Trick or Treat

 Trick:

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say……… Gen 3:1

But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.  2 Cor 11:3

Be alert and of sober mind your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.  1 Peter 5:8-9

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy   John 10:10a

Treat:

I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. ¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”  John 10:10b-11

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.  Matthew 10:28

⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast.  Ephesians 2:8-9

⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega, “says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”  Revelation 1:8

GOING DEEPER:

1.  Who have you chosen to follow: the thief or the Shepherd?

2.  Are you looking past this present day into the Hope we have in Jesus?

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 23; Psalm 56:3-4; Psalm 89:6-8

“I Can’t Get No... Satisfaction”
By Susan Klein

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed...”
2 Corinthians 4:8a

Ever have a day (week, month, year...) where nothing seems to go right? It feels as if everyone and everything are against you, and everything that could go wrong does! In all your well-meaning effort and striving, things just don’t seem to go right. You begin to question the reason for getting out of bed another morning!

For those of us born longer ago than we care to admit, the 1965 Rolling Stones song, “Satisfaction,” may ring a familiar bell. In the chorus, Mick Jagger belts out, “I can’t get no satisfaction, ‘cause I try, and I try, and I try, and I try...” (1) The lyrics repeat this repetitive phrase, implying that no matter how hard we try, things just don’t go the way we want them to.

Okay, so perhaps you weren’t a Rolling Stones fan or are just too young to remember that song. Surely you can relate to David in the Psalms. “Relent, O Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servant.” “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?” Haven’t we all been in David’s shoes, crying out to God in our desperation and wondering why He is tarrying in answering us? “God, I’ve been struggling with this for quite some time now! Why aren’t you helping me? How long do I have to bear this burden?”

Notice that our trying gets us nowhere. Our human efforts cannot rescue us from our demise. Even asking our heavenly Father to remove our affliction doesn’t always appear to work. I recall Paul going through a similar scenario in 2 Corinthians chapter twelve. He had an unnamed affliction that he petitioned God to remove not once, but three times. And what was God’s response? “My grace is sufficient for you...” Or, in the Greek language it actually reads: “Sufficient for you, is my grace.” In other words, I will give you what you need at this present time to sustain you through this particular trial. It will be enough. Notice He doesn’t promise to give us what we want, but rather what we need for today.

Next time you want to bury your head under the covers in resignation, meet with your Maker and accept the grace He is offering for that day. Don’t venture out on your own efforts, or run ahead of Him. Let His grace be sufficient!

GOING DEEPER:
1. Is there a lingering trial or affliction that has been keeping you down?
2. Can you accept God’s grace for this day and not worry about what tomorrow holds?

FURTHER READING:
2 Corinthians 4:16-18; James 1:2-4, 12-18

(1) © 1965, London Records; written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards; produced by Andrew Loog Oldham

Susan is a We Women Bible Study Coordinator and one of its teachers. She and her husband Mark enjoy tutoring and working with inner-city youth.

The Lord, my Strength

By Peggy Kleckner

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; 
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.

Psalm 28:7a

I was invited to a birthday party. That sounds fun, even as an adult, doesn’t it?  Especially when it is for a dear friend who loves you, and you know quite a few of the others who are invited. So why, on the day of the party, was I feeling fear and anxiousness?

I had to ask myself that question and let God answer it. He and I have been walking together for some time now, and the review of my journey brought some revelation. Years ago, a party meant drinking.  While in that phase, I hid behind alcohol. No one had to see the real me.  Drinking gave me something to do at the party, and whatever behavior someone didn’t like, I could blame on the alcohol. Thankfully, I lived through that phase of my life, surely by His grace. I have also hidden behind words. That may sound odd to you, but think about it for a few minutes: Don’t you know people who talk incessantly?  I am one of those people. God has helped me to recognize that this has been a defense. If I just keep talking about a topic of my choosing, no one can ask me something I don’t know or about anything I don’t really want to discuss. It also feels safer behind a great shield of words. However, this is surely wearing on others and leaves the talker very lonely. Lonely, because we won’t let anyone in to find the real us.

I have even hidden behind my husband; he seems to be better at mingling. Perhaps he is applying some of these defenses as well, but at least two feels safer than being a one. Unfortunately, this is hunting season and he was not available.

My final defense has been food. At least eating gives you something to do, something to focus on. God has been dealing with this habit, as well. Spending the night on a nonstop munch was not a choice that God would approve of.

Suffice it to say, this was a test. Not a test for me to pass or fail, but one where God could show me just how far He has brought me. The people were gracious, the evening was delightful, and I accepted His strength in place of my former addictive behaviors.  May His name be praised.

“My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song.”  Psalm 29:7b

GOING DEEPER:

1.  What situations make you anxious?

2.  Are you willing to trust God to lead you into new healthy behaviors?

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 147:10-11; Proverbs 30:5; Colossians 3:2-3

Peggy is a wife and mother of four adult children - - two sons and two stepsons, and is an active encourager at Oakwood Church in Delafield. She serves as the Coordinator of Fresh Start.

