Intentional Community

By Brita Crouse

“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 10:24-25 (NIV)

Once, while in college, my high school friends and I met up at a local coffee shop. We sat at a small, round table, elbow-to-elbow, and talked about the changes we have seen in each other over the past eight years. Some of us were getting married, starting new jobs or new relationships, and some of us were going through really difficult things. 

One thing we all agreed on: Our friendship isn’t “normal.” It is a precious gift from God. Most college kids don’t stay in touch with their friends from back home. We did, though, despite attending schools in five different states (none of them Wisconsin), and having vastly different, life-changing experiences.

The secret to our long-lasting friendship? Intentionality and vulnerability. We talked regularly, saw each other whenever we could, supported one another during times of suffering, and laughed together during times of joy. We were open and honest with one another. We apologized when we need to, held each other accountable, and spurred one another on with biblical truths.

These friendships have given me a clear picture of how the Church should operate. How different would our lives be if we interacted with others in this way on a daily basis?

We have been created as relational beings, to be known and to know others. If you have ever spent a long time alone, you will know this to be true. Our faith life, our struggles, and our triumphs are not meant to be kept a secret. Believing that you are the only one who is going through something difficult is one of the biggest lies Satan tells. You are never alone in your struggles. Not only do you have God, but you also have a community of believers who are ready to give support and encouragement.

It wasn’t easy for me, but I have learned how to be vulnerable with this group of friends, and guess what? They still loved me. They encouraged me, prayed for me, and “spurred [me] on toward love and good deeds.”

When we are transparent with one another, those feelings of isolation and loneliness disappear, bonds are formed, and we are brought into an intentional community, where we are loved and supported. 

GOING DEEPER:

1.  Who can you be encouraging this week?

2.   What are ways that you can be spurring on your friends and family this week?

FURTHER READING:

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Proverbs 27:9; 1 Corinthians 12:12

Brita is currently working toward her Master’s in Counseling at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She has called Oakwood her home church for the past seventeen years.

The Great Pursuit

By Elin Henderson

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…”

Psalms 23:6a (NKJV)

Since the beginning of time, there has been a great pursuit going on, one that to this day has never ceased. This great pursuit is that of the God of this universe, actively pursuing mankind. We see this first evidenced in the early chapters of Genesis, when God came down and called to Adam and Eve in the garden, knowing full well they had sinned against Him. He then pursued Cain after he killed his brother, offering a chance for repentance. He pursued Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Saul, David, and the list could go on and on.

The Hebrew word for “follow” according to Strong’s Dictionary(1) is “Radaph” and one of the meanings is “to pursue,” literally to “be on the heels of.” David tells us that surely  His goodness and mercy continually pursue mankind, nipping at their heels saying, “Turn to me, look to me, I am right here!” We can’t escape it, even if we want to.

He pursues us for salvation, and then pursues an intimate relationship with us. This active following never stops as long as we have breath. His pursuit of goodness reminds us of His love and compassion for us; His pursuit of mercy reminds us of His great long-suffering and forgiveness. Together, they bring a package deal of security and strength!  

So, let us always be aware of the pursuit that is constantly taking place in our own lives, and in the lives of those around us. May it impact us every moment of every day. We too are part of “The Great Pursuit” which will be talked about for all of eternity!

GOING DEEPER:      

1.  How have you experienced the “Great Pursuit” either in salvation and/or your daily walk?

2.  How should this awareness of His pursuit of us impact how we react to circumstances and live each day?

FURTHER READING:

Isaiah 50:7-8a; Psalms 27:13; Psalms 13:5

(1)  http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/kjv/radaph.html

         

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.

Chasing

By Lexi Ellis

“For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.”

Psalm 63:7-8 (NASB)

I recently read the words of an actress discussing turning 40 years old. She said, “The trick for me turning 40 was to really evaluate what I wanna do with this next phase in my life…The one thing I don’t wanna do is chase what I looked like at 20.”[1]

I think of actresses who very clearly “chase” what they used to look like through plastic surgery. We roll our eyes at it, but think of the multi-billion dollar industries that thrive on our chasing what we used to look like. Think of the money and resources we spend to change - - desperately chase - - in an attempt to recapture what used to be.

