Christmas – What Day is it Really?

Could you imagine if someone gave you a gift, you took it, placed it in a “safe” place, but then forgot about it? Then, decades later, after you had passed this life, someone finds that gift, still wrapped and unopened while going through your estate. “What a waste,” they would think!

I can remember listening to debates about when Christmas day really happened throughout my life. I always thought they were silly and a waste of time; this year has changed that. I believe it is imperative for everyone to understand when Christmas happens…from God the Father’s perspective!

The Father did not send the Son to give Him a trip to the planet earth; They created it! Jesus came to this world to offer all an opportunity to experience a real and living relationship with the God of the universe. Not because He needs the company or craves creatures to worship Him. God needs nothing and is not so petty to crave praise as we humans do. His motive was solely one of selflessness. He created human beings to share what only He could share – eternal and abundant life with a creation who could choose or reject that offer. 

That is one of the essentials of true Love, free choice. God did all the work, sacrificed Himself to pay the debt of sin that humanity chose instead of Him. After living with sin and experiencing its devastation, some of His creation might choose to return to Him. He offered it free to us, very costly for Him!

Christmas happens when fallen human beings experience the reality of what it was for. Otherwise, it is nothing more than a day on the calendar…until the day we stand before our God in our unforgiven state and realize we never opened the gift…What a Waste!

Jesus Christ desires to share life, Eternal Life, with anyone that desires it. You can’t earn it; you can’t buy it; you can only receive it! Come as you are, warts and all, there is nothing you have done, said, or thought that would surprise Him. He is omnipotent! 

There is only one person beyond His forgiveness, one that refuses to accept it! 

Take a moment right now, consider, where will you be 1 billion years from now? You can choose to be with your Creator; it is up to you. You can settle this once and for all, right now. God is open to you accepting His invitation. Don’t let your thoughts deceive you. He knows every failure and sin you have stumbled or ran into! You don’t have next year to decide; we cannot guarantee another minute, much less a year.

What question or issue is more important than, “if I exist forever, where will that be?”  

If you choose to believe Christ came, offered His life for you, and are willing to trust in what He did, you can experience the real meaning of Christmas right now. God loves you and is delighted to offer you life with Him. So tell Jesus you trust in what He did for you and thank Him for making you a child of God! Then you will know when Christmas took place! 

Being a savior or a traitor…which one do you choose?

Probing Proverbs 14:25 A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is a traitor. 

What is presented here is much deeper than on the surface. Most times, when we ponder the idea of lying, we see it as an overt and deliberate act. 

We need to climb up on the top of this mountain we call “Truth” and see it is very complicated, deep, and requires an honest look in the mirror of our soul. 

When our “lie” is a deliberate act, we know it! However, if we desire to be as described here as a witness that “saves” lives, it is essential that we realize what Jeremiah states concerning the condition of the human heart:

Jer. 17:9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?

Knowing this should arm us to be vigilant in seeking the Truth in ourselves. 

Understanding the power of our life and words should not make us frightened; on the contrary, it should excite us that God Himself has allowed anyone that desires to seek Truth to experience the gift of “saving” someone! 

The “saving” is not speaking only about an eternal Salvation, though that is the most exciting and exhilarating experience! When we share the Truth of God’s love and offer of forgiveness and witness a fallen human, like ourselves, realize this Truth and step over the line of death to life!

Still, this “saving” may be helping someone cope with a complex reality, comforting someone in grief, or challenging someone in love concerning how they are living.

If we are open to it, the Holy Spirit can open our eyes to when we become a “false witness,” which can happen for a myriad of reasons. Personal agendas, fear of exposer, embarrassment, or even “sloppy” speak. 

Consider the “Good News”. How much damage has been done because we betray the whole truth and focus only on one aspect? Some believe God is a monster that loves tossing humans in hell, while others think that God will send all to heaven because He is love. 

God desires all to live with Him in heaven, yet has extended that choice to us, which is the proof of genuine love. To share only one side of Truth does make us a “traitor” in this sense, Truth is essential to real life in every way, and if we deliberately hide any of it or allow ourselves to be manipulated in any form, including laziness in our own understanding of it, we betray the individuals God brought into our lives to share His love and Truth with.

I have found that transparency is the best way to be as honest as possible. When we drop the protective walls that we all have, when we choose to use even our failures as a way to help others, God takes that witness and uses it to deliver (save) others. Deliver them from lack of faith or falling into the same sin we struggled with. Deliver them from the loss of hope when they see that we are just like them, yet because we embraced God’s Truth, He has lifted us up and placed into our heart His Hope which no sin or demon can stop!

Also, the other key is to move to the reality that all God does for us is not only for us! He does these things because that is Who He is, He loves to share Himself with His creation! He also desires and plans for us to take what He has accomplished in us and take that Hope and living water to souls that are dying of thirst, trying to take away their thirst through their own strength.

