New Beginnings

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Written by Mike Verkaik

Today I am transcribing a celebration story of a renewed life in Christ. Rejoice with us as you read the transformation, spoken through a surrendered life, by our Father who proclaims in Joel 2:13:

“Tearing your clothes is not enough to show you are sad; let your heart be broken. Come back to the Lord your God, because he is kind and shows mercy. He doesn’t become angry quickly, and he has great love.”

Clark is a former resident at the motel. He and his family, wife Ashley and three young boys, arrived at the motel in 2021 after losing their business and house. Covid had a huge negative impact on their lives and he wore the signs of anger and bitterness on his sleeve.

Over the next six months Clark and I had many conversations standing outside of his room, or at the restaurant next store. Clark grew up in the same denomination as I did and was well versed in scripture and theology. Many of our dialogues were seasoned with memories of his former church life, however, he was far away from that place at the current time. Ramifications of life choices and resentment towards his circumstances, overshadowed the beliefs of his past and hardened his heart.

Clark’s anger and fight mentally eventually led to a physical altercation with the owner and eviction from the motel. We kept in touch for a while after the incident, but as time passed our communication became less frequent until a few months ago when I received a text asking to meet for lunch. The encouraging lunch conversation was an honor to participate in. It included his testimony, a fresh story of the Father meeting His son in the midst of his brokenness, sin and shame and overflowing him with His love, mercy, grace and peace.

Listen to the words of a man full of peace who has been redeemed:

Mike, there was a time in my life when I was a real player with a temper. In fact, as you know, I was a loose cannon, but I’m not that guy anymore. I am at a point in my life where I have incredible peace. It doesn’t mean the enemy isn’t attacking my peace or marriage anymore. Old friends are trying to throw my past in my face and sabotage my decision, but I’m not that guy anymore. I know that God knocked me down so the only place I could look is up, and I am seeking God’s heart now. The cool thing is that even my son has noticed a change in me and has commented, “Dad you are really different since you gave your life back to God”.

Things have certainly changed for the better from those days at the motel. Tell all the volunteers to keep loving on those people who maybe don’t know how to love themselves. Keep in mind that you might be the only Bible, or only church that someone ever experiences. We’ll meet again, but for now, I need to grow, and develop this life further. Also we found a local church that is going to be starting Awana on Wednesday nights, in a couple weeks, and Ashley is working to get every Wednesday off from work. It has an adults Bible program to attend while the children attend Awana. We’ve been praying for something like this. So have we Clark!

Clark’s testimony reminds me of a similar story of, as the Bible quotes, A woman in that town who lived a sinful life (Luke 7:36). Like Clark, it must of have been quite the reputation for her to break while living in a small town. The only way for them, and us, to have a breakthrough is to fully understand and accept these words of Jesus in Luke 7:48 – Your sins are forgiven. These beautiful words usher in new beginnings, encourage change, and bring life giving peace.

Jesus said to the woman, “Because you believed, you are saved from your sins. Go in peace.” (Luke 7:50).

**Names have been changed**

 

The Character of Abba Father’s Heart – Stories of His Faithfulness

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You and I were created to share the stories of our Father’s Faithfulness. A few weeks ago my sister and her husband invited over family and friends to celebrate the graduation of a young lady named Martha Kibozi. Martha had recently graduated from high school and was ready to head off to college, but what made this party extra ordinary is the fact that the Kibozi family, nine in all, should not even be alive.

After a great dinner we gathered in the living room and sang beautiful songs of worship led by Gilbert, the father of the Kibozi clan. After our time of praise Gilbert was asked to share his story of how he got to America. For the next hour we were overwhelmed by the testimony Gilbert shared of how he and his young family were forced to flee their village as civil war broke out in the Congo.

For a year Gilbert, his wife Ohga and their new baby Martha lived in the jungle hiding from ruthless soldiers seeking to kill them. They survived on insects, snakes and plants to keep them alive. As Gilbert continued to share how God miraculously saved them and opened a door for them to come to the United States, his face was radiant with a joy that is not from this world. Right before the eyes of everyone in that room was a living testimony of a faithful God who rescued this family and blessed them beyond words. Martha, who should have died in the jungle, graduated with top honors from her high school and is set to attend a state university.

That night we experienced “church” as the Father’s Spirit grabbed the heart of everyone in the room through as a story the Father’s Faithfulness was on display for all to see. Our family returned home that night filled up with fresh faith to trust in our faithful Father.

The Bible is one big story of God’s faithfulness to His children. As you and I step out in faith and allow the Father to do miracles in our lives we will become a living testimony of His faithfulness. Our stories will bring light, hope, and joy to a world in desperate need of an encounter with Jesus Christ and His Father who loves this hurting world so much.

Make Psalm 89:1-2 your never ending anthem to your Father’s glorious faithfulness in your life:

“I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever, with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.”

 

The Character of the Father’s Heart – A Declaration of His Faithfulness

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I love when fellow believers in Christ are able to encourage one another on their faith journeys. I share this recent email from Lori with her permission. It has been an extremely tough year as Lori and her husband lost their teenage son in February, yet they are choosing to declare the Faithfulness of their Lord and Savior.

Just wanted to thank you and let you know that the Oceans blog today spoke to my heart. Waiting is hard.  And God is our only hope. So thankful for that reassurance that Jesus waits with us and I can’t wait for that Glorious Day when we shall all be made new. We are one day closer to heaven! 

