thing this week.

{ If you are studying through Mark with us, please read Mark 1:40-2:12 this week.  Here is the recorded teaching lecture on this passage:  http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/2013/09/19/ladies-bible-study-mark-140-212-laura-macfarlan-9-19-13/ }