The So What: Are you committed to Truth? Will you allow the Holy Spirit to express that Truth through you, no matter the cost? Do you desire to experience “saving” someone in trouble? Let God use you!

To be rich or to be wealthy? Is there a difference?

Probing Proverbs 14:24 Wealth is a crown for the wise; the effort of fools yields only foolishness. 

 
It was reported that eleven millionaires went down on the Titanic. Major A. H. Peuchen left $300,000.00 in money, jewelry, and securities in a box in his cabin. "The money seemed a mockery at that time," he later said. "I picked up three oranges instead." [1] 
 
     "Wealth" and "Riches" can be very different things, especially in the Scriptures! Wealth can include currency but carries a more complete picture. Having money, yet not having contentment, purpose, or peace in life, reminds me of Abraham Lincoln's statement, "Financial success is purely metallic. The man who gains it has four metallic attributes: gold in his palm, silver on his tongue, brass in his face, and iron in his heart!"
 
     Even in the example on the Titanic, Mr. Peuchen demonstrated that part of his wealth was wisdom! You can't eat money and survive!
     
     Our Proverb points out that "fools" can only produce foolishness! Scripture defines a fool as one that refuses to view God as God. When "having more stuff" becomes a person's priority, the "stuff" has become their God. 
 
     Think about that – we collect the "things" thinking they will serve us, but what usually happens is those things become our Master! 

No doubt, riches can make us more comfortable, but only physically. If we have sought God's concept of wealth, we will use those things, hold them loosely and not put our faith and trust in them. How many have become emotionally and mentally unwell because their stuff has taken possession of their heart? Constant worry about losing their stuff, hungering for more stuff, judging others and themselves by how much stuff they have. There will be no peace, no purpose, and never finding contentment in a life that has only riches.  

     God intends wealth, no matter what economic level we are at. His peace that brings calm in the midst of life's storms, His purpose that allows us to invest in eternal things, and learning to enjoy and celebrate what we have and celebrate when others are blessed and entrusted with more! Living a life in balance makes anyone a wealthy individual on this planet!  
 
Life…real-life has many ups, downs, twists, and turns. We cannot control that, but we can control how we deal with all of it. Wealthy is the person that knows deep in their heart and has committed themselves to that Truth that the place to seek wealth is at the Throne of God! 
 
     One of the men that grew up with Jesus said this: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights". James 1:17
 
Challenge: Are you selling yourself and God short, seeking stuff instead of the wealth of life? What need could you have that God cannot supply? Do you believe that if God knows even a desire you have would be best for you, do you believe He will supply it?   

Which perspective do you view life from, Temporal or Eternal?

Probing Proverbs 14:22-23 If you plan to do evil, you will be lost; if you plan to do good, you will receive unfailing love and faithfulness. Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty! 

In a popular movie, there was a saying: "Show Me the Money!". Basically, it flows from a mindset that has been expressed in various ways: "Put your money where your mouth is," "Put up or shut up," "Talk is cheap!" even the Lord's brother James states it this way, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works."

The writer of this Proverb shares a clear warning dealing with reaping what you sow. Remember, when the Scripture shares Truths, they are always approached from the "eternal" perspective! That is why so many individuals claim that statements like this are not factual because they know plenty of examples that prove the opposite. Yes, many people plan evil and get away with it…down here! Many talk with no real action and get rich, not poor…consider politicians. So, this passage must be incorrect…only from the Temporal View! Scriptures speak primarily from the Eternal perspective because this earthy life is a "spit in the wind" compared to "Forever!" 

Importantly, this speck in time is the only place where we get to make decisions that so significantly impact our eternity. First, and most importantly, where we will exist in eternity. God gave humans a part of His eternal life, we are not eternity, but we are eternal. We cannot extend this to anyone; it is ours alone. Each accountable individual has this gift and responsibility to make that decision. We also control to some extent the investment we make for that existence. God is not specific about how this works or what it looks like, except for the principle stated in this Proverb. 

This reality has always hit me hard because I know the real me, warts, and all! My sin and failures try to drag me down and to the point of quitting…aided by the adversary, of course, because he hates me because Christ Loves me! Still, here is a critical point; Scripture states we are in a race. When a racer falls down, there are two choices, quit or get up off the padded area of your body and start running again! You can't quit; I will NEVER quit! Jesus never did, even though His struggle in the garden was clear. He desired the Father to provide a different way for you and I to be offered forgiveness and salvation. He never did what I almost did; He kept running, refusing to fall, or quit.

           

Wherever you are today, if you have fallen, Get Up! Just hold your hands out and let Jesus grab you like Peter in the water…God's Grace remains His Grace no matter how you failed! If you know someone that failed, do not allow the adversary to use you to discourage. Judging another's spirituality is above the pay grade of all of us sinners. Lovingly approach to encourage them, that will include confronting the failure, but when done in love, you are being "Jesus, with skin on," and that is the best chance for your friend to repent. One last thing – in this day and age of text and email – be mature, face to face, and if not able, even over the internet, at least pick up the phone. Written words never communicate facial or audible reality and can be received much harsher than meant.  

