Returning to the Book of books

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For the last couple of years Oceans Ministries has donated Bibles to local prisoners in Lesotho Africa. Unfortunately Bibles are a rare commodity for those who find themselves behind bars and yet, the Bible is the most sought after book by the inmates.  One of the deliveries of God’s Word was to a dark and damp cinder block room filled with women of all ages. The women were alerted that we were coming with Bibles in hand and with just the very thought of the gift about to be delivered-the drab place was ignited with exuberant songs of joy accompanied with dancing. These inmates passion for God’s Word was humbling and caused me to examine my heart and survey my own response to the Living Word of my Father. Do I dance and sing with the words of Scripture? I have my favorite Bible and an entire bookshelf of various translations as well as study guides and commentaries.

 

The ladies in the prison rejoiced with a truth that I often take for granted. This rather plain looking Black Book when opened up and read with the inspiring work of the Holy Spirit has the power to transform a life from darkness to light AND set the world “on fire with heaven’s love.”

 

This day in an African prison caused me to reflect on my years in seminary where much of the budget was allocated for books and much time dedicated to reading hundreds of those books about the Bible. Yet, many times I found myself so busy grasping what others had to say about the Bible that personal reading and study of God’s Word was neglected. But I am thankful that one book in particular reminded me that I needed to KNOW God’s Word within my own heart and soul.

 

George Mueller’s words of wisdom revived my soul which was becoming like dead leaves on a dying tree:

 

Learned commentaries I have found to store the head with many notions and often also with the truth of God; but when the Spirit teaches, through the instrumentality of prayer and meditation, the heart is affected. The former kind of knowledge generally puffs up, and is often renounced, when another commentary gives a different opinion, and often also is found good for nothing, when it is to be carried out into practice. The latter kind of knowledge generally humbles, gives joy, and leads us nearer to God and is not easy reasoned away; and having been obtained from God, and thus having entered into the heart, and become our own, it is always so generally carried out.

(George Mueller, Man of Faith, p.44-45).

 

Mueller, who lived in the 1800’s and the dancing women in prison, KNOW the powerful gift that the Word of God alone is to those who read it, ingest it, and ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate this love letter from our Heavenly Father. On October 31, 2017 we celebrate the 500th Birthday of the Reformation, where the Holy Spirit spoke to the Father’s children and said “Return to the Book of books and find abundant life!”

 

Oh how we need to hear the Spirit say these words in our day as well. Our social media frenzy has left us angry, empty, and half crazy. We need to return to the Book of books and start singing with joy and dancing in the Spirit for the gift of God’s Holy love letter to His children!

The Rock Finder

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This past Monday morning as the news broke of the horrific, demonic attack that took place in Las Vegas, we are once again confronted with the unsettling prospect of a world out of our control. Because of deep-rooted depravity we have terrorism, gruesome civil wars, threats of nuclear bombs, and hearts filled with hatred leading to senseless violence that seems impossible to stop. The unexpected deep groaning of nature has reminded us of just how small we are: hurricanes, torrential flooding, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and the like reiterate how little control we possess.

Indeed the times are unsettling as we by nature crave stability, predicability, and control. How should we as followers of Christ navigate our crumbling society? Simply put we must: Find the Rock that cannot be shaken.

Over the last several blogs I have shared with you about one of my spiritual father’s George Mueller. His life testifies as to one who Found The Rock! He lived in England during days of extreme hardship and poverty in the 1800’s. His heart broke for thousands of children left orphaned through the dire circumstance of the day. Yet, Mueller turned Ashley Down Orphanage in Bristol into a Rock of Refuge that brought the Father’s love to over 10,000 orphans.

Amongst turbulent times Mueller provided food, shelter and hope to thousands of boys and girls as he ultimately pointed those he came into contact with to the Rock of Ages. Since Mueller found his own security through faith fixed on the Father’s love he was also able point others to this ultimate gift of Jesus as well. The fruit of this faith showed up in his fervent prayer life. He brought his needs, small and large only to the Father, fully trusting Him to do the impossible.

In the book The Path of Prayer Samuel Chadwick records a time when A.T. Pierson was a guest of Mueller. One evening George asked A.T. Pierson to pray with him since no food was available to feed the 2000 orphans breakfast that next morning. Pierson joined Mueller in the prayer yet wondered how such an impossible situation could be remedied without sharing the need with others. After the time of prayer Mueller slept in peacefully believing the Father would hear his request. And yes amazingly that morning food arrived in abundance!