The more I thought about it, the more I saw how silly it is on paper. Why chase something that’s gone? Why spend the time and money desperately trying to look 20 when you’re not? How foolish to chase something that isn’t now obtainable.

And yet, I do the same thing. What do I chase instead of God? What do I desperately run after in my life that isn’t obtainable? I chase control. I chase consistency. I chase my plans. I chase my way. I chase my timing. I chase outcomes I want.

These things I chase aren’t for my best. They’re not obtainable if I want to serve and love others like Jesus did. They’re not things I can dwell on if I’m about advancing the Kingdom. The things I’m chasing, the things I’ve built my security on, are distractions and obstacles to fully surrendering to Him.

Instead of chasing things of this world, how would my life look differently if I intentionally chose to chase after my Creator? What kind of words would I use differently if I was continually chasing God’s will? What kind of attitude would I have if I strove to chase my Savior? The best part about chasing God instead of my own agenda is that it’s a drastically different result, as in, it’s an obtainable relationship.

The petty things I chase affect my relationship with God because they consume me. They reveal my selfishness. I need to deliberately choose to chase God, to choose to cling to Him like the psalmist David does in Psalm 63. This actress realized chasing something unobtainable like younger looks is foolish.

May we see the insignificant things we chase and choose to make a shift so we find ourselves chasing Him.

GOING DEEPER:

1.  What worldly things are you chasing?

2.  What do you need to do right now to chasing your God?

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 63:1-5; Deuteronomy 13:4

[1] http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20360857_20694095,00.html

Lexi and her husband, Andrew, have an adorable puppy named Calvin. She teaches sixth grade at Silver Lake Intermediate School. Lexi serves with Children’s Ministries at Oakwood and is the Fresh Start Coordinator.

Gatekeepers Of Our Tongues

By Susan Klein

“A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”

Proverbs 25:11 (NIV)

Oh, the power of the spoken word! They can build up or tear down, instruct or deceive, lead to life or to death. Once they’ve left our tongues, words can never be put back. Thus, we must inspect our words carefully before they leave the building!

Recently, I saw an old Arabian Proverb that proclaimed: “The words of the tongue should have three gatekeepers: is it true, is it kind, is it necessary?” Wouldn’t we love to have these three gatekeepers constantly attending our lips?!!

How easy is it to tell a “little white lie” or only admit to a half-truth when it suits our purpose? And who hasn’t embellished a story to make it more interesting for the hearer? If we ignore the gatekeeper of truth, our lying could lead to some seriously undesirable consequences. Scripture admonishes, “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who are truthful” (Proverbs 12:22, NLT). It also carries a warning: “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will not go free” (Proverbs 19:5).

I know I’ve uttered more than a few unkind words in my life. No sooner had they left my lips than I wished I could have taken them back. I’ve learned (often the hard way) that “a gentle answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1). Oftentimes, our unkind words are unleashed in the heat of anger or frustration. Perhaps we feel let down, or our expectations haven’t been met. I believe the gatekeeper of kindness understands grace. Ephesians 4:32 says: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”  If God could show such kindness and compassion to me while I was steeped in sin, how can I not show kindness to others whose offenses are far less?

“Is it necessary?” Have you ever not answered the phone because the caller might talk for hours? Or, who of us hasn’t offered unsolicited advice to a friend or family member when all they needed was a listening ear? According to God’s Word, it is never necessary to use our words to gossip, to slander, to betray a confidence, to tear another down, to blaspheme, or to deceive. Conversely, it is always necessary to use our words to comfort, to build up, to encourage, to teach, and to share the Word of God.

As King Solomon once said, “He who guards his lips guards his soul” (Proverbs 13:3a). Wise words to live by.

GOING DEEPER:

1. Identify any gatekeepers you may not be employing.

2. Choose what is necessary.

FURTHER READING:

Ephesians 4:25,29,32; Colossians 4:6

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.

