Just As You Are
By Kelly McFadden

“‘For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate."
Luke 15:32

There is a woman who abandoned her children. A boyfriend promised her a new kind of future, but the kids couldn’t come. She hesitated for a second, then left.

There is a high society woman. On the outside it looks like she has it all together, but she hides a secret. She is an adulterer and a thief.

There is a murderer. He sits in his cell, living out his life sentence.

There is a man. He is out of work. He got caught stealing from his company. It is hard to find anyone who will trust him enough to hire him.

What about us? We all can fill in the blanks of the ways you’ve fallen short. We don’t need anyone else to tell us. We know ourselves better than anyone else.

So whom did Jesus come for? All of us: His prodigal children. He came so that we could all find freedom and hope in Him. This is great news: We can’t be too bad to walk into His arms. We can’t do anything to make God love us any less…He loves each of us unconditionally. And, like the prodigal son, when we open our eyes and realize we need our Father, no matter what we have done, He is there. He accepts us with His arms open.

It can be hard to acknowledge the love and grace that Jesus extends to us. But if you feel like you are too bad to go before Jesus, or too bad to walk into a church, that is all about you, not about Jesus. Jesus says, “Come just as you are.” He will make you whole and He will make you clean.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Which is harder to accept, that you have bits of the prodigal son in you or that God forgives you and loves you completely no matter what you’ve done? Why?
2. To whom in your life do you need to extend grace, just as the father did for his son?

FURTHER READING:
Luke 14:15-24; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

© HomeWord. Used by permission.

Having Right Relationships
By Susan Klein

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial [the Devil]? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?”
2 Corinthians 6:14-15

In Paul’s second letter to the church at Corinth, he addresses the fellow believers with the above words. Sharing from his own life examples, he exhorts them to come out from among the unclean, or unbelievers, and be separate from them. One might ask, “Are we not called to be salt and light to the unbelievers of this world?”

Paul’s message here is not contrary to God’s word, rather it is one of warning. He recognizes that the Corinthian believers are still struggling with old sinful ways, and that they are being influenced by those outside of the faith. He is warning them that if their prominent associations are with pagans, or non-Christ-followers, then they will remain grounded in their wrongful ways. Paul shares that fellowshipping with other believers helps him to stay on the right track and holds him accountable. They will not be able to be a light to others if they are still hanging out in the darkness!

Notice how Paul uses the word, “yoked.” He is addressing people who are familiar with farming. He knows they can relate to having their oxen yoked together for plowing. It is critical to have the same kind of animals joined together in order for them to move in alignment and be productive. You wouldn’t pair an ox with a donkey, or a stallion with a quarter-horse! Two animals which are similar in nature will reap the greatest benefits.

Likewise, we must remember to have likeminded people with whom we are fellowshipping on a regular basis. Scripture tells us that just as iron sharpens iron, we are made stronger in our faith and our walk when we are surrounded by other strong believers. As we are strengthened, we are then capable of helping our fellow believers when they are down, and of being a salt and light to those of our neighbors who don’t know the Lord. On the other hand, if we are only fellowshipping with unbelievers, or those walking in the darkness, we will have a difficult time maintaining our footing on the solid ground of God’s Word.

Let’s make sure we have a proper balance in our relationships, having the influence of strong Christ-followers to steer us as we go.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Do you have a strong support system of believers that you fellowship with on a regular basis? If not, consider joining a women’s Bible Study or a small group that meets regularly.

FURTHER READING:
Hebrews 10:24-25; Ephesians 5:6-8

Susan is a wife and mother of two. She is the Coordinator of Oakwood’s Tuesday a.m. Bible Study and one of its teachers.

Help, I think I’ve Fallen and Can’t Get Up
By Pam Blattner

“…Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”
Genesis 5:24

Almost nothing is written about Enoch in the Bible; it is all summed up with this verse about his relationship with the Lord…he walked with God. Great concept, but what does it mean to “walk” with God?

I believe that as human beings this is one of our hardest lessons. Have you ever taken a walk with a toddler? He practically hates holding your hand! Instead of clinging to our Father's hand, we have this tendency to take off on our own at times, too. Sometimes we let the cares of this world pull us away from Him instead of holding tighter to His hand. We try to fix things when it may not be God’s timing. We strive for harmony. We get impatient for God to act. The lack of peace we experience is like that of a fish that fell off the hook, flailing around on the pier. When that fish falls back in the water, it quickly gets its bearings and strength, speedily swimming off into the weeds for safety. That’s how it is with us. Sometimes, God allows us to flail around until we reach His hand and begin to resume our walk together. I can imagine God quietly saying, “Keep your hand in Mine. Don’t let go. Don’t take off on your own. I am able to keep you from falling.”

God's Word is full of promises about our Father's willingness to hold us. Look at David’s words to us in Psalm 16:8: "I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” That’s how David walked and remained a man after God’s own heart, even though there certainly were times he fell.

