Heaven High » Devotionals http://www.heavenhigh.org Heaven High is a place, a state of mind, and a way of being Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:31:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Our first week at Mahula http://www.heavenhigh.org/our-first-week-at-mahula http://www.heavenhigh.org/our-first-week-at-mahula#comments Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:43:55 +0000 cgvan http://www.heavenhigh.org/?p=1259 We are nicely settled into the Mahula house. We did have a lot of work getting it ready because four people came from the States to work with Water Wins, the non profit organization digging wells. They are World Partners people who work for Inotec and support the water project and help with paying wages for four of the evangelists I work with as well. They are rebuilding the old digging rig and will be here for two weeks. Bill and Alie Hart plus three also have arrived. Bill is supervising the Classroom/Chapel building project and Alie is also a nurse/midwife. We are happy to have them around. Their children, Brenton, Aaron, and Tye will be returning to the States next Sunday. Bill and Alie will be here for most of Feb. To get the house ready we had to remove the eight owls who took up residence in the attic and blocked their way back in. We repaired four screens and the screen door to keep the mice and lizards from free access. I added some panels to the solar system to assure adequate power for this busy time and we cleaned the house water tanks. In March more people will be here for Water Wins. It is busy but it is good to have people from different backgrounds around, we are enjoying their company.

We started teaching at the Bible School, both Gremar and I have three 45 min. periods on Wednesdays. On Thursdays we hold the TLT Continuing Education course for the pastors and evangelists and their wives. We had a good turn out for the first session, twelve men and nine wives. We plan to hold the course on Teaching the Christian Faith and the course How to Prevent Violence in the Family for the next 12 weeks. Continue to pray for us we are off to a good start and are thankful to God. We include some pictures of our activities. The one thing we miss is information from home. If you have the opportunity e-mail us if you can. Thank for your support and prayers.

I dislike removing the owls because they control the rodent population but we can't live with them either.

I was given some of the owl meat, not bad, much like chicken

The kids playing field hockey at the church

Getting water at the pump

Hard at work

Hanging the new screen

Gremar's clean house

The Mahula house and guest house

Maryamu cooking rice for the TLT courses

TLT course lunch and guests

Solar panel addition angled for the dry season

]]> http://www.heavenhigh.org/our-first-week-at-mahula/feed 0 Worry http://www.heavenhigh.org/worry http://www.heavenhigh.org/worry#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:35:14 +0000 cgvan http://www.heavenhigh.org/?p=1240 Jos,  01/19/ 2012

Over the weekend the Nigerian Government reinstated half of the former gas subsidy, and as a result the national strike and protests have been called off. Things are almost back to normal. We thank God! We now have permission to travel and will do so in a few days, still finishing up on last minute details. Jos, situated on a 4800 foot elevated plateau, is a beautiful place. Yet, everyone was complaining because the temperature actually dropped down to 47 degrees F. a couple of days ago. That sounds good to you I’m sure but for those of us who have lived in Africa and are now living here will never again adjust to the temps you are experiencing now.  Andy and Linda Horlings, one of our long term missionaries,  have a wonderful garden and we want to share some of it with you. Like streams in the desert, in the midst of conflict God is faithful and refreshes us.

The Sermon on the Mount reminds us again and again that God is in control of our lives Matt. 6: 25-34. Further, we are commanded to be proactive as an alternative to worry verse 33 “But seek you first his kingdom and his righteousness”…. The kingdom for Matthew is the reign of God through Jesus in our hearts. The kingdom is in our hearts and God’s righteousness, Jesus,  is in our hearts. It’s the Gospel: repentance, turning away from sin and turning to the righteousness of God (a  Jesus like life) as we see it in the Sermon on the Mount. When we turn to God and away from the world all the things God knows we need are given to us (v.33b). “Therefore, (pointing back to verse 33) do not worry about tomorrow”.