The provision of food was donated by a man who was awakened in the middle of night and KNEW he needed to send breakfast to Mueller’s orphanage. This man knew nothing of the need, or of the two men in prayer, yet God spoke to him and he not only sent food for one breakfast, he sent provisions that would feed those 2000 in the orphanage for an entire month.

Mueller’s childlike trust continues to show me how to Find the Rock. A trust that calls out to the Father in the midst of a trembling world knowing that because of Him I can stand firmly and you can stand firmly on the Father’s Rock Solid Faithfulness and Love.

I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge …I call to the LORD, who is worthy of my praise, and I am saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:1-3.

 

 

 

Faith Lessons from a Spiritual Father – Part 2

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My divine appointment with George Mueller that early Sunday morning several years ago continues to speak to me and sometimes-even shouts to grab my attention. When I read and re-read his life story what continues to come across loud and clear is a testimony of real, radical, faith! Throughout his life George was routinely asked, “What is faith? ” His response was:

Faith is the assurance that the thing, which God has said in His Word, is true, and that God will act according to what He has said in His Word. This assurance, this reliance on God’s Word this confidence is faith, (p. 30).

The bedrock truth for Mueller was to hear and trust in the Living Word and to become like a young, humble child. Listen to the words he shared at the age of 76:

I have been able with the simplicity of a child, to rely upon God. I have had my trials, but I have laid hold upon God, and so it has come to pass that I have been sustained. It is not only permission, but also positive command that He gives to cast the burdens upon Him. Oh, let us do it! My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee,’ (Ps. 55:22), (p. 35).

Muller’s life demonstrated that faith increases by the exercise of it. He goes on to add that the way we grow in faith is through – “trials, obstacles, difficulties, and sometimes defeats, are the very food of faith,” (p. 32). How right he is as you read the stories of so many heroes of faith-check out Hebrews 11-notice that each one’s faith was forged in the furnace of adversity. How often is this true in my own life? At times the Father strips away chunks of what I consider security. Or He has allowed me to face impossible situations? Then, I realize that He is all I have left; He is the only One who can truly help. He was simply waiting for this needy child to hand over to Him “the impossible” and allow Him to grant a glorious intervention of His mighty grace.

The first time I read about the works by George Mueller I was taken back, here I was a seminary student and thought, “I will never have the same gift of faith that this man does!” But then Mr. Mueller’s response was right there in the text for me:

This is a mistake –it is the greatest error- there is not a particle of truth in it. My faith is the same kind of faith that all God’s children have had. It is the same kind that Simon Peter had, and all Christians may obtain this like faith, (p. 36).

The key for Muller was to start by trusting God in a small ways. First he prayed and trusted the Lord for a smaller gifts like $10, then he slowly increased that prayer and trust for $100, or $1000. Over time the small amounts added up and because of the Father’s faithfulness more than a $1,000,000 was given to provide for the orphans under his care. Day by day, month by month, year-by-year George Mueller prayed and learned that if he trusted for something in accordance with His Father’s promises in His written Word the answer would come no matter how impossible it appeared.

Receive George Mueller’s words of encouragement in your OWN faith journey:

Fifty-one years, and God has never failed me! Trust Him for yourselves and find how true to His Word He is!! (p. 36).

 

 

 

 

Faith Lessons from a Spiritual Father

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It was in the early hours of the morning and I just could not fall asleep. To say I was nervous to preach at my home church in Colorado was definitely an understatement. This was my first “official message” delivered as a first year seminary student and my mind relentlessly replayed the scripture and main points over and over again. Realizing that a good night of sleep was not an option, I rolled off the mattress of the pull out couch and started to roam around my dad’s house. I found bookshelf and thumbed through the shelves until a small orange booklet on caught my attention. The pamphlet was titled George Mueller – Man of Faith-it was a short read of about 50 pages and I was sure this would soon put me to sleep. My plan failed miserably. I was now wide-awake and completely overwhelmed with conviction of what real biblical faith looked like in this humble follower of Christ.