When our relationship with God seems distant, it’s often because of our daily busyness, isn’t it? A mentor of mine told me that if I remembered one thing that she taught me, it would be to try to “let every breath be a prayer.” Prayer is simply “talking.” And what a sweet thing to talk together as we walk with the Lord hand-in-hand. Prayer when we’re alone or busy; prayer when we’re walking on a hike, prayer sharing our hearts’ desires in the evening. When we do this, we feel safe. We are walking closely with Him.

Like Enoch, we, too, are preparing for God to come and “take us away,” and in this preparation time we need to be walking hand-in-hand with Him.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Do you put on an attitude of submission when you’re walking with Jesus? Do you feel Him reaching for you to grasp His hand right now? Take a chance, look into His glorious face, and trust Him to keep you from falling.

FURTHER READING:
Psalms 20:6; Isaiah 41:10-13, 42:5-6

Pam and her husband Richard have two adult children and two grandchildren. She serves Oakwood through its Family Care Ministries.

Twisting the Truth
By Leslie Snyder

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.”
Matthew 4:1

Our eyes often play tricks on us. Recently, my daughter was looking through a bag of candy and burst out in elation when she pulled out a “Health” bar. That’s right, a “Health” bar. She was so excited that candy could be healthy that she was ready to consume it in an instant. Of course, the truth was that it was really a Heath bar, a chocolate-covered toffee treat. Although I’m sure the makers of the candy would love for consumers to believe the treat was in fact, healthy, the truth was just the opposite.

In Matthew 4, we see Jesus handle this type of deception. After forty days of fasting and solitude in the wilderness, Satan arrives to tempt Him with three very basic desires: food, material possessions and power.

Knowing that Jesus was hungry, Satan suggested, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread” (Matthew 4:3). I can only imagine that Jesus was actually insulted by this. Of course, He could command the stones to turn into bread! I’m sure He had already thought of more creative ways to feed Himself. But His answer came directly from Scripture. “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God'" (Deuteronomy 8:3).

The second invitation came after Satan took Jesus to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple. Eugene Peterson’s Bible paraphrase, The Message, reads, “The Devil goaded him by quoting Psalm 91: ‘He has placed you in the care of angels. They will catch you so that you won’t so much as stub your toe on a stone.’” I love what follows. Jesus again quotes directly from Deuteronomy, “Don’t you dare test the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 6:16).

The last temptation gave Jesus the offer of material wealth and power if, and only if, He would bow down and worship Satan. Jesus curtly replied, “Away from me Satan! For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only’” (Deuteronomy 6:13).

Satan is described throughout Scripture as the Deceiver, a crafty old serpent, and the Father of Lies who comes only to steal, kill and destroy. What is our best weapon to fight against him? It is the Word of God. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…” The catch is that we must know it to be able to use it.

Today, when the opportunity to believe a twisted truth presents itself, look again. It may not really be as “healthy” as it looks.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Temptation is all around us. When you are tempted, how often do you use the Word of God as your defense?

FURTHER READING:
1 Corinthians 10:13; Ephesians 6: 10-18

© HomeWord. Used by permission.

Go to Jesus
By Elizabeth Cole

“Then they went and told Jesus.”
Matthew 14:12b

I did it. Really didn’t mean to…but in my frustration with a situation, I’d wounded my visiting mother-in-law. Rather than welcoming her into a problem-solving session with my husband, I’d asked her to let us resolve the issue alone. In retrospect, I’m quite sure my tone was as uninviting as my words.

Upon finding a solution, I headed downstairs to find her. We’re very close, and I knew by the look on her face at the time that I’d hurt her. I was right.

“Mom, I think that I offended you when I asked you to leave. Please forgive me.”

“Yes, I was cut to the quick…”

I started to interject with a more effusive apology, but she continued, “But I’m okay now. I was very upset when I left you, so I got my Bible and went to Jesus.”

She explained that when she opened up her devotional booklet to that day’s date, she read the Scripture, and then read as the devotional writer addressed honoring the boundaries others had set. Furthermore, he suggested that perhaps a situation in which the reader had been hurt was, in fact, a situation of misunderstood boundaries! It was this personal prompt from the Lord that allowed her to release her pain and give it immediately to Him in prayer. Done. What a tender God!

I have been regularly reminded of my mother-in-law’s precious example ever since. When I’ve been wounded, who do I tell first? When someone’s comments are bruising, where do I rush for comfort? I so want to follow in her footsteps and run to Jesus…first. He’s the One with everlasting comfort; He’s the One with beyond-circumstances peace; He’s the One who truly understands; He’s the One who can do something about my heart.

In Matthew 14, John the Baptist’s friends were grieving his murder. After burying their friend, what did they do first? They went and told Jesus.

Have you been hurt recently? Beloved, go to Jesus.

GOING DEEPER:
1. What is your pattern when someone hurts you with words? If need be, are you willing to change it and begin by going to Jesus first?

FURTHER READING:
2 Corinthians 10:5; Hebrews 4:14-16; Philippians 4:6-8

Elizabeth is a wife, mother to three teen-aged daughters, and Director of Women’s Ministries at Oakwood Church.

A Recipe for the Church
By Leslie Snyder

“…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Hebrews 10: 22-25

I recently found this tasty morsel hiding in the pages of my favorite church cookbook.