Holidays, The Importance of Keeping the Right Focus!

Luke 9:51 When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem.

I believe one of the most strategic ploys our sin nature and the adversary uses against all humans are holidays! So many suffer very much from depression and a flood of regret during these times. 

Our focus needs the re-adjustment by the Holy Spirit. Consider this passage, where what we would typically expect to read is very different. There are countless times in the Gospels where Christ saw His torture, suffering, crucifixion, and death and stated His anguish concerning it, even asking His Father to find another way to offer redemption to us, yet stood firm in His commitment to follow through! 

However, in this passage, Christ’s focus travels past the temporal troubles of this world and focuses on the Eternal view and reality. Suffering and even death will come, BUT then resurrection and returning to His real home…Heaven! 

The word “determined” literally means “set His face” which is very visual about His commitment. We see this also in Isaiah: 

Isaiah 50:7 For the Lord God helps Me, Therefore, I am not disgraced; Therefore, I have set My face like flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed.

No matter where this world has you right now, or where you think it is headed, if you choose to focus on your relationship with the One that gave His life for you and paid in full your debt of sin, offering His forgiveness and a new life that will not end when your body does, you can focus on that reality this holiday season! 

I am struggling with several issues and failures, too, but I refuse to live there! My sin, losses, and weaknesses do not define me! The Eternal Almighty, Son of God, has given me life and the ability to, even after I have failed, to seek restoration of our fellowship, because our relationship is based solely on Him, not me! All I have to do is trust in His Salvation and then live with Him. After failure, I am one prayer of confession that leads to the decision to repent (change my direction) and experience the fellowship only an all-loving God can offer. But Nate, I have done this over and over again! Join the club! When you quit returning after the failure, then and only then is it over! 

This Truth is the most significant reason to enter into a deep Thanksgiving this year, no matter your circumstances! So enter or renew your relationship with the Lover of your soul right now! 

Happy Thanksgiving! Love in Christ from DD & nate

Late Bloomer Pt 2 - Three generations in one life!

Joshua 4:20–22 It was there at Gilgal that Joshua piled up the twelve stones taken from the Jordan River. Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’ ²² Then you can tell them, ‘This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’

God created us to "digest" our life. How? By taking time to meditate on your life! Every rose has many petals; it is essential to examine each petal and see what treasure God wove into it. This cannot happen if you make life so busy you cannot just stop, quiet your spirit, calm your mind and reflect on the various episodes and seasons of your life and see God's work of Grace in your life. 

The example I want to share with you is how God brought three generations of Grace into my life. Three men impacted my life significantly.

Dave entered as I was planting a Church from scratch. He was a little older and very open to sharing what God had taught him in his life, and we spent time developing our friendship. God allowed Dave to be in my life for decades; we laughed, cried, prayed, and grew together. Some of my most precious memories are the times we would meet on the beach in Waikiki before the sun came up, or share a meal after a long week, or sit and look at the news and solve all the world's problems in less than an hour! LOL, We used to walk together every Tuesday night; one yard had a 10-foot thick hedge that looked like a wall! Every time we approached, we would hear blood-curdling growls, frightening barking, and then see the hedge shake! We both always wondered what that beast looked like...though God never allowed us that opportunity! PTL Personally, I think in eternity, if God has video we can look at, we will see a Chihuahua! Dave joined me as I took some significant steps in my life: Leaving the Church I planted and moving 4,800 miles away to a 101-year-old Church, his example at my home Church, which he was called to Shepherd, and his counsel allowed me not to split that Church. He encouraged and joined the board of GWM as I left that Church to move 8,500 miles away to a Culture I did not understand, a climate that I do not like. Dave never shared an opinion that would cause me to doubt; many others did. Instead, he shared tough questions that I needed to ask, so I understood the cost, and he encouraged me consistently to listen only to God as far as my final decision. 

When I was thirty years old, Lawrence came into my life, stepping into his Church, which was 101 yrs old. Lawrence immediately shared meals with my family. He made it clear his house was always open for a visit and had the courage to lovingly correct me when I needed it. I remember the first communion service I led. We spend time in soul searching and confession of sin — men with men, women with women. Then we share a simple meal together, enjoying fellowship and testimonies, followed by the bread and cup. I was used to a tiny group, this was very new for me, and I did not pay attention to the time. The next day Lawrence stopped by and asked if we could talk. Lawrence had a deep voice and sounded like he had gravel in his larynx! With the gentleness of a true friend, he shared how so many in this older Church loved the service but could not handle how long it was. That following Sunday, I stated from the Pulpit: "God has helped me see that last week I was insensitive, a man with 30yr old bones needs to remember those with older bones, Forgive me and know from now on we will have a service that fits the needs of all." Lawrence became a dear confidant and helped me navigate this wonderful family of God! He is with Jesus now...I hope he still has that very familiar rasp in his voice when I see him again. 

