Sifted Like Flour
By Elin Henderson

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

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

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

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

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

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

FURTHER READING: 

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

Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson (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.

The Right Help

By Susan Klein

“Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘go, I wish you well; keep warm and fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” 

James 2:15-16 (NIV)

I was stuck! Having almost finished my grocery shopping, my loaded cart decided it was no longer going to move. In the very back of the store, I wondered, “How am I going to make it all the way up to the check-out?”  I inspected all the wheels, but I couldn’t find anything wedged in that could be the cause. The handful of shoppers in the area took no notice.

With seemingly no options, I shoved the cart across the floor, which was no easy task. An employee came by and I quickly voiced my predicament so he might offer help. He checked the wheels, got the stuck one to move a tiny bit and then said, “That should help.” I moved a few inches and the most ear-piercing screech came from the bum wheel. He just chuckled, shrugged his shoulders and walked away. A few inches more and the wheel not only screeched but then froze up again.

As I heaved the cart forward, many heads turned to see what the screeching noise was, but none offered assistance. “Really, couldn’t someone just get me a new cart?!” I muttered under my breath. Eventually, I turned the cart around and pulled it backward the rest of the way. The wheel remained stuck, but at least the screeching stopped.

Driving home, I mulled (stewed?) over the situation. To his credit, the worker had at least made an attempt to help. But when his effort failed, he simply walked away. I had to wonder…how many times might I have offered the wrong kind of help to someone? Worse yet, did I ever turn a blind eye to the needs of a person right in front of me? How many moms with screaming toddlers have I passed by in a store? How many times have I said, “I’ll pray for you,” when I could have easily done something tangible to help?

I don’t typically make New Year’s resolutions, but I think I can/will resolve to be more aware and more compassionate. As a child of the God who IS LOVE, and has imparted to me that very love, I will resolve to be more actively mindful of those around me.

“Lord, give us eyes to see, hearts of compassion, and hands that help.”

GOING DEEPER:

1. In what ways have you been shown “the right help,” when you really needed it?

2. How might you be a vessel of compassion to someone?

FURTHER READING:

Proverbs 11:25; Luke 10: 30-38; 1 John 3:17-18

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 a small group.

Are You in Need of a Head Lift?
By Elin Henderson

“…My glory, and the One who lifts up my head.”
Psalm 3:3b (NIV)

I recently came across this verse during a particularly down  time in my life. We all have faced times like these and I can think of no better word picture then to say my head was hanging low.

Let me ask, though, what is so wrong with our heads hanging low? Nothing in itself—we all face down times. However, how would you live if your head literally hung low all the time? Imagine looking down and trying to walk around a busy street. Your sense of direction would be way off and you would risk hurting yourself and others around you. You would only see one thing—yourself. Would you be aware the needs of others around you? Would you know where you were going or how to get there? No! Your focus would be you!

The world offers all sorts of solutions to the very common problem of a downcast mood: exercise, caffeine, sugar or NO sugar, movies, coffee with friends, or my favorite, “Lay down and relax…imagine you are on a tropical island. Listen to the waves upon the shore and the breeze blowing through the palms…” I have found that this technique only works when you don’t live in the tropics with breezes blowing through your palms night and day! What they fail to add to that picture is the heat, humidity, mosquitoes and lack of privacy!

The word picture found in Psalm 3:3-4 is one that we can and should meditate on, though: “But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts up my head. To the Lord I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill.” Wonderful hope lies in these verses. What we are most in need of in low times is a “head lift”! God alone can lift our head and help us to look upward and outward, keeping our eyes off of ourselves and on Him. When we cry to Him, we can know that He hears us and will answer with His free “head lifting service,” placing us on solid ground with a good view of the road before us and the world around us.

Now, I am not saying that other “coping mechanisms” aren’t helpful. A hot bath, a good chick flick and dark chocolate are all helpful sidekicks. Of course, if you live in the tropics, the hot bath is kind of out and dark chocolate is not found at the local market—but at least we’ve got chick flicks! No matter our coping preference, may we never lose sight that He alone is the true lifter of our heads!

GOING DEEPER:
1. What in your life is bringing you down today, causing your head to hang low? What can you do to re-focus on the One who is the lifter of your head?

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 24:7-10

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.