A Church Garden
First, plant five rows of peas:
Presence
Promptness
Preparation
PurityP
erseverance

Next to those, plant three rows of squash:
Squash gossip
Squash criticism
Squash indifference

No garden is complete without turnips:
Turn up for the meetings
Turn up with a smile
Turn up with new ideas
Turn up with determination to make everything count for something good and worthwhile.1

While the poem can be enjoyed solely at face value, deeper truths are found when you look below the surface. Rather than “squashing,” too often our churches can be filled with the poisonous ingredients listed above, which hurt not only our own churches, but the reputation of the Church itself.

The early church dealt with this openly and honestly. The author of Hebrews gives us a glimpse of some of its own struggles. Some of the faithful had given up meeting together, some had fallen prey to a spirit of discouragement. But as the Church, we are called to persevere in times of difficulty and to be set apart from actions that hinder the work of Jesus Christ. Today, may we have the courage to check ourselves and find ways we can begin encouraging those in our own community of faith.

GOING DEEPER:
1. It takes every person doing his or her part to make the Church complete, every man, woman, grandparent or child. How are you fulfilling your God-gifted role?

FURTHER READING:
1 Corinthians 12:12- 31

1 Found in Sharing Our Best, the Cookbook of First Christian Church, Decatur, IL, 1991.

© HomeWord. Used by permission.

Peace Robber
By Karen D’Amore

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
1 Peter 5:8

BELIEVER’S MOST UN-WANTED: LUCIFER

Aliases: Satan, Devil, Destroyer, Father of Lies, Prince of this World, Angel of Light
Description: Alters appearance through the use of disguises
Location: Roaming about the earth
Occupation: Thief
Weapons: Fear and lies
Remarks: Working to overthrow the kingdom of God, his strategy is to destroy anything that has to do with God. He is a vicious and ferocious enemy. He is a master con artist. An avid hunter and fisherman, he uses only prime bait.
Caution: Consider him armed and extremely dangerous. DO NOT attempt to apprehend. RESIST him and he will flee from you.

** RESIST HIM TO CLAIM ETERNAL REWARDS**

I’ve been robbed! Caught off-guard, I never saw my attacker coming! He was quick, slick and tricky! He started with a mind-game by diverting my thoughts from the truth. A truth-tainted mind perpetuated an anxious heart, moving me to doubt God’s faithfulness. Anxiousness magnified looming uncertainties, leaving me strangled by hopelessness. Using consuming circumstances as a distraction, Satan stole my focus from God, crammed my mind with lies and robbed me of my peace.

Isaiah 26:3 declares, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You.” As Christ-followers, we are called to focus on the Lord and His mighty promises. Satan will derail our peace by deferring our thoughts to the immensity and intensity of our circumstances. With our thoughts diverted from the truth, we become vulnerable to Satan’s weapons of unbelief, doubt and fear. As we succumb to the fiery darts of unbelief…our faith weakens. With weakened faith, we become prime victims for the enemy to rob.

Jesus assures us, “…my peace I give you” (John 14:27). What the Lord gives is rightfully ours! But beware! Satan, the “Peace Robber,” hates for us to be at peace with God. He will stop at nothing to steal it from us. He will infiltrate our lives, homes, jobs, relationships and even our ministries in order to steal our peace.

Are you a victim of the “Peace Robber”? Be ready and alert and savvy to his devices. He is at the top of the believer’s most Un-Wanted list. RESIST him and he will flee from you.

GOING DEEPER:
1. What are you facing that makes you vulnerable to the attacker? Identify your areas of vulnerability and be armed and ready to defeat your enemy.

FURTHER READING:
Romans 15:13; 2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 4:27; James 4:7

Married to husband Dan, Karen is the Salon Coordinator for Intrigue Salon & Spa, the administrator for Oakwood’s Tuesday a.m. Bible Study and a volunteer at the Wildlife In Need Center.

Fair Weather Faith
By Leslie Snyder

“Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”
Job 2:10b

I have never known suffering. I have always lived in a free country, had more than adequate shelter, food and clothing, and have only experienced mild degrees of illness. To most, my life would appear extremely blessed. But I am drawn again and again to the story of Job who experienced suffering unlike anyone I have ever known. God allowed Satan to destroy Job’s crops, his property, his animals, his children and ultimately his own health. In it all, Job’s faith never wavered. In fact, Job 2:11 tells us that “in all of this Job never sinned.” How is that possible?

In the book Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl conveys his experiences of unimaginable horror in the Nazi concentration camps of Auschwitz and Dachau. Of all the experiences shared, most striking are his references to religious faith and its impact on the prisoners. Frankl writes, “The religious interest of the prisoners, as far and as soon as it developed, was the most sincere imaginable. The depth and vigor of religious belief often surprised and moved a new arrival.” And again, “In spite of all the enforced physical and mental primitiveness of the life in a concentration camp, it was possible for spiritual life to deepen. Sensitive people who were used to a rich intellectual life may have suffered much pain, but the damage to their inner selves was less. They were able to retreat from their terrible surroundings to a life of inner riches and spiritual freedom."1

Suffering still exists today. Abuse, poverty, hatred, hunger and malnutrition, disease, war and death continue to plague our world. And Scripture is clear that suffering shows no favoritism. The Israelites suffered under Pharoah, Joseph was hated by his brothers and unjustly sold into slavery, widows and orphans were overlooked in food distribution, disciples were imprisoned and killed and Jesus was unjustly accused, unfairly tried, beaten and put to death on a Roman cross. Suffering is very real in this sin-laden world.