]]> http://www.heavenhigh.org/worry/feed 0 A call for recommitment to plant churches. http://www.heavenhigh.org/a-call-for-recommitment-to-plant-churches http://www.heavenhigh.org/a-call-for-recommitment-to-plant-churches#comments Sun, 10 Jul 2011 13:25:15 +0000 admin http://www.heavenhigh.org/?p=1150 Case and Gremar Van Wyk

cgvanwyk5@gmail.com

www.heavenhigh.org

June 2011

Plant Churches at home (USA) and around the world.

As we reflect on the four months we have just completed in Niger State with Classis Niger of the *CRCN we are aware of God’s amazing grace and blessings. We appreciate the Bible School staff and also the students, it was a blessing to be part of the Bible School community.  Sometimes we forget the amount of encouragement *CRWM’s involvement gives to the staff and the students at the School. The Lansers are very much appreciated at the school   This is also true for the pastors, and the evangelists. Jeremiah Jongo said to me that since we have offered *TLT courses to his evangelists they have been encouraged in their work in Niger State to the point that they have recommitted to the work there.

Just to be there, working, giving advice, teaching, providing transportation and becoming part of the community is an encouragement we underestimate.

On that note, how is it that *“Water Wins” is able to dig a well relatively quickly but cannot get an evangelist to that same village as was pointed out by one of the village elders. We must reconsider our priorities as a mission in Niger State!  We need to get back to planting churches and helping Classis Niger to do that. Providing a teacher for the Bible School is just the beginning, we also need a missionary church planter to encourage the evangelists and pastors.  Twenty years of working in Taraba State has taught us that the evangelists and pastors are completely dedicated to the spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. Are we to be less dedicated? I think not! The Good News demands we go back to the basics of planting churches and move past the maintaining of our  comfortable fellowships that look like the  church but is not.

We cannot say enough good things about our missionaries in Jos! They did everything possible to make our stay easy and fruitful, we thank them. We would like to return in 2012 the Lord willing. We would like to return for four months to teach: “How to Prevent Violence in the Family” and “God’s Plan for Sustainable Development” to the pastors and evangelists and their wives as continuing education.   Thank you for the opportunity to serve. It is a blessing for us and for the people in Niger State. Praise God!

Submitted  by Rev. Case and Gremar Van Wyk

*The Christian Reformed Church

* Christian Reformed World Missions

* Timothy Leadership Training Institute

*Water Wins is a non-profit Organization drilling wells in Nigeria, Africa

]]> http://www.heavenhigh.org/a-call-for-recommitment-to-plant-churches/feed 0 We thank God for you! http://www.heavenhigh.org/we-thank-god-for-you http://www.heavenhigh.org/we-thank-god-for-you#comments Sun, 10 Jul 2011 12:47:40 +0000 admin http://www.heavenhigh.org/?p=1146 Case and Gremar Van Wyk

cgvanwyk5@gmail.com

www.heavenhigh.org

The “Good News” and presenting the “Good News” is about relationships. “For you know that we dealt with you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live a life worthy of God who calls you into his kingdom and glory..” I Thess. 2:11,12

June 2011,

Dear Everyone,

As we reflect on our four month stay with the people of Niger State, Nigeria we thank God for you. We thank you for praying for us and supporting us; this trip would not have been possible without your love. We had the privilege of encouraging the 25 families attending the Warari Bible School, the teachers, the pastors, evangelists and their wives working in churches and preaching centers. We encouraged them with medical help and training, with the TLTI * “Stewardship” and “Biblical Preaching” courses and for the male students a Sermon Delivery class. This time the pastors, evangelists and their wives came to us at the Warari Bible School one day a week from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM for the continuing education courses.  The rest of the four days we spent teaching the students at the school.

It was an amazing four months filled with building relationships, much work, hot weather, treating sick children some with complications of measles who did not recover, treating adults, teaching, and basic medical training; it all adds up to four months of God’s amazing grace and blessings to them and to us. We trust you had the opportunity to experience this trip with us at heavenhigh.org.

