The Gift of Hope in the Protea

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It was a wonderful graduation celebration the other week at Oceanview Care Center. The children sparkled as they sang, acted out the Christmas story, and as each one proudly received their graduation certificate.

The graduation speaker was a local artist who turned shipping containers into a wonderland of beauty, and brings such a sense of joy and warmth to the center. She described her artistic process as being birthed in prayer and asking the Lord what she should paint. Once she has the picture in her mind the creativity takes over and her hands work out the details of the masterpiece.

The first painting was of the Protea, the national flower of South Africa. This exquisite flower covers the mountainsides surrounding where we live. Our Creator God blessed this country with these brilliant plants with various hues, which speak His glory as well as bringing a message of hope.

I can see why the Holy Spirit promoted the artist to start with the Protea. Not only is it breathtaking in beauty but also resilient. Once this plant takes root it is able to withstand hurricane force winds, severe droughts, and destructive fires. It is the perfect flower to represent this country that has suffered so much pain and yet still perseveres.

I thought about the Protea and the smiling children donning bright smiles and singing out glorious praise to God. In a few months they move on from this Christ filled Kingdom Center and will face spiritual enemies seeking to uproot and destroy them. For some the battle rages in their homes or the gang infested streets where they live. Others will feel the impact transitioning from this safe and familiar space to a much bigger campus. In the natural there is little hope for these precious masterpieces of Father God.

Yet, the Protea preaches a supernatural hope for these image carries of the Divine. The One who creates us in Christ-plants us with Him on the cross- killing the curse of sin and death. He plants the seed of our soul in the fertile soil of His death and will resurrect us to His heaven filled life. Such blossoms radiant His glory.

As in the natural the Protea is a picture of hope so too is God’s Word. Over and over His Word brings us hope that “He makes all things beautiful in His time, (Ecc. 3:11). And “being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 1:6).

The graduation was a joy-filled time and there behind the singing and dancing children stood the Protea, a symbol of hope. No matter what the future may bring for these children and all who are in Christ we claim hope as The Word says:

“… rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.” (Romans 5:3-5)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Gift of “Warming Up”

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If you have participated in any type of sports or physical activity-even shoveling snow-you know how important it is to stretch your muscles and do a proper warm up. Failing to correctly warm up can lead to muscle damage, which may quickly side line you from the competition or keep you inactive.

Our African sisters and brothers have been teaching me that there is also a spiritual principal of “warming up.” It is a time where one prepares the heart in order to encounter His voice.

Last week 26 individuals from the Family Strengthening Team (or social workers) from Beautiful Gate South Africa joined us at Oceans Retreat Centre. These amazing people are truly the hands and feet of Jesus to at risk children and families in the midst of a spiritual and physical war zone. Everyday with enormous caseloads they seek to bring hope and healing where darkness seems to rule.

It was a joy for Oceans to host them and lead them in a time of much needed retreat. The theme was “Hearing the Voice of the Father.” Our prayer was for them to get much needed rest and to be refilled by the loving and encouraging voice of their Abba Father.

At the beginning of one of our sessions I asked the MC if perhaps we could limit the singing to just a few songs as we had a lot to cover that morning. He agreed and after a few minutes tried to draw the worship to a close, but he could tell it wasn’t time so he backed away. A few minutes later Patty made her way to the front of the room, but she too backed away. The singing got louder and more passionate as their voices poured out of the depths of their souls. It became a holy moment where no teaching could compare to what the Holy Spirit was doing. When I finally got up to share, hearts were wide open to hear. Their spiritual muscles were warmed up.

At the last session of the retreat I invited anyone to share how he or she heard the Father’s voice speak His love. One of the ladies described how during that extended worship time she was under a severe spiritual attack. She could feel this heavy weight upon her that was crushing her spirit. She even moved locations in the room to try to avoid it. However, as the worship continued she said the Father broke through the demonic bondage and freed her by His love. I later thought to myself, what if I ended the time of worship just after a few minutes as planned. She would have missed the break through that God chose to give her through extended worship.

My western mind was conscious of hearing God’s voice within a designated time frame. My western mind continues to do battles with the clock. How often have I missed a spiritual victory because I tried to rush into His presence without “warming up” and waiting on Him?