God of the Gray

By Elin Henderson

“I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them.”

Isaiah 42:16 (NKJV)

Which do you think is worse? Driving at night, during the day, or in the fog? I think all of us, hands down, would agree that driving in fog is about the worst thing possible!  No lights, dim lights, high beams, which works for fog? Usually none of the above, and you end up creeping along, feeling blind as you strain to see the next few feet in front of you! 

I find that as much as I would like it to be, life is not black and white but rather a series of grays. Things are usually not cut and dried, and right or wrong…instead they are vague and ambiguous. It feels like driving through fog. You can barely see the next few feet in front of you, and you never know what might come along and blindside you. 

Scripture can be a lot of black and white: “Thou shalt not lie” - -  that is pretty cut and dried. Then life throws us a curve ball…what about exaggerating a little?  Or how about when you are privy to private information about someone, then get cornered by another person and asked to “spill” with a direct question. What do you do? There is no verse that says, “Thou shalt not exaggerate” or “Thou shalt tell the truth except in these circumstances.”

Thankfully, we belong to the God of the Gray! And while a lot of Scripture is  black and white, He knows His way through the various shades of gray in our lives. He is there to help us navigate the fog, using His Scriptures and His Spirit in our lives like a beacon homing in on Himself! 

So, the next time you find yourself stumbling through the unknown of life’s fog, remember you have the God of the Gray there with you! Home in on Him and let Him navigate your way! He won’t forsake you!

                            

GOING DEEPER:

1. How does knowing Truth and seeking His Wisdom help us to navigate the gray areas of life?

2. How can we actively be soaking our minds in Truth?

                                                           

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 5:8; Psalms 43:3; John 16:13

Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson (a registered nurse) and her husband Phil serve as church planters with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa.  Elin is mother to twelve-year-old Callie and ten-year-old Elias. They are currently in America on Home Assignment.

Just Get in the Chair
By Carolyn Hulliberger

“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me [Jesus].”
John 14:21a

My daughter, like many of us, does not like to have the attention of others focused on her. The idea of being pointed out in a large group of people is mortifying. Maybe you can relate.

Recently, my daughter was at a school assembly where a world-class basketball team consisting of wheelchair-bound athletes was giving a demonstration. Shannon was chosen to participate. While she was reluctant and about to decline the invitation, her friends extended a bit of peer pressure to encourage her. She got in the wheelchair, took a basketball in hand, and began to concentrate on what the instructor was saying. (Listening was important if she did not want to look foolish in front of a couple of hundred classmates.) Shannon ended up having a lot of fun, and her comment to me was, “Mom, I pretty much forgot about all the other kids watching me when I started playing the game.”

Isn’t our life the same way sometimes? There might be times when you are asked by God to come forward, and perhaps the attention of other people might be focused on you. Maybe you’ll mess up the task, lose the ball, or fall out of the chair a few times. But Christ asks for us to focus on Him…to listen to His instructions…to shut out the distractions…to forget what someone else might think…and obey anyway! And as we do that, the task He’s asked us to perform on His team becomes more important than the crowd on the sidelines.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Is God moving you reluctantly out of your comfort zone? What steps of obedience do you need to take?
2. Is a friend being moved to something new? How can you “extend a bit of peer pressure” to be an encouragement?

FURTHER READING:
2 Corinthians 4:18

Along with caring for her husband, two children and the dog, Carolyn serves Oakwood Church in Student Ministries with an awesome group of junior high girls, and is the treasurer for Women’s Ministries. 

Small, but Significant
By Karen D’Amore

“So the human body has many parts, but the many parts make up only one body. So it is with the body of Christ…Now all of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.”
1 Corinthians 12:12, 27 (NLT)

WHAM!! “Holy Phalanges,” I screeched as my body flailed on the floor in torturous pain. In the course of my inattentive stupor, my intermediate phalanges slammed head on into a large inanimate object. Interpretation: not paying attention as I exited the room, my bare, little toe collided with the wall.

A broken toe! How could something so small produce such debilitating pain? Six weeks post toe collision and I am still hobbling from the crippling damage to the tiny appendage. I never considered the significance of this small body part, until it was nonfunctional. Toes are integral to the body’s ability to balance. With compromised balance and symmetry askew, basic functions like walking were challenging. How enlightening that a tiny non-working body part could derail my entire body and unravel my routine.

The human body is an illustration of diversity and unity. Comprised of multiple parts, each part was designed to perform different functions. Paul likens the human body to the Body of Christ. He reminds us that, “the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable…” (1 Corinthians 12:21-22).

We are each, who we are, by Divine Design. As members of the Body of Christ, we each have different functions and unique gifts to be used in service to the body. Your gift may be teaching God’s Word, encouraging those who are struggling, or praying for those in their weakness. Paul encourages us, “God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be” (1 Corinthians 12:18).