Run Your Own Race

By Karen D’Amore

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 (NIV)

I was a distance runner for many years, until knee surgeries forced my withdrawal from the race circuit. Discouragement cocooned me into a state of idleness, where I often reminisced about my marathon days. Recently, I dusted off my running shoes and resumed training for a different race. Starting out slow, I was initially discouraged and embarrassed by my 20 mpm pace. But with discipline and perseverance, I worked my way up to six consecutive miles at a 12 mpm pace.

I’d been training for this race for several months. Though only a 5k, it was substantial strides from the couch I’d been warming for many years. I was surrounded by hundreds of fitly-toned, seasoned runners and my stomach churned with nervous anticipation as I watched them stretch and warm up for the race. My husband accompanied me, running for the fun of it, but the race didn’t hold the same personal significance for him as it did for me. With diversity in our strides and paces, I worried I’d be thrown off and distracted by our differences. So, as we approached the start line, I told him to “run his own race” and we’d meet at the finish line.

During the race, many runners passed me up, while others lagged behind and some dropped out. In spite of how others were running their race, including my husband who remained by my side, I managed to stay focused on running my own race. As my husband and I crossed the finish line together,  I was encouraged by the cheering of the runners who’d finished before me. And though all the runners had each run with varying strides and paces, we all shared an important thing in common. We each ran our own race…before crossing the finish line!

We’re called to “run with endurance the race God has set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1, NLT) Let’s resist the temptation to compare ourselves with other believers and become distracted by how they run their race.

As we fix our eyes on our Heavenly Pace-setter, He’ll faithfully equip us to run the race He calls us to run and lead us victoriously across the finish line. Let us eagerly anticipate the crossing of that eternal finish line, where we’ll be greeted by the cheering of all who finished the race before us.

Are you ready?????

…………on your mark…get set…GO!  Run your own race!!!!

GOING DEEPER:

1. Identify anything hindering you from running your own race?

2. Are you caught up in the comparison trap? Pray for freedom!

FURTHER READING:

1 Corinthians 9:24; Hebrews 10:36

Married to Dan, Karen, a retired police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns Salon and Foot Care Specialist at Shorehaven Senior Facility. She’s on the Oakwood Women’s Ministry Special Events planning team.

Dog or Wolf?

By Lexi Cole Ellis

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”

Jeremiah 33:3 (ESV)

We watched a fascinating documentary called “Dogs Decoded.” [1] In it, scientists tested to see if the social-cognitive differences in dogs and wolves were genetic or experimental (nature or nurture). Both wolf and dog pups were raised by humans: fed by humans, close contact with humans and socialized with unknown humans. If the wolf pups ended up showing dog-like traits, then domestication was affected by nurture.

Food was set out but the pathway was completely “inaccessible to the animals; human help would be required to access it.” At first, all the pups tried to get to the food on their own. But by minute two, the dogs “began to look towards the humans. This increased over time and by the fourth minute there was a statistical difference…Not only did the wolf pups not spontaneously initiate eye contact…but they also failed to learn that eye contact was the key to solving their problem.” The experiment concluded that:  “Even after being raised by humans, wolves simply do not see humans as potential social partners. The dogs, however, quite rapidly took a social approach to solve each problem they were given.” [2]

It makes me wonder: am I like the wolf pup or the dog pup? When I see that “food” - - my dreams and hopes, my needs - - am I willing to initiate eye contact with my Master? Or do I continue to try on my own in vain, never willing to ask for help…even from the One who has provided for and loved me? Whatever the situation, trial, hardship or struggle I’m facing, am I choosing to act like the wolf or the dog? Do I learn quickly that I should make eye contact with God- - spend time in His Word, pray, ask His Spirit for guidance - - or do I continually try on my own, refusing to ask for help?

Have I built a habit of going to God in prayer first regarding the things that are next in my life? Do I make spending time in His Word a priority in a life where there is often noise and busyness? If I’m honest, I find myself more like the wolf, working towards the things I want…in the way I want. But in the end, it’s not very rewarding. May we be those who initiate eye contact, turning to our Master as we pursue the things we most need.

