The Humility of God
As we near this Christmas celebration I want to dwell deeply on the amazing simplicity of this most amazing of all stories. I do not know your circumstances, but I am sure many of you are alone, far from loved ones at this time. Others will be in financial difficulties, as the “festivities” swirl around them, wondering how to meet the bills that are piling up. Some I know have lost their homes, and others jobs, leaving bleak future prospects. You may feel unloved, unappreciated, and unimportant. It may be that your failures, personal shortcomings, or hardships only add to a sense of loss during this time when we should all be celebrating. It is especially for such as these that I write this offering this Christmas. I pray that God may open our eyes to the greatest of all miracles, and how it touches all of common life, with all its limits, with God’s infinite grace.

What is God saying to us, what lesson was He giving to the world, in the circumstances of our Lord’s humble birth? All true perfection that is found in this broken world is discovered in the providential working of a holy and perfect God working an infinite and eternal plan. From the very beginning, man was made in the image of God (Gen.1:26). With the loss of the fullness of that image, due to the fall of Adam into sin, God’s redemptive plan began to work for its fullest restoration. That restoration and “refreshing” (Act 3:19) would come through the “seed of the woman” (Gen 3:15), “Who is Christ” (Gal 3:16). The Lord Jesus Christ came to bring salvation, justification to sinners, and reconciliation to God. But He also came to illustrate what that restored “image of God” looked like in daily life.

And so in the birth of Christ we see the miracle of “The word become flesh”, combined with the countless other miracles of grace in the commonplace things of life. The eternal King came into a poor peasant family. His birthplace was not in a palace, but as an outcast in a stable, with a manger for a bed. The annunciation of His birth was not made in the Temple, nor the schools of the learned scribes, but in the fields, to shepherds who were themselves outcasts of the religious elites of the Temple service.

The God of Small Things
What kind of God would choose such a setting for the birth of His son, the Savior of the world? What kind of Deity would ignore the entire religious system which for nearly 1500 years was dedicated to His name, in favor of “the off-scouring of the world” (1Co 4:13)? What strange plan would send angelic messenger and the choir of Seraphs to rough and rustic men of sunburned face and calloused hands? As I think on these things I can only say that it is our God, who loves the unloved, who shuns the so-called great and powerful in favor of the weak and forgotten. It is the true God, breaking down all our fabricated images and idols of beauty, power, grandeur, influence, and wealth. It is He who created us in His image, returning in the glory of simplicity, the power of meekness, the wealth of humility, to begin a work of the “restoration of all things” (Act 3:21). He wanted “the eyes of (our) understanding (to be) enlightened; that (we) may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Eph 1:18).

Should we not be astounded that the God of all creation, to whom the angels sing in everlasting chorus, “Holy, Holy, Holy” (Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8) should count as His longed for inheritance those whom He has saved from sin and shame? Did not Christ remind us of this, when He spoke to His Father in the upper room, repeatedly speaking of us as “the men whom You have given Me out of the world” (Joh 17:6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 24)? How remarkable that God truly “raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the beggar from the dung-heap…that He may seat him with princes” (cf.1Sa 2:8; Psa113:7). As Mary declared in her song, “He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty” (Luk 1:53). Was it not clear that He came to “turn the world upside down” (Act 17:6) when His first major discourse spoke of the “blessed” condition of all who came to Him from the common-place of daily life and its struggles (Mat 5:3-12). It is from this context we get the phrase, “the salt of the earth” (Mat 5:13).

The True Hidden Treasure
Now what is the meaning of all of this? What practical applications can we find from the essence of the story of the birth of Christ? We can begin by stating without hesitation that God loves the simple things and the common people of this earth. I believe it was Abraham Lincoln who said, “God must love the common man, He made so many of them.” But beyond this, it is an inescapable truth that God redeems not just “the foolish…weak…base…despised…nothings” (1Co 1:27-30), but also their very circumstances. It is “out of weakness (we are) made strong” (Heb 11:34b). It is in the very midst of affliction that we can find joy through His word ( 1 Th 1:6, Jam 1:2). Our gifts and offerings to Him are not dependant on what we have, but rather are magnified by what we have not (2Co 8:1-3, Luk 21:3). It is not by belonging to some great congregation, but rather by being part of a small despised group that we prevail (Jud 7:3-7).