Steve was a young man when I met him. Before I knew it, we had grown into brothers and friends. Steve became the 2nd missionary in GWM and went to India. His unbelievable abandon for Christ allowed him to live in the poorest of the poor areas of India. I was awestruck at his dedication to do whatever it took to bring the Good news to those that did not know it. At one point, his life was endangered, so he left India and lived with us for quite a while. God led Steve to leave the field and become a Pastor. Without trying, not only did we have a deep friendship, but he saw me as an older brother model. Even now, just remembering brings such emotions! Steve and I had a special greeting that I cannot explain, except that we would try to make the noises unique each time, and both of us would begin our communication laughing! Whenever either of us was down, we would call, just to laugh before we talked about the serious issue. With Steve, the phone worked both ways! Recently, at 49, Steve went to be with the Lord, I still have his number on my phone; countless times in this past year, I have started to call, then remembered he is Home, not here. I miss Steve; as iron sharpens iron, he sharpened me, and I hope I sharpened him.

Here is what you need to know, hence the title. Each one of these men had the last name of Mitchell! Lawrence was Dave's father, and Dave was Steve's father! Three generations of godly men that the Lord brought into my life! This is a most precious petal on my bloom, and that is only one of many petals! What a great God we have!

The So What: Stop! Take a breath and reflect on this life God has given you. You will discover petals from the Holy Spirit. Your life is worth more than you understand and can impact countless individuals as the Lord opens doors and will bring that Peace that your heart craves! This world is a war due to sin. Do you fight to live...or live to fight?

Late Bloomer!

All my life I always believed there was a God. No matter what happened I could not escape that I believed He existed. He pursued me with His unconditional love, and thankfully, my heart responded. Being a fan of history, after I trusted in Christ and I began living as a believer, I read about the history of the Church and the men and women that followed my Lord. I was enamored by their testimony and how they exhibited Christ in their lives. I so desired to emulate them, but found myself falling short. I was amazed how so many of them were so on fire so early in their life.

1 Corinthians 4:5  So then, do not judge anything before the time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the motives of hearts. Then each will receive recognition from God.

Now, at 65, I am digesting all that God has done in my life and feel a deep desire to share all that He is with those that I meet.

My wife is a great gardener, and I have enjoyed seeing her works. Just the other day, as I looked out my window, being that fall is coming and most things are dying, I was amazed when I saw one rosebush blooming. This late! As I thought about it, I realized that I have the opportunity to be just like that bush! A late bloomer! This season in my life has been difficult. My RA has really done a number on me, I now understand what my mother went through. She died at 49, so I am far ahead of  her at 65! The x-rays of my right hip really blew me away. The “ball” and the “cup”…both are supposed to be round – the ball looked like a triangle; the cup looked like a rectangle. Now I understand the clicking  I heard for the last 8 months! Also, I have sand pouring out of my eyes 24/7, another problem caused by RA. I saw the ophthalmologist today, he said he was shocked I could blink without pain, because my eyes were so dry. My primary doctor is trying to figure out why I am having the sleep deprivation I am experiencing. I wake up every 1-2 hours all through the night. I am averaging about 4 hours of sleep each night, never in a row, even with sleeping pills. Add to that, and more detrimental to my spiritual, emotional, and mental health, my sin and failures. Things I thought I would be done with, never have entered into, and really cannot explain in my own mind... it's maddening!

Yet, let me say this. I have experienced a deeper intimacy with my Maker than any other time in my life! I sense His presence, His love, His grace in a way I cannot recall. I am amazed how so much of my health issues do not seem to matter to me. I also, hurt and regret my sins more than ever, understanding they insult, grieve and do not honor the One that gave His all for me. He has undone me, and I love it! All I can think of is how to let everyone I know how loving and gracious He is! In a world that seeks to blame anything and everyone for why they have problems, God, my God, seeks to give comfort, remove our shame, and teach us how to live life abundantly!  

The adversary and my own sin nature desire me to be discouraged, grow weary, and quit. And I have those moments, however, the Holy Spirit taught me long ago that a moment is only a moment and that it is wrong to measure a life by a moment. My sin and failure are not what defines me, not what I am, it is what I struggle with! The fact that I continue to struggle establishes my heart for my God! 

The So What? How about you...you still struggling? Then you are still in the race! Thank God for that! In your bloom, what are you learning, sharing with others? My following Devos on this will share what I have learned. 

Anatomy of Grace #5 - Wrods doen’t mater?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.

"a"...One little letter inserted in a line of Scripture has produced a belief system that takes the Oneness of a Triune God - monotheism to polytheism - where Christ is a "little" god, and the Father is the Big God. 

What the Scriptures state is significant! When we add, take away or leave out context, the Holy Spirit power of Scripture is lost and replaced with the adversary's deceptive, evil schemes. Consider this passage:

"For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For money is a root of all sorts of evil! 1 Timothy 6:7-10 

 

I hope you caught the mistake...I will return to that...but a lot of folks believe the Bible teaches how this verse reads...as misquoted by me.