GOING DEEPER:

1. Identify a situation in your life where you can be more like the dog pup.

2. What do you need to do to depend on God more?

FURTHER READING:

1 Peter 5:7; Isaiah 26:4; Philippians 4:19

[1] Dogs Decoded, aired July 3, 2013 on PBS. You can watch this documentary on Netflix.

[2] Goldman, Jason G. Dog, But Not Wolves, Use Humans As Tools, 30 April, 2012, Scientific American, http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/thoughtful-animal/dogs-but-not-wolves-use-humans-as-tools/

Lexi is married to Andrew and has an adorable puppy named Calvin and teaches sixth grade. She serves with Children’s Ministries and is the Fresh Start Coordinator.

To God be the Glory

By Brita Crouse

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV)

Did you know that Puffer Fish can inflate to several times their normal size? They ingest large amounts of water to make themselves bigger than they regularly are. The reason they do this is to ward off predators. They may be afraid of being eaten or attacked, so “puffing up” protects them from any threats.

There are many days where I feel very similar to a Puffer Fish, but instead of ingesting water, I ingest pride. My fears cause me to “puff up” so I can keep any threats at bay. I catch myself with this inflated pride when I am feeling insecure about my abilities or stressed out about my current situation. Instead of trusting God completely, I use my own defense - - my inflatable pride - - to make others believe I am better than I really am.

The truth is: I am no better than anyone else. What would make me so special or important to be favored over another?

In his book Crazy Love, Francis Chan says this about our verse for today: “Frankly, you need to get over yourself. It might sound harsh, but that’s seriously what it means.” (1) This was the swift kick-in-the-pants that I needed. It is harsh to hear that, but it’s true. In the grand scheme of things, our lives are only a vapor and it is what we do with that time that matters.

Do we glorify God by trusting in our own strength? Do we glorify Him when we put ourselves before others? Is it glorifying to God to put others down to puff ourselves up? The answer to all of these questions should be a resounding, “NO!” Yet, we still find ourselves doing these things.

Instead of focusing so much time on ourselves, what if we focused on others? What if we viewed people, tolerable or intolerable, as if they were Christ Himself? Our attitudes would be completely different! Plus, our actions, and the motives behind those actions, would be glorifying to God.

God created everyone. Not just you. Not just me. Everyone. And He loves His creation. Instead of focusing so much on ourselves, trying to puff up our egos, let’s love others as if they were Christ. In doing this, we will bring Him glory and honor.

GOING DEEPER:

1. What person, or group of people, should you be more loving to this week?

2.  Listen to “In The End” by JJ Heller. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-w4KLSEJUs) Make a conscious effort this week to act in ways that will glorify God.

FURTHER READING:

Proverbs 11:2; Mark 12:29-31

(1) Francis Chan, Crazy Love  (Wheaton: David C. Cook,  2008), 44.

Brita is currently working toward her Master’s in Counseling at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She has called Oakwood her home church for the past seventeen years.

The Pharisee

By Lisa Boyer

“When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner.’”

Luke 7:39 (NIV)

A few years ago, I experienced an “ah-ha” moment while trying to figure out why I didn’t feel particularly loved by Jesus. At the time, I’d written, “During my search, I also learned something about me. I felt reprimanded when I read the Gospels because, honestly, I had always related better to the Pharisees (priding myself on following the rules) than any of the sinners Jesus reached out to with love and compassion. I had never wanted anyone to know I was a sinner…. But when I began aligning myself with the sinners in Scripture, I was met by His love and compassion.” Since then, I’ve learned a few more things: I wasn’t the only one with a Pharisee complex and that it’s a multi-faceted issue… while I had moved past not wanting to admit I was a sinner, there was more to it than that. 

