Mission Update: Is God re-adjusting the Vision?

 

GateWay Ministries Nathan & DD Leigh Ministering to Internationals

Leighs Es: Vol. 354  Mission Update:   Is God re-adjusting the Vision?   I love this definition I read for optimist: “He was the sort of man who would go after Moby Dick with a rowboat, a harpoon, and a jar of tartar sauce.” 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  When you view things, are you an optimist (positive) or a pessimist (negative). If you can balance the two, which we should do, but need to recognize how difficult that is to do, I believe you become a realist.    For myself, I find I can be a pessimist outwardly but an optimist inwardly. Due to that, I have been led to share with our team where we are as a mission.  You know I have written very little over the years concerning our finances, because God and our team have been so amazing! Over the years our reserve fund would go up and down, but always keep a strong balance that could give us support for two months even if everything stopped.  When Covid hit our support took a huge hit. I chose to reduce my salary twice in two years. Even with that, the fund is now basically gone.  Our ministry is discipleship. Dee connects with women at church. I also do that with men, but primarily, my ministry is posting devotionals on the Internet and Internet discipleship. I meet with men in the USA and the Philippines. I was just about to announce that I am opening up to take on new disciples, due to some of my men moving on to meet with their own groups and my health moving in a better direction.  However, I need to take a pause and seek God’s direction as I cannot pay myself for November. What is God saying to Dee &  I, and the future of GateWay Ministries? We would appreciate you joining us in prayer as we seek God’s direction for us. We are committed to listening and will follow. God Bless.

When it comes to believing in God, is it “Us” against “Them”? Kinda Yes! & Kinda No!

 

GateWay Ministries Nathan & DD Leigh Ministering to Internationals

Leighs Es: Vol. 353  Do you know why you stand where you stand? When it comes to believing in God, is it “Us”     against “Them”? Kinda Yes! & Kinda No! If I told you that for many years, I traveled every day to work through traffic wearing dark clothes and a double charcoal-filter gas mask. What would you think? I hope the first thought is NOT - “That is not surprising because it is Nate!” I hope your first thought would be: “What’s the context”?  Context is essential! When we consider the difficulties believers will have in this world, we need to bring our discussion into context. That will lead us to “persons” & “systems”.  First: Persons - We have two enemies...one is very much underestimated.  Obviously, the first name that will and should come to mind is Satan. If anything, as believers, we tend to “overestimate” him.                                                       HOW CAN I SAY THAT? Because he is a defeated foe and cannot touch us unless our Lord allows him to.  The underestimated enemy is...the mirror!  Me, myself, and I... Ourselves! The old nature that was in charge of me before regeneration happened.  That nature (the "Them") can no longer command us, but we can yield to it. Rom 6-8 best describes the wrestling match, especially Chapter 7.  “The good I want to do...I don’t do. The exact stuff I hate to do...I DO!” The section we were looking at in Romans 1 states it this way: Romans 1:21–25…For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. We become our own worst enemy when we refuse to accept God as He presents Himself! Are there issues that you don’t understand about Who God is or how He works…are there issues you don’t like about Him? Join the club!! How can I, a flawed, sinful, finite creation, - grasp, understand, and comprehend an Infinite God? That is why “faith” is required. NOT blindness as skeptics state. They then go on to give their opinion on Who He is, which turns out to be a “god” they can accept.  God has given evidence and has done things that prove Who He is and how He works. You have every right to reject that…He gave you that right…yet you do not have the right to change Who He is.  The So What: I have one more Devo to share on this, but I want to share it in sections that can be read and digested. Please consider these questions until then: Where does your image of God come from? Why do you believe that? What’s your evidence? Why does it make sense, and what has your god done for this world?

Only God can decorate the earth with Fall!