Classis Niger is the only place where CRWM is participating along with the *CRCN in grass roots evangelism in Nigeria. There is great potential for a vibrant church; three tribes comprising of about 500,000 people are now beginning to turn to Christ and there are great challenges. Areas of need are spiritual and church development, theological training, stewardship and educational opportunities.

Thank you again, we are counting on you for next year (2012) when we hope to develop the primary school for the Bible School student’s children, and teach “Gods Plan for Sustainable Development” and “Preventing Violence in the Family” as continuing education for pastors, evangelists and their wives.

Continue to pray for the people of Niger State and the emerging church.  God is Good!

Rev. Case and Gremar Van Wyk

*www.timothyleadershiptraining.org

*Christian Reformed Church in Nigeria

]]> http://www.heavenhigh.org/we-thank-god-for-you/feed 0 Leaving Things Behind and Starting Again http://www.heavenhigh.org/leaving-things-behind-and-starting-again http://www.heavenhigh.org/leaving-things-behind-and-starting-again#comments Thu, 19 May 2011 20:04:39 +0000 admin http://www.heavenhigh.org/?p=1125 Sometimes we want to go back and start over but it seems that is not possible. We are not the same people at the end of something than we were at the beginning. Certainly the people of Niger State; their response to our sojourn among them, their acceptance and love, their optimism and their faith in difficult times have taught us that and so much more. No! spend time here and you are changed. Now it is time to say goodbye and start again at Heaven High, Newaygo MI. Much was started. The rains started, many of my Lacuern tree seeds started and were planted. We were able to start and finish two TLT Manuals; Stewardship, and Biblical Preaching in the Hausa language. I received my first sting from a scorpion. After her training Pauline started a first response clinic at the Water Wins staff compound. Gremar was able to start and finish her medical training sessions with the three pastor’s wives and the school’s first response team. I was able to start and finish up one of my classes at Warari Bible School and hand over two more. As missionaries we start again and again and it never gets easier. It was particularly hard this time because we had to let go of Daniel, the ten year old son of Ayuba, one of the Bible School students. Our only consolation is that he succumbed to his illness while praying to Jesus. He has started his new life. God wanted to confirm that for his parents and for all of us, praise the Lord! Starting again can be painful. We leave much behind and start again with the knowledge that Jesus goes with us and as the Spirit prepares the way we go forward in confidence!

The storms are violent at the beginning of the rainy season.

The Pastors and Evangelists

The whole TLT group, we are thankful to God, they came faithfully for four months.

Paulina opening up the first response station.

Everyone is happy.

Hard at work the first day.

The whole compound was there for the dedication prayer.

You do not want to get stung by one of these guys. The pain got steadily more intense and when it reached under my arms I decided to take shock treatment. How?  Start up the car, pull off a spark plug wire and start shocking at the spot of the bite (little finger) and go up the arm. At the time I thought to myself the treatment may be worse than the sting! An hour later I knew the shocking worked because it started to subside and gone completely in the morning, normally people are affected for three days.

The school hosted a send off party, we all had an opportunity to thank God for his blessings.

God is good, we have been blessed and are privileged to be able to contribute a little to the development of the CRCN Niger State. Thank you for supporting us, praying for us, and send us back next year.

]]> http://www.heavenhigh.org/leaving-things-behind-and-starting-again/feed 0 Easter http://www.heavenhigh.org/easter http://www.heavenhigh.org/easter#comments Thu, 12 May 2011 08:08:34 +0000 admin http://www.heavenhigh.org/?p=1101 Matt. 28: 1-10; 16-20. It was early Sunday morning, the women were on their way to the tomb. The men, Jesus’ disciples were hiding they had run off, only John hung around, prominent as his family was he was able to take in Jesus’ mother. “Who will role away the stone?” the women asked one another as they hurried along. They must have felt the earth-quake, judging from the account it seems to have happened as they arrived at the tomb. At the sight of the angel the soldiers posted to guard Jesus’ tomb fell down as if they were dead men, the women had nothing to fear from them.  The women trembled at the sight the angel, yet they went into the tomb at his suggestion, pretty gutty ladies. They came to the place of the dead and to their surprise they found life. Jesus has risen and appears to them as he does to us!  Often we look for Jesus in the wrong places, looking everywhere but where he is found, in God’s Word, and in our hearts, because we have shut him out of our everyday lives.  Are we willing to turn to the Word again and again, are we willing to see him in others, those who worship with us?  The Disciples should have known that the tomb could not hold their Lord and Savior as we should know that now He is always with us.