Following that insight, I was at a women’s conference where the speaker was talking about the fruit of the Spirit, but rather than saying what they were, she was cleverly giving examples of what the opposite might be. By the fourth comparison, my heart had sunk so low it was on the floor. God had brought to mind a particular person I was treating this way. I had been so disappointed and angry with her choices that I responded by walking in the flesh. I wasn’t patient...I was frustrated, I wasn’t kind…I was harsh, I wasn’t loving…I was apathetic. The list goes on, but I won’t.

While I could look for and possibly find Bible verses that might support my attitude, the bottom line was that I was still a Pharisee…self-righteous and judgmental… and I needed to make things right. It wasn’t going to be a matter of a simple apology; I needed to confess my sin of walking in the flesh and all that went with it. I left the conference knowing I had an appointment to make.

It’s costly to behave like a Pharisee, which is why I need to be intentional in making sure my primary motivation is love... always love.

GOING DEEPER:

1.  Have you been struggling to act in love towards others? Today, will you go to the Father and share your struggle with Him?

2.  Is there someone you need to apologize to? Will you take steps to do that now?

FURTHER READING:

Galatians 5:22-23; Matthew 5:23-24; Colossians 3:12-14

Lisa has been married to Ted for over 20 years and they have two teenage sons. Lisa administers Fresh Start’s Facebook and blog and serves in Quest 56 on Sunday mornings at Oakwood.

Bloom and Grow

By Jeannine Sawall

Then he said to his disciples, "the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask The Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into this harvest field."

Matthew 9:37-38 (NIV)

Two summers ago, I planted a strawberry patch in my garden. As the snow melted away and the first glimmers of spring began to emerge, I went up to my garden to see how my strawberry patch had fared this past winter. In just a couple of years, those 20 plants have multiplied and spread to fill the patch and are spilling over into other parts of my garden.

As I marveled at my growing patch, I found several lessons for our Christian life. Just as those strawberries spread, our Christian influence is capable of spreading everywhere we go. Strawberries bloom where they are planted and we, as Christians, are to bloom where we are planted. While I started with only 20 plants, they have spilled over and have planted themselves in areas I hadn't planned on. As followers of Christ, our influence can surpass our expectations in areas of our life we didn't expect. Whether it is in our homes, our workplace, our friendships or random encounters, when we allow Christ to reign in our lives, the gospel message spreads.

Even though the patch is flourishing, there's still work to do. In order to enjoy the berries, I have to tend to the patch. The Lord posts a "help wanted" sign in the last part of the verse above from Matthew. When I tend to the patch, the harvest is plentiful and sweet. However, if I ignore it, the weeds get in and choke out the plants, the ripened berries will either rot on the vine or animals whom I do not want to reap the berries will steal my harvest. Any harvest requires workers and while God does not NEED us to get His work done, the glory of it all is He wants to use us. He is willing to share the blessings of His harvest work with us if we are willing to obey and be His workers.

A simple strawberry patch offers us a lot of insight into our spiritual lives. We are to grow our Christian influence wherever we are planted. We are to tend to our spiritual walk and be available to The Lord. If we walk in disobedience or refuse to do the work we are called to, we miss what the Lord has in store for us and our sphere of influence is diminished, allowing others who may not have God's purposes in mind to steal our blessings and the harvest. However, when we walk in obedience and availability, He allows us to bloom and grow.

GOING DEEPER:

1. Where is your Christian influence spreading?

2. How do you make yourself available to reap God's harvest?

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 37:3, 2 Corinthians 9:10, Galatians 6:9

Jeannine is a wife and mother of four active boys. She works in the property management business. Jeannine serves in the Oakwood Cafe and is actively involved in ministry to those walking through grief.

Watch the Salt, Please

By Carolyn Hulliberger

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt,

so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

Colossians 4:6 (NIV)

Salt.  NaCl on the periodic table. Salt enhances flavor, acts as a preservative, melts ice, prevents infection, but there is one other power it has…

Too much salt spoils the dish. [1]

Too many words can ruin a conversation…or a relationship. As a mom of teenagers, I am learning, and seemingly re-learning, this constantly. In my desire to provide guidance and wisdom, the tendency is to jump into a situation, tell the other person what to think, what action steps to complete and advise what Jesus would do…all within the framework of my set of experiences. The result of this approach over time is steadily decreased communication or conversation that does not go below the surface. This isn’t exclusive to relationships with our children but also with our friends, co-workers, and our online life on social media.