Sadly, many folks believe God hates money, and those that are rich He disdains! On the contrary, God Loves His creation...wretched, invisible, famous, handsome, ugly or whatever, no matter the economic level, God loves humans! 

Money is a neutral, a thing, and most of us like it, and to be honest, I wish I possessed more of it! The problem comes when I lose contentment where I am at and believe the lie that more money will bring me contentment. If I find myself there, I will begin to long to have it! This is how the Scripture states it: 

"For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil" 

 

Much of the world, and many in "Churchianity" believe God favors the poor because of manipulated Scriptures: "Blessed are the poor in spirit" "For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;"

 

Neither of these Scriptures are referring to economics only; though money is seen here, the issue is God does not exalt and honor what this world honors. Jesus, and those who trust and follow Him clearly have a heart for economically poor and weak or are what the proud of this world think are worthless. God desires us always to remember the "have nots" of this world when we serve Him.* 

This is one of the most used tactics of the adversary in the HW&P movement. They manipulate Scripture so it will fit their lusts for money, fame, and comfort. A clear example is when we are told to ask in "Jesus' name" ** it is treated as the magic ingredient to get what we want. This pattern continues with words like "Claim" or "Boldly", all in context communicating that when we ask our Lord for anything that is in His will, we can have confidence that we will get an answer. Remember…NO is an answer!

 

In Eternity, how many things will we see clearly and discover that when God said "no" He actually protected us from harm or sin? Prayer is an unbelievable privilege given by a Sovereign God to His creation, it is not a way to manipulate God, or a power we hold over God. Remember, the adversary misquoted Scripture to the Author of Scripture; his arrogance knows no limit!    

The So What!

 

When you talk to your "Abba" (Papa – intimacy) do you also remember Who He is? (Sovereign, All-Powerful, Holy GOD) Does prayer make you feel powerful or confident? Do you try to answer (manipulate) your own prayers?

 

Next, we will look at - 3. A "me first" mentality, 4. A path that leads to doubting God. 5. A faith that demands God perform.  

* Galatians 2:10

** John 14:13–14, 1 John 5:14–15

Anatomy of Grace, PT 4 – Just Speak it hard enough and demand it!

I have found that one of the most problematic issues in this life is how our mind can build a “false reality!”  Whether that “false reality” be a dreaded “hell” or a mountaintop great experience, both will lead us to living a “lie” which in the end produce wrong actions and decisions. 

     The Health, Wealth, & Prosperity Movement (HW&P from now on) presents a salvation that makes all who follow, into human beings that do not live in this real world. We are exempt from it troubles and disappointments and pain. We live “above” the real world in every aspect!

     Please note that I said “every!” When we place our trust in Christ we do become a different human being, we have a new nature produced in us through the Holy Spirit, and a new access to unlimited power by the means of prayer, and, if willing to invest the time, we can have a new insight to see the invisible works that only the Holy Spirit can enable us to see. The ability to see beyond the surface reality and see the authentic reality that is behind the scenes - that can develop great wisdom and a discernment that others do not have. So as we navigate this world, as children of God we have the advantage of guidance that others do not. However, not only do we NOT escape the pain, troubles and sufferings of this world, but because we have a personal God working in our lives, we also have a personal enemy who hates God and anything He loves!

   

     This is why the HW&P mindset is so dangerous. Individuals that enter into relationship with God with this false expectation are taught this now means they will have no money problems, no health problems, no troubles in their career, or family, or even the possessions they have. These false and wrong expectations will set a brand-new child of God on a path that leads to a great fall!

      Our expectations should center on our hope in Christ! Who He is and what His plan and desire is for us. His followers engulf all races, lifestyles, economic levels and social stature. Each individual life will encounter specific qualities to their life deemed best by Him to make us into the person He knows we can be. That may include riches, poverty, health, sickness, fame, or being invisible to most in this world. Nowhere does a thought enter into that picture of an escape from a fallen world and its dilemmas.

     What is clearly offered is the secret to this temporal life that most miss. Paul shares it with us: 
Philippians: 4:11-13 (Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.  
     Where ever a person is in life, rich, poor, healthy or sick, etc. if that person possesses contentment, the peace that everyone is searching for is theirs! Life is chaotic, it always will be, God offers a life that experiences calm and a “settled” heart no matter the circumstances. HW&P preaches expectations that do not exist in a fallen world!

The So What!

Do you expect things from God? When you pray, is it based on Intimidation and Ego, or is it based on Humility and Confidence that God will give you what He knows is best? Consider Christ when He asked His Father to not make Him drink the cup that was placed before Him.

Anatomy of Grace Part 3 - How the enemy perverts God’s Grace.

James 4:13–15 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." 