Frankl later came to the following conclusion about suffering, “If there is a meaning in life at all, then there must be a meaning in suffering. Suffering is an ineradicable part of life, even as fate and death. Without suffering and death, human life cannot be complete.”

Job suffered greatly, but in his suffering never sinned. His faith deepened and in the end, he was rewarded by the very God who permitted his suffering. His faith weathered the very greatest of storms.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Perhaps you are in a time of suffering in your own life and are questioning the presence of God in that suffering. Listen to the story of Job, study it, and see how his experience might bring encouragement into your own.

FURTHER READING:
Romans 5:3

1Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning, Washington Square Press, 1959, 1962, 1984.

© HomeWord. Used by permission.

Tech Support
By Jennie Pierce

“May the God of peace…equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory…”
Hebrews 13:20-22

Computers truly are an amazing invention. To imagine life without them now is absurd. But, when these techno-gadgets go awry, there is nothing more frustrating. Recently, my boss and I both agreed that our work computer was running slowly and inefficiently. The solution? Remote support with a technician.

The procedure amazed me, yet frightened me. All I had to do was book an appointment with a technician, then wait for his phone call. The technician was more than willing and happy to help, but his desire to help me did no one any good unless I was willing to allow him remote access to our computer. I had to give him permission by entering his code number in our system, then this technician was able to take over the entire computer without physically being in the room with me.

It was a bit nerve-wracking relinquishing complete control, staring at the computer screen as the mouse cursor flew all over the monitor. Windows were popping up, programs were being deleted and installed, files were being opened and updated…and all I could do was watch…and trust the technician to do his job. Interestingly, before he dove into his reconstructive work, he explained to me that he would establish a live chat box in the lower left corner, should I need to contact him with questions or comments while he was working.

There are times in my life when I am desperate for a tune-up, but too stubborn or afraid to relinquish control, letting God do His perfect work in me. I settle for operating in less productive ways when I allow sin, my spiritual virus, to reign in me. I figure out ways to work around my fears, negativity, laziness, disobedience…rather than give God permission to come in and clean house so I can live a more productive life for His glory! He is my Master Technician and yours. He knows what He’s doing and we must trust in His ability to accomplish great things in us. Sometimes the process hurts, takes time or is scary. But, all the while, our loving, gentle, capable Savior has our best interests at heart. His “chat box” is always available, welcoming questions, comments or concerns. He has begun a good work in us…and He longs to see it come to completion in Him!

GOING DEEPER:
1. To what or whom do you turn for your life’s “tech” support? What is stopping you from intentionally inviting Christ in to do the job? Only He is truly capable and trustworthy!

FURTHER READING:
Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 1:6, 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Jennie is a wife and mother of three. She is active in Oakwood’s musical worship ministry and works part-time for a chiropractor.

One Little Life
By Dawn Weimar

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Matthew 19:14

She was so little when I cared for her. I was worried enough that I carried her around with me. I bathed her, and dressed her in pretty dresses and tried to coax her to eat. But she didn’t eat; she couldn’t. She eventually left my care for that of ICU.

The call came just a few days after Christmas. All options had been exhausted; there was no hope. They took pictures with their baby girl on her first Christmas, then, a few days later, they let her go. They were thoughtful to call me…so I could weep while I held her. When she left for heaven, she took my heartstrings with her to the throne. Every night I sat on the floor with my dog and cried. Sounds like sackcloth and ashes. No one could alleviate my broken heart.

Several years later, I heard an evangelist, Jesse Duplantis, preach, “Heaven doesn’t lose any babies.” This precious baby was in heaven with Jesus. Yes, I had believed that, but this day, I knew it. I sat riveted, listening to his words. I prayed with him as he led me, “Thank you, Jesus for dying for me. Please be my Lord and Savior. And thank you for taking care of those little children until we meet again.” It was then that I told my husband my sorrow had turned to joy! I didn’t know yet it was a Bible verse, but that was what I experienced instantaneously. She was being cared for by Jesus and one day I will see her again.

There are many broken hearts and broken lives that only God can heal. He asks us to present Him with the pieces and be willing to surrender to His Lordship in the situation. He is our hope, when all hope is gone. For what is real can be seen with the heart and not with the eyes.

Take your pieces to Him...your hopes, your dreams, your broken heart. As you start the new year, this is a good place to be…fully focused on your Creator, the Bearer of your burdens, and Shepherd of your soul. Be. Just BE with Him. Trust Him. Seek His face for the healing and hope you need.

GOING DEEPER:
1. If you haven’t done so yet, pray that prayer thanking Jesus for dying for you. Ask Him to come into your life and be your Lord and Savior. Ask Him to take your broken pieces and restore your joy and hope. He can.
2. In what areas, do you need His immediate care and attention?

