The Cross
By Karen D’Amore

“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness…”
1 Peter 2:24a (NIV)

A fugitive wanted for murder, he’d been on the run for many years. As the police officer instrumental in his capture, I was disturbed and distracted by the large silver, jewel-encrusted cross hanging from a rope-like chain around his neck. Making reference to his cross necklace I commented, “Nice cross, are you a Christian?” “It’s just a decoration,” he snapped back. It’s a conversation I’ll never forget…and one that has challenged me in the message and handling of the Cross.

Though the Cross is one of the most readily recognized Christian symbols today, many have reduced it to a decorative fashion statement. It was on a wooden cross that Jesus Christ took upon Himself the sins of the world, paying the penalty with His own blood. The Cross is not a symbol of doom, but rather a foreshadowing of the triumphant celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. It points to a loving God reaching down to deliver man from the bondage of sin; it points to Jesus who willingly laid down His life for mankind. Jesus not only preached a powerful faith in God, He also lived it. He was faithful to God, and “obedient to the point of death” (Philippians 2:8). Christ crucified! Christ resurrected! A symbol of faith, hope and love…the Cross changes everything.

As Christ-followers, the Cross is a proclamation of our new identity in Christ. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). For believers, the Cross should be reflected in our changed (crucified) lives. As the Cross stands at the center of our lives, it clarifies the purpose for which our Lord created us and died to save us. Its declaration of hope, grace and eternal life anchors our existence and motivates our responses. “Jesus lived His life for you - - then He gave His life to you. Now He wants to live His life through you!” –Jacquelyn K. Heasley  (1)

As we head into the week of Easter, what is your response to the Cross? Is it a decoration or a proclamation?

GOING DEEPER:
1. Consider what the Cross means to you. Is it merely a decorative adornment or a symbol of your crucified life in Christ?
2. When others look at your life, do they see the reflection of the Cross?

FURTHER READING:
Galatians 6:14; 2 Corinthians 5:14-17; Acts 2:23-24

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. 

(1) Quote from Sermonindex.net

A Gideon Moment

 By Elin Henderson

“And the LORD said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into your hands, lest Israel claim glory itself….”

Judges 7:2b (NKJV)

If nothing else, most people in full-time ministry are plan-o-holics! We love schedules, plans, strategies… You name it! To a degree, we have to be this way, or we probably wouldn’t get much accomplished. We look at the tasks that need to be accomplished and then consider the time, effort and energy that is needed in order to come up with a strategy and boldly move forward. Of course, with the amount of interruptions that come at us in a day that are NOT part of our schedule, it is a wonder we get anything done!   

Gideon did the same. He looked at the enemy before him, and the battle that was looming ahead of him. As a good leader, he knew their strengths and weaknesses and developed a battle plan that suited the situation. He knew the amount of soldiers it would take and how to deploy them. Then God started to do the unthinkable.

He began a slow process of whittling down Gideon’s well-laid plans and his well-developed army of 30,000… until it was a measly 300! Gideon’s job just went from difficult to basically impossible! 

How many times have we found ourselves in a Gideon Moment? We develop a very well-thought-out strategy, amass our troops, get ready to head to battle - - and then God shows up and whittles away our hoarded resources until there’s nearly nothing. We stand there in shock and dismay while God says, “Now, get at it! Go to war!”

But we do not fight alone! Even though our armies are a fraction of what they used to be, and our well-laid plans and strategies are no longer effective, God fights for us and shows Himself strong on our behalf. A Gideon Moment brings a grand opportunity for our faith in God to grow. When we cease to focus on our own resources and plans, and readjust our eyes to see only Him, we see Him  bring victory out of nothing!

GOING DEEPER:                                                       

1.      Does this mean that we shouldn’t plan or strategize in life/ministry? There is sufficient Scripture that would rebuff that, but how should we hold these well-laid plans and ministry?   

2.      Can you think of any other examples in Scripture where a Gideon Moment occurred?  (Hint: Jericho, Red Sea, David and Goliath…) How do they encourage you?

FURTHER READING:

Exodus 14:13; 1 Samuel 14:6; Matthew 19:26

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. 

Building a Boat

By Peggy Kleckner

“Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out…..Make the boat 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high….So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.”

Genesis 6:14,15,22 (NLT)

Three short sentences packed with work and faith. Let’s consider the dimensions of this boat that God instructed Noah to build. I took out my tape measure and measured the length, width and height of my kitchen. I measured something familiar to try and understand the unfamiliar. I found that the length of my kitchen had to be multiplied thirty times in order to be the same length as this boat!