The Message paraphrase puts today’s verse this way: “Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.” (Colossians 4:6, MSG)

Without a doubt, as Christ followers, we are called to be salt and light in a dark world. We often need to speak up about the truth of God and His ways. But we are also called to be wise with our words. In Karen Ehman’s book, Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing At All,  she writes: “Our words must glorify God and not just exalt our own opinions.”

So I’m learning to measure my words carefully. Asking a question, listening to an answer, not freaking out, and carefully tailoring my responses with gentleness. I’m working on remembering the principle that a little  salt can go a long way. And that dumping a lot  of salt carelessly will leave a bad taste.

GOING DEEPER:

1.  Are there situations in your own life that need less “salt” than you’ve been using?

FURTHER READING:

Ephesians 4:29; Psalm 19:14; Ecclesiastes 10:12

[1] For more information on this, consider reading Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All  by Karen Ehman, ©2015, Zondervan.

Along with caring for her family, Carolyn works as an insurance representative, and serves in Oakwood Church’s Student Ministries with an awesome group of junior high girls.

Beyond Abilities

By Elin Henderson

“For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing.”

2 Corinthians 8:3 (NKJV)

         

How often we measure our life and our accomplishments past, present and future by our abilities. We look at our measure of strength and from that, we say “I’ll take that job, it falls within my list of abilities, but that one there is a little too beyond me.” In my life and ministry here in Mozambique, the Lord is constantly reminding me to be open to be used beyond my abilities. I am not a teacher, but am called to homeschool my kids with minimal resources and minimal ability/knowledge. My language skill is low, but I’m called to speak into the lives of the people around me and teach literacy classes, stretching far beyond my abilities. On and on the list goes.

In your life, I am sure you can find similar circumstances occurring. God’s power is unleashed into our lives when we are “freely willing,” like the Macedonians Paul was speaking of here, to be used beyond our abilities! Then, we truly experience that for which we have been created; to be used of Him and allowing Him to live His life and purposes out through us with an unexplainable strength.

One of my favorite preachers of old is Phillips Brooks. He was ministering in the US around the time of Abraham Lincoln and has a quote that I keep close by to remind myself to be available “beyond my abilities.”

“Do not pray for easier lives; pray to become stronger men.

Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers;
Pray for powers equal to your tasks.

Then your life shall be no miracle, but you shall be a miracle.

Each day you shall wonder at that which is wrought in you
by the Grace of God.” [1]

May your life be a testimony and miracle of the impossible as you freely and willingly go beyond your abilities by His strength!

         

GOING DEEPER:

1. If you were to make a list of your abilities, what would it look like? How about the things that are beyond your abilities?

2. Do you feel the Lord calling you to any of those areas? Today, “pray for powers equal to your tasks, not tasks equal to your powers.”

FURTHER READING:

Luke 18:27; John 8:28-29

[1] Phillips Brooks – all sermons and quotes available online at The Project Gutenberg Ebook.

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 Callie and Elias. 

“Follow ME” – PERIOD!!

By Karen D’Amore

“Then Jesus said to the disciples, ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him deny himself and take up his cross and Follow ME [emphasis added].’”

Matthew 16:24 (TLB)

Horses LOVE peppermints?! Eager to test out this new revelation, I hiked to the neighboring horse ranch…my pockets overflowing with peppermints. Greeting me, a handful of curious horses patiently waited as I freed the peppermints from their plastic wrappers. One bite and it was clear…this newly-acquired information was true! Within moments, the small group multiplied into a large herd and the feeding frenzy spun out of control. When the horses kept trying to steal the peppermints from my pockets, I backed off and continued my walk along the bridle path. Looking over my shoulder, I noticed the entire herd following me. As I playfully and repeatedly changed my direction of travel, the herd followed me everywhere I went. The herd stopped and wandered back into the pasture once my pockets were empty. For months, I’ve repeated this peppermint ritual; the results always the same. The horses followed me “conditionally”…only if and when I dispensed sweet peppermint treats!