We are all different. We are all important. We are all necessary. Just as the human body cannot balance without toes, the Body of Christ needs each member fulfilling their God-designed role to function properly. You might be an elbow. You might be a kneecap. Or you might possibly be a little toe! But be assured, no matter how small you may think you are…you are significant to the Body of Christ.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Are feelings of insignificance preventing you from serving in the body? Ask God to reveal how you can become a contributing member.

FURTHER READING:
Ephesians 4:16; Romans 12:4-8

Married to Dan, Karen, a retired police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns Salon.  She’s a leader for Oakwood’s Tuesday a.m. Bible Study and a volunteer at the Wildlife In Need Center.

Keepers of the Vineyard

By Susan Klein

“There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.” 

Matthew 21:33-34

I had a neighbor who planted a lovely garden. She fenced it in to keep the critters out, she cultivated the patch of ground with nutrient-laden soil, and she carefully plotted where each plant should be placed for optimal growth. Then she waited. Eventually, life’s demands took her attention away from her garden. As time passed, the scorching sun withered some of the delicate new shoots, while weeds choked out others. By harvest time, much to her dismay, most of the plants had perished and those left bore little or no fruit.

In the parable of the tenants, Jesus uses a story about a vineyard to convey His underlying thoughts to a group of religious leaders. God had entrusted His precious Israel to these leaders, but they were not being good keepers. They wanted to hoard His crop for themselves, not giving Him His due harvest. It was His land and His crop, after all. We won’t even discuss how they treated those who came to collect the crop!

If Jesus were to speak this parable today, how might it apply to us? I believe we are all keepers of the vineyard. God has planted a crop on this earth and He will send His Son for the final harvest one day. What might be our reaction at that time? Are we faithfully tending to the crop He has planted? Are we watering, fertilizing and caring for that which He has entrusted to us? And what about the beasts that would seek to devour the crop? Are we keeping the fence in good repair to keep the offenders out? Or, have life’s demands kept us from properly nurturing the tender young shoots that are springing up around us? Maybe it’s all we can do to keep ourselves fed and taken care of. Perhaps we just feel too old to garden anymore.

We are all keepers of the vineyard. We’ve each been given a task to do. It may be a small one, such as pulling weeds from a single row or giving an occasional fertilizer treatment. On the other hand, it may be overseeing a large plot of many thriving plants. Regardless of the task, let us be mindful to not get so caught up in our day-to-day activities that we neglect those whom He has entrusted to us.

GOING DEEPER:

1) Whom has God planted near you to be spiritually nurtured?

2) Are you maintaining a healthy inflow from His Word to be able to put out for others?

FURTHER READING:

Matthew 9:37, 1 Corinthians 3:8-9

Susan is a We Women Bible Study Coordinator and one of its teachers. She and her husband Mark enjoy tutoring and working with inner-city youth.

Crowd Surfing

By Elin Henderson

“One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on Him to listen to the Word of God.”

Luke 5:1 (NLT)

I don’t think anyone has ever known more about crowds than Jesus. If you read through the Gospels, you will quickly see that not only did the crowds follow Him, they pressed in on Him.  Personal space was something He did not get the privilege of very often. The young, the old, the sick, the well, men and women, were all drawn to Him. He spent most of His adult life crowd surfing from one area of ministry to the next. 

It was in this process of making Himself available and vulnerable, that He was able to reach into the lives of so many. People like the lady in Mark 5:24-34 with the problem of bleeding gained access to Him because He was accessible! As Jesus rubbed shoulder to shoulder, and really placed Himself among the people, this lady was able to reach Him and find healing. 

In order to reach out to a needy world, we too need to become crowd surfers. We need to work past our fears and personal space and allow Him to put us in places where He can use us.  Too many times, we tiptoe around the edges of the crowd and try and just pull someone in need out and help them. But to truly be effective, we need to jump in with two feet and be willing to be used of Him.

The hurt, the pain, the sorrow…it is all out there in the crowds. If we want to impact a world for Him, we must be willing to throw self-preservation out the window and to dive in feet first and be pressed in by the crowds in order to make ourselves accessible for HIS use! Are you ready to do a little crowd surfing with Jesus today? 

         

GOING DEEPER:                                               

1. What keeps us from wanting to make ourselves fully accessible to Him?

2. If you have the time, do a little word search either through your concordance or an electronic Bible program, for the word “crowd” in regards to Jesus’ ministry. You will be surprised at how often it appears!

                                                           

FURTHER READING:

Luke 4:42; Acts 20:24; I Corinthians 9:22b

Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson (a registered nurse) and her husband Phil serve as church planters with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa. Elin is mother to twelve-year-old Callie and ten-year-old Elias. They are currently in America on Home Assignment.

Thank You!

By Carolyn Hulliberger

“And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!”

