Peace on Earth

by Elizabeth Cole

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

Luke 2:13-14 (NASB)

Finding peace on earth during Christmas could be quite challenging this year. Mamas and their littles displaced from their Syrian homes; governments in crisis; Indonesian earthquakes and Pakistani plane crashes; another terrorist arrested in Rotterdam.

 While Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote “Christmas Bells” over 150 years ago during the Civil War, its last stanza is as bold and true as ever:

“And in despair I bowed my head;

"There is no peace on earth," I said;

"For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep!

The Wrong shall fail,

the Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men!”

The earthy manger held God Himself - - bearing witness to the fact that He is an attentive Promise keeper who would go to extreme lengths to bring reconciliation and peace to His created.

The earthy cross held God Himself - - bearing witness to the fact that He would Himself defeat Wrong and death…for us, in our place.

The earthy tomb couldn’t  hold God Himself - - bearing witness to the fact that He is alive and returning someday, not as a baby, but as a Victor. Right will prevail, He will make this world new and all will be as it should…in peace.

Beloved, we know the end of the story. And as we wait in the “now and not yet,” let us bear witness to what we know to be true. Christ, who is our peace, is here now…and someday, He will bring complete peace on earth. Hold on.

GOING DEEPER:

1.         If you are sensing despair this Christmas, how does the fact of Christ’s victory on the cross and in the future impact you?

2.         What are some practical ways you can bear witness this Christmastime to the peace knowing Jesus gives…despite circumstances?

FURTHER READING:

1 Corinthians 15:20-24, 55-57; Ephesians 2:14-17; Revelation 21:1-5

Elizabeth is a wife with three grown daughters and two sons-in-law, and is the Director of Connecting at Oakwood Church.

A Song for Me

By Lisa Boyer

“Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart

and lean not on your own understanding.”

Proverbs 3:5 (NIV, emphasis added)

Once, I heard a song on the radio; actually, I misheard a song on the radio… 

I had been feeling a bit brokenhearted when I heard the words, “I can’t give You half my heart and pray You make it whole.” Those words brought my world to a stop. I had been praying (and sometimes crying) to God over a particular situation, asking Him to heal my heart. But in that moment, I realized I hadn’t really given it all to Him, I had only given Him “half my heart.”

Though I hadn’t actually said it, my prayers had been for Him to change the situation so that my heart would no longer hurt; not for Him to walk me through the healing process. My request had been wrapped in red tape and unspoken stipulations. I hadn’t been willing to fully surrender the situation or accept the outcome, whatever that may be. I know nothing is impossible with God, but it was seriously foolish of me to give Him only half my heart and expect Him to make it whole. I needed to surrender it all and truly trust Him with the outcome. 

I went back to God in prayer and gave Him everything: the hopes, desires, expectations, disappointments, hurts - - all of it. And then we (He and I) spent time walking through the healing process. Part of that process was my accepting a situation I couldn’t change, and accepting that He chose not to change for me. Another part was trusting that what He was doing was best, even if I didn’t understand it. It wasn’t always easy, in fact, it was hardly ever easy, but it was worth it.

Looking back, I know I heard exactly what I needed to hear on the radio that day… a version of a song God played just for me.   

GOING DEEPER:

1.  Have you been holding back part of yourself from God and expecting Him to honor your prayers? Today, will you completely surrender?

2.  As you read this, did God bring a girlfriend to mind that you should share this with? Will you pass it on to her?

FURTHER READING:

Jeremiah 29:13; Psalm 147:3

Lisa has been married to Ted for 24 years and they have two sons in college. Lisa serves in Quest 56 on Sunday mornings at Oakwood.