Assumptions can be the source of huge mistakes and "self-inflicted" suffering. This combination of emotional process and mindset is manipulated by the Adversary to move us in the wrong direction, make a bad decision, or "think" that God agrees with what we are doing. I remember as a funny example, I was discipling a man named Jun in one of the poorest areas in Manila. Every day I would arrive just as he was having his lunch, a very simple sandwich. He always offered me the sandwich (very Filipino), and I would say "no thank you." He would offer 3 times (also very Filipino). He always assumed I would say "no thank you." One day on his 3rd offer, I reached over and grabbed the sandwich, took a bite, and said, "Thank you!" The shock in Jun's face made me laugh so hard that I could not continue chewing. I pulled another sandwich out with Jun's favorite fix-ins, and we enjoyed a lunch together.

 

 Jun's "assumption" set up a great joke, but our assumptions of how God should be, how He should act, and how our life should be can place us on a road that leads to disaster.

 

I encountered a very famous Christian, we had a 2-hour discussion concerning suffering and God's part in that. In the middle of his concert, he shared this thought: "God is a Father that loves His children and would never want them to suffer." After the show, we met backstage and shared dinner. He asked me what I thought about his statement. I shared "gently" that I believe that is a "lie" straight from hell. If God did not allow the suffering of His children, there would be no salvation. In fact, in His plan of redemption, God not only allowed suffering, He caused it! Jesus did not suffer only the Adversary's wrath and man's wrath; He bore God's wrath to pay the debt of sin in full! 

 

Therefore, Satan has invested so much time in the Health, Wealth, Prosperity movement; to create assumptions concerning God's grace! Sadly, many believers have moved from authentic "faith" to Intimidation, demands, answers to prayer based on their own will, not God's will. The idea that individuals who have trusted in Christ travel this world in a "mystic bubble" around them so they cannot be touched by the troubles every other human being faces is not only unbiblical, it is antibiblical! From Genesis to Revelation, it is clear that, while we have an intimate relationship with the Eternal, Sovereign Lord, which impacts every area of our life. However, nowhere does Scripture state, or even hint at, the idea that we escape the woes of this world. In fact, Jesus in the Gospels goes out of His way to give His followers the "heads up" that we will see troubles. 

 

The infection in the Body of Christ of this mindset produces several paths that are very dangerous; I feel led to discuss them in detail in following Devos. These paths are: 1. False expectations, 2. Perversion and manipulation of Scripture, 3. A "me first" mentality, 4. A path that leads to doubting God. 5. A faith that demands God perform.  

 

Before I investigate those aspects, let me just share this: no matter where you are on your path in life, the grace of God is there, and all you have to do is follow Him, no matter what your emotions say, no matter how much your flesh screams out for its rights and what is "fair" or the way you think things should go. To receive God's grace does not take pressing forward. Instead, it requires bending backward to yield to His leading. When you finally do arrive, Christ will be there! As for me, at the end of this journey, which I think I will finish, because I am confident in the work He is doing in me, also, I don't want the work that I alone would produce, the flesh never produces anything righteous and eternal! I will then find myself at the scared feet of Jesus Christ, and I will fall forward on my face with thanksgiving because He had a perfect plan the whole time and all He wanted me to do was follow… Sounds so easy, doesn't it? But we all know it isn't. Do not lose heart; keep your focus on who Jesus is and just follow what He's asking you to do one step at a time. Then you will experience God's riches and His grace in His timing and in a way that leads you to eternal fruit, not temporal happiness, which is fleeting

Should we ever have a financial crisis?

“Depend on it. God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply. He is too wise a God to frustrate His purposes for lack of funds, and He can just as easily supply them ahead of time as afterwards, and He much prefers doing so.”― Hudson Taylor

Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 

The circumstances of this world right now are enough to stretch anyone's faith! Especially those that are faith-based supported. If I were a businessman and looked at the books for GateWay Ministries for 2021, I would be in a panic! But, thankfully, the economy for GWM is not based down here on earth but is supplied from the One that sits on the Throne in heaven! 

One of my disciples has just gone through the experience of seeing how efficiently God supplies our needs and I feel led by the Lord to share it with you. This disciple is married to a Filipina, and she is being required to fly back to the Philippines to receive her permanent visa to live in the USA. This brother has just begun a brand new ministry at a Church and is sharing the principles of small group discipleship he and I are discovering together. His income is very much like mine, so resources are limited to the natural eye. 

For his wife to accomplish what is needed to remain in the USA, they purchased a round-trip ticket to Manila. Also, the Philippine government requires a hotel reservation for quarantine for anyone entering the country. Lastly, a medical clearance must be done at a hospital in Manila. 

That is a good chunk of change! So the Sunday before his wife left, having placed all the expenses on credit with a plan to pay back ASAP, unexpectantly, the Pastor at their Church shared the need with the Community of believers. It is a small Church of about 50, yet their gift was $2,700! 

They both were so humbled as they compared their need with God's supply. Airfare - $1,700; Hotel - $600, Medical Clearance - $400 = $2,700! 