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 (The Message)

I recently had an “Are You KIDDING Me?!!” moment while reading Scripture. In Exodus 32, Moses, God’s original pastor to His people, has been meeting with God for many days. The Israelites, getting restless without Moses there, approach Moses’ brother and helper, Aaron, with an idea:

“When the people realized that Moses was taking forever in coming down off the mountain, they rallied around Aaron and said, “Do something. Make gods for us who will lead us. That Moses, the man who got us out of Egypt—who knows what’s happened to him?”  (Exodus 32:1)

What set me off when I read this were the words, “That Moses.” You mean that Moses whom God called from a placid life of obscurity with a burning bush? That Moses who, despite his own insecurity and fear for his life, approached Pharoah multiple times, announcing plagues across Egypt? That Moses whom God spoke to specifically and used to save your Israelite hide, leading you across the Red Sea? 

Moses returns and is flabbergasted. Had they not learned anything? Even if something had happened to him, why did they not see his example and seek God’s guidance? After all that they had been through, the first thing the people choose to do as soon as Moses is away is to melt a bunch of gold to make an idol to worship?!

Where I would have been tempted to walk away and watch God incinerate the whole bunch of them, Moses humbly intercedes for the people (vv 31-32).

Pastors and ministry directors everywhere have a seemingly impossible, and often thankless, job. They are called by God to shepherd and serve. The job skills called upon often range from administration to public speaking to building maintenance. The hours are unpredictable. The stress is sometimes off-the-charts unbelievable. 

So let’s stop to thank the pastors and spiritual influencers in our lives. Thank you for the emails or cards that you were praying for me. Thank you for the hospital visits. Thank you for showing grace when I complain. Thank you for the missed sleep, date nights or kids’ events when a crisis happened in our church. 

And for dozens of other things, large and small…Thank you!

GOING DEEPER:

1.  October is Pastor Appreciation Month.  Bless your pastor (or other special spiritual influencer) today!  Send a meal, give a gift card, write a note, do their yard work, support them in prayer, but most of all, take a moment to verbally affirm their work.

FURTHER READING:

Isaiah 52:7; Titus 1:5-9

Along with caring for her husband and two children, Carolyn works as an insurance representative, serves in Oakwood Church’s Student Ministries with an awesome group of junior high girls, and is the treasurer for Women’s Ministries.

Wrestling Match
By Peggy Kleckner

“So Jacob was left alone and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, ‘Let me go, for it is daybreak.’

“But Jacob replied, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’”
Gen 32:24-26

Left alone with a wrestling match. I’ve been there with God. I have gone to prayer whining and complaining and wanting my way. I have gone to prayer trying to hide behind my “success,” at least to all outward appearances. God, in His grace, kept me wrestling, wearing away my pretenses, and still I stubbornly hung on. Like Jacob, I haven’t even wanted to admit a new weakness that God has pointed out. Finally, light begins to dawn in my darkness and I won’t let God go because I know I need Him. I want His blessing and He is willing to give it when I come out of denial and admit who I am, or at least who I was, before the wrestling began.

I remember in the movie You’ve Got Mail, the woman is given advice from yet another movie, The Godfather. She is told to “go to the mats.” Apparently, to fight for what she wants, she should give it her all until she has nothing left for the fight. Well, here we are on the mat with God! Kind of funny, if you were posting the marquis “God vs. (insert your name).” It certainly sounds silly, yet we each do it more than once in our lifetime. We want what we want. We stubbornly hold on to our plan. We think we can persuade God to agree with us, to let us win this one particular match.

The key to a win in this, or any other, wrestling match with God is our surrender. In surrender, we are blessed. We are called to release our plans, our hold, and allow Him to lead us.

Jacob left the match blessed with humility and a changed heart. May the same be true for each of us.

GOING DEEPER:
1. What dream or plan are you holding on to?
2. Have you considered surrendering it to God?

FURTHER READING:
Genesis 32; Jeremiah 29:11-13

Peggy is a wife and mother of four adult children - - two sons and two stepsons, and is an active encourager at Oakwood Church in Delafield. She serves as the Coordinator of Fresh Start.

Persevere!
By Susan Klein

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Hebrews 12:1

Riding the exercise bike at the fitness center, I had my MP3 player tuned in to the news station being televised on the screen in front of me. (Watching it relieves some of the monotony of pedaling my heart out for 30 minutes while going nowhere!)

“We are in a real recession, folks!” pronounced the newscaster. “Jobless rates have hit a new high, as have bankruptcy filings,” he continued. And then followed the reports of the national deficit that keeps climbing, taking us deeper into debt. It was depressing! I wanted to get off the bike and run down the sidewalk to drown my sorrows in a white chocolate mocha at Le Café Bistro. But I didn’t. I tuned out the TV, tuned in to some praise music, and biked with my eyes closed.

We are in an age of uncertainty, to be sure. There is no guarantee that we will still have a job tomorrow, that our retirement funds will remain intact, or that there will be any money left in Social Security when it comes time for us to draw on it. Our air and water quality continue to worsen, and health care choices may soon be out of our hands altogether. So, what do we do about it?

