The Most Important “Yet” of Thanksgiving!

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How are you doing making sense of all that is going on in our world? The wars in Europe and the Middle East, the cultural wars where wrong is right and right is wrong. Here in Africa inflation is soaring and economic collapse where the poor and the marginalized suffer intensely. Chaos seems to be reigning over the globe.

Years ago as a young overwhelmed pastor I spent the day in prayer on a beach in Southern California. There I found myself engrossed in the small book of Habakkuk. Reading and journaling about the 3 chapters of this Minor Prophet-with the powerful waves pounded upon the shore-had a transformative impact on my life and calling for years to come.

 Whenever all seems shaky and uncertain I turn back and settle my soul by the truths taught by the Spirit to a struggling prophet. Habakkuk had some complaints to share with God about how things were going in the world. I won’t get into the little wrestling match he had with God, other then God won. If you haven’t read the book lately I challenge you to read it for yourself, it is so relevant for our day.

At the very end of the chapter, after Habakkuk’s encounter with God, and with chaos seeming to rule the day, he chooses to do this very important thing:

 “…yet, I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” (3:18).

In the natural there was no reason to give praise and thanksgiving because of an economic collapse in Israel because of the invasion of a foreign enemy. Yet, his eyes turn in faith to the Great I AM, the faithful “LORD” who is his “Savior.”

I’m convinced that all the craziness in our world is a tool used by God to get our focus and attention back on Him and for good reason as the next verses says:

“The Sovereign LORD is my strength…” (vs. 19)

The whole book of Habakkuk is a gift that shows us that God is “The Sovereign LORD.” He is in absolute control of every detail that goes on in life, even when it doesn’t seem to make sense. One day it will and one day “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the water covers the sea,” (2:14).

When we believe that our Abba Father is in complete control of the smallest detail of our lives and the world-we are able to rest in complete confidence that His plan is unfolding perfectly even when we can’t grasp it. At the end of the day He will win, He will be glorified and all in Christ will share in His glory.

Something supernatural happens when we rejoice and give thanks to our LORD and Savior trusting His Sovereign Rule:

“He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights.” (vs. 19b).

I’ve watched deer deep within a canyon in the Negev desert in Israel spring up the rocky cliffs to a safe place away from danger. Their agility is amazing. When we praise and rejoice in the LORD in the midst of the chaos around us we spring into the heavenly realms and are awakened to our secure union with Christ. No matter what-the Spirit testifies that we are held eternally in the loving arms of our Father. We cannot lose.

This week I needed to be reminded of the truths in Habakkuk about the most important “Yet” of thanksgiving. No matter what may happen around me “Yet I will rejoice and praise my Sovereign, Saving LORD who loves me forever!”

Prayers Colliding

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Written by Mike Verkaik

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  John 1:5 (NIV)

Dawn and I just finished eating lunch with Edelyn*, one of the middle school residents at the motel ministry we are a part of.  While sitting around the table, an honest conversation developed of parents/partners who are stuck in a life full of struggles with addictions, joblessness, and strained relationships. She shared of a dark season she went through this past summer while fighting and substance abuse intensified in their 14 ft.  x 14 ft. room. She found herself hopeless and empty in the midst of it all, with no place to escape.

Through the last five years at the motel, there are are about a dozen children we have watched, prayed for, and nurtured from childhood to teenagers.  These children live in conditions of much brokenness and chaos, yet we have seen our Shepherd Father’s nature seek out His sheep, revealing them as His sons and daughters, and placing His Spirit within them.

For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my lost sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, So will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.        Ezekiel 34:11-12 (NIV)

There is no room at the motel to hide the daily dis-functionality of lives from the children who reside there. Life for them is unquestionably difficult and traumatizing, yet we see God’s hand upon children as they navigate with the Light of the World through the darkness. Edelyn, which means “God is my refuge”, is one of a handful of children who have asked Jesus into their hearts and asked to be baptized. Dwelling at the motel we see His hand upon her and witness not only our Father’s pursuit of His children, but also His Spirit’s filling and equipping to use them to bring His shalom into their struggles, fears and daily lives.

Leah*, which means “Struggle”, is now a former resident. She will always be remembered for how God used her hunger and thirst for worship to begin our Sunday worship times at the motel. In the midst of her struggles with depression, insecurities and family issues Abba created a hunger and thirst for worshipping Him in her. Through our Father’s perfect alignment He brought Leah especially close to one of our volunteers, Amber.  She became a mentor and friend. After years of emails, notes and cards of encouragement during Leah’s season of homelessness, unhealthy family dynamics, and  searching for her identity outside of her past, Amber became Leah’s foster mom.