A Weary World Rejoices

By Elin Henderson

“…a word in season to him [or her] who is weary…”

Isaiah 50:4a (NKJV)

I can’t think of a better word to describe our world today. People are weary. Weary of worry... weary of hurting…weary of war…weary of hunger…weary of “keeping up with the Joneses.” The church is not immune to this. Many pastors today are weary in their pulpits, wondering, “Is my message getting through?” Laypeople likewise are weary of being in this world but not of it, longing to make a difference but wondering how. Sometimes we can grow weary in our Christian walks…we struggle onward, keeping up appearances, but inwardly knowing that we aren’t where we would like to be.

What do weary people need? Rest, refreshment, relief, and how about some rejoicing?! “Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy….” In the person of Jesus, born in a manger so long ago…. we can rejoice today in who HE is, and what HE has done for us. He is “the shadow of a rock in a weary land”(Isaiah 32:2, NIV). When life becomes dry and empty, He is our shade and protection! He is our “good shepherd” (John 10:11) bringing our weary souls back into the fold of His love and care. He is literally our rest: “This is the rests with which you may cause the weary to rest…” (Isaiah 28:12, NIV). He “…neither faints nor is weary.” He is unstoppable.

What does He do for us? He “…satiates the weary soul” (Jeremiah 31:25, NIV). He alone satisfies us. He fills us up when we are empty! He carries the heavy stuff for us: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me…you will find rest for your souls”(Matthew11:28-29, NIV). He is our powerhouse: “He gives power to the weak and to those who have no might…” (Isaiah 40:29, NIV) He renews our strength: “they shall run and not be weary…walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:30-31, NIV).

Our world is weary…weary of striving and weary of trying. May the message of who Christ is and what He has done (and still does) for us bring rejoicing to our own hearts. May we in turn share this good news of great joy with the weary world around us.

GOING DEEPER:                                                       

1. Can you think of anyone in the Bible, or a friend who knows Christ, who experienced weariness? (Hint: look in your Bible concordance at the back for biblical stories of David, Elijah, Job….)
2. How did who HE was and what HE did refresh them?

FURTHER READING:

Galatians 6:9; Psalms 116:7

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 fourteen-year-old Callie and twelve-year-old Elias.

Overwhelmed

By Lexi Ellis

“…I am overwhelmed with joy despite all our troubles.”

2 Corinthians 7:4b, (MSG, paraphrase)

A few years ago, there was an unexpected opportunity for me professionally, though the timing sure didn’t seem ideal. For the few that knew what was going on, “overwhelmed” became the word  to describe what I was experiencing professionally and feeling emotionally. In the midst of it all, I heard a song on the radio that prompted me to reevaluate the word.

“I hear the sound of Your Voice
All at once it’s a gentle and thundering noise oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming

I delight myself in You
Captivated by Your beauty
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You

God, I run into Your arms
Unashamed because of mercy
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You” [1]

Not the word!  It was supposed to be synonymous with alone, worry, stressed. And yet, over and over again, this song proclaimed it as a positive, one that demonstrated God’s unfathomable goodness.

Curious, I went to Scripture, searching for uses of the word. The first two uses I found fit “my definition” perfectly: “My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear” (Psalm 38:4, NIV).  “Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me” (Psalm 55:5, NIV).

Then I got to the New Testament translations and paraphrases… When referring to Jesus, “People were overwhelmed with amazement...” (Mark 7:37a, NIV).  Elizabeth’s “neighbors and relatives, seeing that God had overwhelmed her with mercy, celebrated with her” (Luke 1: 58, MSG, paraphrase). And in the verse above, Paul is writing to the church in Corinth, overwhelmed with joy.

All of a sudden, my definition seemed limited; I was missing the other half. The realities of our situations and the emotions don’t necessarily get easier. But we can’t stop at exclusively seeing our own circumstances. How much more overwhelming is the goodness of God? How much more overwhelming is His gift of sending Himself to reconcile the relationship with us?

“All that You’ve done is so overwhelming
I delight myself in You
In the Glory of Your Presence
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You” [1]

In the midst of feeling defeated, we are called to be reminded that we are overwhelmingly covered by God’s goodness. The real and big “overwhelmed-ness” I felt with my circumstances and emotions meant that the love God lavishes is even more. The depths of His grace are so much greater…unfathomable and overwhelmingly. 