God does not always give easy assignments. Not only is this boat massive in dimensions, but it includes a roof, three decks and a door. Don’t forget that he had to waterproof the entire thing inside and out with tar. Finally, I have to wonder if Noah knew anything at all about boat building.

What does God’s Word say about Noah? It states that Noah found favor with the LORD, that he was a righteous man and that he walked in close fellowship with God.

That is how Noah “did everything exactly as God had commanded him” (v. 22).

All Noah had was God’s instructions…probably not written-out instructions, they were “invisible,” so to speak. Then he begins to build according to those instructions. Think of yourself as perhaps his neighbor. Maybe Noah shared his mission with you, maybe not. Before long, you begin to see something different going on at Noah’s home. Perhaps you saw the wood being brought in or heard the sound of sawing and hammering. Pretty soon something starts to be “visible.”

If you have accepted Christ as your new master, He has asked you to build an ark of faith…one day at a time, one board at a time. Your instructions are invisible to others and yet they have been given to you. So you begin to build. The work seems impossible because the vision is so BIG, but He has asked and so you build.

As your faith is built up in the One who instructs you, it becomes visible to others. His Word and work become visible. Jesus becomes visible in you. This may bring scoffing or ridicule from others, but perhaps someone will ask you why you are building, or where you got the plans. I wonder if that was Noah’s greatest hope.

GOING DEEPER:

1. Have you found favor with the LORD, been made righteous in Christ and now are walking in close fellowship with the Spirit?

2. If you have no idea what that means, are you willing to ask someone? If you do, how is your ark-building coming along?

FURTHER READING:

Hebrews 11:7; Hebrews 11:6; John 1:14

Peggy is a wife and mother of four adult children - - two sons and two stepsons, and is an active encourager at Oakwood Church in Delafield.

The Impossible Imposter

By Carolyn Hulliberger

“But he was pierced for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

The punishment that brought us peace was on him,

And by his wounds we are healed.”

Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)

In the early 1900’s, the U.S. was in a state of “Chaplinitis.” Charlie Chaplin’s silent movie character became a phenomenon and from it sprung a pastime of “look-alike” contests. Entertainment folklore says that Charlie himself dressed up in character and entered a contest in San Francisco.

He failed to make the finals.

I’m pretty sure Jesus could relate to how Charlie might have felt.

Since Old Testament times, the human race has been looking for Messiah. Prophets have foretold hundreds of details about Messiah, and dozens have claimed to be the Promised One.

Only One fulfilled them all…Jesus Christ of Nazareth, born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) of the Virgin Mary (Isaiah 7:14).  A descendant of King David (Isaiah 9:7), he healed the brokenhearted (Isaiah 61:1-2) and was rejected by His own people (Psalm 69:8). He was betrayed (Psalm 41:9), falsely accused (Psalm 35:11), crucified with criminals (Isaiah 53:12), and mocked (Psalm 22:7-8).

Messiah would pray for His enemies (Psalm 109:4), be buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9), resurrect from the dead (Psalm 16:10 and 49:15), and ascend to heaven (Psalm 24:7-10) as the sacrifice for all sin (Isaiah 53:5-12).

In fact, there are over 700 biblical prophecies concerning the Messiah. The odds of one person fulfilling even 48 of them are 1 in 10 to the 157th power. Mind-boggling!

As we consider how Jesus fulfills all of these prophesies, let’s remember that everything else that He said must be true, too.

Which means He’s Coming Back!  This Easter season, as we reflect on the triumph of the resurrection, let’s also remember that, “…Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many;  and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:28). Amazing!

GOING DEEPER:

1.  How does seeing Jesus as the miraculous fulfillment of prophesy affect how you see His role in your life today?

2.  How does the knowledge that Christ is going to return impact your life?

FURTHER READING:

John 14:1-3; Acts 1:10-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

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.

Navigating the Waves

By Lexi Cole Ellis

“The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their stronghold in time of trouble.”

Psalm 37:39 (ESV)

I had a childhood friend who was terrified of waves…ocean waves and the wave pool at the water resort. I couldn’t fathom it…to my fifth-grade mind, jumping over a wave as it simultaneously slid over and pushed you up was the absolute best. But for her, a scary experience of getting caught under a wave as a small child resulted in a deep fear of jumping over it at the exactly right time and an inability to enjoy the waves at all.