A few weeks ago I had the privilege to witness Leah’s baptism at her foster parents house.  Amber told me that Leah woke up that Thursday morning and shared her desire to be  baptized.

When I showed up for Leah’s baptism on Saturday, I was met with the news of how Leah’s decision brought out the longing of two of Amber and Brian’s children to also be baptized.  Once again while Leah struggled with mental health and belonging, Abba stepped in and blessed Leah’s hunger and thirst for Him to lead others to act on their desires.

Below are the words of a mother’s heart as Amber wrote:

“As I was reflecting on Gods goodness in aligning the baptism for Leah, Briella, & Tritan I was brought to the following passage:

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.            Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

We prayed for this day to happen for our kids and God aligned it to happen with Leah in our backyard. God’s love was on display in more ways than one. Tritan, our adopted son, was brought into our physical family along with fostering Leah, but God has adopted us ALL as sons and daughters into His family -the kingdom of God.”

Amen and Amen. What a beautiful reminder in knowing that even amidst terrible hardships we indeed have a God who is on a quest, seeking, chasing and pursuing the hearts of His children.

Life at the motel is hard. Hard to live at, and hard to watch life happen. Especially for children who are trapped in the situations their parent(s) find themselves in.  However, as we pray, listen, and bring the message of our Father’s loving heart, we find encouragement in knowing and trusting Jesus’ prayer for us:

I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.

  John 17:26 (NIV)

*Names changed

More Salt and Light Please

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I love this picture, not only because of the people in it, but also for what happened just before the picture was taken. As the students and leaders were taking in the view-a wave crashed over the breaker and splashed them with salty water. Yes, salt sprinkled their faces, hair, clothes, or shoes. And perhaps their principal was more like soaked.

I also love the next picture. It is of an active lighthouse, this light shines brightly to lead fishing boats safely back home during storms and dark nights. It was so cool because while we were there a small group of people gathered around the light house for a service, we sensed the presence of Christ and even figured out John 3:16 being recited, without even knowing Afrikaans.

 

What is significant about salt water and a lighthouse? It all just tied in so beautifully as during one of the evenings at Oceans Retreat Centre, a guest speaker challenged the middle school students to be “salt and light” while in South Africa AND when they returned back home.

The speaker stated:

“Most of the time you don’t really notice salt in food-but you really notice when it is gone. Same with light, you notice it most when it is missing.”

The world may not be able to articulate or fully understand what they need -but what it is missing is “salt and light.” Just look at all the anger, violence, hate, greed, addictions, divisions, slander, and all forms of malice, on and on the list could go.

Jesus gave His followers the strategy to bring in His kingdom in the midst of the darkest times of hate and persecution by being “salt and light,”

“You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to every one in the house. In the same way let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven,”                            (see Matthew 5:1-14, Jesus directives on how to be “salt and light”)

Right after the picture was taken the team gathered in prayer led by a few of the students asking for the Holy Spirit to come and do a work in South Africa in the midst of all our pain, darkness, and brokenness. As they were praying my heart was leaping as the Spirit was saying this is the “salt and light” the world needs at this moment in time.

During their time in South Africa, these students joyfully served the neediest in our community, sometimes by giving loving hugs to lonely children and other times by offering a prayer, a hand written card, or prophetic words of encouragement to teachers and leaders. Their light and salt truly shined a big spot light on the Father in heaven and the glory of Jesus His Son.

May our prayer be that the Holy Spirit splashes us with waves of grace to make us salty and fill us with a Holy Fire to be a light in darkness. Take a moment to look around and find someone who needs to encounter Jesus through you. Maybe it is giving a hug, a word of encouragement, a smile, an authentic thank you, or perhaps speaking forgiveness to someone who hurt you, blessing an unkind individual with an act of kindness, writing a note to a lonely person, preparing a meal for someone sick or homeless, or taking time to be a being a listening ear to a broken soul.

I sincerely believe the Father is raising up a glorious salty church of believers filled with the Holy Spirit and on fire with the light of His glory. The world is desperately longing for HOPE  through “salt and light.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let this bring you Hope & Joy – God is on the move!

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If you want encouragement please read the blog below from a middle school student from Holland Christian. God is truly on the move empowering a new generation with His Spirit!

Today was another wonderful day in South Africa.

 It started off by another sunny morning at the Care Center where the kids came running out to greet us with huge smiles on their faces, hugs, and loads of energy! I prayed right before this time, asking again for the Spirit of God to give me and the children His peace. Sure enough, God showed up to me, blowing me away again by giving me His peace. The kids in my room were all very peaceful, and there was almost no violence that happened today. The Spirit definitely allowed me to see the kids with clearer eyes and allowed me to really see the true joy they found in each other and the little things I did to help. The Spirit was alive and working in that place and was working through all of us, which was an awe-striking experience.