Live Like the Lid is Off

By Carolyn Hulliberger

“…I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”

John 10:10 (The Message, paraphrase)

A number of years ago, Sony made a commercial for a game system that depicted fleas in a jar. The fleas were shown to be jumping all around in the jar, some even soaring out of the top. A lid is put on the jar for three days, then removed. The fleas no longer have the limitations of the lid. But guess what? The fleas no longer jump higher than the height of the lid. They have been trained, and don’t bother to attempt to go beyond, although no restrictions remain. And their offspring? They stay at the lowered height, never venturing above the top of the jar.

Sometimes, we humans are no smarter than the fleas. We put restrictions on ourselves and our lives, never venturing beyond the familiar. Or perhaps we did try something new, only to bang our heads and simply gave up. Maybe we were even told by others there was a limit, so instead of pushing at a boundary, we took their word for granted and never attempted to venture out.

But what if we were smarter? What if we lived like the lid was off of our lives, similar to:

-      Peter and Andrew, the disciples who left their family fishing business to train with Jesus

-      Ruth, who left her homeland to support her mother-in-law

-      Esther, who was bold enough to approach a king, risking death

-      The boy with a lunch, who handed it over to be the source of feeding thousands

-      Paul and Barnabas…leaving Jerusalem and taking the message of the Messiah to the world

I don’t know what the label says on your lid…what might be containing you. There are lots of lids. Some are labeled “condemnation”...”victim”… “stupid”… “fat”…“ugly.” Mine is labeled “fear.” Fear of ridicule, or losing someone I love, or losing personal safety. But like the paraphrase of John 10:10 above says, Jesus Christ came to give us life.  It is a precious and important gift. Don’t let your lid keep you from exploring life.

GOING DEEPER:

1. Does your life have a lid? What label is written on it?

2. Think of how you can help someone struggling to remove their own “lid.”

FURTHER READING:

Matthew 10:39; Luke 9:24

Along with caring for her family, Carolyn works as an insurance representative, serves in Oakwood Church as a Community Group leader and a High School home group leader.

To see the commercial, follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlpjA-QgmQM

More is More
By Jen Wollner

“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven - - for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”
Luke 7:47 (NIV)

This isn’t just an ordinary woman…she has a “reputation.” Everyone in the room knows about her sinful ways. They all look on as the woman stands behind Jesus, weeping uncontrollably. Her tears fall, wetting his feet. As she cries, she crouches down and wipes his feet with her hair, kissing them and pouring expensive perfume on them. She is judged, criticized and looked down on…but Jesus honors her faith and commends her actions of love.

When I first read the story about this “sinful” woman and her worship of Jesus, I misunderstood it to mean that if a person sins more, Jesus forgives more; and if a person sins less, He has less to forgive. As I studied it further, though, I realized that the point of the story wasn’t that the woman sinned more than others or that her sin was somehow worse in Jesus’ eyes, but rather that she recognized her sin more completely. Consequently, she was more aware of the deep mercy Jesus had for her. She treasured His forgiveness because she had an accurate view of her sin. She was overcome with gratitude for His love that was freely offered to her, in spite of her shortcomings and poor choices. Because of the love He lavished on her, she was able to reciprocate and love Him in an extravagant way, sparing no expense to worship Him as He deserved. Her actions spoke volumes about her faith and love for her Savior.

What about us? Is our view of our sin realistic based on the truths of God’s Word? Do we love much because we recognize how much we are forgiven and loved by Jesus? We can’t appreciate the mercy Jesus offers unless we recognize our dire need for that mercy. We can’t accept Jesus’ grace and forgiveness if we don’t acknowledge that a Savior is absolutely essential. And we can’t reciprocate Jesus’ love for us, much less show that love to others, if we don’t confess and repent of our mistakes, humbling ourselves at the foot of the cross. Only when we know what we are saved from, do we overflow with love for our Savior.

As Easter approaches and we reflect on the sacrifice of our Lord, let’s allow the truth of His forgiveness to wash over us and fill our souls. Then, let’s pour our whole hearts out to Him and love Him abundantly and unrestrained.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Have you ever taken time to truly contemplate the depths of your sin…and the depths of Jesus’ forgiveness and love? Meditate on this two-part reality throughout the day today.

