It’s Tuesday but Thursday is Coming!!!!

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Sunrise over False Bay

It was dark when we started our hike up the mountain. Why so early you ask? Because we are only allowed exercise out of our homes from 6 – 9 AM so you need to squeeze in every minute you can. Looking at the positive side we have experienced some amazing sunrises.

On the morning of this photo we were reading from Psalm 46 as the sun broke through the darkness.

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world. The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress,” (vs.10-11, NLT).

As I watched the sun irrupt from behind the mountains and dispel the last shade of darkness I thought about those words “The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us…” Those words along with the breathtaking scene filled my heart with praise for Christ’s glorious reign. The One who created the blinding sun lives in me and surrounds me with a ring of fire that promises to keep me for all eternity.

This blog comes out on Tuesday but don’t forget Thursday! Thursday is one of the most important and yet most forgotten days in Biblical history. Without Thursday I could never find comfort and joy in the verses above. This Thursday, May 21, we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus, where the Scriptures show Jesus took His Throne in Heaven, ushering His Kingdom reign over all the earth!

The following morning Patty and I hiked up again to let both the sunrise and God’s Word speak in the stillness of the morning. We read from Psalm 47 which goes on to tell why Ascension Thursday is such a big deal:

“God has ascended with a mighty shout. The LORD has ascended with trumpets blaring. Sing praises to God, sing praises…For God is the King over all the earth,” (vs. 6-7, NLT).

What a powerful prophetic Psalm pointing to Christ’s Coronation as King over all the earth. In the midst of a world wide pandemic and the chaos it has caused among governments and nations we have a glorious King whose reign is perfect and is an everlasting fortress for His people. I love how the 500 year old Heidelberg Catechism, answer 49, makes a big deal of Thursday and shows why we blare the trumpets with shouts of praise:

  1. He pleads our cause in heaven in the presence of His Father (Rom. 8:34)
  2. We have our own flesh in heaven – a guarantee that Christ our head will take us, His members, to Himself in heaven (Jn. 14:2)
  3. He sends His Spirit to us on earth as a further guarantee. By the Spirit’s power we make the goal of our lives not earthly things, but the things above where Christ is sitting at God’s right hand, (Jn. 14:16, Col. 3:1-4).

In this hour where the demonic darkness of fear has sought to dampen our faith remind yourself “Thursday is coming and has come!” We have an ascended King who prays for us, who is making an eternal home for us, and who has poured out His Spirit upon us. He reminds us we are sons and daughters of the King and we walk in the light of His glorious presence filled with His power bringing in His Kingdom Reign to all the earth!

Take Heart Thursday Has Come and “The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us…”

Fragrances of The Father’s Unconditional Love

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My wife Patty & my mom Harriet in South Africa

What does the heart of the Father look like? As I thought about Mother’s Day this past weekend I thought about the gift of mothers both spiritual and physical ones to our world. Two words which I would use to describe many mothers whom I know: unconditional love!

For 54 years I have experienced the unconditional love from my faithful mom knowing she will love me no matter what. When I was young and once again ended up in the principal’s office I knew she never stopped loving me regardless of the incident. Even as a graying adult living 10,000 miles I know I can always turn to my mom for comfort and love. I have seen this with my incredible wife Patty and her compassionate heart for our kids. She has often been an advocate for them and when dad felt justice must be served she became a powerful defense attorney pursuing mercy.

In so many ways through our physical or spiritual mothers we see the heart of the Father’s unconditional love. The Bible clearly displays God as Father, but God Himself when He wants us to understand part of His heart points to moms:

“As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you.” (Isa. 66:13). “Can a mother forget a baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has born? Though she may forget I will not forget you,” (Isa. 49:15).

Here in South Africa I have seen beautiful fragrances of the Father’s love through godly women spreading the aroma of heaven’s love in beautiful displays. Let me share a few examples.

Thobeka & her daughter Sunny

When you visit Oceans Retreat Center you will run into Thobeka. And as you get to know her you will smell the sweet perfume of Christ’s love as her peaceful presence pours out into everything she does. From her cooking, cleaning, plumbing, sewing, fixing, painting, gardening, singing, praying, teaching, and raising her daughter. Believe me she does it all, and we are blessed to have her daily displaying the Father’s love to everyone who steps on our campus. She continues to point us to the beautiful heart of a forever loving Father and the gift of His unconditional love through Jesus.

Last week I was privileged to shop with Bernie & Marion who help run Ocean View Care Center. Despite the center being closed for over 40 days due to the lockdown they continue to daily feed not only the 120 at risk children, but also many of their families in Ocean View Township. Bernie & Marion have families of their own but love these children and tirelessly sacrifice their time to shop, cook, and provide nourishing food for those in need. Again fragrances of the Father’s tireless love for His beloved children.

Bernie & Marion from Ocean View Care Center

I praise God for these woman and a whole host of others who are fragrances of the unconditional love of the Father. A Father who ran after us in Jesus, giving up His only Son so that we would forever know a self-sacrificial love. A Father who daily serves us and provides for every need. A Father who hears our cries, captures every tear in a bottle, and comforts us in the darkest valleys. A Father who sees us in times of our greatest need and who will never ever forget us.

Thank you mom and moms for being the fragrance of His love!

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him,” (2 Cor. 2:14).

A Kingdom Touch!

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Jillian Dokter, at Beautiful Gate loving the fatherless.

This blog is written by Mike Verkaik, who God has used to transform and disciple many lives through mission trips to Africa.