Going Deeper:

1.      Make a moment to identify what overwhelms you. Don’t invalidate the struggles but recognized how much more overwhelming God’s goodness is.

2.      Click HERE to listen to the song. What phrases of this more complete definition of “overwhelmed” is meaningful for you?

Further Reading:

1 John 3:1; Psalm 107:1; Romans 8:28

Lexi and her husband, Andrew, have an adorable dog named Calvin. Lexi teaches sixth grade Reading and Writing. She serves with Children’s Ministries and is the Fresh Start Coordinator.

[1] Big Daddy Weave, Album: Love Come to Life, “I’m Overwhelmed by You” ©2012; http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/bigdaddyweave/overwhelmed.html

Matthew 2:1-12 (ESV)

What gift will you offer the newborn King?

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem,  saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;  and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 

 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.  And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.  And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.”

Mary, Did You Know?

By Tracy Smith

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Luke 2:19 (NIV)

One of my favorite Christmas songs is “Mary, Did You Know?” The imagery has always spoken to me: the way the song frames who Jesus was and what He did as questions, wondering if Mary understood.

After becoming a mother to sons myself, the song took on new meaning. As I looked at the faces of my sleeping boys, it made me think of Mary looking at the face of baby/toddler Jesus. What did she truly comprehend of who He was?

We know that an angel told her that she would give birth to a Son, conceived through the Holy Spirit and that He would be called the Son of God. We know that Mary accepted what the angel said (Luke 1:29-38). But what did she really understand? Did she know that her “baby boy would give sight to a blind man?” [1] or that her “baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?” [1]

I can’t imagine how Mary looked into the helpless face of her baby, who at the time, was dependent on her for everything, and could truly understand that He would one day save us all from our sins.

We know that she understood something about His power as she came to Him at the wedding in Cana expecting He could do something about the fact that the wine had run out (John 2:1-5).

Yet, at the same time, when Jesus was 12 years old and He stayed behind in the temple, Mary and Joseph were frantic to find Him and seemingly did not think to look there. When they confront Him about the fact that they did not know where He was, He responds in Luke 2, “’Why were you searching for me?’ He asked. ‘Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?’” When He says this, they do not understand what He means.

I can’t even imagine what Jesus’ parents were trying to figure out/understand as He grew into adulthood. Could they ever really comprehend that the child they used to rock to sleep “is the Great I Am?” [1]

What about you? Who do you  understand Jesus to be?

GOING DEEPER:

1. Listen to the Pentatonix version of “Mary Did You Know?” Focus on all that it says Jesus is. (Click HERE to listen to it.)

FURTHER READING:

Luke 1-2

[1]https://play.google.com/music/preview/Tnkvx4abvoc4otzqrfisjf4k7yi?lyrics=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=lyrics&pcampaignid=kp-lyrics

Along with being a wife and mother to two teenage sons, Tracy is a ministry assistant at Oakwood and works with a great group of Junior High girls.

The Wonder of Christmas

By Susan Klein

“… stop and consider God’s wonders.”

Job 37:14 (NIV)

One of my favorite holiday movies is The Nativity.  I particularly love the scene where Mary and Joseph are journeying back to Bethlehem for the census, and they stop for the night, lighting a fire for their dinner. They don’t yet know each other very well, so the atmosphere between them is a bit awkward. But Mary is filled with awe and wonder, and she voices her thoughts aloud to Joseph.  “Do you ever wonder when we’ll know?” she asks, referring to that point when it would become evident that Jesus is not just an ordinary child. Her personal question invokes a very personal response from Joseph. “I wonder if I’ll ever be able to teach him anything.” They share a smile that speaks a thousand words. They’ve both had much on their minds.