In the waiting, God nudged me to write this Facebook post.  He has done amazing things already through this post, through Zach’s life and also Zach’s death. Even though we would selfishly wish him back in a second, in the waiting, God is producing fruit. We just need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. “The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights” Habakkuk 3:19.

In the pain and struggle of great loss there is this powerful declaration in trusting in God’s “Sovereign” control over everything in life even the most painful of events. That God is enough, “The Lord is my strength,” He is the one that will sustain me in the depth of the valley of the shadow. And in His perfect timing will give me the “feet of a deer” to climb to new heights of His loving presence where His glory will flow out for the world to see.

Through the grace of God and the power of The Word, somehow Lori is able to make this powerful declaration. In the midst of her family’s painful wilderness she longs to declare with Habakkuk these words: “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food through there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stall, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior” Habakkuk 3:16-17.

Lori’s words challenged me to continue to declare that God is faithful even when I walk through the wilderness of uncertainty; I pray her testimony challenges you to cling to God and His Word as well even when there is no clear answer. May the words of Habakkuk 3:16-17 be your prayer, and through your struggle or time in the wilderness watch as the Spirit of the Sovereign God becomes your strength and brings you into new places of His glorious love!

 

 

The Character of Abba Father’s Heart – The Holy Spirit and His Faithfulness

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This past week my son TJ and I took a road trip. Destination? College! This is the first vehicle that TJ owned and since the truck is up in years and miles I thought it might be wise for me to follow him to Iowa and then I would continue traveling to Michigan where I have some ministry appointments. As the miles went by I found myself staring at the back of the blue Toyota truck as we passed through the never ending state of Nebraska, anyway, as we went along our way I thought about how our Heavenly Father travels with us on the journey toward His promises for us. He is always there to make sure we get to the place He is leading us to. Just as I was with TJ to make sure just in case something happened I was right behind him with my credit card to guarantee he arrived safely to college.

How much more does our Heavenly Father want you and me to know His loving presence; a presence that never leaves us alone on this journey of faith? Which leads us to last week’s blog? Do you remember reason 1 for waiting?

Reason 1: “..we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope…” (Rom. 5:3-4). 

The Father uses the struggle of waiting to build into our character a passionate hope in Him alone. The wilderness of waiting strips us of self and creates a total dependency on the Father and His faithfulness. This is the place the Father desires His children to live from, a place where He is our only hope for this life and the next.

Reason 2: “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us,” (Romans 5:3-4). As we grow in this “passionate hope” we open our hearts to the greatest of gifts the presence of the Father’s love by the Holy Spirit. Hope prepares the container of our hearts to be flooded with streams of living water from Heaven. Jesus taught that the Father would send the “Counselor (the Spirit) who would be with you forever,” (John 14:16). We have a guarantee that is sealed upon our hearts by the Holy Spirit that we are going to make it, that our God will do the impossible just as He did in Abraham’s life.

Jesus told His followers to “wait for the gift my Father promised,” (Acts 1:4). They needed to know the overwhelming love of the Father through the Holy Spirit so that they could travel forward with great confidence. I know I can’t make this journey with out the awareness of my Abba Father’s loving presence with me. Join with me in crying out for a new work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts making us fully aware of our Faithful Father’s presence with us. Come Holy Spirit, Come!!!

The Character of Abba Father’s Heart – Waiting for His faithfulness

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The other day Patty and I were at a Christian worship concert. It was a beautiful venue with powerful worship. Towards evening Patty was getting hungry for nachos and apparently everyone else was as well. I finally inched toward the window and guess what? Two young girls were trying to cut the line and move in front of me. With Christian music playing in the background I blocked them out feeling justice must prevail. As I waited for my order to arrive I felt the nudge of the Spirit convict me of my impatience and my own struggle with waiting. Truth is deep down I struggle with waiting, be it in a long line for nachos, sitting in traffic, or on the promises of God. I have grown up in a culture that loves quick results and instant gratification.

Yet as I continue to ponder Romans 4-5:1-11 and the life of Abraham it is overwhelmingly clear that waiting is at the heart of a trust relationship with the Father. Abraham was 75 years old when God made His big promise to him about being the father of a “great nation” (Genesis 12:1-3). It was a 25 year long wait before Isaac, the promised son was born, talk about a long wait! The same story is repeated again and again in Scripture; the Father makes a promise and then the waiting begins. But why? What is His reasoning for making His children wait? Again in Romans God displays two important reasons for the wait. I will share one this week and have you wait until next week for the other reason.

Reason 1: “…..we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope..…”          (Romans 5:3-4). The Father uses the struggle of waiting to build into our character a passionate hope in Him alone. The wilderness of waiting strips us of self and creates a total dependency on the Father and His faithfulness. This is the place the Father desires His children to live from, a place where He is our only hope for this life and the next.

I wish I could say I’ve mastered this “waiting thing” but I haven’t He continues to shape His character within me. But as I learn to wait in line for His promises I also learn to cry out for the Spirit of the one who waited perfectly in His suffering. Jesus, the True Son, not only shows me how to wait on the Father, but has cleared the way through the cross, resurrection, and His present reign to wait with me. As I wait all I need to do is keep my eyes fixed on Jesus. He is my hope and He gives me hope! The Father sealed me with His precious blood; He has sealed you with His precious blood. AND this is a guarantee that every promise will be fulfilled in His perfect time.

Are you struggling today as you wait in a seemingly endless line for His promises? Gaze with me at the One who stands right next to us; keep your eyes glued to His beautiful face and trust that He will lead you into the presence and the promises of a loving Father. Join me in meditating on Hebrews 6:13-19 this week.