GateWay Ministries Nathan & DD Leigh Ministering to Internationals

Leighs Es: Vol. 351 Only God can decorate the earth with Fall! I have two updates already written, but could not in good conscience send because I desired to give my Lord His due.   Dee and I made a choice many years ago to serve the Lord vocationally. I have discipled many believers that have as much or more fire for God than myself. So my point has nothing to do with love or devotion to our Lord. This is just acknowledging that NO ONE can out give, bless or shower delights than our Lord God!   All Dee and I live off of, is from love offerings from those that believe in what we are doing. We both heard from many in our life, most with good intentions, that we need to make more money if we desire to have money for our later years.   I agree with being logical and wise, I have seen others live sloppy and expect God to provide, which is not what God has called us to do. We do what we can and follow wise advice, but vocational ministry usually will not leave your rich – I am not talking about the charlatans who’s god is money!   God has allowed us to do a lot for our kids, and still end up in a Condo with a contented life. Even though I have reduced my salary twice in the past two years, God supplies!   Enjoy these pictures from our home! Love in Christ – nate

 GateWay Ministries

Nathan & DD Leigh

Ministering to Internationals

Leighs Es: Vol. 351

Only God can decorate the

earth with Fall!

I have two updates already written, but could not in good conscience send because I desired to give my Lord His due.

 

Dee and I made a choice many years ago to serve the Lord vocationally. I have discipled many believers that have as much or more fire for God than myself. So my point has nothing to do with love or devotion to our Lord. This is just acknowledging that NO ONE can out give, bless or shower delights than our Lord God!

 

All Dee and I live off of, is from love offerings from those that believe in what we are doing. We both heard from many in our life, most with good intentions, that we need to make more money if we desire to have money for our later years.

 

I agree with being logical and wise, I have seen others live sloppy and expect God to provide, which is not what God has called us to do. We do what we can and follow wise advice, but vocational ministry usually will not leave your rich – I am not talking about the charlatans who’s god is money!

 

God has allowed us to do a lot for our kids, and still end up in a Condo with a contented life. Even though I have reduced my salary twice in the past two years, God supplies!

 

Enjoy these pictures from our home! Love in Christ – nate

 

The Real Slave Master: Greed

Leighs Es: Vol. 350 I am a lover of history, can’t read or study enough about it. One of my studies was on the Titanic. There are countless stories about that night; it would be worth your while to read about it yourself. An example of true wisdom involved a very rich man. Records show that there were eleven millionaires on the Titanic. Major A. H. Peuchen was one of the survivors. When interviewed, he said he had left $300,000.00 in money, jewelry, and securities in a box in his cabin. "The money seemed a mockery at that time; I picked up 3 oranges instead."  I had the privilege of speaking at a men’s retreat in PA. They graciously allowed me to bring Dee. She enjoyed getting a lot of reading done. Saturday afternoon we chose to join the tour that went into the coal mine. We spent 2 hours 465 ft below the surface and walked 1½ miles…my cane got a workout! We also saw a film on the history of coal mining in PA. It was the most sobering experience I have had on human evil and sin since visiting the Holocaust Museum. Several famous men, which I will not name because their descendants should not be painted with the same brush, were responsible for hiring and paying these miners. The amount was a joke! When asked concerning the suffering these men were experiencing, one of the men said: “What suffering, these men cannot even speak English!” As heinous as that was, the more I meditated on this, the more I saw myself through the eyes of our Holy God.  I am right to hate the sin I saw…but I must be careful about throwing any stones. I am looking through eyes that have experienced regeneration. I have no idea what kind of man I might have become without Christ.  I have seen how, even as a believer, I still gave into certain sins and even had one become an addiction.   The one Truth I can state that I had re-enforced to myself is without intervention by God, i.e., regeneration, man can become a slave to sin in such a way that he loses all of his humanity!  The So What: In this hostile, political environment we are living in now, it might be wise to not bother throwing stones at others. Instead, look in the mirror. If you are like me, you will find plenty of work for the Holy Spirit to do.

 

GateWay Ministries

Nathan & DD Leigh

Ministering to Internationals

Leighs Es: Vol. 350

The Real Slave Master: Greed!

 

I am a lover of history, can’t read or study enough about it. One of my studies was on the Titanic. There are countless stories about that night; it would be worth your while to read about it yourself. An example of true wisdom involved a very rich man. Records show that there were eleven millionaires on the Titanic. Major A. H. Peuchen was one of the survivors. When interviewed, he said he had left $300,000.00 in money, jewelry, and securities in a box in his cabin. "The money seemed a mockery at that time; I picked up 3 oranges instead." 

I had the privilege of speaking at a men’s retreat in PA. They graciously allowed me to bring Dee. She enjoyed getting a lot of reading done. Saturday afternoon we chose to join the tour that went into the coal mine. We spent 2 hours 465 ft below the surface and walked 1½ miles…my cane got a workout!