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 130; John 3:1-21

Dawn is a wife and mother of three daughters, and is active in Oakwood's worship ministries. She's a pediatric nurse, currently working as VP of Business Development in Population Health Improvement.

A New Year and a Fresh Start!
By Susan Klein

“Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Lamentations 3:22-23

It’s a few weeks into the New Year...how are you doing with those New Year’s resolutions? Are you one of the many who’ve resolved to get in better physical shape this year? Or, perhaps your resolution is of a more spiritual nature, vowing to spend more time in the Word or with the Lord each day. Or have you decided to give up a bad habit or make better financial decisions? Want to know my resolution???

I resolved to not make any New Year’s resolutions! Yep, you heard me! Every year I make a list of things I want to do better or habits I want to give up, only to set myself up for inevitable failure and disappointment. Oh, I go at it strong for weeks, sometimes even months. But then, I gradually start to slip back into those old habits again. I end up frustrated and discouraged, usually giving up altogether. So, this year I choose to not make any resolutions whatsoever. Now, before you start thinking I have a defeatist attitude, let me share with you what I’m going to do instead.

This year, rather than focus on my “to do list,” I am going to live each day as if it were a blank slate, or a “fresh start” from God. I am going to ask my Heavenly Father what He wants me to focus on for that specific day, not beating myself up over my failed attempts from the day before. I am going to choose to live in His Will, trusting that He will equip me to accomplish what He wants me to do and not worrying about striving and failing in my own efforts. I’m also going to cling to the promise that His compassions, or mercies, are new every morning! He doesn’t hold it against me when I slip up on any given day. Rather, He lovingly and mercifully gives me the opportunity to begin afresh each morning.

“Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgressions of the remnant of His inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl our iniquities into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:18,19).

GOING DEEPER:
1. What resolutions are you struggling to keep? Are they on your “to do list,” or are they things God wants you to be focusing on? Ask Him what His will is for you, then trust Him to work it out through you.

FURTHER READING:
Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 2:8-10; Psalm 33:10-11

Susan is a wife and mother of two. She is the Coordinator of Oakwood’s Tuesday a.m. Bible Study and one of its teachers.

Sweet Slumber or Fright Night?
By Leslie Snyder

“I will lie down and sleep in peace for you alone, O, Lord, keep me safe.”
Psalm 4:8

Each night around the world, when children go to bed, the imaginary world of monsters, bogeymen, and things that go bump in the night come to life. In fact, this occurrence is so common that some years ago, a movie studio used a humorous flip-flop of this fear to produce a blockbuster hit, Monsters Inc., in which the monsters were afraid of children! In our home my children’s fears range from hearing unidentifiable sounds to thinking a gigantic octopus looms outside of the bedroom window. Most often a reassuring word, a prayer, and a spray of magic “monster-be-gone” will bring back a sense of peace and our house is filled with the sounds of sweet slumber.

Adults often laugh off the fears that seem so real to children. But, the fact is that many adults experience something very similar. After the lights go out and the sound of silence fills the air, we are forced to face the things that hide in the busyness of day. The grown-up monsters of deadlines, pressure at work, addictions, marital strife, abuse, declining health, employment status, financial difficulties, parenting, issues of self-worth and more are very much alive. Fear invades and sleep is not sweet.

The psalmist understood where to place these fears: right in the lap of a loving, protective God. Is this a promise that nothing bad will ever happen? No. It is trusting that God is with us even in the midst of our fears. The first part of Psalm 23:4 reads, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…” God did not deliver this person from the valley; He walked with him through it.

Tonight, when you are tempted to allow fear to overwhelm you, trust God instead. Speak your fears to Him. Name them out loud and allow Him to walk with you through the fear. Trust that His word is true, and enjoy the night as you sleep in His peace.

GOING DEEPER:
1. What fears keep you up at night? As you identify your fears, turn them over to God and allow Him to carry them for you.

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 23; Matthew 6:25-34; 10:26-33; 11:28–30

© HomeWord. Used by permission.

The Call

By Elizabeth Cole

“...for ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”

Romans 10:13-14

My 17-year-old was on her way to go sledding with friends on a Sunday afternoon. Before she left, I heard her in the garage rummaging around. Silence. Then a call, “Mom, I need help!” There she was on the stepladder, reaching as high as she could into the rafters trying to get her flexible flyer down…but to no avail.

“I’m trying to get the sled down, but I can’t reach it. Will you help me?” Hallelujah... It’s was not often that I got that kind of request from my daughter!

“Here, hop off; I’ll do it for you.” I grinned as I easily did for her what she couldn’t do for herself, sending her on her way with sled in tow!

What a precious picture God gave me that day of the last part of His salvation process: Someone obeys Him and tells the Good News of salvation to another; that person hears the very words of God through the speaker and believes…and then, that person CALLS on the name of the Lord. Scripture makes it clear that just intellectually agreeing Jesus is the Savior isn’t enough -- “even the demons believe...” Certainly, my daughter could have stood all day on that stepladder believing that I was tall enough to help her. But it was only when she ACTED on what she knew to be true, calling out for my help, that she received what she needed, what she couldn’t do on her own.