Though concerned for GWM finances, this is why I am not panicked! If God desires to continue to use GWM, He will supply…in His way and in His time! A Truth that most of us hate at first because the natural man loves to walk by sight! God's path is to be walked by Faith, which is not blind, as the skeptics accuse True Christianity of being founded on. Our Faith is based on indisputable evidence of Who God is and how He loves this world! Still, that path is not made for the natural man to travel; it is designed to grow and stretch the spiritual man created by the Holy Spirit when we entered into a relationship with the Eternal God.

As for GWM, you are a part of that supply! God has not sent a lotto ticket to land in my hand, nor for me to discover oil in my backyard while mowing it, so I can finance all that I believe GWM could do. Instead, He has chosen a path that includes the Holy Spirit touching individuals in the Family of God to share from what they have to enable this ministry to continue.  

I remember receiving a letter from a dear sister apologizing for only being able to give $25 every six months to the ministry. She was a widow living in a state-funded nursing home! I had much more than her; that $50 a year met so much to me and drove me to do all I can to deserve the trust she placed in our Team, which she was a part of. 

Dee and I thank God for Who He is and how He accomplishes His will. We also give thanks for you, our support Team, and look forward to the day when God shows each of you how your participation in GWM changed the eternity of many lives!

There and back again…not with a Hobbit!

This did not happen in "middle-earth," it is on this earth. In the 1950s, on a USA base in Germany, (that's American territory) to American parents, with two sons already. The father was in a very secretive position for the US Government, which he remained in for over five decades. I was born. Though I possess a birth certificate with my footprints on the document, I don't remember the birth, yet the certification officially recognizes my birth. I now find myself amid a journey that my Heavenly Father has orchestrated, twists, turns, good news, complicated news, all brought together to produce spiritual, emotional, and mental growth in me. That is how much God loves me - you also! What I find so incredible is the sense of humor the Lord has.

Traveling through this season of hip replacement, on and off of Medicaid to Medicare, on lists, then off lists, etc. ad nauseam, as poorly as I have handled all of it, I thank the Lord for His grace in helping me find my sense of humor again and continue learning from Him.  

In the middle of a 2-hour call with Medicare and Social Security, I was told that everything for my Medicare was set to go, except one issue. I was asked, "Are you an American Citizen?" I stuttered, both verbally and mentally, for a few moments. Long story short, both Medicare & SS had for Nathan Leigh's Citizenship: "Not Established!" As tempers began to flare between the two folks on the phone, I saw the humor in all of this! I yelled, "Oh no!" Finally, they both stopped and said, "What is it?"  I said, "What if my father was a double agent and I am really Russian?" We all had a good laugh, and I asked what to do. I took my passport down to the SS office, and I am now an established American Citizen...and have Medicare part A&B working on part D.

Life NEVER happens the way we want or expect it to. That is why a close connection to God is so vital! It is easy to allow the "old" nature to take control; I know and have experienced this! This connection is so important; it enables us to remain in our new nature. I needed to keep my sense of humor.

Otherwise, I would blow this whole episode out of proportion. My flesh would take control, and I would fail to represent Him, be controlled by frustration and anger ending in sin. I know this because I have done it! 

My Citizenship is in Heaven, and that is what is really important. When I forget that, I fail my God, family, disciples, friends, and myself. Keep God's BIG picture before you...it is true - the devil is IN the details! He tries to refocus your thoughts and energy onto things that actually don't mean that much in the eternal perspective. 

During this time your love and support have been the difference in me endeavoring to remain faithful, versus falling into "the pit of despair!" God has shown His Grace in a mighty way, and DD has been an example of unconditional love. 

2 Anatomy of Grace - Partners in Glory

 "The problem of reconciling human suffering with the existence of a God who loves, is only insoluble so long as we attach a trivial meaning to the word "love" and look on things as if man were the center of them. Man is not the center. God does not exist for the sake of man. Man does not exist for his own sake. "Thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." We were made not primarily that we may love God (though we were made for that too) but that God may love us, that we may become objects in which the divine love may rest "well pleased"."

― C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

Matthew 13:17 “For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

I deliberately misspoke in my last post. When I said that the "most important" aspect of accepting and traveling through the whole picture of God's Grace was seeing humans in darkness come into the Light. That is a wonderful aspect of the path of Grace; however, the most significant reality is that we become partners in the glory of God. It is not our glory; it is His glory! Still, He allows us to share in experiencing His glory, as we take all that we learn, the great, the enjoyment, the difficult, and that which may even drive us to the point of despair. We share all of it with other human beings who are on the path of Grace in a season of suffering.

This reality is what I'm discovering in this journey that I am on. Mine began when I realized that my disease would force me to leave the place and ministry I had assumed the Lord wanted me in till I died or He returned. So instead of listening and following, I was moving at a much faster pace than He was, and I would go in the direction I wanted...and do it my way. 