We also saw a film on the history of coal mining in PA. It was the most sobering experience I have had on human evil and sin since visiting the Holocaust Museum. Several famous men, which I will not name because their descendants should not be painted with the same brush, were responsible for hiring and paying these miners. The amount was a joke! When asked concerning the suffering these men were experiencing, one of the men said: “What suffering, these men cannot even speak English!”

As heinous as that was, the more I meditated on this, the more I saw myself through the eyes of our Holy God. 

I am right to hate the sin I saw…but I must be careful about throwing any stones. I am looking through eyes that have experienced regeneration. I have no idea what kind of man I might have become without Christ. 

I have seen how, even as a believer, I still gave into certain sins and even had one become an addiction.  

The one Truth I can state that I had re-enforced to myself is without intervention by God, i.e., regeneration, man can become a slave to sin in such a way that he loses all of his humanity! 

The So What: In this hostile, political environment we are living in now, it might be wise to not bother throwing stones at others. Instead, look in the mirror. If you are like me, you will find plenty of work for the Holy Spirit to do. 

Holiness keeps the “Main Thing” the main thing! Pt 3

 

Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead Even to this day my Lord continues to teach me so much through those short 5 months I had with Jun…this is why time for reflection of our life is so important. My reflection brought me to the conviction that the Christian life should not be predominantly described by what we don’t do anymore. Far too many testimonies consist of a long list of what we don’t do and shared in an almost spiritually arrogant tone! Jun’s life has really confirmed what my heart has been burdened with for years. Jesus came to give us a LIFE, not a List! Yes...we see ourselves moving away from sins that entangle us, but do we see ourselves moving TOWARD anything? Jun was on fire! He was moving at a very fast pace toward God and godliness. His mind was overwhelmed with what was most important to God and he grasped that while still struggling with minor sins in his life. Wait a minute - your saying that there are “minor” sins? Yes! When compared to other sins it can be. Complacency, unwillingness to make time to be used by God, or lack of burden and concern for the lost…all of these are much more damaging to the Body than the sins, that entangle our flesh. (Bad though they are)  Let’s reverse my point in the paragraphs above to show you what I mean – No, I do not study the Bible with intensity to know what I believe, I let the Pastor or teacher do that for me...But I don’t smoke. No, I have never tried to start a Bible Study - But I don’t smoke.  No, I have not tried to lead anyone to Christ...But I don’t smoke. I do not know if many people would say that I have made an impact in their thoughts about Christ...But I don’t smoke. Let’s remember folks that the Pharisees had a list and looked on the surface real good - but they killed the Prince of life. We cannot afford the Christian life to sound like a doctor’s prescription. “A don’t list and 3 services a week and you will be fine”! Those around us, who are separated from God and facing an eternity of separation, those that are missing life in Christ cannot afford us to live like that. The So What: What happens if you run looking behind you? BOOM! You won’t see what’s coming, you will trip or crash. Looking forward is the way to run your race. Seeing the opportunities the Lord sends and experiencing real growth!

Holiness is not a List!

Lately, I have been following a lot of discussions concerning believers and living holy. So much of the discussions are based on legalism, not “life” change. Due to that, I am writing this; it is too long, so I will break it into several parts. 

Many decades ago, in the Philippines, the Lord took me through an experience that cured me of legalism for life. I now have felt led to share a portion again. God desires to make us holy...true! However, God’s view is a "Life", not a list of "dos" and "don’ts". 

1 Peter 1:14–16…do not be conformed to the former lusts…but like the Holy One who called you…because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” NASB

1 Peter 1:14–16 Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires…but now you must be holy in everything you do…for the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” NLT

“But Jun smoked!”  Yes, he did. Jun Pacudan smoked! He was born again and still smoked. He would walk out of the home where he had just led a Bible Study and light up a cigarette. Two months before he would light up while he was still inside the house. Before he was a believer, he would light up during the Bible study while I was teaching. Jun trusted Christ as his Savior during a study I was having with him. He had been a believer for just over 5 months - but he still smoked. Jun read most of the entire Bible in those 5 months - but he smoked. Jun went out and made contacts that led to the beginning of 4 new Bible Studies - which he asked if he could lead - but Jun smoked.