Traveling nearly one hundred miles by donkey gives a person much time to wonder about things. I imagine they each wondered why, out of all the people in the world, they were chosen to bear this great responsibility. I imagine they wondered if their child would look or act differently than other children, and how people would respond to him. He would be God’s own Son after all, so would there be noticeable differences? Would he play and do all the silly things other children do? Would he cry, or get hurt? And how would the people in their own village respond to him? They knew he wasn’t Joseph’s son, so would he be treated as an outcast? Yes, there was much to wonder about.

When my children were younger, I enjoyed sitting by the lit Christmas tree at night and reading the Christmas story to them or listening to Christmas music together. I loved to watch their eyes grow bigger as they listened and wondered about all the things they were hearing. I still love to sit by the lit tree at night and ponder all these things in my heart, much the way I imagine Mary pondered things in hers (Luke 2:19). There is something special and tender about just sitting quietly and wondering about all the details of that magnificent event that happened over two thousand years ago. It brings peace to my soul and gives me a sense of closeness to my magnificent heavenly Father. It shows me not only His greatness in thinking through every last detail, but also how personal He is in caring for His own in such intimate ways.

Treat yourself this Christmas with a little time to just sit and wonder!

GOING DEEPER:

1. Which aspect of your own spiritual journey has caused you to wonder at His magnificence?

FURTHER READING:

Luke 2:1-20

Susan is married to Mark, and has two adult children. She enjoys teaching Bible studies, writing, and tutoring with the Literacy Council. She is a member of the Peace Team at Oakwood and also co-leads an on-site small group.

Tell Me

By Lisa Boyer

“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

Romans 5:8 (NLT)

While the beloved movie A Charlie Brown Christmas is well known for Linus’s explanation of the true meaning of Christmas, this year I found myself thinking instead about something that Charlie Brown had said. After checking his mailbox for Christmas cards, Charlie Brown stated, “Nobody sent me a Christmas card today. I almost wish there weren't a holiday season. I know nobody likes me. Why do we have to have a holiday season to emphasize it?” [1]

Hearing those words from Charlie Brown made my heart hurt for him. And then I wondered…are you feeling that way, too? Are you struggling through this Christmas season, longing for reassurance that you matter - - that you are loved? Charlie Brown didn’t necessarily find the perfect answer to his feelings of being “let down” by Christmas. However, I’ve recently heard a song that starts off sounding a bit like Charlie Brown, but ends with answers:  

I feel like I'm a nobody, wonder if I'll ever amount to much

Seems like no matter what I do, it's never gonna be good enough

Should I just give up?

Lord, I need to hear You speak

Tell me I am loved, tell me I am known

That You died for me, I am not alone

Tell me I'm Your child, the one Your heart beats for

I can find my strength knowing I am Yours

You've always known what my heart needs and You tell me

You wrote Your name upon my heart

You knew me long before my life began

You still have a plan and when I'm starting to forget

Jesus, You tell me who I am

You tell me I am loved, tell me I am known

And that You died for me, I am not alone

You tell me I'm Your child, the one Your heart beats for

I will find my strength knowing I am Yours

You've always known what my heart needs

And You tell me

Your voice has the power to heal the hurt inside

Your voice speaks the truth, brings my heart back to life

I am loved

Oh, I am known [2]

I, too, have struggled with the feeling of being “let down” by Christmas. But I can testify that His voice truly does have the power to heal the hurt inside. That He speaks truth and brings my heart back to life…I just have to listen to what He tells me.  

GOING DEEPER:

1.  If you’re struggling, will you spend time in prayer?  And then… will you take the time to listen for His answers?

2.  Take a few minutes to listen to “Tell Me” by Carrolton on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjEUyTBySq8.

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 139; Matthew 6:8; Jeremiah 29:11

Lisa is married to Ted and they have two sons in college. Lisa serves as an event photographer at Oakwood and wherever else she is needed. 

[1] A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) by Charles M. Schulz

[2] Tell Me by Carrolton, Copyright: 2015 Centricity Music

Lessons From the Barnyard

By Jeannine Sawall

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand."

