Finding Your Mind in a World that’s losing it!

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I was getting ready to upload my blog on Monday morning knowing I had a busy day ahead. “Where is it, I cannot believe it of all days…!” After several minutes of frantically searching for a blog I wrote ahead of time-I had to admit defeat-it had vanished in cyber space. Indeed,  I had “lost the plot” and any peace I had encountered from my morning quiet time.

For some reason God often speaks to me in the shower. And as I was cooling off He quietly reminded me about the source of my anger, control. I had my day all planned out and writing a blog was not on the rather long list.

The whisper of the Spirit reminded me of the bizarre story of the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. Who one day was looking over the roof of his palace and stated:

“Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor,” (Daniel 4:30).

As the prideful words poured out of his mouth, he literally lost his mind and was driven out of the kingdom to live like a wild beast in the field. He would be in this condition until he acknowledged he was not in control:

“Until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone He chooses…” (vs. 32).

God continues to give me lessons in Africa about who is really in control. And I can’t help but think He is doing this all over the world. For 2 years governments have tried to control a virus with little success and as a result anger abounds. We have had one natural disaster after another, which preaches loud and clear about how helpless we really are.

The longer we try to play god the crazier we are going to get. And as Paul said when we worship anyone or thing besides God eventually our minds will become “dark and confused,” (Romans 1:21). I think this verse speaks a powerful truth to what we are experiencing today.

Our minds were made to Worship only one King. Read Daniel 4, the moment Nebuchadnezzar looked up to heaven and began to worship the “Most High” his “sanity” returned and he was restored back to his kingdom (vs. 34ff.).

It was a longer shower than usual but I had to be reminded of the One in control. And just maybe I needed to write a new blog to redirect my mind to Worship Him even when things don’t go as I have planned.

“When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom…Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All His acts are just and true, and He is able to humble the proud.” (Daniel 4:36-37).

 

 

 

 

 

A Most Needed Prayer for Today!

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“What will heaven be like the moment you arrive?” I asked that question this past Sunday at a church I was speaking at. Here are a few of the answers:

“Pure joy.” “I won’t want to go back.” “No home work.” “No demons.” “A big hug by Jesus that won’t let go.” “Joyful worship and celebration.” “ A radiant glowing city without sin.” “No more tears, no more sickness.” “Freedom.” “Pure light without any darkness.”

We summed it all up with one word, “LOVE!” Heaven is a world of pure love that goes beyond our wildest imagination.

I then asked them to describe hell. And most of their responses were the exact opposite of the list above. We summed it up in one word, “LOVELESS!” A world void of love which no one on earth has ever fully experienced. Even the worst sinner or the loneliest person on earth experiences the Father’s love through common means of grace such as creation.

My greatest need and I will be so bold and state that your greatest need today is Heaven’s Love . Our aching world striving to find healing for the emptiness in its soul through power, control, every form of sensual pleasure, and even striving religious activity will never be healed until Heaven’s Love is found.

For the church, the body of Christ to make its biggest impact in a lonely, loveless world we need to overflow with a supernatural love. The Apostle Paul knew this and right in the middle of his letter to the church in Ephesus he prays this most powerful prayer-for love to fill the children of the Father. I have felt called to pray this prayer over my heart, my family and His church every day in 2022. Perhaps the Spirit will lead you to join in praying this most needed prayer as well:

“So I kneel humbly in awe before the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, the perfect Father of every father and child in heaven and on the earth. And I pray that He would unveil within you the unlimited riches of His glory and favor until supernatural strength floods your innermost being with His divine might and explosive power.

Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of His love will become the very source and root of your life.

Then you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences – the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far – reaching is His love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding – this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God!

Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and to accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for His miraculous power constantly energizes you. 

Now we offer up to God all the glorious praise that rises from every church in every generation through Jesus Christ – and all that will yet be manifest through time and eternity. Amen! (Ephesian 3:14-21 PT)

It’s All You!

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On New Year’s morning Patty and I were celebrating by drinking our last “Ebb & Flow” coffee roasted by our kids in the US, (sorry a little advertising ). As we savored the last drops we were discussing Deuteronomy 6-8, a section Patty had just read.

What a fitting text for the New Year. Moses was preparing a new generation to enter into the Promised Land. He reminded this group of wandering people of God’s past faithfulness. How Yahweh brought them out of 400 years of slavery in Egypt. How He had sustained them for 40 years in the most inhabitable desert with water from a Rock and food from Heaven. How He protected and led them with the Glory Cloud of His fiery presence.

Now He was leading them into a land full of abundance with cattle, crops, and constructed homes waiting for them which they did not build. All because He is a promise keeping God who loves them:

“The LORD did not set His heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the LORD loves you and was keeping the oath He had sworn to your ancestors,” (7:7-8).

As we discussed these passages I picked up my journal and wrote these words, “It’s all You!” Looking back on 2021 we can testify both in the valleys of pain and the mountains of joy that the unexplainable love of God carried us along. He is a faithful! He is a promise keeping God.

It’s all about the Father’s love to us in Jesus. He chose us as the least in the world and saved us from the slavery of our sin. He sustains us in the wilderness and through His Spirit leads us into His Kingdom promises as His beloved children.

I began to fill up my journal with praise and overwhelming gratitude. Looking back to all that He did for Oceans both in Africa and the US we have seen miracle after miracle of provision where the Father has moved on hearts of His children to give sacrificially from enormous hearts of love. We have had divine appointments and movements of the Holy Spirit in ministry that can only be the hand of God moving in His sons and daughters.