We then headed out to Jim Se Bos, where we were able to make food in a ginormous pot to serve hundreds of people, providing them with a meal. I definitely felt God’s presence there, and getting to see hundreds of people’s faces light up with happiness when they received a small amount of food melted my heart. The contentment of the kids in the place was jaw dropping. After they had eaten their food, they were playing soccer with a plastic bottle, laughing, and smiling as big as the sun. This really made me think of having faith like a child because these kids have absolutely nothing, yet they delight in getting small portions of food and playing soccer with bottles. They’re not worried about tomorrow or questioning what they have to eat, which is incredible to see. We should be like that with God: we should find that same contentment in God. We shouldn’t be anxious or skeptical but instead run into the father’s arms, trusting that He already knows what’s going to happen to us and loves us more than every single star in the sky!

Right before we had to leave, Pastor Raymond spoke some very powerful words to us (that I personally think were 100% led by the Spirit). He told us that our sinful nature is selfish and wants things for ourselves, but when we’re born again and live into God’s nature we serve and love others first over ourselves. That really shows the heart of God and how loving and powerful He is. I mean, His Spirit can convert someone so broken and selfish (like me) and make them loving and wanting to serve others. That’s mind blowing to me.  Another thing he said was that the food we gave was a means by which to show a child the love God has for him or her. I thought that was also super powerful because we didn’t even have to do much to see God’s joy be present and deposited into a child’s heart. It also showed me the impact God’s love has when the people of God take action. It almost brought me to tears because God is so awesome and works in ways we can’t even imagine! All we have to do is trust and obey, and He’ll do the rest!

Pastor Raymond shared with us Deuteronomy 15:10-11.

“Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.”

In the Potter’s Hands

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For the first time in my life I went to men’s event on making pottery. Yes, you read it right, pottery. To be honest, I like the outings when you hike, listen to a good speaker, or my favorite a South African braai-US barbeque, where you eat lots of meat. But I went and somewhat hesitantly, mainly to support some friends who had planned and put it together.

And….I walked away that afternoon with tons of spiritual truths imprinted in my mind. I can now understand why God told Jeremiah to go to the potter’s house, watch him spin the wheel, and work wonders with a lifeless lump of clay. God wanted the people of Israel to get a visual of who He is and what He is doing in their lives. (Jeremiah 18).

Here are some timely truths that the Spirit taught me watching the potter:

1. I’m so glad I’m not the Potter – Our pottery experts made it look so easy as they shaped the clay into different vessels. However, when they let some of the men give it a spin the clay was flying all over the place and seemed impossible to control.

I think how often I want to take over the potter’s wheel and show God how to shape me. That always turns out messy and teaches me to trust His perfect, powerful, Sovereign hands to shape my life for His glory not mine

 2.The Impurities must be Removed – We learned that the clay is taken out of riverbeds and as a result small rocks and grass or impurities needed to be removed. Also adding just the right amount of water is important as well as smoothing away water bubbles. This appeared especially challenging to the inexperienced potter.

I need to allow the Potter’s Hand to do a cleaning work in my heart. The Spirit and Word reveal my sins and I need to allow His hand to remove those sins and idols in my life through confession and repentance.

3. It is According to His design – It was amazing to watch the prepared clay in the hands of a true creative potter. His mind told his hands how to create the desired piece and one little touch of a finger would mold the clay into an amazing design.

The Father is molding each of us into the image of His own Son Jesus. And each of us is designed in such a unique and special way that we reflect some aspect of Jesus in our lives. God’s shaping of me will be different from you and we need to rejoice in how our Father’s hand had molded us for a specific purpose to given to us (Psalm 139).

4. Strengthened in the Fire – The pottery teachers taught us that when the unique piece of pottery is created it is then placed into the kiln to dry it out and to turn it from clay to ceramic. The hotter the fire the stronger the ceramic.

The ouch part! If we don’t go through the fire of adversity and testing we will remain weak and will easily crumble. The Father uses trials, testing, difficult seasons to strengthen our faith and so that we trust in His love alone. Without the spiritual fire we will not experience the spiritual joy of being formed more and more into the image of Christ His Son.

We are living in a season where the Father is doing a molding work in our lives. May we have the courage to stay on the wheel and allow His Sovereign hands to form us as believers into a people reflecting the glorious image of His Son Jesus and confess with Isaiah the prophet:

“Yet, O LORD, You are our Father. We are the clay, You are the potter; we are the work of your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure O LORD; do not remember our sins forever. Oh, look upon us, we pray, for we are all your people.” (64:8-9)