My African brothers and sisters teach me again and again the truth in Psalm 130:

“…This is why I wait upon you, expecting your breakthrough, for Your Word brings me hope. I long for You more than any watchman would long for the morning light. I will watch and wait for You, O God, throughout the night. O Israel keep hoping, keep trusting, and keep waiting on the Lord, for He is tenderhearted, kind, and forgiving, He has a thousand ways to set you free!”(Psalm 130:5-7 TPT)

During this Christmas season spend seek time “warming up” with worship AND wait with great anticipation for the gift His presence will bring!

The Gift of Returning

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Although Thanksgiving may not be celebrated in South Africa, Black Friday Sales are certainly advertised everywhere! Yes, December and all the festivities and shopping are already upon us. Yet, I want to take a moment to focus on the free gift Jesus gives us at any time of the year by what He demonstrated when He returned to the Jordan River.

Revisiting places of spiritual significance is a tangible gift we can reopen again and again. Surveying Scripture you will repeatedly see the Spirit of God calling His people to look back and take notice of how His sovereign hand saved, rescued, protected, disciplined and reminded them to look back to places of bountiful blessings.

Not only does this practice of returning refocus us to the faithful love of the Father, but it also helps strengthen our faith for what God is calling us to next. Recently I was reading John 10 and these verses jumped out at me in the life of Jesus:

“Once again they attempted to seize Him, but He escaped miraculously from their clutches. Then Jesus went back to the place where John had baptized Him at the crossing of the Jordan,” (39,40).

The Jewish leaders had picked up stones to kill Jesus, as their hearts were full of vicious hate for all the truth He spoke and demonstrated. And notice where Jesus escaped to, “the Jordan River” the place where He was anointed with the Holy Spirit and affirmed by the Father’s love to launch into ministry.

This was the same area where the Israelites 1500 years earlier miraculously walked through the river to enter into the promise land. No longer slaves but conquering sons and daughters. I believe Jesus went back to Jordan to remember His glorious baptism into the Father’s powerful love. The Jordan River gave Him strength for the path ahead to the cross.

Fresh from a battle with the religious leaders Jesus went back to the Jordan River to refocus on the Father’s amazing love for Him. His identity is wrapped up in the loving arms of His Abba. And as He sat by the flowing Jordan He was reminded of His anointed calling to crush the head of Satan by conquering death.

Just as Jesus went back to the Jordan River so too we need to go back to those places where the Father met us with His love. Last week was my spiritual birthday and I spent time writing in my journal about the supernatural love of the Father that rescued me that cold November 26 night.

Not only did I praise Him for His electing love calling me out of the darkness into His healing light. But also how I know I can trust His providential hand to carry me through the next season of His mission for me. What a gift!

Where is your Jordan River? When was the last time you went back to it? For some it maybe a favorite Bible verse the Holy Spirit used to awaken your heart to His love. For others perhaps a church service or retreat where anointed words from a speaker arrested your heart. Maybe you were walking in creation when you heard His still small voice call you to Himself.

Like Jesus we will face battles in this culture we are living in and it is vital that we go back to those spiritual places to be refocused and renewed in His victorious love.

In the busyness of the holiday, I encourage you to pause and take a moment to remember the gift of “Your Jordan River!”

The Thanksgiving Invitation

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There is power in a heartfelt thank you! Recently Oceans hosted a group of Wycliffe Bible translators from Madagascar. They were some of the most gracious people I have ever met. Their English was limited, but one phrase they knew very well was “thank you!”

Greeting them each morning in the dining room I would ask how they slept. With big smiles they would reply, “Good, good! Thank you!” And when I inquired about Thobeka’s breakfast of eggs, bacon or flapjacks, they would give the same response. Over the next several days here in South Africa we definitely stretched their taste buds, as in Madagascar a bowl of rice is main food for each and every meal.

One morning before eating the group burst forth in a song of praise and filled the dining room with a heavenly peace, what a way great way to start the day!

I would say a spirit of thankfulness and the main food of turkey seems to be the focus of the upcoming American holiday. As a pastor back in the US I always loved the Thanksgiving service. God’s children both young and old often shared testimonies. Theses testimonies shifted the atmosphere as grateful hearts gave praise to a gracious Father. I would leave those services filled up, even before feasting on turkey.