How can I put this in the most simple and useful way? It would be to urge each of us to look for the true miracle of the life we have in Christ in the face of our husband/wife, in the presence of our children, and in the opportunity to give a word in season, or a helping hand to some downtrodden soul, or a cheery smile on the street. If we will allow the Spirit of God to fill us with the spirit of the first Christ-mas, we will find that God still delights to make His home among the small and humble, and in every heart that will give Him entrance by faith and humility. May each of us be found a fitting “stable” for His incarnation into our lives at this time, and from this time forward. Our world is bankrupt, far more spiritually than financially. On this historically dark and cold Christmas Eve, may the Spirit of Christ bring light and love and hope to you and yours. For the Christmas story is not of the past, but is of an ever-growing spiritual renewal and reconciliation that will continue until His kingdom comes. Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Shamgar had an ox goad
David had a sling
Dorcas had a needle
Rahab had some string
Mary had some ointment
Moses had a rod
What small thing do you have
That you’ll dedicate to God?

Wishing you all the most blessed Christ-filled Christmas,
Gene, Nan and the Cunningham clan

Finding the Greatest Gift of All in The Gospel
John Piper

Christmas turns our attention to gifts like no other season.
We think about giving just the right gift to the people we love; we savor the thrill of receiving gifts from family and friends. And in the midst of all the activity, we try to stop long enough to remind ourselves of why we’re celebrating with gifts in the first place: it’s Jesus’ birthday. This time of year just sings with reminder after reminder of the time when God Himself came down to our planet in the flesh.

The birth of Christ, as humble and great as it was, made even greater gifts possible — spiritual gifts such as grace, mercy, forgiveness, salvation, transformation, freedom, peace, and joy. Yet even these spiritual gifts pale in comparison to the ultimate gift — God Himself.

Here’s how we find the greatest gift of all in the Gospel:

Understand that nothing is truly good unless it leads to God.
Realize that God is the source of all goodness, and all the good gifts He gives must help you connect to Him if they are to bring true goodness to your life. Remember that only God makes the good news good.

Take the focus off yourself and place it on God.
Honestly examine what makes you feel happy. Is it the affirmation of God lavishing gifts on you? Is it a sense of satisfaction that comes from knowing you’re worth God’s attention? Know that your good feelings should be rooted in God’s worth, not your own. Recognize that true joy can only come in the way that God designed it – from knowing and celebrating Him. Understand that the point of the Gospel isn’t just to give you a variety of powerful gifts. It’s to help you see and savor God’s glory. He is the true treasure.

Communicate what salvation really means.
Think about whether or not you’d be truly fulfilled in heaven if God weren’t there with you. Realize that no amount of pleasurable experiences can make up for the lack of His presence. Whenever you present the Gospel message to others, don’t focus on its power to help them avoid the pain of hell or to get into a heaven full of privileges. Instead, emphasize what’s most important about salvation. Let people know that salvation enables them to live with their Creator and enjoy His presence forever. Don’t say, “Salvation is great!” Say, “God is great!” because His saving love is the gift of Himself. He is the Gospel. Understand that the Gospel is not a way to get people to heaven; it’s a way to get people to God. Know that if you don’t desire God above all other things, than you haven’t yet truly believed or obeyed the Gospel.

Let the Gospel help you see God’s image.
Rejoice that, although you don’t have any video recordings of Jesus from when He walked the earth as God incarnate, you can see Him when you let the Gospel message and the Holy Spirit’s affirmation of that message draw you closer to Him. As you learn more about Jesus in the Gospel, pray to see His face more clearly and understand the image of His glory more fully.

Ask the Holy Spirit to awaken you.
Understand that the Holy Spirit authenticates the Gospel as God’s own word. Ask the Spirit to awaken your soul to see God’s manifest presence in the Gospel. Rely on the Spirit’s power to help you confirm that the Gospel is both reasonable and spiritual. Remember that God’s glory is what the Gospel events and promises are meant to show.

Realize that seeing God’s glory is the key to becoming more holy yourself.

Understand that you are transformed more into Jesus’ image by means of focusing your attention on His glory. As you admire Jesus’ purity and holiness, your sinful habits will begin to feel foreign and distasteful. His worldview will gradually shape your values, thinking, and decisions. His wisdom, power, and promises will give you greater confidence to choose faith over fear. His glory will inspire you to delight in His fellowship and yearn to see Him face-to-face in heaven. His love will empower you to love others more.