Well, as I see it, we have only one option. We RUN! I’m not talking “head for the hills!” kind of running, or abandoning the bike for the coffee shop, but getting up and running the race marked out for us with every fiber of our beings. We don’t give up on that job we hate, or the marriage that is so unfulfilling, or the wayward son that has strayed so far that we don’t know how he’ll get back. We ENDURE with the steadfastness that God is trying to build in our lives. We accept that this is where He has us and believe that He is running with us. And every bump on the path just serves to strengthen our running legs!

When life has you down, and you’re tempted to cry, “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” Don’t just get up, get up and run! Put on your running shoes and fly like the wind until you get to the finish line! The prize will be so worth it!

GOING DEEPER:
1. What obstacles are keeping you from running the race?
2. Hand off any hindrances or confess any sins to God and trust that He has taken them away from you. Then, get up and get back in the race. RUN!

FURTHER READING:
James 1:12; 5:11

Susan is a We Women Bible Study Coordinator and one of its teachers. She and her husband Mark enjoy tutoring and working with inner-city youth.

The Swans

By Vernette Kureck

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?  Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”  

Luke 11: 11-12

“Lord, it would be the end of a perfect summer if I could just see those swans.” That was my lament last autumn on a colorful, sunny day as my husband and I chugged around Lake Nagawicka for the last boat ride of the season. We had heard that a family of swans had taken up residence on the lake, but we had never seen them. As we approached the entrance to our back channel, lo and behold, there they were, looking beautiful and majestic in their white plumage. We parked the boat and I ran down to the other end of the channel so I could enjoy their feeding frenzy on the duckweed. 

This summer, we have seen the swans every time we went out on the lake…and there are now three families. Whenever I see them, I am grateful and remember how sweetly God honored my simple prayer last year. John 14:13 says, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” In my prayer life, I have asked God for big things and small things, trusting that His perfect will be done. Answers have come in the form of “yes,” “no” or “not now.”

Jesus loves to glorify the Father, the Creator of all the universe. For me to enjoy those swans was to bring praise to the Father’s workmanship. In the context of the above Scripture, Jesus is teaching that the presence of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life is far more important than receiving material blessings. The lesson for me last fall was to see how much the Lord was aware of my desires expressed in less-than-ardent prayer form, and His willingness to give me the good gift: seeing the swans. The lesson this summer - -  every time I saw the swans - - was how His good gifts are multiplied and manifested through the Holy Spirit. My prayer became the last stanza of an old hymn: “God, who touchest earth with beauty, make me lovely too.  Keep me ever by thy Spirit, pure and strong and true.”1  

GOING DEEPER

1. Do you have any natural reminders of answered prayer that lead you to praise God?

2. Which “good” gifts have you been focusing on?

  

FURTHER READING:

Matthew 7:7-11; Galatians 5:22

Vernette and her husband Ken have been married 44 years. They have been blessed with seven grandchildren from their two sons and their wives. Vernette is Oakwood’s Financial Secretary. 

1 C.Harold Lowden,  “God, Who Touchest Earth With Beauty”

Security

By Tracy Smith

“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

Psalm 9:10

Thursdays are my grocery shopping day.  In running my errands, I pass my oldest son’s middle school. One particular Thursday, I happened to glance at the school as I drove by and saw my son sitting on the sidewalk reading a book! I pulled into the parking lot; after he was in the van, he told me that he had missed the bus. Knowing his dad could be there within the hour, he called his dad’s cell phone and left a message to pick him up. When I asked why he didn’t call me, he responded that he knew I grocery shopped that day. I reminded him that the reason I saw him is that one of the stores I shop at is right across the street from his school!

In recounting the story to my sister, something occurred to me - - my son was so secure in the knowledge that his dad would come get him when he got the message that he was calmly sitting on the sidewalk reading a book! He was in no way worried about how he would get home.

If my son can have that much security in the love and trustworthiness of his earthly father, why do I struggle with having that same trust in my heavenly Father?

In asking that question, I decided to search out Bible verses that I can use to remind me of God’s character.  My favorite is the one at the top of this devotional; here are a few more that really resonated with me:

“In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.” Psalm 22:4 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 

“Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.” Isaiah 26:4  

“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” Proverbs 29:25

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8

GOING DEEPER

1. Have you been struggling with fully putting your trust in the Lord? If so, would you commit to memorizing a verse about God’s trustworthiness?

Along with being a wife and mother to two boys, Tracy is an administrative assistant at Oakwood, serves on the Women’s Ministry Special Events Team and leads a great group of Junior High girls.

Seeing the World through Dusty Windows
By Elin Henderson

“That the eyes of your understanding be enlightened…”
Ephesians 1:18

Have you ever let your car go a little too long without a washing? Ice, snow, and salt in the winter and dirt and mud the rest of the year can coat the vehicle and pretty soon you look like you are driving a clump and not a car! With all the dust here in Africa, our car is perpetually reddish brown instead of the taupe color it should be. A mere brush with my truck right now could result in an instant trip to the laundry!