Sometimes waves come crashing over us unexpectedly. Sometimes, despite all the careful navigating we do, a situation hits and the waves we were easily coasting over now have become scary. All of a sudden, we are out of sync with our jumps and the water is billowing over us as panic and a sense of losing control takes over. A job loss…a conflict with a loved one…a health scare…the fear of an unknown outcome…the waves of unknown and fear start to drown us.  I love what Mark Hall and Steven Curtis Chapman write in the song, “Voice of Truth”: [1]

But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again, "Boy, you'll never win!"
"You'll never win…" [2]

Thankfully, the story doesn’t have to end there. Thankfully, we serve a God who rescues us in His perfect timing from the actual waves AND additionally saves us from being paralyzed by the fear of waves. We don’t have to navigate through the waves on our own. As believers, we’ve been given His Spirit and His Word that remind us of the countless times God has been faithful in and through the storms. Additionally, we have community with other believers in God’s Church, a community which supports us through the waves and reminds us to cling to our God, actively pursuing a relationship with Him.

Years ago, my friend missed out on the wave pool because of her fear of the waves. May we be people who depend on God…so that when the waves come, rather than being paralyzed by fear and unknown, we navigate through them with the help of His Spirit, His Word and His community of believers. 

GOING DEEPER:

1. What do you need to do to depend on Christ to help you navigate the waves in your life?

2. Consider listening to the rest of the song, “Voice of Truth” as you start your day. (http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=DGGPNNNX)

FURTHER READING:

Philippians 4:13; Colossians 1:13; 2 Timothy 4:18

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_of_Truth_%28song%29

[2] http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/castingcrowns/voiceoftruth.html

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.

Confessions of a “Martha”

By Becci “Martha” Terrill

“And Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.’”

Luke 10:41-42 (NKJV)

My name isn’t Martha, but it could be. Not because it was given to me by loving parents, but because it’s part of my DNA. It’s who I am. Can you relate?

I’ve known this truth for some time, even shared it with others. I’d “confess” (because we all know that Mary chose the better way) but nothing in my life would change. I think secretly I liked being a “Martha.” After all, how would anything get done without “Martha’s”? Busy people get things done, right? I wanted to be one of “those people” who got things done.

I find myself disliking off-times that lack focus, purpose or activities. Even vacations have schedules. When illness hits and rest is forced on me, I am restless and discouraged.

Why do I find it so hard to just be still for prolonged periods of time? To be in the presence of Jesus and drink up all that He is? Is it because I won’t like what His presence reveals in my heart? Do I find my value in service and all that I accomplish, rather than in Jesus?

These are hard questions that can reveal ugly truths, but sin is ugly. The Bible says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9, NIV)

Now, don’t get me wrong, being a “Martha” isn’t bad; neither is service. However, if the service isn’t overflow from a heart filled with love for and worship of Jesus, then we’d better be careful. What is our heart condition and motivation for the service?

Martha loved Jesus; so do I. Like her, I have much to learn from Jesus and the “Mary’s” of this world. I’ll always be a “Martha” and I can’t change that. I can, however, choose to stop what I’m doing and spend more time with Jesus. That is the better way.

GOING DEEPER:

1. During this season of Lent, we have the perfect opportunity to make time to focus on what Jesus did for us. Consider using the Easter/Lent devotional, The Trail to the Tree, by Ann Voskamp this Easter season. It will be good practice for us “Martha’s.”

FURTHER READING:

Luke 10:38-42; Matthew 6:6; John 15:1-5

Becci Terrill is a wife and mom to two adult daughters. She is the Children's Ministry Director at Oakwood Church. 

50 Shades of Darkness

 By Elin Henderson

“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ..”

2 Corinthians 4:6 (NKJV)

Sometimes it seems that the darkness that surrounds us here in Africa is so intense, so heavy, so impenetrable that we wonder if light will ever break through. If there were 50 shades of darkness, they would all be found here: darkened souls, darkened minds, darkened eyes, darkened hearts... 

Perhaps today you are reaching out to people whose hearts seem this way. The prince of darkness has blinded and darkened them. Maybe you are not ministering to darkened souls but your own life has become heavy, dark, void and without form?  There are times in our personal lives that darkness threatens to overwhelm us as well. 