It is hard to put words to it-but the Father’s love humbles the heart in such a way words are inadequate all I can do is shake my head in awe. All glory goes to God alone it is all Him!

Moses wrote Deuteronomy to remind a new generation that it is all about His unexplainable sovereign love. We have no idea what 2022 holds but we can look up with a blessed hope trusting in His love and shout out in our spirits “It’ All You!”

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

(Vs. 3 of “Rock of Ages”)

*the meaning of foul is wicked or immoral

 

 

 

Kingdom Joy!

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How do you know Christ the King has come into our world? Christmas Day we were asked to give the message at the church that gathers at the Ocean View Care Center.  Although Patty and I missed family and friends back in the States, we couldn’t help both felt  it was one of the most joyful Christmas celebrations we can remember.

It was outside, windy, no choirs, no instruments (well except speakers connected to a cell phone) , but heavens joy descended on the gathering. As we were singing:

Joy to the World, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

I thought about how we are literally at the southern western tip of Africa in a struggling and spiritually dark township and yet praising the name of Jesus 2000 years after His birth. This statement is the answer to the opening question. This is how I know Jesus came into the world with all the sin and brokenness. Jesus died for sinners. Jesus rose from the grave! And Jesus now rules the world as King.

You can’t stop the joy of His Kingdom! It flowed from His birth in a cave, to a cross, and now the glory of His crown continues to invade the darkest places with saving grace. No government or human agency, can rescue the lost and bring transformation to the most hopeless situation-EXCEPT the Spirit of King Jesus!

Earlier in the week, Mike Verkaik sent pictures of a Christmas party for the residents of the motel and the children acting out Luke 2 and again it brought great joy. As the Kingdom through loving actions every week has opened the door for the greatest good news ever told to come in the midst great spiritual darkness at a motel in Holland, Michigan.

Children acting out Luke 2

Let the pictures below encourage you to let the King who lives in you (Luke 17:21) break out with Kingdom Joy in 2022. We have a Good News message of “Great Joy” that our world needs right now.

“Good news of great joy to all the world”

Christmas Dinner for Wooden Shoe Residents

Dawn & Mike with children from Wooden Shoe at Haven Church lighting the candle of peace.

Christmas Service Ocean View

Baptisms from Ocean View Church

“Our Beloved Father, dwelling in the heavenly realms, may the glory of Your Name be the center on which our lives turn. Manifest Your Kingdom realm, and cause Your every purpose to be fulfilled on earth just as in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heaven’s Supernatural Hug

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“We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance and we need 12 hugs a day for growth,” according to therapist and author, Virginia Satir.

Research states hugs release oxytocin, which has amazing benefits. Consider the following:

  1. Strengthens the immune system.
  2. Boosts your mood by releasing dopamine, serotonin and endorphins.
  3. Supports heart health by lowering blood pressure and stress.
  4. Increases empathy and even self-esteem.
  5. Promotes feelings of safety, trust, and belonging.

Today we are living in a season where hugs and physical touch have been discouraged and even forbidden. It is no wonder our world is feeling incredibly isolated, lonely and hopeless.

The Christmas message is timely as the world is in need of a hug. In fact, I would say at the heart of the Christmas message is Heaven bringing a supernatural hug to a desperate world.

Luke 2 and Matthew 2 give evidence that heaven declares some really good news! Good news proclaimed through the shouts of angels! Good news displayed by a brilliant star! This good news is that the world will be forever changed as a Savior, a King has been born and He will restore the lost to a right relationship with Father God.

Despised shepherds and wealthy wisemen receive supernatural encounters that bring them by faith to a baby who restores their soul to a loving God. I cannot say for sure if Mary let these guests hug the baby Jesus or not, but in their hearts they were forever embraced by the Gift of Grace. Their response of worship and overwhelming joy that flooded their souls as they were “hugged by the Father” through faith in the Son, truly indicates the magnitude and gratitude of the gift of Jesus, the promised Messiah, that they freely received.

30 years later Jesus shares a powerful parable of what this supernatural transforming hug looks like in the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15. The son living in brokenness, isolation, and hopelessness because of his sin is jilted into reality of his loss and limps back home to his Father.

As his father sees the son staggering up the road as a wounded beggar notice his other worldly response:

“…great compassion swelled up in his heart for his son who was returning home. The father raced out to meet him, swept him up in his arms, hugged him dearly, and kissed him over and over with love,” (vs. 20, PT).

This is the heart of the Christmas message, a Father who runs to His lost children by sending Jesus into this sinful world. Yes, Jesus arrives with hope-a supernatural hug. His humble entrance began in a cave in Bethlehem and ended as a perfect sacrifice on a cross in Jerusalem where His arms embraced our long list of sins-forever burying them in a grave.

It is because of the cross, followed by the resurrection that we can join the angels in heaven shouting to the world:

“Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven! For there is peace and good hope given to the sons of men!” (Luke2:14).

As human touch and hugs are so vital for our physical and mental wellbeing how much more so is heavens supernatural hug from our Father.  As Covid has kept many away from a human hug, likewise sin has separated us from Heaven’s hug. Yet, what a time of the year to share the hope given to us in the gift of the Father through Jesus.

If you have not received Heaven’s hug I challenge you to come back to the Father through trust in Jesus as the prodigal did. Or maybe you are really struggling in this season and you need to be reminded by the Christmas story that your Father runs to hug you in Jesus His son.