Join God in His joy.
As you see how glad God is to have His Son, Jesus, rejoice with Him that He thought of the perfect plan to extend His love to all people through Jesus. Don’t be somber when pondering the Gospel. Realize that it’s a message of great joy.

Let your love for God lead you to repentance.
Know that you can’t appreciate how the Gospel makes forgiveness possible for you if you don’t first feel genuine remorse for your sins. Recognize that the only way to truly experience that remorse is to ponder how glorious God is, and to let your love for Him motivate you to repent because you want to please Him.

Appreciate how God’s gift of pain leads you to Himself.
Understand that when you’re willing to suffer for the sake of the Gospel message, you’re choosing the beauty of God’s truth over the ugliness of Satan’s lies, and you’ll be able to see God’s beauty more clearly. Remember that you can trust God to meet every genuine need you have, no matter what your circumstances, but true needs are only those that are necessary for you to do God’s will and bring glory to Him. Know that the Gospel’s aim is not an easy life. Rather, it is deeper knowledge of, and trust in, God.

Don’t let miracles distract you from the One who performs them.
Remind yourself that the material world God has created, the spiritual power He gives believers, and the signs and wonders He sometimes unleashes in answer to prayer are meant only to draw you closer to God. Make sure you’re not focusing on God’s miracles at the expense of God Himself.

Consider why you truly want to grow to be more like Jesus.
Ask yourself: “Do I want to be strong like Christ, so I will be admired as strong, or so that I can defeat every adversary that would entice me to settle for any pleasure less than admiring the strongest person in the universe, Christ?”, “Do I want to be wise like Christ, so I will be admired as wise and intelligent, or so that I can discern and admire the One who is most truly wise?”, “Do I want to be holy like Christ, so that I can be admired as holy, or so that I can be free from all unholy inhibitions that keep me from seeing and savoring the holiness of Christ?”, and “Do I want to be loving like Christ, so I will be admired as a loving person, or so that I will enjoy extending to others, even in sufferings, the all-satisfying love of Christ?” Make sure that your goal to become like Jesus is rooted in a passion to see and savor Him in the Gospel message.

Adapted from God is the Gospel by John Piper, copyright 2005 by Desiring God Foundation. Published by Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, Ill., www.crossway.com.

What LOVE means to 4-8 year old children . . .
Slow down for three minutes to read this. It is so worth it. Touching words from the mouth of babes. A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, ‘

“What does LOVE mean?”—the answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think.

Rebecca- age 8—“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.’

Billy—age 4—“’When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.”

Karl—age 5—“ Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.”

Chrissy—age 6—“ Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.”

Terri—age 4—“ Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.”

Danny—age 7—“Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.”

Emily—age 8—“Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss.”

Bobby—age 7—“ Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.” (Wow! Wish I could take credit for that one!)

Nikka—age 6—“If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.” (go Nikka!—we need a few million more Nikka’s on this planet)

Noelle—age 7—“’Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.’

Tommy—age 6—“’Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.”

Cindy—age 8—“During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore.”

Clare—age 6—“ My mommy loves me more than anybody .You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.”

Elaine—age 5—“ Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.”

Chris—age 7—“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.”

Mary Ann —age 4—“ Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.”

Lauren—age 4—“ I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.”

Karen—age 7—“ When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.’ (what an image)

Mark—age 6—“ Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn’t think it’s gross.”

Jessica—age 8—“ You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.” (amen!)

All of these were pretty good, but the winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, ‘’Nothing, I just helped him cry.”

Al

February 2009

Solid Preparations for an Uncertain Future
Part One

While we were in Papua New Guinea we were cut off from all news. For two weeks I taught the book of Romans to the graduate students, while Nan took women’s and children’s classes. The last week we “saddled up” with our backpacks and trekked village to village, through some amazing triple canopy jungle, visiting outlying churches. The so-called modern world seemed very remote indeed.

Meeting Frank the hunter
One personal highlight was meeting Frank, a renowned hunter, who often sets off into the jungle for a week or two, with his dogs and spears, to hunt wild pig and cassowary. Nan and I sat in his hut, with the fire smoking and Frank eating baked yam, surrounded by his wife and family, as he told of his hunts and hunting methods. A strong Christian, Frank had one request. He said, “I have only a New Testament, and I need a whole Bible so I can study the entire word of God.” Frank had been challenged by a class Logan Carnell had taught in the village church, and expressed a desire to learn to better “live by faith”. I was able to leave Frank not only a Bible, but also passed on to him my Cold Steel Bushman knife, promising that I would bring him a pig spear blade made by the same company when I returned (on the provision that he would take me on a pig hunt). When we parted he whispered to me, “Don’t forget pig spear!”