Matthew, writing to the Jews and concentrating on the prophecies of Christ in the Old Testament leaves out all the other appearances of Jesus to his disciples except for this one to the women and moves directly to the Great Commission. Mathew begins with Abraham in his genealogy of Christ, the appearing of the star, and the visit of the Magi. All the families of the earth will be blessed through Abraham, Gen. 12:3. “Abraham believed the Lord and He  credited to him as righteousness” Gen. 15:5-6.   Saved by faith we are John 3:16-18. Matthew’s beginning with Abraham comes full circle at the end of the book  in the Great Commission.   God’s plan, from the call of Abraham to the risen Christ was to redeem the world through Jesus, the Son of Abraham.  Matthew moves quickly to the Great Commission at the end  because  that was Abraham’s call as it is our call today, to be a light to the nations. Isa 51:3-5; 60:1-3. The light begins with you! The light begins at home! Turn the light on!

Opening song of the Easter Service.

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The drummers only accompany some of the songs.

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Today we had special music in English.

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And a song in the Tiv language.

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I was asked to preach.

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Pastor Ben closed the service.

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CHRIST IS RISEN! PRAISE BE TO GOD!

]]> http://www.heavenhigh.org/easter/feed 0 Mazheme http://www.heavenhigh.org/mazheme http://www.heavenhigh.org/mazheme#comments Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:33:40 +0000 admin http://www.heavenhigh.org/?p=1080 The Sunday before Easter we visited Mazheme where Pastor James and his wife Tabitha have recently moved. They were at Kamfani but the church wanted them to move to what is more the center of the congregation made up of six different preaching centers.  Mazheme does not have good phone reception so we could not call ahead  and as a result we missed Pastor James who was doing a Communion Service at one of the preaching centers.  Bill and Ali Hart, one of our former missionary families lived and worked  at Mazheme . We found a vibrant church and we joined them for worship.

They gave me the opportunity to bring greetings from the Bible School and from North America. They were exited to hear a little about Bill and Ali.

Offering time.

The church has many youth, that is significant since many Christian young men are denied spouses by the traditional community.

The outside of the church building, take note of the solar system, still running the sound equipment after 15 years.

The only thing left of the mission residence is this garage and the foundations of the grass roofed round houses. What was left behind spiritually is much more significant and much more important. Praise the Lord!

God’s purposes were served, it is time for the church to move on.

The church has built the pastor an adequate house.

As with all houses in this area the pastors house is also given privacy by this corn stalk fence.

Some of the local kids.

These kids benefit from the church and the school.

The primary school is the other major contribution the mission and the missionaries have given this community. We thank you, they thank you, and together we thank God!

]]> http://www.heavenhigh.org/mazheme/feed 0 The Women’s Sunday at the Warari Bible School (Acre) http://www.heavenhigh.org/the-womens-sunday-at-the-warari-bible-school-acre http://www.heavenhigh.org/the-womens-sunday-at-the-warari-bible-school-acre#comments Sat, 09 Apr 2011 06:33:47 +0000 admin http://www.heavenhigh.org/?p=1004 The Bible School also hosted a Women’s  Sunday and there was a lot of participation from some of the churches that have members attending the school.  K.Y.K   (The Christian Youth Groups) participated as well.  It was a great opportunity to encourage and support the Women’s Fellowship Group at the school

The opening hymn of the service.

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The youth groups from Idaci and Maretu also participated.

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The drummers were busy!

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The Women’s  group teaching fidelity in song.