He allowed that, which led me to do things and behave in ways that even now surprises me. What they were, I will share with you in detail someday when the Lord leads me to do so. More essential now is to try and encourage you from what I'm discovering. I was finally on the list to get my hip replacement surgery when basically I lost my insurance. So I'm off the list, and God's Grace took me to a different doctor with another insurance. I'm only a week out of that decision now, yet, I discovered the hospital where the surgery takes place is the top-rated hospital in the state for hip and knee replacement! My doctor has an incredible 18-year track record. 

Hallelujah, you say, so did I, but I also found out the other hospital was inaccurate about my height. There were no evil intentions, just fudging the facts to get me on the list. I am not 5'8" anymore! At 65, I have shrunk to 5'7". So to be on a list for the surgery, after losing 52 pounds, I have to lose another 20 by August 11 when my "pre-op" appointment takes place! They want to do the surgery on August 19. BOOM! Discouragement, which leads to the temptation to be angry and throw a major pity party for myself.

I started down that path. By Gods Grace, I stopped and listened to the Spirit of God and the encouragement of my wife. I realized that I am still on the path of Grace in a season of difficulty. There's a lot of character fruit that God is accomplishing. He's trying to teach me how to receive His Grace as He gives it, not how the false teachers teach it. No matter what my theology is, I'm still a sinner, and believe it or not, I can very easily find myself trying to create my own path, which is built more on the health, wealth, and prosperity mindset. Not with the perspective displayed by all the prophets and so many other believers in the Scriptures. God's Grace does not lead to a bottom line of, you get what you want and demand! 

God's Grace leads to Christlike character and the realization that you have a living God Who does know everything; He sees what is best for you and intends you to possess it!

The So What: Where are you on the Grace path? How are you handling it? 

Anatomy of Grace 1 – Don’t miss it.

As I promised, I want to share with you some of the lessons I'm learning in this season of pain. I do this only to help anyone who may be experiencing things like this. Forgive me. What is in my heart is too long to put into one post, so I am putting it into several posts numbered if you're interested in following.

Grace…the kind that we are extended, not the way we move or dress. This is the Grace that you have extended to you by God, which in turn means it's the same kind of Grace you need to offer to others. Grace biblically is filled with many twists and turns. 

It's not sugarcoated candy that includes nothing terrible tasting. Instead, God's Grace consists of some disturbing things that lead to more extraordinary things. Case in point - the Grace of God to each of us for salvation came through the harrowing experience of God sacrificing Himself as the Godman Jesus Christ. 

The list includes: Enduring incredible pressure and stress to the point of sweating blood, being abandoned and betrayed.  Then tortured very painfully to death, only to raise Himself from the dead, take His sacrifice He alone purchased for us, offer it at the throne of the Father. And then offer it to us to pay for our sins. 

This salvation provides us with a relationship with the living God that guarantees an eternal destination that is "beyond what we could think or imagine" ( 1 Cor. 2:6–9, 2 Cor. 4:16–18) and produce a new nature in our fallen body that can continue to grow in maturity and the image of God, Himself! That is the ultimate Grace, yet we seem to only gravitate to the "destination" part of this tremendous work. This causes us to miss the practical Grace that we are invited into participating with God the Holy Spirit. Our free choice continues after the redemption of our soul. The theological term would be "regeneration." An act where the Holy Spirit places into us a new nature, which Dwight Pentecost describes with excellence in his book, "Designed to be like Him."

In that description, we see how our Mind, Heart and Will were affected by the disease of sin nature. From there, our journey takes us through the design of the new Mind, the new Heart, and the new Will.  There is a constant everyday Grace that God gives His children to teach them how to negotiate with the Holy Spirit how to remain in the new nature.  It works much in the same way as a tug of war! As described in Romans and Galatians, we have two power plugs to carry power that will generate how we behave to circumstances. One plug goes to the sin nature we have, the other to the regenerated nature we possess since trusting in Christ. Our free choice decides which power source to plug into, determining which direction the "rope" is pulling us in! If we unplug from our sin nature and plug into the "new man" (καινός kainós, ἄνθρωπος ánthrōpos Eph 4:24), we will process life with our New Mind, Heart and Will. This will enable us to: "know God (mind), Love God (heart), and obey God (will).  

Sadly many of us miss this season of Grace that is only possible to experience while living in our fallen bodies. We are so focused on the "heaven" destination that we do not embrace the Grace that God gives when we deal with incredible highs and incredible lows! As a result, we lose the growth and the sense of achievement that comes from working in concert with the Holy Spirit. Also, the opportunity to invest "here & now" to receive eternal rewards that do not end when our bodies do! But, most importantly, the experience of seeing fellow humans that are in darkness, like we were, come into the joy of the Light! I know I have high times and low times, and it often takes some time to process and see all that God in His goodness and love intends for me. 

The So What: Stop! Take a moment to reassess your life. How would you describe the season you are in?  How do you feel toward God about that? What do you think He wants you to do? In your words, avoid the platitudes. Are you praying to Him and seeking His mind, or just complaining?