Real life begins with a personal dependence on Jesus, with calling out to Him to give us what we can never attain ourselves: a right relationship with the God of the Universe through faith in what He did for us on the Cross.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Have you called out to Christ for salvation, acting on what you know to be true about Him? If not, what is preventing you from doing so today?
2. If you have, with whom will you share your faith story today?

FURTHER READING:
Romans 3:10-12, 23; Romans 6:23; John 3:16; Romans 5:8

Elizabeth is a wife, mother to three teen-aged daughters, and Director of Women’s Ministries at Oakwood Church.

© HomeWord. Used by permission.

Dread
By Lisa Boyer

“So it is My word that goes out from My mouth: it will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
Isaiah 55:11

Dread. It’s such an ugly word and an even uglier emotion. It crept up on me slowly, but then I was overwhelmed by it.

I had an appointment I didn’t want to keep, but couldn’t bring myself to cancel. The dread had begun as a simple thought, “I don’t want to do this,” but it quickly grew into “I can’t do this.” It kept me up the night before until finally I fell asleep praying…no, crying out to God to do something…anything.

Yet here it was, the morning of the appointment, and the dread was still with me. Again, I began to pray and cry out to God. Through my turmoil came the fleeting thought that I should stop praying and read my Bible. But, I was up an hour early and I just wanted to use that time to pray…pray until something happened. Before long, the fleeting thought became persistent: I should read my Bible now. But I knew my answer wasn’t going to be in today’s Bible reading. What kind of answer to my dread was I going to find in Matthew chapter 11?

So, to calm that persistent thought (but more to prove that Matthew didn’t contain the answer to my prayer), I postponed my prayer time, opened my Bible and began to read Matthew 11. Jesus and John the Baptist, no comfort there…unrepentant cities, certainly no comfort there…rest for the weary, wait, rest for the weary in Matthew 11? What is this? Verse 28 & 29: “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest…I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

That was me…weary and burdened! I closed my Bible and returned to prayer. This time, I knew what to pray and how to pray. I talked to my gentle Savior about my burden, my concern, my worry and how it had turned to dread. Then I left it all in His capable hands and accepted His rest. My dread was gone, replaced by rest and peace.

Looking back, I have to laugh because I was convinced that I wouldn’t find comfort in my daily Bible reading, I suppose because it wasn’t a Psalm or Proverb, but God is so amazing and His timing is always perfect.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Take a moment to reflect on those times when dread begins to fill your heart. Is there a pattern you can identify and begin to change?
2. Think back to a time God used His Word to perfectly address your circumstances. Thank Him for His intimate awareness of and kindness toward you through that experience.


FURTHER READING:
Jeremiah 31:25

Lisa is a wife and mother of two. She is a co-leader for a Junior High girls’ small group.

Let It Go in One Year and Out the Other!
By Pamela Blattner

“…but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:13b-14 (NASB)

Recently, I was thinking about the past year of my life. I had quit my job and most of my ministries, choosing to dedicate my time to caring for my ailing mother and opening up our home to my daughter, her husband and newborn granddaughter. My mom began to need care that I couldn’t keep up with. The Caring Bridge at the hospital helped us with the decisions we had to make for my mom’s and my best interests. The months that followed were excruciating. The day I walked out the dementia facility after seeing to it that my mother was peaceful and well taken care of was one of the hardest times of my life. I fell into a sobbing heap in the car. I felt that she would never forgive me. As I reached for a napkin lying on the seat, I heard the accuser shout, “You claim to love your mom, and you put her in a dementia care unit? I thought you loved your mom so much that you said you’d never put her in a cold and lonely place like that. She deserves better than that.”

Time has passed; mom and her friend, Bernie, who is in his nineties, love each other. It’s a quiet and dignified love. Her caregivers love her, too, and kiss her forehead each night like I used to. I hear her evening shift caregiver loudly say, “Goodnight honey, I love you” after she takes her hearing aids out, and then I proceed to finish “tucking her in” by phone around 8:30 p.m. each night.

Several online commentators quote Henry Beecher, a well-known 19th Century preacher, as saying: “We have passed through one more year. One more long stage in the journey of life, with its ascents and descents and dust and mud and rocks and thorns and burdens that wear the shoulders, is done. The old year is dead. Roll it away. Let it go. God, in His providence, has brought us out of it…its good remains...” (1)

If a hurtful or difficult memory from 2009 comes up, “issumagijoujungnainermik”! I’ve read that in the Eskimo language, it means “Not-being-able-to-think-about-it-anymore,” “to forgive.” It’s all in God’s hands. Rather than replay the pain you experienced, replay God’s mercy, His grace and His love. Let’s press forward to do exciting and new things for the Lord!

GOING DEEPER:
1. What do you need to issumagijoujungnainermik as you leave 2009 behind?
2. In what specific ways will you “press on” toward Jesus in 2010?

FURTHER READING:
1 Peter 5:7; Psalm 136:1, 139:17

(1) for example: www.preceptaustin.org/philippians_312-16.htm

Pam and her husband Richard have two adult children and two grandchildren. She serves Oakwood through its Family Care Ministries.

