The Bottom of the Cup says it All!

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Those of you who grew up in Southern California know exactly where the bottom of this cup pictured above comes from. And in more recent times several who are living in the Western States are discovering this hidden gem.

Recently I was having coffee with friend & board member Steve Budnack about a book I just finished called The INs- N- Outs Of  IN – N – OUT Burger, written by Lynsi  Snyder, President, Owner & Granddaughter of the Founders.

I Love In- N – Out Burger and after reading the book I love it even more. I was telling Steve all about it and how through a vision; “Keep it real simple. Do one thing and do it the best you can,” an amazing fast food icon was birthed over 75 years ago.

The book is real and shows how the Father uses broken people who stumble and fall but in the midst of deep brokenness find His saving grace. A grace that points back to a Father who came to rescue His lost and lonely children.

As I was sharing all this with Steve I asked him if he had ever looked at the bottom of the beverage cup, bags, or fry boat, and he hadn’t. Our conversation made him hungry and after our coffee he took his wife to IN- N – OUT and took the picture above of the bottom of the cup. My mouth began to water as well :)!

I thought about how many millions of people who drink from the IN- N – OUT cups each year and are not aware of the simple message on the bottom of the cup. One that has the power to bring living water to their dry and thirsty soul. To bring a forgiveness and healing to a broken and wounded heart.

How our world needs to experience the simple message of John 3:16.  A Father who loves His children so much He sent His most precious gift, His only Son. That who ever will open their empty hands and cry out to the Father for Jesus, will receive a new redeemed life and drink from the cup of love that will transform the most broken of people.

When you drink from the cup of the Father’s love you can’t keep it to yourself you will have to give it away. This is exactly what the founders and family of IN- N -OUT Burger did as they have shown the fruit of the gift by sharing the message and giving His love away in a host of ways.

Our world needs the Father’s precious children to take IN His gracious love and then let it pour OUT of us for His glory to a spiritual thirsty world.

This is the church at it’s best!  May we learn from  the In -N- Out’s vision as we live out the gospel  by “Keeping it real simple…”  This One Thing – Receiving the Father’s gift of love in Jesus and giving it away!”

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him (A good Father and Jesus His gift)  will not perish but have life everlasting.” Jn. 3:16

 

 

No Plan B!

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Blog written by Bryan Steel – the Principal of newly formed Christian High School.

 

2 Corinthians 5:5 says, “Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”

God has prepared us for whatever purpose He has in store for us on earth and He Himself has guaranteed our future, what is to come.

I believe God has prepared me for this very thing of joining Oceans and Valley Tutoring Centre. He has prepared me by letting me teach in Fish Hoek for so long, establishing relationships with so many people and then moving me to a private school giving me experience with private education. For years, I ran a youth group of high schoolers and have now been involved in a few meetings with the students from the USA. God has led me in my career to be involved in both primary and high school aged students. I know it is the right time for me to be involved in establishing this Christian school. People have been asking me about my decision and I keep saying I have no plan B. I believe it is what God wants me to do.

This is a brief story about God’s promptings-how He moves and plans and then gives us the opportunity to get on board.

A while back I had met with one of the Oceans Ministries’ Kingdom Encounter teams from the USA. At that time my wife Zelia and I were praying about whether I should leave my job and join this endeavor of growing the tutoring centre to a Christian School. Meeting that team felt like I had been set up because when I left that evening, I had confirmation that I needed to make the move and follow God’s lead. God used students who were in the same age group as the students as those I would be overseeing with this new position as Head Master.

Then after I had made my decision, Zelia and I met with another Kingdom Encounter team. We had such a good time with this team of students from the USA. They were so encouraging and seemed so focussed on heavenly things. Together we joined in worship, prayer and a time of sharing, this really helped to confirm that I had made the right decision and convinced both of us of the following:

1. This is what God wants me to do.

2. A Christian School is needed in the area and I want to be involved.

3. These kids from the USA are the type of young people I would want my children to have as friends.

2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “We live by faith, not by sight.”

Though Christ is not present in bodily form today, we live by faith in the reality of His presence with us and the certainty of all the promises concerning our future.

We know that Satan is not happy with what God is leading us to do. We have already experienced fight back and disruption. Our desire is that the school will be established on God’s Word, will lead people to Jesus and will produce students who love Jesus-so that when they leave the school, they will go out with a kingdom focus and ready to share Jesus with everyone they meet.

This is my prayer:

Father, I walk by faith following You and allowing You to lead me wherever You want me to go. Please keep me close to You, hearing You and seeing Your hand at work in my life, the lives of my family and everyone involved in the school. Amen.

Christian High School Opens on ORC Campus

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Zoe (center) with Holland Christian Kingdom Encounter Students

Blog written by Mike Verkaik 

After months of prayers, preparation and paperwork the high school began holding classes on the Oceans Retreat Center (ORC) campus in July. It is the first Christian High School in Fish Hoek, South Africa.

To explain the journey Oceans Ministries has been on to be a part of this new work of the LORD would take several book chapters. However for perspective, the seed for a Christian School in South Africa was first planted 10 years ago in Lesotho, Africa. With similar united hearts land was prayed over and purchased to begin development. However, within months it became clear that a school was not the reason for the land purchase as a church was soon built on the land and our dreams were placed on hold.