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There also was a special collection for the Women’s Fellowship.

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Fellowship and refreshments following the service.

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]]> http://www.heavenhigh.org/the-womens-sunday-at-the-warari-bible-school-acre/feed 0 One Day at Acre (Wurari Bible School) http://www.heavenhigh.org/one-day-at-acre-wurari-bible-school http://www.heavenhigh.org/one-day-at-acre-wurari-bible-school#comments Fri, 25 Mar 2011 19:57:20 +0000 admin http://www.heavenhigh.org/?p=920 Time is flying, and as you know it always does when you are enjoying what you are doing. We want to take you around with us for a day at Acre. God is at work and it is a privilege to be a part of it; a blessing that we wish to share with you.  Please continue to pray for the school, for the teachers, and the students and their families. Pray also for the church, she is young and developing, reaching out to those around her and we praise God that people are responding faster than we have evangelists to lead them. We thank God for the pastors and evangelists sent from Taraba State by the Christian Reformed Church in Nigeria.  That is a great help but a temporary solution, we need local indigenous pastors and evangelists. That is what Acre is all about, training local leaders. Supporting the Church in Niger State, along with the CRCN  is now the one and only grass root work that CRWM is involved with in Nigeria. There is the potential of a church comprised of 500,000 people. God is good and by his grace and by the power of his Spirit the church is being established on the Rock that is Christ Jesus. Praise be to God!

Click to enlarge. We are adding pictures every couple of days.

22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

The day begins early, 6:30 AM, with the students watering their dry season gardens.

They put it on heavy, it is hot during the day.

Plenty of hard to come by greens for their mia (soup for dipping pounded yams or corn).

An unlimited amount of water if you are willing to pump that is.

All you need is water and it grows.

Adding another plot for more greens.

It is now 8:00 AM and it is 80 degrees and 80% humidity.

Amazingly the flowers and the bugs do fine in this heat.

The student’s quarters, 25 students live in six multi family units.

Classes start at 8:00 AM for the men and their wives.

The women spouses have their own class room and courses, one is Healthy Living.

Some of the Evangelists and wives that come on Thursdays for Stewardship and Preaching courses.

There is also a Primary School for the student’s children at Acre from 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM, some local children are now attending and we hope more of the local compounds will send their children.

The Primary School has class one and two and every year a class will be added.

Next year the Primary School will out grow the class room they use, more class rooms will have to be built.

Student led chapel everyday at 10:25 AM, today  Gal. 5:16-26. He did I nice job telling us what God is doing in the text; guiding his people, and what God says about Himself, some of His attributes v.22 and what He expects from us. The student gave us a good balance between v. 19-21 and v, 22-23. The Biblical Preaching course is bearing fruit. Praise the Lord!

The students have classes from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM everyday except Fridays to 1:00PM.

Time for the breakfast break.

There is always time to enjoy the flowers.

The men and women students have the following classes; English, Sermon Delivery, Agric, Biblical Preaching, Stewardship, Islam, Systematic Theology, Nigerian Church History, Ethics, and Carpentry.

Carpentry in the afternoon; I use this space on Thursday mornings for the continuing education classes.

The women spouses have the following classes; Old Test., New Test., Reading, Woman’s  Fellowship,Sermon Prep., Arithmetic, Christian Living, Ethics, Healthy Living, Christian Family, Knitting and Sewing.

One of the student’s wives operating the knitting machine.

Some of our daily visitors and why we have fences.

1 The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
2 for he founded it on the seas
and established it on the waters  Ps. 24:1-2.

One of the medical trainees examining a child. There is a lot of measles around right now.

Gremar teaching the school’s  first response medical team.

Washing the harmattan dust off the solar panels.

22 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 23 the LORD has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 The LORD has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.  Ps. 118: 22-24.

For us, everyday is the day of Salvation and a day to rejoice in God’s Strength as we serve Him. We praise Him for everyday!