He’s Got My Back!
By Dawn Weimar

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, Rejoice! Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:4-7

Middle school can be difficult. I know a young lady who was being tormented by another girl who kept pointing out other friendships in an attempt to cause jealousy and discord. My advice was to say, “I am glad you are both friends.” I also encouraged her to not be jealous, but to be happy that people can have a number of good friends. Well, needless to say, the rabble-rouser was shocked and silenced at my response.

People say unfortunate things and choose destructive ways for reasons of jealousy, pride and competition. This occurs in all stages of life, in many venues, unfortunately, not just in the tumultuous teen years. What does one do when faced with this situation? I have a secret…Shhh! Do what God says, even though it seems like it is the most insane thing to do…because He said so, and because it works! Someone taught me the street slang, “I’ve got your back.” It means you’ve got someone watching out for you. Dear sister, you’ve got the Creator of the universe watching your back, so you don’t have to worry or fret!

The next time someone does you wrong, remember: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:17-21).

So, rejoice, pray for your enemies and give it to God, then relax and be kind! Let’s try that again: Rejoice, pray, then relax and be kind! The Creator of the universe, the King of Kings, has got your back! Do a little jig and praise Him!

GOING DEEPER:
1. Is there someone in your life who is causing discord among family or friends? What can you do to show kindness to her?

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 118; Genesis 45:1-15; Ephesians 6:12

Dawn is a wife and mother of three daughters, and is active in Oakwood's worship ministries. She's a pediatric nurse, currently working as VP of Business Development in Population Health Improvement.

Sifted Like Flour
By Elin Henderson

“And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But, I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.’”
Luke 22:31-32 (NKJV)

There is a common joke among missionary women. I call it the phases of “becoming.” Phase 1: You find bugs in your flour, completely freak out, and promptly throw out the entire bag. Phase 2: You are still freaked out by the bugs but you have learned that you can carefully sift the flour and get them out. Phase 3: You move past serious sifting and just look for the major bugs and pick them out by hand. Phase 4: You have “become” and you see the bugs and say, “Good, bugs! More protein!” and just leave them in there.

God uses Satan to sift us and remove the bugs in our lives! Satan came asking for Peter and God said, “Go ahead, have at it.” We see this with Job in the book of Job and with Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. And, interestingly enough, it isn’t always through the victories that we win. It isn’t always in the overcoming that we grow, but sometimes in our failure, as well. “When you have returned to me,” Jesus says to Peter, indicating that He wasn’t necessarily walking with the Lord all the time in His trial of sifting.

But, Christ gave him two wonderful promises that are reflected in our own relationship with Christ as well: The first and most significant is Christ prays for us when we are in process of being sifted…“But, I have prayed for you, that your faith will not fail.” We are not alone, despite how we feel. Satan is only given so much “rope,” so to speak, and no more. We are God’s and He watches over us. Christ prays for us and the Father knows our limits. The second promise is that when it is over, we will be able to strengthen, encourage and comfort others with what we have learned…”But, when you have returned to me, strengthen your brethren.” What a privilege to be able to show compassion and love to others in their time of need.

So, next time you feel like you are being tossed to and fro in Satan’s sifter, remember that you are prayed for and when you come out of it, you will be strengthened in your confidence in the Lord, able to encourage and support others in a deeper way…and hopefully with a few less bugs!

GOING DEEPER:
1. What kind of “sifting” have you endured in your life?
2. Who do you know who is facing something similar? How can you encourage that person?

FURTHER READING:
Luke 22:54-62; 1 Corinthians 1:3-5, 10:13; 1 Peter 4:13, 5:10; 1 John 5:18-19

Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson and her husband Phil serve as church planters with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa. Elin is mother to nine-year-old Callie and six-year-old Elias.

Proper Footing
By Susan Klein

“Stand firm then...with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”
Ephesians 6:14a, 15

Winter has arrived in Wisconsin! We’ve already had our first snowstorm resulting in school and business closings. Mountains of icy white are piled high around the sidewalks and the temperature has dipped to a frigid zero. Time to get out the heavy artillery to battle these conditions!

Let’s see, insulated gloves -- check, thick scarf -- check, ear muffs (I don’t do hats!) -- check, warm, dry boots...hmm. Wasn’t I supposed to buy new ones last year? Guess I never got to it. Oh great! Now everything but my feet will be warm and dry. Okay, Ill have to buy new ones. They’ll need thick treads so I don’t slip, warm lining so my toes don’t freeze, and good stitching so the water and snow don’t seep in.

It pays to be careful in selecting the right footwear. We wouldn’t wear stilettos on a hike, nor would we choose flip-flops for shoveling snow. When we are deciding which shoes to put on, we take several factors into consideration, such as; the weather, the event, and what other clothing we’ll be wearing.

How many of us take this much time to consider our spiritual footwear in the morning? Scripture talks about putting on the full armor of God. That includes shoes! We can’t just rush out into battle with our breastplate, belt and helmet on and think we will be protected. Even equipped with our sword and shield, if we didn’t have proper footing, we could stumble, making us an easy target for the enemy! This passage in Ephesians says our feet must be fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace if we are to stand firm. That means, I must be in God’s Word, reading it and learning from it to know how to defend myself from the attacks of the evil one. I must be ready so I can be on the offensive, not the defensive. And if I am ready, I will have the peace that the gospel delivers. I will be able to walk confidently into my day, prepared to meet whatever dangerous conditions might await me. Even more, I can share that peace with my fellow soldiers!