As May begins, my attention generally turns to the final preparations for the Holland Christian High School trip to Beautiful Gate in Lesotho. However, this year is different. After much prayer for God to make a way for this group of students to experience His kingdom on African soil, I regretfully had to cancel our June trip.

There are some prayers that as an Oceans staff member we pray all the time. One is that God would bring a revival, a great awakening of the Father’s love for His children. We long for the earth to be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. (Hab. 2:14) We have seen glimpses of that outpouring in the transformed hearts of teens and adults alike during our trips to Africa.

This past February, on our last trip to South Africa, I met Johann Kikillus, founder of Ocean View Care Center. Listening to his passion against injustice, his dedication to serve the least, and dependence on God was a blessing and inspiration. In a recent discussion he states, “I used to take teams all over Africa and I learned very early that God didn’t send us to a place to go and change it, we are the ones that come back completely changed … I want to encourage people to come to Africa, to encourage and help laborers, but also to go back with a renewed faith and go back and change your world.”

Johann Kikillus shares more of the impact of teams on Oceans’ webpage.

Johann’s thoughts depict the experiences we have witnessed time and time again. Recently, Jillian Dokter, a 2018 participant on our June trip returned from serving for 9 months at Beautiful Gate. She recorded a podcast with host Bryant Russ. As I listened to her heart, I gave praise and glory to our Father in heaven for the Holy Spirit’s work in her life. Listen to her heart:

In Lesotho, I had my heart broken in a way I had never experienced before. I have never been that close to extreme poverty or vulnerable children. So, I couldn’t not respond. I started praying about what does my response look like? God placed on my heart to go back to Lesotho long term.

Through my experience, I’m more aware of the world as a whole. I came face to face with a lot of brokenness and pain while I was in Lesotho. I’m more aware that the world is broken, but with that I’m more aware also how faithful God is in the middle of it all. I praise Him for the way He showed up again and again. I have a better understanding of who He is and how He meets us in the chaos … over and over again God told me I am all that you need.

God as a Father really came alive for me when I was in Lesotho. I had to process a lot of things. Like, is the reality that these children don’t have earthly fathers going to affect their view of God as a Father? What does God as a Father look like for children who don’t have earthly parents? Processing through all of that I got to appreciate God as my own Father even more. I feel like I got to appreciate that characteristic of God as my Father more deeply working with kids who don’t know any father figures.

Hearing the impact Jillian’s time in Lesotho had on her life led me back to our prayers over the past months; prayers for the end of the pandemic, the ramifications from it, and for a revival of the heart of the Father. However, ultimately it brought me to the surrendering heart taught in the Lord’s prayer – Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Will you join us?

Thanks for your YES Jillian.

Ascend24 – A Rising Generation

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Your Grace Finds Me

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Written by Mike Verkaik, Oceans US Ambassador and Outreach Coordinator

Do you know this song by Matt Redman?

From the creation to the cross
There from the cross into eternity
Your grace finds me, yes Your grace finds me

Sitting at the kitchen table, reflecting on the people I had met and the conversations I recently had at the Wooden Shoe, the song Your Grace Finds Me began to play on the radio.  While listening to the repetition of the lines above, I reflected on the lesson Abba Father had taught me through a current resident, *Brenda.

As I reflected I realized that God had initiated this divine appointment that was about to unfold with Brenda a week earlier via a phone call from a volunteer.  This volunteer alerted me to how the Holy Spirit led two couples to donate money towards the rent of someone who might have lost their job due to the coronavirus. 

As our team prepared to leave for the motel that Tuesday night, I was praying for a divine appointment with the motel owner and yes God provided this encounter. As we were getting ready to hand out the food prepared for the individuals and families living in the Wooden Shoe, I broke away from the group to ask the owner if any residents were falling behind in their rent.  With a disgusted look he said, “Yes, I am kicking *Brenda out tonight.  She is two weeks behind in her rent. She has lied to me, forged several notes from her employer, and I have had enough. If you would be willing to give her some assistance, it would help a lot?”  I told him we would like to help.

Tuesday Food Ministry at the Wooden Shoe

After walking through the vending room to the back of the motel, I met Brenda for the first time. She was standing in the parking lot crying.  Through the sniffles and tears she shared her story.  The pandemic had closed the restaurant she worked at for the past 6 years; she had no money and nowhere to go.  She went on to say, “I prayed to God, but I don’t think He hears me.”

As I listened to her last words the Holy Spirit gave me this response, “Brenda, not only did your Father hear you, He put you on someone’s heart before you even prayed your prayer.  Last week, your Father prompted a person to call me, someone that does not even know you.  That is how much your Father loves you.”

Upon leaving the motel, I settled with the owner and went back to *Brenda’s room with a receipt.  As I explained how her back rent and the upcoming weeks rent were paid for, she burst out in tears again and responded, “Oh grace, grace, so much grace.  Thank you, so much grace!”  

In Galatians, Paul felt that same kind of grace when he wrote: “But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.,”(Galatians 2:4, 5 –NIV).

*Brenda has since moved out of the motel after receiving her stimulus check.  She is living in a better place, and I am happy for her.  Last week she texted saying, “ Thank you again for your help. God is good and He was there. I am hoping to pay it forward in the very near future”

Grace found *Brenda that night and she was overwhelmed by His love and mercy for her in that moment.  Made me think about my response to Easter?  Am I still living in the memory of the grace of resurrection day which has made me alive with Christ? How about you?

Resident is thankful for activities provided by Oceans during the lockdown.

*name changed