How often we conditionally follow Christ. And yet, repeatedly throughout Scripture, Jesus says, “Follow Me.”   Period!!!  At times I have struggled with putting a comma where God puts a period!  He says “Follow Me,” and I’ve said, “I’ll follow You if…” or “I’ll follow You when…” or “I’d follow you, but…”

As Christ-followers, we are called to follow Jesus. Period!

We’re to follow Him:
…when He’s silent.
…when He says “no” to our plan.
…when He doesn’t answer our prayers the way we think He should.
…when He leads us through undesirable places or circumstances.
…when He asks us to sacrifice our comforts.
…even when His pockets are empty of “sweet treats.”

When Jesus says, “Follow ME,” the “period” should be translated… “unconditionally.” It’s an all-or-nothing invitation! We give up our rights in exchange for a relationship with our Savior. Following Jesus means becoming His shadow:  following Him through “leper colonies,” being friends to outcasts, and standing firm for what’s right, in spite of the cost. It means following Him in the very essence of who we are - -that deep place within where we submit our rights to the One who gave them up for us.

Following Jesus consists of remarkable benefits, but also a price. But whatever   the cost, hearing those words “well done, good and faithful servant” will have made following Him so worth the sweet, eternal “treats.”

How are you responding to His invitation? Prayerfully surrender the “ifs”… “whens”… and… “buts”…and “Follow Jesus”…PERIOD!

GOING DEEPER:

1.  What conditions are you putting on your “following”?

FURTHER READING:

Luke 9:57-62; 1 Peter 2:13-24

Married to Dan, Karen, a retired police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns Salon and a Foot Care Specialist at Shorehaven Senior Facility.  She also serves on the Oakwood Women’s Ministry Special Events team.

“He Marveled”

By Susan Klein

“Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled…”

Matthew 8:10a (NASB)

Whenever I find myself in need of some “real” time with my Savior, I know I can turn to the Gospels and find Him there. His presence is visible upon the pages of God’s written Word. How like our loving heavenly Father to provide us with this very personal gift to use over and over again to fit our every circumstance.

When I am grieving, I can read Jesus wept (John 11:35), knowing He personally shares in my grief. When I need counsel, I can read that Jesus spoke to the multitudes and I can glean from His message to them. When I am weary from life’s demands, I can learn from the example that Jesus withdrew to solitary places to be alone with His Father for rest and refreshment.

Among other things, the Gospels tell us that Jesus:

rebuked

healed

performed miracles

went away (or departed)

forgave

raised the dead

defended

prayed

All of these things have touched my heart in a personal way at a time when I really needed them. All of these things Jesus did because He was the Son of God and they were things He was sent here to do. However, there is one thing Jesus did in response to what someone else did. He marveled. In context, the above verse explains that Jesus marveled over the great faith of one man, a Gentile, no less. Without the benefit of growing up memorizing Old Testament Scriptures or sitting under the tutelage of esteemed Jewish leaders, a Roman centurion heard about Jesus and beseeched Him to heal his paralyzed servant. Jesus immediately understood the great faith this man placed in Him by humbly presenting this request, and by believing it would be done. (You can read the rest of the story in John chapter 8!)

As I glance back over my list, I realize these are things Jesus did for me. To show my gratitude, I’d like to do something for Him. I’d like to exercise my faith like the humble centurion did. I want to take all these things to heart and gratefully, diligently and unquestioningly apply them to my life in a way that brings Him glory and honor. And wouldn’t it just be ever-so-precious if perchance, He were to marvel at my faithfulness?!!

GOING DEEPER:
1. How can you spend intentional time exercising your faith?
2. What are some weak areas in your faithfulness that might require some attention?

FURTHER READING:
Matthew 9:20-22; Romans 1:17; James 2:14-23

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.