Responding to the Hands of a Generous God

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Singing, dancing, hands waving and laughter were all happening at Oceans Retreat Center on Saturday morning. Hearts were overflowing with joy. Oceans was honored to host a group of church leaders and students from a local Bible college. The 40 students counted it a great blessing to be on campus, to share a meal, and to corporately study God’s Word.

I stealthy walked in to the Harbour Conference room but soon couldn’t help joining the singing and dancing. After a while someone from the group asked me to take a picture to share with Thobeka, Giselle and Patty to thank them for delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs, chips, beef sausage, oats, toast, coffee, tea and fruit. I can’t remember a time where I got so excited about a meal that I waved my hands in the air and shouted with robust gratitude. I smiled as I contemplated how Africa continues to teach me about offering my whole heart in praise to God in all things. The Father loves when we take time to thank Him (and others) for gifts both big and small. We serve a generous God!

The apostle Paul captures the heart of our generous Father in this wonderful verse:

“For God has proved His love by giving us His greatest treasure, the gift of His Son. And since God freely offered Him up as the sacrifice for us all, He certainly won’t withhold from us anything else He has to give,” (Romans 8:32).

This text is overwhelming to me. To ponder the gift the Father has given through His Son and to comprehend that nothing in all the world can take away that great love. I picture the Father’s strong hands graciously bestowing the gift of Jesus to each one of us. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus the doors of heaven rain down immeasurable treasures upon us His beloved children.

On that Saturday I briefly shared the story of Oceans and encouraged the men and women to take note of the sign on the side of the building. I reminded them that each one of us is called to “Make The Father Known!” For the Father to give us His best in Jesus and allow His Spirit to remain in each of us is beyond understanding. This love lives and breathes and is reflected in each of us! This gift was given to us so that we can tell the world about the love of a generous Father that will never let His children go!

What a God ordained day it was as children of the Father glowed with the radiance of His love gathered together. I was spurred on by their worship and praise to Abba Father. Just the thought that each one from the Congo, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa and us from the US are each able to make the Love of the Father Known to whoever we may come in contact with. The nations gathering at the Retreat Center for such a time as this can only be explained by a miracle working Father who has provided beyond understanding through the gifts and prayers of His gracious children over the ocean 10,000 miles away. What an amazing Father! Words are not enough to give Him the praise He deserves!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joy Comes in the Morning

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In the midst of a season of incredible losses in our world I asked my step father & Pastor Bill Bierling to share his pastoral insights. Bill has helped shepherd many through times of severe grief and suffering through promises of God’s Word.

I’m blessed to be in my 60th year as a pastor. It has been a remarkable journey highlighted
by incredible experiences with the people I served, the young and the old. Currently, I am in the process of writing my journey in a book, “The Heartbeat of a Pastor’s Heart.” As I have reflected on all that has happened in these years, I have been confronted often on the subject of, “Death and Dying.” Thus, the title of this blog, “Joy Comes in the Morning.” Words from Psalm 30:5.

This is a personal journey of mine dealing with death, as I walked through or should I say mourned through my losses.

“Joy comes in the Morning” are the words that are written on the headstone of my first wife’s grave. It has been 30 years since she passed away at the young age of 52. So many questions asked with no answers.

Since then I have grieved the loss of a grandson, who received two heart transplants but they failed, a stillborn birth of a granddaughter and miscarriages of family members. There have been the deaths that I’m sure you have also experienced of grandparents, parents and family members. Most recently, my two daughters lost their husbands suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 60. So many questions asked with no answers.

What am I as a pastor and dad to make of all of this? What are you to make of your own experiences with death? All around us we read of the number of Covid related deaths and now the casualties of the war in Ukraine. Hunger, disease, inhumane treatment and other atrocious killings continue. Death is everywhere in the world we live in.

What do I say? Do I have an answer? I remember the words of Psalm 30:5. ” Weeping may last for the night, but JOY comes in the morning.”

Then I go to what I have learned from all the families for whom I have done memorial services, especially the “senior saints.”

What is their way through loss? You could have guessed it. They most often go to Psalm 23. “Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me ….. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of Lord forever.”

Another meaningful passage is found in John 14:3. ” Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in Me. In my Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.”

The Word & wisdom of the people of God in dealing with their losses has been a source of strength for me. I am comforted.

The faith of the people of God and believing in His promises in dealing with all of their losses has been a source of strength to me. I am comforted.

JOY WILL COME IN THE MORNING!

The Warrior Spirit

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Where does courage come from? Watching reports from the invasion of Ukraine has been both gut wrenching and awe inspiring at the same time. Faced with insurmountable odds the Ukrainian people have displayed courage to resist the massive Russian army no matter what the cost.

Why would unarmed civilians stand in the way of massive tanks? Why would ordinary civilians stand in long lines to receive guns and enlist in the fight to protect their country?

A mother of two who works as a banker was asked that question as she waited for her weapon? “Freedom!” she said, “I want my girls to live in freedom and I’m willing to die for it.” These people love their country and the new freedom experienced over the last few years and this has infused them with a courageous spirit.

As I have been thinking and praying for the Ukrainians it has prompted much reflection on courage. During our weekly Bible study the Oceans team here in Africa, joined by Mike and Dawn in the US  discussed the betrayal and death of Jesus from John’s gospel. These verses portray the ultimate Warrior Spirit like no other. Betrayed by friends, berated by the religious establishment who were filled with demonic pride, beaten by a fear-filled political puppet, and bound to a torturous cross as the innocent Son of God. What was the source of His courage?

Love! A love Jesus had for the Father and a love the Father had for the Son. A love which the Father and Son want to share with sinful people through His Spirit living in them. It motivated Jesus to endure the depths of hell to free His beloved children. He wanted them to live in and experience freedom and find their home in Heaven’s love.