FURTHER READING:
John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Ephesians 1:7-8; 1 John 3:1a

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.

Embracing (not necessarily understanding) Sovereignty

By Susan Klein

“Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.”

Romans 9:18 (NIV)

Every once in awhile a verse comes along that just baffles the mind. (The above being a likely candidate.) It seems to contradict everything we know, and challenge our rational thinking. Therein lies the problem: God is not rational. God is sovereign.

“Sovereignty” is a concept that’s difficult for the finite mind to process. In fact, it’s not a word originally found in Scripture. You won’t see it listed in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. It’s been inserted in newer versions of the Bible for our purposed benefit. It is a word that tries to encapsulate all the infinite qualities of God (isn’t that an oxymoron?). John MacArthur defines it this way: “God orders everything, controls everything, and rules over everything.” (1) Scripture says, “Our God is in Heaven; he does whatever pleases him (Psalm 115:3, NIV), The Lord does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths (Psalm 135:6, NIV).” It is a concept the human mind can’t wrap around and the human heart despises. We want everything to be black and white, to make sense. We also want to think we have some iota of control. Thus, the dilemma: we are not sovereign.

The more we try to understand sovereignty, the more confusing it can become. Did God choose me, or did I choose Him? Does it really matter if I evangelize? Does God care what color socks I put on today? Will my moving to another state or changing jobs be in His sovereign will? Words like “foreknew,” and “predestined” are the source of much confusion and heated debate amongst believers. So what do we do about this “sovereignty” thing?

I suggest we “embrace” it. If God truly is in control of everything, shouldn’t that be more comforting than baffling? It really lets me off the hook - - I don’t have to have all the answers. If I can embrace His sovereignty, it should eliminate a world of worry. If I walk in faith that He’s got my back, I can walk confidently into every situation, known or unknown. If He’s in control of every outcome, I should never suffer through another sleepless night wondering. Instead of trying to wrestle the control away from Him, I can choose to embrace His sovereignty and live a life of peace. Peace is good.

GOING DEEPER:

1. Are you wrestling with a passage or a Scriptural concept?

2. Do you question the validity of Scripture that appears contradictory? Surrender to God, and embrace His sovereignty.

FURTHER READING:

Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 1:11

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.

(1)  http://www.gty.org/resources/Articles/A167/Gods-Absolute-Sovereignty

Is That With a “K”?

By Lisa Boyer

“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive together with Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions - - it is by grace you have been saved.”

Ephesians 2:4-5 (NIV)

She had given me her last name, but I was sure I had heard wrong and gave her a chance to correct me, “Is that with a K?” I asked. “No,” she replied, “Sinner - - like in the Bible.”

Wow! I’d never met anyone with Sinner as their last name. I wondered... was her last name proudly displayed in her home in the same way as yours and mine are? Did her parents send out a Christmas letter and sign it The Sinners?  What was it like growing up as a Sinner? 

Truthfully, I know what it was like growing up as a sinner. I didn’t say it out loud as part of my official name, but sinner was definitely my title. While I regularly earned that title, I had a very difficult time owning up to it and claiming it. I had no problem professing my faith and stating that I was a Christian, but under no circumstances did I want anyone to know that I was a sinner, EVER.

Those days are over for me, and I now own up to my title. I am certainly not proud of it, but if I deny that I am a sinner, am I not in essence denying my need for a Savior? How can I truly share what God has done in my life without starting at the beginning, that I was a sinner?

I am so grateful that God doesn’t wait until we sinners clean up our lives before He’ll love us! Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (NIV).

I recently saw a paraphrase of that verse which said “I loved you at your darkest.” At my darkest - - while I was actively in sin - - He loved me. Even now, in dark moments - - when I’m caught in sin - - He still loves me, forgives me and restores me to a right relationship with Him. 

My name is Lisa Boyer and I am a sinner, but because of God’s love for us, I have a Savior, Jesus Christ. 

GOING DEEPER:

1. Have you acknowledged that you are a sinner and found a Savior in Jesus, the One who died for you? (For more information, go to Following Jesus at Oakwoodnow.org.)

FURTHER READING:

Romans 8:1-4; 1 Corinthians 15:3; Galatians 5:1

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.  