]]> http://www.heavenhigh.org/one-day-at-acre-wurari-bible-school/feed 0 A Time Away http://www.heavenhigh.org/time-away http://www.heavenhigh.org/time-away#comments Sun, 20 Mar 2011 13:22:32 +0000 admin http://www.heavenhigh.org/?p=843 We had a great Spiritual conference; we needed to relax a little. We relaxed but we did not rest much because everyone was kept very busy with competition. Four teams, volley ball, soccer. relay race, tug of war, puzzles, Pictionary, plumbers golf, table tennis, tennis, Sudoku. Crossword puzzles, bird watching, and taking pictures including a team dance video. Everything was rated and our team came in a close second. O, you thought this was a spiritual conference? It was and a good one! Jul Medenblik the president elect of Calvin Seminary was our speaker this year. The sessions were titled: “Torn Between Two Worlds.” Those who work and live in Africa, particularly missionaries, are indeed torn between two very different worlds but so are we as Christians; caught between a broken world and the Kingdom of God in our hearts.  We had five sessions about the seven deadly sins of which we covered four; introduction, pride, envy, greed, and gluttony. Introduction: “Torn between Two Worlds” sin tears a hole in the fabric of God’s world but God plants the Gospel into the tear, Luke 8:1-15. The Beatitudes were brought in as a foil to deadly sins (opposites). Session two: “Pride and the poor in Spirit” as the opposite of pride (Matt.5:3). Are we full of self or full of Jesus? Am I full of me or full of others? Session three: “Envy and the Mourner” Are you morning for yourself or do you morn with others (Matt. 5:5). Envy leads to discord in our lives; unhappiness, conflicts, resentfulness, and robs us of the ability to rejoice with others. Session four:  ”Greed and the Mercy giver” .The answer to greed is generosity; “Blessed are the merciful…” (Matt. 5:7). Christians are called to be a conduit of generosity for God’s blessings of wealth, His blessings of our talents, and of our time; our time in history and our personal time.  Session five: “Gluttony and the ‘Right’ Hunger”. Gluttony is addiction that can be countered only by hungering and thirsting for righteousness (Matt.5:6). Seeking to do what is right not so much for us but for others. My Dad used to say: “when it is going good for others it is going good for me!”   On Sunday we had a worship service together including communion. It was good to be together and to encourage each other. Praise God!

Click to enlarge.

Nearly everyone at the conference.
Jeremiah and Marietta from World Partners (Water Wins)

The kids always have a good time.

Yours Truly and still smiling.
We also spent 4 days in Jos which was anything but relaxing because we had much to do and it took more time than we realized. On Monday we took the time to visit John and his wife at Kabwir Seminary, he is studying there because they still have a Hausa speaking track. Last year we took care of their new baby, see: “The Importance of Willingness” in the April 2010 archives of heavenhigh.org. The trip is off the Plateau and took all day.
One huge tree at kabwer Bible College.

John, Grace and three of their six children, Habila is doing fine (middle).

The tree in perspective, shade is a big deal.

It was hard to leave again.

The next three days were spent on shopping; drugs for the medical work, books for some students, Hausa Bibles, and of course looking for groceries  that we cannot buy in Warari, like cheese, butter, pork chops and hot dogs.  Missionaries in Jos are very hospitable and we had more invitations for lunch  and supper than we had days to be there. Thank you Jos people! The trouble in Jos is quieted down, no more 6 PM to 6 AM curfew or restrictions but we still are careful, there are areas in the city where it is not wise to go. A little like Grand Rapids, or Los Angeles. We took a newly completed road home, much shorter and little traffic, saved us about an hour; nine instead of ten. We are chilling this weekend, we need to rest up for a busy week ahead.

Patience is an absolute necessity, relax, don’t be in a hurry.
Jos, is a busy and wonderful place.
Jos is a busy and wonderful place.
Everyone is trying to make a Naira or two.
The garden store.
Jos is on a plateau, 4800 ft, much cooler here and most things are available.
I was looking for an apple sapling, they have them but I was not willing to pay the price, next time.
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