This dust is particularly bad for seeing out of the windows, except perhaps through the “Wash me!” that someone has graciously written on the rear window. In fact, the dust can get so bad that we start perceiving reality wrong. For example, I have wondered why there was a grove of trees in a large opening in a field, then realizing that it was a village of huts. Or, why a local boy was herding dogs down the side of the road, only to find out they were goats.

I recently came across this beautiful and very old poem:

“The man that looks on glass.
On it may stay his eye:
Of, if he pleaseth, through it pass.
And then the heavens espy.” – Herbert (1)

At times, the “glass” of our view of life becomes so dirty that we start to perceive things incorrectly. We focus on the dust and lose sight of the view beyond. Instead of seeing the Lord’s gracious hand teaching us through trials, we wonder why He is picking on us or punishing us. He allows a mishap into our life so that we will lean upon Him, but we become angry with Him and perceive it as an obstacle we must overcome in our own strength. The reality is there, but because of misperception, we miss out on the blessing.

I believe that as long as we are in these fallen bodies, our glass will always be slightly obscured. However, when we want to know what’s truly going on behind the glass, it is best to ask the Lord to remove the haze and reveal the reality of what He has in mind. Often, He removes it and gives us a clear view of reality, but then again, sometimes He allows it to remain and says, “Walk by faith.” Either way, let’s keep in mind that we often see the world through “dust-covered windows.”

GOING DEEPER:
1. Is there a situation in your life that you aren’t seeing clearly? Ask God to give you a clear view.

FURTHER READING:
Ecclesiastes 6:12, 7:13, 24; 2 Corinthians 5:7

(1) Let Go, Archbishop Fenelon (17th century Archbishop), Published by Whitaker House, USA, 1973, page 27.

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

Whose Interests?
By Jen Wollner

“Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…”
Philippians 2:4-5

My husband is a patient man who rarely complains about anything. One of his particularly selfless acts speaks volumes about his character: He gets up with our “early risers” everyday and has never once griped about it! Now, if you are a morning person, this might not seem like a big deal to you. But, if you are a night-owl like I, well, it’s a precious gift to be able to stay in bed a few extra minutes, if the schedule allows. But, it’s more than that. See, we often go to bed at the same time. Some nights he even stays up later than I do. So, it’s not that he’s an “early to bed, early to rise” kind of guy. He would love to stay in bed and catch some more Z’s, too, but he doesn’t…and he never grumbles, never asks me to get up instead and never complains about how tired he is. He just does it, attending to the needs of his children and, in turn, honoring his wife.

We all know people who serve tirelessly, looking out for the interests of someone beyond themselves. The soldier who risks life and limb to defend the freedoms of a nation. The friend who clears her busy schedule to be a listening ear and shoulder to cry on. The missionary who gives up personal comfort and safety to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the poor and needy. The wife who cares for months, or years, for her ailing husband.

I’m ashamed to admit that my own attitude is too often dictated by my moods, circumstances and selfish desires. I’m eternally grateful that we have not only a forgiving God, but also the living example in Jesus Christ of what kind of sacrificial attitude is pleasing to the Lord. And, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can rise above our selfish nature and add others’ needs into the mix.

I’m so grateful to my husband for the ways he cheerfully “looks to the interests of his family.” And, until our children are teenagers who sleep the morning away, he will have many more opportunities to display a Christ-like attitude in our home!

GOING DEEPER:
1. What do you find yourself grumbling about? How can you change your attitude about this situation and, instead, be a better representative of Christ?
2. Who in your life has put your interests before his/her own? Write a thank you note to that person.

FURTHER READING:
Colossians 3:17

Jen and her husband are busily parenting three elementary-aged children. She serves on the leadership team for Mission: Hope, Oakwood’s orphan care ministry.

In the Stillness
By Janet Byrne

“Be still before the Lord, all mankind…”
Zechariah 2:13

My family recently spent quality time with close friends. We were at a cottage “up north.” Two hours in a car can go by delightfully with children that are sleeping. Our children were wide awake. Potty breaks, “Are we there yet” and the occasional “I’m hungry,” plagued us. I was less than relaxed when we arrived. Vacations tend to start out that way, don’t they? The hustle and bustle of packing, leaving, driving and arriving rarely equate to stillness.

After a picnic lunch we were off to the beach…a private beach. With every step closer, I was becoming more and more relaxed. The wind blowing through the canopy of trees calmed me. We would soon have the beach all to ourselves. As my girlfriend and I sat down in lounge chairs, we enjoyed God’s beauty all around us...the blue sky, the lake in front of us, nature, etc. Stress found a new home as we welcomed stillness to sit with us. In that stillness, God revealed Himself to us by sending a bald eagle. It made two graceful passes directly over us. His majestic poise and powerful claws were a sight to behold. I encountered incredible beauty and power in my place of stillness.