Life on the Edge

By Elin Henderson

“Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling…”

Jude 1:24a (KJV)

         

Do you ever get the feeling that you are living life on the edge of a cliff? That the dirt and rocks are crumbling under your feet, and the solid ground is threatening to give way and send you tumbling? The pressures of life seem to be pushing us over that edge. There is only one hope for rescue, for relief, for safety... and that is “Him who is able to keep you from falling.”

Many of us can testify that we spend more of our time “on the edge” hanging on for dear life than on solid ground. There are a lot of reasons for this. It is partly because of the many pressures bearing upon us (family, work, friends, even church), as well as pressures from within that we place on ourselves (guilt, attempting to appear successful, etc.). And if that weren’t enough, our enemy is constantly trying to use those same pressures to drive us over the edge, where we fall into the sin of doubting God’s sufficiency.

As we are experiencing these pressures, a panic can overtake us and send us in a desperate search for help, for a solid footing. The world’s answer is “Eat better, to exercise, talk to a friend, reduce our stress loads, take a vacation, etc.” While that advice is not bad, at its best, it is only a temporary fix.

For a lasting solution, we need to be reaching out to the ONLY source of strength, God Himself! His strong arm is always ready to reach down and rescue us. His grip is not weak or insufficient. He won’t let go!! Only when WE  let go of HIS  arm and start reaching for other things do we find ourselves back where we started, tottering on the edge of the cliff once more. 

So the next time the pressures of this life start pushing you towards the edge, and the ground beneath your feet begins to crumble, reach out. Grab onto the only TRUE source of help, the only One who can keep you stable as you live “life on the edge.”

         

GOING DEEPER:

1. What are some ways that we can remind ourselves to continuously reach out to Him?  Ideas: Time in His Word, memorizing the Word, and/or prayer (on our own and with a good friend or mentor).

2. What if we do fall? Then what? Are we left alone to fend for ourselves? Isn’t it great that He is there for us even when we fail and fall?

                                                                 

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 37:24; Psalm 56:13; Psalm 116:18; Psalm 145:14a

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. 

Too Many Quarterbacks

By Lexi Cole Ellis

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.”

1 Peter 4:10 (ESV)

Recently, while supervising recess, my sixth grade boys began playing tag football. “I’m Aaron Rogers.” “I’m Tom Brady.” “I’m Brett Favre.” “I’m Peyton Manning.” All of a sudden, there seemed to be five quarterbacks on each team. The kid holding the football stood there, unsure who to hike the ball to. It eventually got solved and the game started.

After recess, I said to a couple of the boys, “It seemed there were too many quarterbacks.” One boy stopped to think and said, “There shouldn’t be too many quarterbacks. It means no one can play the game well.” Another chimed in that they should rotate each recess to prevent the “too-many-quarterback-situation” again.

It made me realize we, as Christians, often do the exact same thing.  We’ve been given this incredible privilege of representing Christ’s love to a broken world and all believers play important roles… that don’t necessarily look the same. I wonder if sometimes, though, we spend time telling believers to all be quarterbacks…to go and do specific things a specific way. While we are called to be intentional in our words and actions, the reality is we don’t play the game well if there are too many quarterbacks. I think of the believers who serve, empathize, encourage quietly, and pray diligently. These roles are just as vital as the believers who preach, teach and exhort.

Additionally, Kingdom-building is multi-faceted:  There are plenty of issues of injustice to be passionate about. Missions, orphan/foster care, literacy, job sustainability, child sponsorship, anti-trafficking, Bible translating, pastor appreciation, homelessness, advocacy for the disenfranchised, equality for the oppressed…the list could go on and on.

God has designed us with specific talents and He inspires different passions. The work we as the Church have to do is approached most effectively when each believer is using his or her gifting and being an advocate for the issues of injustice that break his or her heart. Whether loud or quiet, your strengths are an asset to the Kingdom. Whether passionate about the orphaned, the homeless, the neglected, the ignored, the hungry or the uneducated, God wants YOU to make a difference for Him based on the specific issues you are drawn to. What is your gifting? What issues are you passionate about? The Church isn’t a team exclusively of quarterbacks…but it’s imperative to get in the game. You play an important part! [1]

GOING DEEPER:

1.      Take some time to identify your giftings and your passions.

2.      What do you need to do (or start doing) to use these unique giftings and passions for the Kingdom?

FURTHER READING:

1 Corinthians 12:12-26; 1 Corinthians 12:27-31

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] Need some pep music on the subject? Listen to Matthew West’s song, “Do Something” by clicking here. It’s a great song to start your day with!