Just as ancient Roman soldiers put hobnails in the soles of their sandals to give them better footing for battle, let’s make sure our feet are properly fitted with the Word of God before we leave the house in the morning!

GOING DEEPER:
1. As you put your shoes on each morning, ask yourself, “Have I made my feet ready with the gospel of peace?”
2. Spend some time in God’s Word focused on specific passages that equip you with a proper battle plan so that you might have peace in your day. (See below.)

FURTHER READING:
2 Corinthians 10:3-6; 2 Timothy 2:1-4; Hebrews 10:32-39

Susan is a wife and mother of two. She is the Coordinator of Oakwood’s Tuesday a.m. Bible Study and one of its teachers.

Lessons from a Snowflake
By Jennie Pierce

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
Psalm 139:14

God really does have a unique sense of humor and impeccable timing. As I was waiting to pick up my daughter from school, it began to snow. Large, light, fluffy snowflakes began twirling and swirling down from the sky, so huge they looked like cotton balls.

Ironically, that same morning I’d already made it quite clear on my Facebook status that I had an innate displeasure toward snow. Yet, oddly, I found myself enamored with this white, flaky display. I even found it to be quite beautiful. As each one landed on my windshield, I passed the time away by studying each flake’s unique design, awed by the fact that there are no two snowflakes alike! Once again, I was reminded of my own unique design as the result of a loving, creative, detailed Creator.

You and I were never an afterthought with God; He knew us before the foundations of the world, before we were ever conceived in our mother’s womb! And, He meticulously designed each one of us. In fact, “God’s character goes into the creation of every person. When you feel worthless or even begin to hate yourself, remember that God’s Spirit is ready and willing to work within you. We should have as much respect for ourselves as our Maker has for us.” (1) We are His special creation, designed in His image…and He finds pleasure in us!

As my daughter exited the school building, she was elated to see the snow. Instantly, she extended her arms out and upward, spinning around, as if to receive every single snowflake with a grateful hug. She opened the van door with a gleeful, excited giggle exclaiming, “I just love snow! It makes me so happy!”

GOING DEEPER:
1. Do you realize just how YOU-nique you really are? You are a beautiful treasure and you bring delight to your Heavenly Father. As you spend time with Him today, ask Him to show you the ways in which He made you special.

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 139; Genesis 1:27, 31

(1) Life Application Study Bible; NIV; Tyndale House Publishers; 2005; page 973

Jennie is a wife and mother of three. She is active in Oakwood’s musical worship ministry and works part-time for a chiropractor.

Quick, Throw Me My SELF-Preserver!
By Elin Henderson

“…and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.”
2 Corinthians 5:15 (NASB)

Warren Wiersbe, in his commentary on 1 John, Be Real, says the following, “‘Self Preservation’ is the first law of physical life, but ‘self-sacrifice’ is the first law of spiritual life.” (1) How often I find self-preservation to be the pervading song of my life! Things get a little rough, too many people need me, my responsibilities grow too large, and I am quick to say, “Hurry, throw me my self-preserver!!” Yet recently, the Lord has been challenging me to move beyond self-preservation and trust Him with a spirit of self-sacrifice.

Christ is the ultimate example of sacrifice and servanthood…not only in His death, but also in His life here on earth. Look through the Gospels at His life and you will find a life lived nonstop for others and for the Father. Crowds followed Him, people needed Him virtually 24/7, He had a group of disciples that He was helping to bring along spiritually…His plate was full! How did He do it? By constantly communing and abiding with His Father.

Yet in the busyness, we do see that the Father didn’t keep Him going beyond which He was able, but gave Him breaks and times of refreshment. Sometimes I fear that if I give myself fully to the Lord, I will just be run into the ground. That wasn’t the case with Christ and it won’t be what God does to us. Who knows us best? We think we know ourselves, but reality is that we are finite in our understanding. Only God truly knows our limits and our capacities. Psalm 139 tells us in verses 1 and 2 that He searches and knows us. In verses 13-16, the psalmist tells how God has known every fiber of his being from before conception until now. Christ found rest in the fact that His Father knew Him best, and from that confidence could give Himself fully to be used up.

Just as Christ lived a life of servanthood and sacrifice, those who desire to follow after Him must do the same, realizing that the road may be difficult. Within us, we might be screaming for self-preservation, but the safest and best place to be is fully available to our Father to use as He sees fit. He will guide us as we fully depend on Him.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Do you intentionally make yourself available to God each day? What might you be holding back?

FURTHER READING:
Philippians 2:5-8; John 15:1-8

(1) Wiersbe, Warren. The Bible Expository Commentary: Volume 2. Chariot Victor Publishing. Colorado Springs, CO. 2001. p. 511.

Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson and her husband Phil serve as church planters with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa. Elin is mother to nine-year-old Callie and six-year-old Elias.