A radical contrast
Imagine living for weeks with people who wrest their survival from the jungle with only a machete and a spear, then returning to a world of billion-dollar bailouts. We left Frank’s family of seven, who live in a thatched-roof hut of two rooms, with a total of possessions that could easily be carried by one person, to frantic television reporting of people in America, bleating into the camera, “We need financial help to keep our car, our house, our furniture”, etc. Another was quoted saying, “I’ve got to have my own kitchen, bathroom, bedroom…”and so on. I do not deny that many are facing hard times, but rather I want to emphasize a difference in mindset of what is essential, and of self-reliance versus the modern attitude of helpless dependency.

Finding sufficiency in unstable times
All of this narrative brings me to think on a question often asked, “How can we prepare for an increasing dismal looking future?” I pondered this question quite a bit during our travels, and would like to offer, not what I think others should do, but what I have come to as my own approach. I personally believe we are entering a time of testing that may well surpass the Great Depression. I fully realize that I could be wrong, but my philosophy has always been, “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and be ready for anything”. If I prepare for the “worst-case scenario” I should, A Fortiori, be ready for any lesser conditions. So the big dilemma is, how to proceed and what preparations/provisions do I need. My criteria, I decided after visiting Frank, must be based on a true perception of the word “need”. Though my though ts and theories will no doubt continue to be refined, I offer some ideas reached so far in my own pursuit, and they may surprise you!

The cord of three strands
“Two are better than one…for if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him
up…Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.
And a cord of three strands is not easily broken.” Ecc.4:9-12

This passage spoke to me years ago, during a time of great personal struggle. At the time it gave me much strength and wisdom, and its implications have resurfaced repeatedly in times of need. Read the entire passage, and note that the author speaks of “two” who meet adversities together, then concludes with the axiom about the three-fold cord. How did Solomon get three out of two? I am convinced he was introducing the necessity of faith in One who is unseen. By doing so he reminds us of the providential care of God, and of His unfailing presence with those who entrust themselves to His care. Now let’s apply the principle to the question at hand, with three distinct levels of preparation.

Level one

At the most fundamental level of my preparations, I must consider the extreme possibility of facing the worst adversities armed with nothing but a full heart and empty hands. To fail to account for this grim possibility is to deceive myself about how precarious is our existence and how fragile our civilization. Many in history have been confronted with this bleak scenario. How can I be sure I will not? I remember years ago seeing a poster with the image of an American Green Beret on it. He was wounded, bandaged roughly, but with fists clenched, staring out of the picture with an orange sun rising out of the mists behind him. He was devoid of arms or equipment, just himself. The heading under the picture read, “Your mind is your ultimate weapon”. It is this condition I must face at the very bed-rock level of preparation. For such a seemingly hopeless situation I would want three things.

1. A storehouse of scripture hidden in my heart. This means Bible memorization, for my Bible can be taken from me, but the storehouse of my heart cannot be plundered. So learned the author of Psalm 119, whom I take to be a young captive of Israel, taken on the death-march to Babylon. I must therefore prepare by a disciplined memorization of Scripture.

2. A strong and resilient faith. I remember in the first Rambo movie, after he had escaped capture, evaded forces sent to apprehend him, and with only his knife worked havoc with snares and traps laid for his pursuers. His former commanding officer made the statement, “He is resilient, isn’t he?” Like Rambo’s skills, resiliency of faith does not come overnight. It is developed by daily, determined practice. The book of James teaches us that every little or large trial is an opportunity to develop a resilient faith. We need to face each day’s troubles with the certain knowledge that we are in the gymnasium, preparing for greater battles. Somewhere in one of my old Bibles, near a passage where Paul speaks of his sufferings, I have written a quote from the old stoic philosopher, Epictetus. He said, as I recall “When you find yourself facing some great adversity, then be sure that God, the great coach, has paired you with a worthy adversary, so as to prepare you for victory in the Great Games.” Today’s trials, great or small, are opportunities to build strength for some greater test tomorrow.