Abba has now brought us full circle as in June Tim, myself and a team from Holland Christian joined staff and friends to worship, pray and dedicate the work God began so long ago. We were in awe as people shared how our Father God orchestrated the common passions and hearts of so many to birth this dream into reality. By our Father’s provision we were also able to meet Zoe, who is the recipient of the first Oceans’ Scholarship to attend the school.

It has been a roller coaster of a ride for the team of teachers and the 56 full time and 18 part time students as they transferred onto the ORC premises. In the midst of winter rains, major flooding and sewage problems began their stay. The weather continues to be hectic with pouring rains and thunderstorms, but as vice-principal Heather Cicatello professes, “The LORD is good and we are coping. There are good things happening and the staff and students are very positive about being on the campus grounds.”

Tim and Patty spent several months in countless meetings, planning and praying as the opportunity for a school on ORC campus developed and stated, “It is overwhelming to consider how the Sovereign Streams of God have flown together to begin the first Christian High School in Fish Hoek, South Africa. We believe only God’s amazing sovereign hand could have brought this together and we are placing all the needs, students that will come, staff, teachers, principal, yes all the details back in His firm grip knowing it will be by His grace and strength alone.”

Students in Conference Room on Oceans Retreat Center Campus

“Riding the Waves of God’s Grace”

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How we need testimonies in our world of those who finish well.  A few years ago I encouraged Pastor Bill Bierling to write down his life and ministry story to share with a new generation. A new generation who need to hear the truths about life’s highs and lows and how to finish well. After some long hard work by both my mom Harriet, and Bill, the much anticipated project is now completed.

The words below are written on the back cover of the book to summarize the blessings that are inside his book.

“The title “Riding the Waves of God Grace” is a perfect description of Pastor Bill. As a young pastor beginning to feel overwhelmed by all the responsibilities with the church, God brought Bill into my life at just the right time. He understood the pressures of ministries and taught me and my family how to ride the waves of the Father’s amazing grace.

As a loving step-father Bill modeled and taught me essential Biblical truths that would help shape me as pastor, father, and husband.

Little did we know that some years later we would be riding spiritual waves together as we pastored at the River Church in Redlands California. That season was filled with supernatural works of grace one being a wave that would take us to Lesotho and later thrust my wife and I forward to a calling in South Africa.

I believe you will be blessed as you dive into this autobiography and read stories of grace that shaped Pastor Bill and made him a great example of one who lives out the gift of God’s great grace.”

I hope you have a chance to get a copy of the book and learn from one who has been riding the waves of God’s amazing grace for many years.  You can order a copy directly from Amazon.

Kids Catching a Kingdom Vision

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The blog was written by my daughter Anna Brock 

Jesus feeding the five thousand is a popular story in John 6:1-14 and often a favorite miracle shared among adults and kids. Sometimes I find myself missing out on God’s truth throughout Scripture when I read familiar stories that I have heard since I was a child. However, the Holy Spirit allowed me to put myself into the story and view this amazing miracle from the perspective of the young boy who shared his 5 small barley loaves and his 2 small fish. I am so thankful for how God allowed me to see this story through new lenses and share  the backstory that allowed me to reflect on this miracle.

I have the amazing opportunity to work with the kids at the church we attend in Parker, Colorado and our team wanted to teach our kids the spiritual discipline of giving. As spring planning was in full force for Vacation Bible School, I was presented with the idea of taking a mission offering for Oceans Ministries. I loved the idea and was excited about raising funds to support the kids living in the township of Jim Se Bos.

When asked how much we should raise for a 4-day VBS, I suggested what I felt was a reasonable amount of $200. I did not want to set the bar too high and wanted to protect everyone from disappointment. I was immediately challenged by my co-workers to raise the goal to $400. I was skeptical, but agreed it was doable. Needless to say, the kids caught the vision and raised over $1,000 for their brothers and sisters living across the world in South Africa. When I heard the news, I was speechless and in disbelief. I was then humbled, and the more I processed it I was not surprised because this is the God we serve. He blows our expectations and shows us time and time again He is in the business of multiplying.

Back to the feeding of the five thousand and the young boy with the five loaves and two fish. Have you ever taken the time to think about what it was like to be the boy who gave his lunch away and what it must have felt like to watch Jesus multiply his small offering? In the middle of the night as I was rocking my newborn to sleep I thought about this young boy. I thought about his faith and his courage. I tried to imagine how the story played out. Did he come to the disciples and offer his lunch? Did one of the disciples ask him to share? Either way, I was encouraged by his heart to give. He brought all he had and presented it to Jesus trusting that He could do whatever He wanted with his small offering. This is how I felt when I heard about how the kids at VBS responded to giving to other kids they had never met living in poverty. Each day the kids came eager and excited to share what they had like the boy in the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand.

I challenge you to read this familiar story again with a new lens. Ask yourself, are you the young boy who with the heart to give everything away and faith that Jesus will multiply what you bring? Or are you more like Philip or Andrew questioning the logistics, worried about the financial burden, or the failed outcome? I found myself more like the disciples in the story, but now have a deep desire to become more like the young boy and wait for miracles to happen.

We often think we have something to teach our children, but my heart was encouraged by witnessing the Lord use the generous hearts of children to teach my soul a lesson about the Kingdom of Heaven. There is a reason Jesus says in Matthew 18:4,“ Whoever continually humbles himself to become like this child is the greatest one in heaven’s kingdom realm.”