In Psalm 100 we are given an invitation by the Holy Spirit to join in a Thanksgiving Celebration like no other. And the only requirement for you to enter into this festive celebration is this:

“You can pass through His open gates (doorway) with the password of praise. Come right into His presence with thanksgiving. Come bring your thank offering to Him and affectionately bless His beautiful name!” (Ps. 100:4 TPL).

I love that “praise” AND “thanksgiving” are the “password” into the presence of our precious Savior God. Making our focus to lift up thanksgiving to the One who has given us abundant life, is a prelude to what we will experience for eternity when we enter heavens realm.

For when we declare as the Psalmist did:

“Yahweh is always good and ready to receive you. He’s so loving that it will amaze you – so kind that it will astound you! And He is famous for His faithfulness toward all. Everyone knows our God can be trusted, for He keeps His promises to every generation,” (Psalm 100:5 TPT)

We feast on His soul satisfying presence.

My Madagascar friends’ spirit of Thankfulness was a direct invitation for me to join them in a heavenly Thanksgiving feast to “taste and see that the LORD is good!”

May you invite others into the Father’s presence through your spirit of praise and thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anointed to Love

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The sun had set in Fish Hoek and Patty and I were just finishing dinner when there was a knock on our flat door. It was Sunny, a 14-year-old young lady, who resides on the Retreat Centre campus with her mom Thobeka-who is part of the Oceans Team. Sunny asked if we had time to talk. You could tell she was was visibly shaken and her eyes were watery from crying.

We will never forget that night of May 26, 2020 when Sunny shared, “I think I heard the voice of God tell me He loves me!” Due to Covid lockdown Sunny was exercising on campus when she was startled by the voice and the love of God that filled her heart overflowing with a “joy unspeakable and full of glory.”

As we talked through this heavenly encounter I shared how the Holy Spirit supernaturally breaks through at times to anoint His children with the Father’s love, a gift that grants a deep, deep assurance that we are His beloved children. Often this Anointed Assurance is given as a preparation for a work the Father has preordained.

1 John 4 reiterates this truth:

“And He has given His Spirit within us so that we can have the assurance that He lives in us and that we live in Him,” (vs. 13).

The Holy Spirit’s work highlights the Father’s love through the gift of His Son Jesus. He makes this “perfect love” (vs. 18) become real within us. He brings the Divine Trinity into our hearts and seals it with this unexplainable love.

Sunny’s father passed away when she was six years old and Thobeka and their church family has done an amazing job disciplining her and from a young age Sunny has believed in Jesus as her Savior. Yet, on May 26, 2020 the Holy Spirit anointed and sealed her in a powerful and unforgettable way.

Fast-forward to October 2022 when Oceans board and staff were gathered for a retreat in Colorado when a phone call from South Africa came through it was Sunny. She wanted to share the news that she was elected “Head Student” or we would say President of the student body, of Fish Hoek High School. Everyone there had met Sunny and all joined in celebrating this amazing honor.

Celebrating with Sunny & Thobeka

This young lady, who simply went about living her life for Christ, and never sought to promote herself, was voted in by over 1000 students to this prestigious position. Another amazing fact is that she is the first black student in the history of Fish Hoek High to be Head Student.

The last few years as Sunny attended high school, Heaven’s love has been a river flowing through her to classmates, teammates, and teachers. Sunny is an example of the work of the Holy Spirit, who sealed her heart with the assurance of the Father’s love to bring His love to others.

The road will not be easy for her as the school has been facing many spiritual attacks and powerful forces have come in to bring division. Yet we know the Holy Spirit has sealed her with His love for such a time as this.

May this story encourage you and give you hope that God’s “perfect love” found in 1 John 4 is what we need and the world needs to heal our deep wounds. One person, filled with the “perfect love” from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit can be a conduit of His love to a thirsty world.

Please pray for Sunny and the student leadership team, which many are Christian, that God would protect them and use them to bring His love into hurting places.

And thank you Oceans family for helping invest in Sunny, through your love, prayers, and financial support which has helped with her and other students education fees.