 

I had never heard of Mr. Mueller. The booklet told of a young man who after a season of wild, godless, living was transformed by the message of the Cross-at a prayer meeting and soon after declared, “My whole life shall be one of service for the living God.” He became a pastor in the early 1800’s in Bristol, England and taken aback by the plight of orphans in his day founded Ashley Down Orphanage.

 

“God’s Orphanage,” as he called it would be home to over 10,000 destitute children who were loved, trained, educated, and sent out into the world. The amazing part of this story is that Mueller never asked anyone for help or hinted that money was needed. Solely in answer to believing prayer almost 1 billion dollars was sent to him for building and maintenance of the orphanage, for his missionary enterprises, and for circulation of Scriptures around the world. In his old age he traveled nearly two hundred thousand miles in 42 countries preaching the Gospel to 3 million people. He died in 1898 at the ripe old age of 93 full of joy with not a penny to his name, giving everything he had to serving the Lord.

 

Can you understand why I couldn’t sleep? And check this out about his preaching:

 

“He prayed more about his sermons than anything else and that often the text was not given him until he had ascended the pulpit stairs, although he had been praying for it all week,” (p. 11).

 

Ouch! I had worked on my first sermon for hours and prayed for minutes. Right there in the wee hours of the morning the Holy Spirit was teaching me the absolute importance of prayer before ever preaching His Word. He was teaching me through George Mueller that ministry as well as the Christian walk demands absolute dependence on the Father for everything!

 

I can’t recall many details about how that first sermon went that Sunday many years ago but I will never forget the orange booklet and the impact it has had on my life and ministry. My wife and I have read many books about George Mueller and his faith filled life, and for the next few weeks I hope to highlight some powerful lessons we both have gleamed from this spiritual father.

 

 

Defending the Cause of the Fatherless

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Right now I’m in the middle of planning Oceans Ministries’ next trip to Lesotho, Africa, this coming January. I enjoy the planning and preparation phase of the trip, but have learned along the way to wait with anticipation of how God will impact each trip in unimaginable ways. Every time I have the privilege of leading a team I find myself surprised by God and the way He expands his kingdom through the hearts of His children.

I specifically remember a young woman from a previous trip sharing the ways she encountered her Abba, Father in Lesotho. During a walk around the Beautiful Gate campus her heart was broken over a young boy whose father had died the night before, leaving him an orphan. As she walked, thinking about the boy, she was surrounded by countless children who wanted nothing more than to be held and feel affection. Simply put, she saw more brokenness in a week than she had in her lifetime. Her response after she returned home astounded me. She said, “While I was in Africa the thought that kept going through my mind was this is Heaven, this is the closest I have ever been to Heaven.”   

As I listened to her words, I was struck again with the mystery of our Father God’s kingdom. How is it that through the brokenness of loss, hunger, and injustice she felt the love and acceptance of God through endless hugs from orphan children? I think the answer is this: As her heart softened and became broken for these children, she was sensing a fulfillment of God’s call in Psalm 82:3 to: Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. You see, God does some of his best work through brokenness, he uses it to open our ears to hear His voice, and through this, His kingdom expands.

Kingdom expansion is what we are seeing through our trips to Lesotho. This upcoming trip will focus on discipleship and the working of the Holy Spirit through our partner ministries in Lesotho. As always, Beautiful Gate is a focal point of our trip, but this summer we were also introduced to a care center in Semongkong, a two-hour drive from Beautiful Gate. During our visit the hearts of our volunteers ached for the children who live there with very little food, clothing or care.

Oceans Ministries has decided to partner with this care center to assist in meeting their needs and bringing hope. In fact, it will also be one of the focal points for the January trip we are planning right now. A few weeks ago I Skyped with some business people who will be joining us on the trip. These individuals also visited the Semongkong care center this summer and Christ’s call to care for the poor and broken came alive for them. Their response to action was like hearing the voice of God saying: “we can’t let those children go hungry!”

These memories, combined with the plans and details of this upcoming trip leave me excited and hopeful for what God will do next through our continued connection in Lesotho. If you feel the pull of the heart-strings of our Father, let us know we would love for you to join us.

– Mike Verkaik

 

On another note, Climbing Prayer Mountain is now available as an ebook on the Kindle platform.

Until the end of September, you can purchase the Kindle version on Amazon for the promotional price of $4.99. After that, the price will revert to $9.99.