3. A genuine daily fellowship with Jesus Christ. We must get over the spoiled-child mentality of asking, when trials come, “Where is God when I need Him”, or, “Why does God not hear my prayers.” These are spiritually immature statements. We have absolute assurance in the promises, “I will never leave nor forsake you”, and “Whatever you ask, believing, you will receive”. If we live in a daily growing relationship with our Savior, His presence alone is all we need in troubled times. This mature approach to the evils of life is best expressed by Paul, who said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Paul’s consistent victories on the battlefield of life were won through the conviction that he was never alone, though often forsaken by men. In Jesus Christ he found the c onstant companionship and all sufficient source of strength to meet adversity.
If I have nothing but empty hands and a full heart, I can face whatever the future may hold. This should give great comfort, for there is nothing here too expensive for even the poorest of men to buy. As the prophet Isaiah said so long ago, in Isa.55:1-3.
“You who have no money, come buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance. Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen that you may live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you according to the faithful mercies shown to David.”

This is the spiritual “final option” for every believer. It is the true bottom line for facing whatever may come. With it Daniel and his friends overcame the greatest earthly kingdom in history. Starting as helpless slaves, stripped of all outside supply or support, they overcame every obstacle, until their Lord was honored in the kingdoms of Babylon and Persia. These resources sustained men and women facing incredible hardships through the span of Israel’s history (Heb. 11:32-40). And, since I have taken so much space with the first level of preparation, I will save the next two for a later posting.

Stay faithful, and stand firm!

Gene Cunningham

See what’s new on the BTBM web site at http://basictraining.org

FLORIDA COURT SETS ATHEIST HOLY DAY In Florida, an atheist created a case against the Upcoming Easter and Passover days. He hired an attorney to bring a discrimination case against Christians, Jews and observances of their holy days. The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized days. The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the passionate presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel declaring,”Case dismissed!” The lawyer immediately stood objecting to the Ruling , “Your honor,how can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and others. The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, yet my client and all other atheists have no such holidays.” The judge leaned forward in his chair saying, “But you do. Your client, counsel, is woefully ignorant.” The lawyer said, “Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists.” The judge said, “The calendar says April 1st is April Fools Day. Psalm 14:1 states, ‘The fool says in his heart, there is no God.’ Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that if your client says there is no God, then he is a fool. Therefore, April 1st is his day. Court is adjourned.

Psalm 14:1 For the director of music. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.

The fact that so many people do not believe in God demonstrates the reality of total depravity. Adam’s original sin had several consequences. First, it caused them to lose their created righteousness and become unrighteous, necessitating God’s judgment on them. We have all inherited this eternal judgment which is only removed by believing in Christ.

Second, it corrupted their nature from a nature to worship God to a nature to worship self. This sin nature is also passed down genetically through the male.

Finally, it has caused a psychological corruption of man’s mind. We were made to need God for the human soul to be healthy. We are all born spiritually dead and separated from God and develop our beliefs without a relationship with God. Buildig our ideas without God causes our belief system to be corrupted. We build our beliefs with self as the center instead of with God as the center.

For fallen man, reality is based on what can be seen or what can be proven. With self centered beliefs, life is about getting all that we can for self while we are here. The devil supports this idea through his worldly viewpoints that he publishes throughout the world. He promotes the idea of promoting self since that is his own philosophy.

Separated at birth, growing up without God and being deceived  every day through the world’s ideas, it is not surprising that many do not believe in God. In fact, it is the miracle of God’s grace that any of us do.

‘Purpose Driven Life ‘ author and pastor of Saddleback Church in
California. In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren.

People ask me, what is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were not made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven. One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body– but not the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act – the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn’t going to make sense. Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you’re just coming out of one, or you’re getting ready to go into an other one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that’s not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.

This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer. I used to think that life was hills and valleys – you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don’t believe that anymore. Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it’s kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for. You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems. If you focus on your problems, you’re going into self-centeredness,’ which is my problem, my issues, my pain.’ But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.

We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her. It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people. You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life. Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy. It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don’t think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease. So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.

First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.

Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.

Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and to educate the next generation.

Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.

We need to ask: Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? I going to live for possessions? Popularity? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God’s purposes (for my life)? When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don’t get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn’t put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He’s more interested in what I am than what I do. That’s why we’re called human beings, not human doings.

Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.
God’s Blessings on you today.