John 10:27-28 (NIV)

Do you ever wonder why the Lord calls us His sheep? There are a lot of lessons we can learn about our Christian walk from the barnyard if we just stop and look for a moment. Sheep are animals who long to be with their Shepherd. When he calls, they respond. They love to be in community with other sheep and don’t often wander from the flock. They are content to just sit and graze on the lush grass and will only move on when the Shepherd calls to the flock. And a sheep desires to be clean. They try to avoid the thickets that will catch in their wool and entrap them. If they get mud on them, they do whatever they have to to clean the mud off their wool, unlike a pig, who likes to stay and wallow in the mud.  

As Christians, it would do our spiritual lives good if we adopted “sheeply” behaviors. When the Lord calls, do we respond immediately? Do we recognize His voice above all others? Do we long to be in the company of other believers encouraging one another? And if we have wandered off, do we respond as soon as we hear His voice and hurry back? Do we find His Word nourishment on a daily basis and contentedly take in the lessons He’s teaching us until He moves us forward? And how do we deal with the sin in our lives? Do we avoid the temptations that easily ensnare and entangle us, or do we head straight for the thicket? When we find ourselves in sin, do we casually excuse it with the phrase "Everyone sins!" and continue in the filth like a pig, or do we do whatever it takes to turn 180 degrees, remove the dirt from us and continue to sin no more? 

The Lord calls us His sheep for a good reason. They provide a vivid image on how to respond to our Lord. Sheep long to be with each other and the Shepherd more than anything else. And even if we wander, the Shepherd comes after us, wanting us to respond to His promptings. We need to go no further than a barnyard to learn these spiritual lessons. The Shepherd is calling to us; it's our privilege to respond like a sheep to His voice.

GOING DEEPER:

1.  How do you respond when you hear the Good Shepherd’s voice calling you?

2.  What do you do when you find yourself in sin?

FURTHER READING:

John 10:11; Isaiah 53:6; Psalm 23:1-6

Jeannine is a wife and mother of four great boys. She works in the property management business. Jeannine serves in several behind-the-scenes ministries at Oakwood and has a heart for those who are grieving.

S.I.N. Scan

 By Elin Henderson

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me...”

Psalm 139:23,24a (NKJV)

Most all of us have had (or will have) some kind of scan of our body: an MRI, CAT scan, ultrasound scan, etc… Its job is to see the unseen, check out what is going on inside, and then give clarity and wisdom to the doctors who are deciding on a diagnosis for us. Sometimes, we knew something was wrong (hence why we were at the doctors). Other times, there were not any symptoms and yet something revealed in the scan indicated that something WAS indeed really wrong. 

In Psalm 139, David recommended for himself, and for us, a frequent SIN scan from God. A scan that goes beyond the outward appearance into the heart itself, looking for areas of degeneration, areas of division (anxiety = divided), places where growth should be happening but it isn’t. Or maybe there is an out-and-out infection that is eating our souls because we refuse to deal with it? 

At other times, David speaks of having a clean heart and clean hands. I can’t help but think that he could say such a thing because he submitted to frequent SIN scans from on High. If we want to live healthy spiritual lives full of growth and abundance, we too must submit to frequent SIN scans… allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal to us any areas of known or unknown sin, hardness or even atrophy.

Now what we do with the results of the SIN scan is up to us. Will we recognize the shortcomings, the failures, the areas that need to be grown and changed? Or will we just choose to allow them to remain as is? More often than just Communion Sunday, let’s take the time to submit to frequent SIN scans, keeping our accounts short, our sins confessed, and our growth in line with what God has for us!    

           

GOING DEEPER:                                                       

1.      When was the last time you submitted to a SIN scan from on High? 

2.      As God reveals deficit areas in our lives, what are some ways we can be actively pursuing growth and change?

FURTHER READING:

1 John 1:9; Job 17:9; Psalm 51:10

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 sixteen-year-old Callie and fourteen-year-old Elias.