But lest we lose hope and heart and get sucked into this darkness, God gives us tremendous verses of encouragement like the one above in II Corinthians. Shining light into dark places is God’s specialty. After all, it is where He started. “The earth was without form, and void and darkness was on the face of the deep…Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light…” [1]

Let’s face it. Since the dawn of creation, there has never been darkness like in the book of Genesis. Literal emptiness, no light, no life - - nothing!  And somehow from that, God spoke light and life into being. I don’t know about you, but those simple verses bring a lot of hope and encouragement to my heart! Even to this day, He uses His powerful WORD to transform darkness into light! 

No matter the darkness that surrounds us, we have a God who is ruler of the day and the night. Darkness cannot hold Him or limit Him. In fact, He conquers it, speaking “life and light” into it. What our world needs is more and more of His WORD of light to pierce through the 50 shades of darkness! 

GOING DEEPER:                                                       

1.      What darkness are you facing today? Would you term it as a ministry darkness or a personal darkness? 

2.      How can the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ, transform this darkness into light? 

FURTHER READING:

[1] Genesis 1:2,3

Psalm 36:9; Ephesians 5:8; Luke 1:79

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. 

Safe Harbor

By Tracy Smith

God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
Psalm 46:1 (NLT)

Almost seven years ago, the town my sister’s family and my parents live in was hit by a tornado. My dad’s neighbor enjoys watching storms and told my dad he was watching the storm without fear until he saw the large pine trees in my dad’s yard bend and touch the ground then immediately bend and touch the ground on the opposite side! At that point, he knew it was time to get in the basement! No more time for watching, it was time to seek shelter. [1]

We all have those times in our life  - -  when we feel storm-tossed and know we need to find a safe harbor. The storms vary in intensity and strength, but all involve change and uncertainty and we need to find the calm in the storm.

Where do we go to seek shelter?

If you read Mark 4:35-41, the disciples and Jesus are caught in a storm while on a boat. The disciples are scared and afraid they are going to die. In their fear, they wake up Jesus and He commands the winds and waves to be still.

In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul shares that he pleaded with the Lord three times to remove a “thorn of his flesh.” Something that tormented him; something Paul really just wanted gone from his life. The Lord did not remove this storm from Paul’s life but declared, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV).

These examples show that sometimes the Lord chooses to calm the storm and sometimes he wants you to remember to cling to Him through the storm - -  for His strength to be sufficient for you.  Either way, He is there and He is your safe harbor through the tides of change.

GOING DEEPER:

1.      Do you see Jesus as a safe harbor in the storm? If not, please read the Scripture listed in this devotional or do your own Google search for verses. Pray about what you read.

2.      Think of a time in your past when you felt storm-tossed. With the perspective of time, how do you now see that God was with you through it all?

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 62:7-8; Psalm 91:1-4

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.

[1] to see pictures of the damage Eagle, WI sustained in the tornado, click here.

OMG

By Vernette Kureck

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be continually in my mouth”

Psalm 34:1 (ESV)

It has taken me awhile, but I have finally joined the 21^st century and actually do some texting. The convenience of connecting instantly and concisely without making an intruding phone call has its merits, as do the shorthand abbreviations. *vin  meaning “starving,” LMK  meaning “let me know” and B3  meaning “blah, blah, blah”….you get the picture. But the one that has really taken off is OMG or “O My God!” It is used as an exclamatory space filler; usually, a thoughtless reply to something ...to anything that has occurred in the friend’s life. It is frequently heard on the radio, television and in movies also. So what is the big deal?

In the Old Testament, the third commandment God gives to His people is “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain” (Deuteronomy 5:11, ESV). “To take the name” is to utter, speak or write it as an oath. To do it “in vain” is to attach worthless purpose to the expression. The careless OMG also projects wrong characteristics and motivation to God. He is protective of His reputation and prohibits His name being attached to any unfulfilled vow. Unlike the flippant phrase we often hear today, David used OMG in the Psalms for a much more appropriate and God-honoring intention.

·         “O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me” (Psalm 25:2, ESV). David affirms God’s trustworthiness.

·          Later in Psalm 71, he writes, “Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man, for you oh Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord from my youth” (Psalm 71:4, ESV). David’s security and confidence is in the Lord.

·         Further on in verse 12, “Oh God be not far from me: O my God, make haste to help me.” David knew that his help came from the Lord and he appeals to Him under threatening circumstances.

·         Then in verse 22, “I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.” David knew the attributes of God and in that knowledge expresses O my God.