Faithful

By Karen D’Amore

“…Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Mathew 25:21a (NIV)

On our tenth wedding anniversary, I asked my husband the question, “So, after ten years of marriage…if you had to choose one word to describe me, what would that one word be?” Aware of my husband’s propensity to embellish things with humor, I knew I was asking a loaded question! I was pleasantly surprised when he took my question to heart, and responded in sincerity with the word…“Faithful.”

As a writer, I LOVE words; as a wife who loves words…I loved the word my husband chose. Merriam-Webster’s defines “faithful” accordingly:

            -obsolete: full of faith

            -steadfast in affection or allegiance: loyal

            -firm in adherence to promises of duty: conscientious

            -given with strong assurance: binding (1)

Upon reflecting on the true definition of the word “faithful,” I felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility to consistently uphold and exemplify its meaning, so as a constant exhortation, I had the word “Faithful” permanently inscribed on my inner left wrist.

A year later, I was deeply impacted by an interview between Sean Hannity and Rev. Billy Graham. When asked, “How do you want people to remember you?” Billy Graham responded, “I want them to remember that I was faithful: faithful to the gospel, faithful to the call that God gave me!” (2) Billy Graham’s response ignited and inspired the same desire in my heart. I too, long to be “full of faith”; faithful to the gospel, and to God’s call on my life! As honorable as it is to make faithfulness a hallmark in our human relationships, the faithfulness that matters most is in our relationship with God. “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9, NLT).

As Christ-followers, our faithfulness to God is demonstrated through our obedience to Him. His heart becomes our heart; His mind our mind; His will our will. We cannot be faithful to Him…while choosing our will over His. Jesus, our supreme example of faithfulness, had only one desire, “…Not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42b, NIV).  His permanent inscriptions of His faithfulness and obedience to the Father - - His nail scarred hands - - should become our continual exhortation to be faithfully obedient.

Starting with faithfulness in the little things, let’s be good stewards of our families, jobs, finances, ministries and in that which God has entrusted us. And may our faithfulness reflect an eternal pursuit to hear His descriptive words…

                        “…Well done, good and faithful servant!”

GOING DEEPER:

1.  What interferes with your faithfulness to God?

FURTHER READING:

Revelation 2:10; 2 Samuel 22:26; 1 Corinthians 4:2

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. 

(1) www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary

(2) http://www.foxnews.com/transcript/2014/04/18/hannity-revisits-interview-with-rev-billy-graham/

Cash the Check

By Susan Klein

“Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both.”

Luke 7: 41-42a (NIV)

Two years ago, while waiting in line at the bank, I overheard the teller explain to the lady in front of me, “I’m sorry ma’am, we cannot cash this check for you. You have insufficient funds in your account to cover it.”  In order to cash the check, she would have to first make a deposit into her account. She left the bank - - check in hand.

I pondered this as I waited my turn. I was holding a check that my daughter asked me to deposit into her account for her while away at school. If I did not deposit it for her, she could find herself in a similar situation, with insufficient funds to pay her debts. She was counting on me to make that deposit for her.

How often do we view our spiritual life in this manner? After sinning, we feel left with with a debt, which must somehow be paid. We try to write a check from our storehouse of “good deeds,” hoping that we’ve banked enough of them to cover over our offense. “I give to the poor, I serve at church, I don’t ever drink excessively…that should count for something.”…until the next time we sin. If the funds seem insufficient, we look for more good deeds to deposit into our account, hoping it will be enough to cover our debt and please our Creditor. But is it ever enough?

No. It isn’t. We can’t ever satisfy the debt we owe to God for all of our sins. No sacrifice is great enough, no amount big enough. We’ll always have “insufficient funds” to cover our debt. However, the Creditor is not asking us for payment. In fact, He knew a long time ago that we’d never have enough in our account so He chose to make a deposit on our behalf. It cost Him dearly, but He did it out of love. His deposit, unlike ours, is limitless. It keeps replenishing, and can never be depleted. Any past, present or future debt has already been covered by His magnanimous deposit. We’ve been given the great riches of His grace and mercy, and we are free to draw on them at any time. No more “debt,” no more “insufficient funds,” no more standing in line at the bank wondering.