Jesus’ Warrior Spirit flowed from His love relationship with the Father (see John 17:26), which allowed Him to do the most courageous act in the history. What’s amazing about all this is that those who receive His gift of love also receive His Warrior Spirit.

We have a love in us through Christ that we can never be divorced from. No one or nothing in all the universe can separate us from it. Paul tells us in Romans 8:37 this love makes us “more than conquerors.” This means we are not victims but victors in Christ over every circumstance. No situation in life can defeat us, even death leads to eternal victory. As a result we can live fearless and courageous lives in the midst of a fear-filled world.

I’m inspired by the Ukraine’s spirit of courage fueled by love for country and freedom. But how much more should followers of Christ, who have been given His Warrior Spirit of love, live victoriously before all who watch us. Through courageous acts of love such as: serving the least, forgiving our enemies, and loving the lost with the Gospel message of hope we point to Christ the Warrior who lives in us.

Oh Father, flood us a fresh with the Warrior Spirit of your Son, so that His love may pour out of us to a thirsty world who desperately needs to see You.

Are you Listening?

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“Tim are you listening?” I can still picture where I was sitting when my first grade teacher caught me checked out without a clue to what she just said. Listening is hard work and not just in school, but for all of life. It seems today many struggle with listening, we are checked out like I was in first grade-living in our own dream world.

Recently, The Father has being speaking to me about the utter importance of listening. In the world which we live in the norm seems to be constant shouting. The last few weeks two books have grabbed my attention on this topic. One is titled the “Insanity of God,” by Nik Ripken. The Ripken’s were missionaries in Africa and despite receiving much favor from God, also experienced overwhelming disappointment and loss in their time of service.

Seeking to restore their souls back in the US they felt a tug of God for them to find  and listen to persecuted Christians around the world. The main question they wanted answered, “was Jesus really worth it?” The result of listening not only answered their question with an emphatic “yes!” but also brought healing to their broken hearts. Jesus came alive to them like never before. Nik described his experience with the Chinese house church movement as people who know the cross of Christ in their suffering and choose to live out of His resurrection power.

After listening to hundreds of testimonies of the most persecuted believers from around the world the Bible was no longer a history book for Nik but the living, active Word of Jesus-who is worth living and dying for.

The next book that spoke to me is “The Listening Road,” by Neil Tomba. As a pastor in Dallas,Texas Neil notice a disturbing trend among people in his church – they were finding it difficult to speak about God to those outside the four walls of the building. So right in the middle of Covid Tomba set an example for his congregation and biked 3000 miles across the US speaking – and more importantly listening to strangers. He  simply asked them about their faith, life experiences, and matters of the soul. He took time to listen.

I loved this book, not just because I have also dreamed of doing this on my bike, but because of the fruit of listening. In this book Tomba intentionally listens to the stories of others and this opened up unbelievable conversations which in turn led to prayers, tears, healing, and the love of Christ being shared.

Both of these books revived within me the art of listening. It reminded me of how when my children were young I earnestly listened to them with my whole heart.  There is such value in listening to voice of others and to the voice of God.

One morning as Patty and I were talking about this we were brought to James 1:19,20:

“My dearest brothers and sisters, take this to heart: Be quick to listen, but slow to speak. And be slow to become angry, for human anger is never a legitimate tool to promote God’s righteousness…”

Being “quick to listen, but slow to speak,” is hard work. Yet, I hear the Spirit saying “Tim are you listening to Me, are you listening to others?” At this very moment in our lives, taking time to listen could be the most important thing you and I do-not just for our souls but also for the well being of our brothers and sisters in this crazy world we are living in.

 

 

 

How do you identify?

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It seems like the question of the day has to do with your identity. Meaning who you are and what you belong to. The culture has gone crazy with labels searching for illusive peace by figuring out one’s one’s belonging found in identity.

Your tribe, race, gender, political leaning, super bowl pick, religious beliefs, social status, inclusive, exclusive, conservative, liberal, right, left, pro, against, kneel, stand, mandates, no mandates, and on it goes.

This desperate search for identity goes back to how we were created. Your DNA was created to belong and from the time you were conceived you desperately long for it. Because our very first parents Adam and Eve listened to the lie that identity can be found in self as the center things have gone terrible wrong (Read Genesis 3). As a result fear drives our quest and the result will always lead to disunity, hate, isolation, and spiritual and physical death.

500 years ago the battle over identity was fierce in Europe. Two young pastors in Heidelberg, Germany had a passion to help young people find their true identity and came up with a teaching tool called the Heidelberg Catechism. If you can find a greater Biblical summary statement of how you experience true identity found in question and answer 1 & 2 let me know.

I believe the only hope for our fractured culture is an encounter with the triune God-the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-who bring true identity saturated by His healing love.

Take a few minutes and ponder the truths below let them flood your soul with a love that brings a lasting identity of true belonging as sons and daughters of the King!

What is your only Comfort in life and in death?

That I am not my own, but belong body and soul, in life and in death to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven. In fact, all things must work together for my salvation.

Because I belong to Him, Christ, by HIs Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and make me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for Him.

What must you know to live and die in the joy of this comfort?

Three things:

First, how great my sin and misery are;

Second, how I am set free from all my sins and misery,

Third, how I am to thank God for such deliverance.

Speaking of super bowl, I didn’t get to watch it here in Africa but got to listen to a powerful testimony of the super bowl MVP Cooper Kupp.  When pressed on the pressure of the game and what winning the MVP meant, he gave glory and thanks to God and said:

“I’m validated not by anything I have done on the field but my worth from God my Father!”

Now there’s a statement of some one who knows belonging is not what we have done but what our Father through the gift of Christ has done for us.