Every Tuesday I would meet with Jun to go over the lesson, which he had designed and desired to have me check out - but Jun smoked. Each lesson developed by this babe in Christ was in Tagalog and English (for my sake) with attached study notes that Jun had done using the Bible, concordance and one doctrine book I had bought for him, each guide was at least 7 pages long - but Jun smoked. Only twice in all the review did I have to help Jun understand a mistake in his lessons (both minor issues) while on such topics as Salvation, Virgin Birth, The Trinity, Sinlessness of Christ, Death - Resurrection - Ascension of Christ, Atonement and others not only was he completely scriptural but his applications were very insightful - but Jun smoked. 

The so what: Consider what God did through Jun’s life in the short five months he had to live in his new birth on this planet. If you or I saw him at a bible study smoking, what would we think? Is our “walk” a list or clear character change? 
Next, Devo, I will share Jun’s death, funeral, and the impact on his life. 

There are no secrets from Him.

There once were three friends fishing together. Nothing was biting, so one of them said: “Hey guys, why don’t we try and become accountable to each other so we can grow in character? Let’s start by sharing our failures with each other.” One of them said Great; the other was quite hesitant…after his friends encouraged him, he said, “Ok.” The first one admitted to getting drunk every Friday night; the second one admitted to watching Porn on his computer, then erasing the evidence. The third started coming up with excuses not to share, which made his friends angry.

They insisted since they had shared, he must! Finally, he said, “Ok, ok. I am a habitual gossip!” Then he said, “Well, nothing biting, I want to hurry up and get home!”
 
Proverbs 15:11 Even Death and Destruction hold no secrets from the Lord. How much more does he know the human heart!

We all have secrets…the issue is, have we deceived ourselves into thinking we have any from God? This is one of the enemy’s most significant lies!

Yet, from the beginning, we believed we could hide from the Lord:

“He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid.^”
Gen 3 - Adam in the garden after sin

I know for myself that the freest I am is when there are no sins I am trying to hide from the Lord. I have lived in both realms. I have experienced times in my life…which I will keep secret from most due to embarrassment, where I deceived myself, hoping God was not paying attention. How silly! He made me in my mother’s womb and has even counted the remaining hairs, few, though they are, on my head!   
 

Many think I am arrogant or ignorant because I believe in a God so intimate. That is because their concept of God is spelled "god", mine is spelled GOD!
 
No matter the problem, no matter the obstacle, no matter the failure, I possess a Person to turn to for help and comfort! Yes, it is a knife that cuts both ways! This means He knows every flaw also.

However, His heart is never to condemn or ridicule. It is to encourage, enable and mature. For He so loves us that He GAVE! – not took!
 
The So What: Who is your God? Is he god? Or is He GOD? Our lives will have their emotional ups and downs, yet we need not be controlled by them. Yield and submit to GOD being your foundation of life. He will protect you and guide you through this turbulent world! How? Just ask Him to make you His child and then follow Him.

Who was Jesus? Truth Validated!

Have you ever heard an excuse that made you roll your eyes? This is an actual excuse from a politician who was accused of smoking crack cocaine: “Yes I have smoked crack cocaine,” He told reporters. “But no, do I, am I an addict? No. Have I tried it? Probably in one of my drunken stupors!” 

1 Corinthians 15:13–19… “if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover, we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised…and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins...If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. 

My greatest beef is those who say Jesus was a good man…even a great man, but was not Who He claimed to be – God in the flesh. Have the courage to take a stand. Stop coming up with ridicules explanations about His empty tomb! I.E. - *Jesus did not really die, He merely swooned! Oh yes, those ignorant Romans did not know how to tell if someone was dead! *His disciples stole the body! Oh yes, these fishermen were fierce warriors, Peter was so good he took a swipe at one and caught only an ear! The Roman guards were clearly out classed in battle against these fishermen! AND all those that saw Christ risen either lied of had illusions – even the over 500 at one time! 

All were martyred in horrible ways! Maybe a few would die for a lie they knew was a lie, but all?  

Jesus made it clear what would happen to Him. Others have died for what they believe, but He stated that He would rise from the dead. The empty tomb validates Who He was. 

