Dear Friends of Oak Tree Ministries –
I am sitting tonight with a heart carrying very diverse emotions … joy and sadness; anger and hope. And I’m very aware that they’re all there at once. My heart isn’t divided. And I am very aware that I’m ok, and deeply loved.
Joy today from a HeartSync that spoke to a simple question for a young woman: “Who am I?” Jesus told her, Holy Spirit told her, Papa God told her. “Worthy to be loved; a wise leader and ruler who has been hidden but is being revealed.” Satan had gone after her identity with a vengeance from the earliest moments. And God met her today at every turn, taking out deep pain, speaking powerful and loving truth to her. Restoring her voice. Restoring her ability to be seen.
Sadness … well … we’re in a hard spot as a nation and as a society right now. I came out of that HeartSync session to messages that our community and our county are in curfew. And this after being in Shelter in Place for months. Looting, vandalism, arson all are threatened nearby. This is a community I have loved and helped shepherd for the Kingdom for 36 years, well over half my lifetime. And my heart has grieved here, and over and over the last few weeks from news from Georgia and Louisville and Minneapolis. Cameras now, videos especially, are showing pain that has hundreds of years of history, happening again. And right in front of us.
Anger. It. Should. Not. Be. Happening. Our war isn’t against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. But we forget that so easily and run so quickly to human answers that seldom bring real help.
And hope. I have experienced God’s deliverance before, and in the midst of all the turmoil around us I am seeing it again and again. I know Who loves me! Who loves us!
David wrote so much in the 18th Psalm …
(5-6)”The cords of death encompassed me;
the torrents of destruction assailed me;
the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.
In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.”
(9) “He bowed the heavens and came down …’
(16-19) “He sent from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of many waters.
He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me.
They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into a broad place;
he rescued me, because he delighted in me.”
This is our hope. He hears us. He comes to us. He rescues us. He delights in us. He brought me to this passage years ago when I hadn’t experienced any of this. I felt Him break the cords of death then – He’ll do it again. And again. And again. He heard me. He came to me. He rescued me. He delighted in me. And He’ll do it again. And again. And again. And He’ll do it in every area.
As you pray for our ministry this month, please pray for our wisdom as we continue to shepherd and disciple others around us. Many are hurting. Some of the people I work with who have been horribly abused are very frightened right now. Others are angry. All need to know there is hope and they are loved!
And pray for our wisdom in helping AJ and the grandkids in Redding. There are some big issues around physical custody and around finalizing divorce finances happening over the next few weeks. We want God’s very best.
Pray for us all! Whatever your sphere of influence, wherever it is, go and love like Jesus. Hear. Come, Rescue. Delight. And love like Jesus loves.
We love you, and we’re praying for you too.
Bill Irwin
Oak Tree Ministries
410 Beatrice Ct., Ste. A
Brentwood, CA 94513
(925)759-0965
https://www.oaktreeministries.net
Oak Tree Ministries is a 501(c)(3) ministry … all gifts to the ministry are tax-deductible