God desires to bless you and me, and reveal Himself to us in the stillness. He desires for us to slow down and look for Him. Jesus went away to a quiet place often because He knew distractions would keep Him from hearing His Father’s voice. He wanted to be still before the Father so that He could give Him His full attention. I would have never experienced seeing the bald eagle had I not stopped and been still that day.

Today, we are so busy. We sometimes miss the many ways God wants to make Himself known to us. It may be through a rainbow, meditation on His Word, a quiet time of prayer or an eagle. The following is an excerpt from a book entitled Too Busy Not to Pray, by Bill Hybels.

“No one can become an authentic Christian on a steady diet of activity. Power comes out of stillness; strength comes out of solitude. Decisions that change the entire course of your life come out of the Holy of Holies, your times of stillness before God.” (1)

May God draw you into stillness today and reveal Himself to you. May you experience stillness…may you experience the Father.

GOING DEEPER:
1. What is keeping you from becoming still before the Father? Are you willing to withdraw to a quiet place this week and allow Him to reveal Himself to you?

FURTHER READING:
Acts 10:9-20; Mark 1:35

(1) ©1988 by Bill Hybels, InterVarsity Press

Janet is the Women’s Ministries Prayer Coordinator and cares for her husband, Yancy and their two sons.

You Are Special!
By Susan Klein

“The Lord takes delight in you.”
Psalm 149:4

When my children were young, one of our absolute favorite bedtime stories was Max Lucado’s You Are Special. It is a heartwarming tale about a village of small wooden people (Wemmicks) who spend their days sticking gold stars or gray dots on each other, depending on how they value that person. For example, if a person is pretty or talented, she gets a gold star. If one is clumsy or dull, he gets a gray dot.

The story centers on a small boy who seems to get more than his fair share of gray dots. Then he meets a girl with no stars or dots. They just refuse to stick to her! He inquires about her lack of stickers and she refers him to Eli, the woodcarver who created all the Wemmicks. The boy decides to pay him a visit. Eli tenderly picks him up and calls him his child. He lets the boy know that he thinks he is very special! It doesn’t matter what he can or can’t do, just the fact that Eli created him makes him special. Eli tells him that the more he trusts his love, the less he’ll care about the stickers. He gently reminds the boy that he is special because Eli made him, and he doesn’t make mistakes!

I’d always end up in tears at the end of the story when the dots started to fall off the boy as he finally realized how special he was! What a great story to fall asleep to…knowing that you are special to God! Perhaps, like the boy in the story, we could use a reminder of how special we are. Try some of these truths on and let them stick!

The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing! (Zephaniah 3:17)
He created you in His image! (Genesis 1:27)
God has made you an heir! (Galatians 4:7)
He gives you eternal life and you shall never perish; no one can snatch you out of His hand! (John10:28)
He knit you together and created your inmost being! (Psalm 139:13)
God loves you with an everlasting love and has drawn you with loving-kindness! (Jeremiah 31:3)
He is enthralled by your beauty! (Psalm 45:11)
God has plans to prosper you, to give you hope and a future! (Jeremiah 29:11)

GOING DEEPER:
1. Which of these truths do you need to focus on today to know that you are very special to your Creator? Spend time in His Word discovering new truths and promises that he has in store for you

Susan is a We Women Bible Study Coordinator and one of its teachers. She and her husband Mark enjoy tutoring and working with inner-city youth.

Goodness
By Elizabeth Cole

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

Galatians 5:22-23

We’ve been eating a lot of fruit in our house lately. I think it might be a desperate attempt to hold on to summer…despite howling winds, orange-hued leaves and the need for a coat! But all that fruit has re-reminded me of what we all know: Just because it looks good on the outside doesn’t mean it’s good on the inside. Especially green grapes. Within the last several weeks, I’ve been literally disappointed by “sour grapes”!

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul is listing the fruit of the Spirit as examples of what Spirit-led living looks like. The Galatian church had alarmed him with news of its conflicts: theological, social and gender. So he offers them the answer to conflict: Living by the Spirit. (1) Then he illustrates it with a picture. And that bountiful harvest includes goodness.

One of the reasons I like the biblical word “goodness” is because it’s efficient…it not only describes a state of being (moral and spiritual excellence known by its sweetness), but also its results (active kindness). (2) Makes me think of those other green grapes I’ve had in my home…the ones that not only looked delectable, but tasted as good as they looked! Good fruit.

The goodness that only the Holy Spirit can produce in our lives is a goodness which flows from a rightly-movitated heart. Oh dear. That means that martyr-complex attitude after serving? Not good fruit. The unseen irritation when helping a friend? Yeah…not good fruit. The giving of resources out of obligation? Nope.