Go ahead, don’t be afraid. Cash the check!

GOING DEEPER:

1. Do you know with certainty that your debts have been “paid in full” through the cross of Jesus 

Christ?(If not, consider reading http://www.oakwoodnow.org/resources/following-jesus.html) Are you living like it’s true?

FURTHER READING:

Romans 3:23-25; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:32; Romans 13:8

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.

Unchanging Love
By Jen Wollner

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)

Years ago, I read a story about a woman who struggled for years with infertility. She desperately wanted a baby, but because of physical obstacles, it was proving to be a difficult goal to achieve. She went through tests and fertility treatments and nothing worked. At the beginning of the journey, she was very positive and hopeful that the Lord would answer her prayer for a child and she waited patiently, trusting Him for it. But, as the months and years wore on, she became weary and doubtful that it would ever happen. She was angry and bitter toward God because of the pain she had to endure. Just when she was about to completely give up, she became pregnant…and delivered a healthy, full-term baby boy. It was truly a miracle considering her circumstances and health problems!

As she reflected on her journey to becoming a mother, she said, “Even amidst my ugliness, and questioning and hatred I was expressing toward God, His plan still stood…He didn't let go of me when I let go of Him. He didn't change His mind or take away this blessing because of the way I acted. To me, that is extraordinary love. Extraordinary grace…He didn't take back the gift He had in store for us because of my actions…I realized in a fresh way how very much He loves me. In all my ugliness and in all my shunning and mistrust, He gave me what I didn't deserve.”

What profound truth! He never leaves us. He never changes. His will always comes to pass…it is always because of His faithfulness to us. There is nothing we can do or not do to change the unconditional, deep love He has for us. He isn’t even capable of loving us any more or less than He already does.

When we doubt Him, He is there. When we question Him, He answers. And, when we shake our fist at Him, He loves us. What incredible security we have in Jesus—who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow—and whose love for us can never change!

GOING DEEPER:
1. Do you believe that God loves you deeply and that, no matter what, that love can never change? If you struggle to believe this, ask Him to show you His unwavering love today.

FURTHER READING:
Hebrews 13:5; Psalm 36:5; Psalm 40:5 

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.

Take No Offense

 By Elin Henderson

“May Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

Matthew 6:10 (NKJV)

In today’s world, our culture of political correctness has caused us to become easily-offended people. Today’s social media is a modern-day circus of offense. One person’s actions or speech can cause an uproar in the rest of the community (even world)!

Given our extreme tendency for offense amongst our fellow humans, I wonder how quick at times we are to perceive when we are offended with God! As shocking as that sounds, multiple times I have found myself offended with Him. I had prayed about and anticipated a relationship to go in one direction and it went in the total opposite direction. I was ready to enter through a clearly open door, when He abruptly closed it. I was praying for the healing of a loved one, and they passed away. Where was God in all of this? Why did He let me down? I had faith, I believed, but He didn’t stand up to His end of the bargain.

If all of us were honest, we would admit that we have all stood and shook our fist a time or two before our Lord, offended at His actions or lack of action. It is a human tendency that I am sure He is well aware of and used to by now.       

If anyone had the “right” to be offended with God it was Job. The bottom literally fell out of his life. He had a choice to make: to choose offense or to trust in a sovereign, loving God. He chose the latter and cried out through the pain, “Though He may slay me, yet will I trust in Him…”  Jesus also chose to not allow offense to enter into the equation, when at Gethsemane He cried, “Not my will, Father, but Yours be done!” 

Oh, may this faith permeate deep into our hearts, so that no matter what comes our way, we can rest and say, “I take no offense with You, Father. You know me best and you are working all things together for good. Your will be done.”

GOING DEEPER:                                                       

1.      Can you think of an instance where you were offended by God’s leading in your life? What did you do about it?

2.      Who else in Scripture could we learn this lesson of “Take no offense” from?  (Here are a few to start with: Abraham, Joseph, David. Use the concordance at the back of your Bible to look them up.)

FURTHER READING:

Luke 22:42; Job 13:15

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.