Even non-Christian writers Josephus (AD 37-100), Suetonius (AD 70-160) and Pliny the Younger (AD 61 or 62-113) stated that this is what Christians were dying for. 

Interesting isn’t it, the empty tomb is not denied, it is explained away! 

Matthew 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. Also MK 8, Lk 9, Jn 2.

The So What:

I understand it requires faith, but you practice faith every day. You believe (faith) maps when traveling, you order food that you believe (faith) is safe to eat, you follow (faith) doctor’s orders and medicine (faith) even though you do not know for sure the Dr is right, or the medicine will work. I could go on. Life is faith, it only becomes sight after we have lived it. If you will just be humble enough to tell God you believe He is there and you will follow Him, He will prove Himself to you.

Humans cannot explain the unexplainable! Pt. 2

Free Will? If there is no choice, then there is no faith needed.How interesting is it that the scholarly ones were those who rejected Christ, yet a woman with a condition that had tortured her for 12 years reached out and touched Christ. He turned to her and said: “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” Luke 8:48I follow the Scriptures, which teach that God gave man a choice. To follow Christ or reject Him. How that all works is not my problem. My task, commanded by Jesus Himself, is to go and tell the world what God did for them, leaving the choice to them.

 
From the beginning, the very reason for the tree in the middle of the garden was to give God’s incredible creation, one in His Own image…a “choice” to exercise that quality that only humans have. A free will to obey or disobey God. God could make all the robots He wants. Only obedience, no choice.

However, with man, He gifted us with a will that could choose to obey or not. He gave us the channel for that will, called faith. From Genesis to Revelation, there are countless examples of humans using that channel for success or experiencing failure because they chose not to believe.

Obviously, it was not her “faith” that healed her, it was Christ! But her faith was the channel that Christ used to allow His power to do so.
If you remove choice from humans concerning eternal destination, then you end up with this clear truth: If God set up salvation in a way that man has nothing to do with it – including a choice – then God not only chooses all that go to heaven, but He also chooses all that go to hell. You cannot have it both ways.
When I engage with “five-pointers” who have led themselves to believe they have solved the “Mystery” of salvation because they treated another fallen man’s theory as inspired, yet when it comes to going to "hell," then it is blamed on man's free will.  

Most hard-core Calvinists spend their time theologizing their theory instead of evangelizing the world. I choose to live simple – just share what Jesus did on the Cross and leave the results to God. The other extreme on this issue teaches that God saves you and then drops you! Men's theories always fall short. Only God can fully explain how His salvation works...and He did not! 

The So What: Man’s theories are exactly that - theories! The Word states that God chooses, man makes a choice, and once in the family, forever in the family. Here is how I process “election”: When I meet someone who tells me they have no relationship with Christ, then they are not elected…Yet!

Humans cannot explain the unexplainable! Follow the Theology...not the Theologist!

 

Human beings are funny. So many say, “God is beyond us, and we cannot fully understand Him or His ways!” Then, they spend incredible amounts of time developing human theories to explain the unexplainable!
 

Theology Defined: 
theologia (θεολογία) is a combination of two Greek words: theos (Θεός) “god” and logia (λογία) “utterances, sayings, oracles”.
 

No one comes to heaven unless God chose them to come, and they chose to believe. To say that God would hold anyone accountable for not doing what He would not allow them to do, shows a complete ignorance of the God of Scriptures.

 

John 12:32 “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” 

Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart… 

Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 

Throughout time men have come up with theories to explain how salvation works.  Some of these theological theories are treated as “inspired”. Sadly, this will create a terrible hermeneutic, and the point of the text will be missed in favor of making it fit into a man-made theological theory.

A clear example of this is a very abused section of Scripture found in Romans 9. The argument of Romans 9 does not explain how salvation works. It is confronting us arrogant human beings with this Truth: Who do we think we are? If God is God, then He can do whatever He wants, who are we to challenge that?   

It is True – God can do what He wants. However, God would never do anything that would deny His Word or His nature.

From Genesis to  Revelation, God lays out choices for man, allows him to make those choices, and then holds him accountable for those choices.

The So What: The testimony that God is Sovereign is the fact that only a truly Sovereign Being could place limits on Himself, limiting Himself based on the decisions of a free-will creature that He created. God stops God!...not men. In most cases in Scripture, God allows man to make and pay for his own decisions.