I can’t help but be dismayed when I think about authentic goodness. My first reaction is to tell myself how much I’ve got to work on that. And then Scripture reminds me: We’re not talking about my hard work; we’re talking about “fruit that is supernatural in origin (being the Spirit’s fruit) and natural in growth (being the Spirit’s fruit).” (3) It is the Spirit who produces the fruit from within me, the fruit that is evidence to other people of His residence in my life. My part? To ensure the garden of my heart has right conditions for fruit to naturally grow. Conditions of soft soil, of sowing what pleases the Spirit, of not growing weary in doing good (Galatians 6:8-9). Then the supernatural fruit naturally follows!

I’m headed to the Piggly Wiggly later today looking for a last bowl of sweet summer fruit. You know, the kind that looks and tastes like goodness!

GOING DEEPER:
1. Where is the Spirit at work aligning your heart and actions toward authentic goodness?

FURTHER READING:
2 Thessalonians 1:11

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

(1) Scott McKnight, The NIV Application Commentary, pp. 277-278.
(2) John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Galatians, p. 168.
(3) John Stott, Baptism and Fullness, p. 103.

Outside vs. Inside

By Tracy Smith

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7

Two different doctors looked at the mole on my husband’s back and declared it nothing to worry about, it looked fine. The dermatologist offered to take it off because it was big and could catch on things. The surprising diagnosis came back a week later: basal cell carcinoma. Something that looked okay on the outside was, in fact, something ugly when the inside was inspected under a microscope. He needed to make a trip back to the doctor in order to make sure they got all of the cancer out; otherwise, the cancer would grow back.

We, like the doctor, look at the outside of a person in order to try to judge the inside. Like the doctor, we can be wrong; the outside can deceive. God looks to the inside. He knows that the inside is what shows a person’s true heart. The Lord knows how good we are at “prettying up” what is, in fact, quite ugly.

If we look to the inside of ourselves and find something ugly, we need to be open to cleaning it all out of our heart in order to make sure it does not return. Psalm 139:23-24 (MSG) says, “Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong - - then guide me on the road to eternal life.”  This verse is about asking God to show you any “cancer” that resides inside you and asking the Great Physician to heal you!

While regular trips to the dermatologist for skin checks are in my husband’s future, we all need to make sure we are making regular trips to the Great Physician for a heart check!

GOING DEEPER

1. What kinds of things do you do to “pretty up” what is in your heart?

2. What actions can you take, with God’s help, to clean it up?

FURTHER READING

1 Peter 3:3-4; Psalm 51:10; Luke 6:45

Along with being a wife and mother to two boys, Tracy is an administrative assistant at Oakwood, serves on the Women’s Ministry Special Events Team and leads a great group of Junior High girls.

A Different Perspective

By Susan Klein

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.

Isaiah 55:8

Floating in a hot air balloon at 2500 ft. up gives one a different perspective of the earth below. Everything looks so small and close together. In fact, at one point on my recent voyage, I could see the Milwaukee skyline to my left and Madison’s to my right. How close they appeared!

Our perspective really is relative to our circumstances. For instance, a person growing up in a war-torn third world country has a totally different perspective of everyday life than someone living in North America. Or, the first day of college for a freshman is seen from a much different perspective than that of a senior. Though our perspective can change as our circumstances change, or when seen through another’s eyes, God’s perspective never changes. He sees the whole picture all the time. Scripture tells us He has no beginning and no end; He sees all, hears all, and knows all, and He never changes. We have such limited knowledge, vision, and experience that we can’t possibly see things from His omniscient perspective. Let me share an example.

I exited the fitness center the other day to find my car dead in the parking lot. My perspective was that I’d be burdened with an inconvenience that would mess up my schedule for the rest of the day, and possibly even the week, since I didn’t know what was wrong with the car. While I waited for the AAA serviceman to arrive, my perspective got even worse. I believe God saw it another way. I believe His perspective might have been something like this: I am going to slightly inconvenience this child of mine today to accomplish a greater purpose. Her car battery will die in this very parking lot so that the man I send to jump start her car will refer her to the auto body shop down the street. When she arrives, she will find a hard-working but under-appreciated older gentleman who will install a new battery. I want him to experience a bit of my love today so she will engage Him in pleasant conversation while he works. It will eventually lead to her speaking about Me. I know this, because I have ordained it.

God may not equip us with His perfect perspective, but He can alter ours when we focus on Him. It is when we completely and utterly trust Him to work in, and through, and around us that He allows us to see glimpses of His divine perspective.

The choice is ours: see things through our circumstances, or exercise our faith and trust God to show us a different perspective.

GOING DEEPER:

1. What practical steps can you take to try to see things through God’s eyes?

2. Will you trust Him even when you can’t see His perspective?

FURTHER READING:

Proverbs 16:9; Isaiah 26:3-4; 1 Corinthians 2:9-12

Susan is a We Women Bible Study Coordinator and one of its teachers. She and her husband Mark enjoy tutoring and working with inner-city youth.