May our OMG's only be ones that affirm who God is...and may they reflect His holiness, trustworthiness, faithfulness and protection. Let us bless the Lord at all times. 

GOING DEEPER:

1. What might be an appropriately loving response when someone uses OMG in a text or conversation that will bring glory to God and help them rethink their usage of the expression?

FURTHER READING:

Deuteronomy 5 (The Ten Commandments); Psalm 71

Vernette and her husband Ken have been married for over 40 years. Their two married sons have blessed them with eight grandchildren.

What’s In It For Me?
By Carolyn Hulliberger

“No doubt about it! God is good - -  good to good people, good to the good-hearted.”
Psalm 73:1 (The Message, paraphrase)

Following God with all your heart is difficult. Not just difficult…there are times that will call for social, physical or emotional discomfort, sacrifice, pain. At times it’s tempting for even the most seasoned Christ-followers to look around and say, “Forget it. Everyone else has more fun and prosperity…without any problems. What am I getting out of this? It’s not fair. I’m out of here.” This feeling is nothing new. Asaph, the author of Psalm 73, told his story and fought the same emotions. But God has an answer to him, and to us.

Asaph saw that “the wicked” (v. 3, NIV) seemingly had no struggles. They were healthy, proud, arrogant, and carefree (v. 4-12). Sound familiar? Just like many of us, Asaph found himself struggling with envy of these people. But God showed Asaph the destination of the unfaithful. They are “cast down to ruin…destroyed…completely swept away” (v. 18-19). And Asaph’s destination? The very presence of God (v. 24).

At the end of the psalm, Asaph worships God:

“I’m still in your presence,
But you’ve taken my hand.
You wisely and tenderly lead me,
And then you bless me.
You’re all I want in heaven!
You’re all I want on earth!
When my skin sags and my bones get brittle,
GOD is rock-firm and faithful.
Look! Those who left you are falling apart!
Deserters, they’ll never be heard from again.
But I’m in the very presence of God—
Oh, how refreshing it is!” (v. 23-26, The Message, paraphrase)

God showed Asaph the last chapter of the book, to help him understand that he…just like us…lives in the middle of the story. God’s faithfulness to those who love Him does not end.

GOING DEEPER:
1. What are you putting your hope and confidence in today?

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 89:8

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.

What A Difference A Day Makes

By Jeannine Sawall

 

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson,they shall be like wool.”

Isaiah 1:18 (NIV)

 

Going to bed last night, the winter landscape was drab and brown. We were missing the usual snow that blankets the lawns and so we were left with cold, dormant grass, bare trees and a pretty barren view out our window. However, a few inches of snow fell during the night and when I woke up this morning, the landscape had been transformed into a winter wonderland. Bare branches were now blanketed with snow, the lawns were no longer cold and dismal but covered by the wintery whiteness. What a difference a day made!

 

As I drank in the beauty of the true Wisconsin winterscape now outside my windows, it reminded me of what a difference a day with Jesus makes in our life. Before we come to know Him, our lives are a landscape of dark, drab colors where everything that is unsightly is out in the open before God. Once we meet Jesus, our lives our completely covered. Our hearts are covered with His love. Our sins are now covered by His blood. Our future is now covered by His promise of eternity. Our mistakes are covered by His forgiveness. Just as the snow covers everything that is unsightly and bare during winter, Jesus’s love is powerful enough to cover (forgive) the things in our lives that are unsightly and barren due to sin. Our sin is no longer an unsightly stain, but we have been washed white as snow by the precious blood of Jesus!

 

With the new fallen snow, the sun then reflects off it, illuminating with a thousand points of light. Similarly, the Son reflects Himself in our lives, giving off His light to a world still barren and unsightly. As followers of Jesus, we are called to be a light in the darkness. We are called to reflect His glory and His compassions every day.

 

A fresh snow makes all the difference to a barren winter landscape. A fresh meeting with Jesus makes all the difference in a barren heart. Whether we have never met Jesus or have we have a spiritual life that needs to be refreshed, take the time to let Him come and change the current landscape. He alone will bring a fresh perspective to our lives.  He alone will cleanse us white as snow and He alone can cover us with His grace, His love and His light.

 

GOING DEEPER:

1. In what ways does your spiritual landscape need refreshing?

2. How do you reflect the Lord to the world around you?

 

FURTHER READING:

Jeremiah 31:25, 2 Corinthians 4:6, John 8:12 

 

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.