I need to convey a little story that sort of emphasizes the importance of spending some alone time at the first portion of the day with our Maker and Creator of the very day that we are about to face.
In fact, had I not been “in the very act of communicating with our Lord” I’m afraid my selfish nature would have NOT granted me permission to encounter David. And, I would have missed a great blessing!
It was CHRISTmas Eve morning and I had reasoned the night before that the only place in “The Holiday Inn” that I was sort of safe to find a few precious moments of premium alone time with the ONE whose birthday we were about to celebrate was the cozy, CHRISTmassy front porch.

With 13 folks you dearly love sleeping in the same place it’s a small challenge to find a quiet place. Oh, in case you’re wondering, our Holiday Inn is not a motel—let me explain.
Our “Holiday Inn” is really our get-a-way place inside of beautiful Callaway Gardens that my 2 year old grandson has aptly nick-named “The Sugar Plum Cottage!” It really does look sort of like what I think Santa’s house may look like at the North Pole!  For CHRISTmas décor on our front porch I have strategically placed 8 or 9 different sized, snow-covered CHRISTmas trees, laced with sparking white lights. And of course there’s plenty of thick snow all underneath them. The roof is lined with blinking ice-sickle lights, and for a southerner like me who loves snow but doesn’t really ever get to have any white CHRISTmas’, the feeling is sweet! Man, when I’m nestled in on that porch it gives me the “feeling” that I will see elves hitching up reindeer any moment. (Sort of like the quiet, free and alone feeling I get when I’m out hunting. Well, I AM hunting—hunting precious fellowship with God!

Anyway, I got up earlier than everyone Christmas Eve so I could enjoy some valuable quiet time with THE REASON FOR THE SEASON. I slipped on a hooded sweat shirt, fixed my starbuck coffee and eased out onto the porch into my porch recliner, smack dab into the middle of God’s new morning. Oh yes, “me and the Lord” were enjoying a wonderland QUIET TIME together! And then-n-n——-  I had just about finished my morning prayer and was closing it out like I do each morning, quoting Scripture back to Father. I know that He loves to hear us recite His very own Word. Plus, it really helps me to “tote” (apply) the Scripture during the day that I earlier “quoted” to God just a few hours earlier! (Try it!)  Hey, don’t you love it when one of your own children comes up to you and begins to say, tell, and repeat the very words that you taught them earlier in their lives back to you? Sure you do! Well, I believe God does too.  Better yet, don’t ya love it when you SEE your children actually DO things that you taught them? WOW! This is so gratifying for us! Well, I am sure God enjoys it too! He says so!

That morning I had some soft, instrumental CHRISTmas music playing over our out-door speakers, but I could faintly hear—even with my bad hearing—some scuffling going on in the yard! It got closer and closer and it reminded me of the sound of an armadillo messing up a good deer hunting morning in the woods.  Suddenly, right there in my own yard at 7:15 am, only a few feet from my porch, stood a young man. Folks, it was kind of dark, about 30 degrees, and seeing a man walking from my back yard so close to me was sort of strange!  I knew that he couldn’t see me because I was well-hidden behind our green shrubs. Also, I blended in real well with all of my CHRISTMas trees on the porch! As I watched him, I quickly saw “he was working!” He was the village fertilizer man throwing fertilizer on our shrubs and trees. I knew they did this for us about 3 or 4 times a year, but this early? This cold? On CHRISTmas Eve??

The hard-working young man looked to be about 20 or so and he had an unusually serious look on his face. I knew he would be shocked if I said something, so I started not to. I knew if I didn’t say anything he would soon just disappear into the morning fog. My sin nature was screaming—NO! But, I sort of heard God say SPEAK!   Remember, I told ya that I was right in the middle of my quiet time and I had just been speaking with God and listening to Him talk to me as I quoted Scripture back to Him. Since I had been listening to God, He got the nod. I have learned that humans generally DO what we have been habitually listening to most!   We are definitely creatures of habit. We become “what” and “who” we hang around! HANG around GOD first-thing every single day and watch what happens to you!

One of the last verses I always quote back to Him every morning is:

Rom 8:35- “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?—— No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

After I quote that to Him, I add something that I came up with—
“And Father—please help me to be motivated to treat all the people I meet today with this same LOVE that You so graciously extended to me!”

This helps keep me from being so dad-gum critical and judgmental of people—especially people I have a hard time liking. I sometimes fail, but without at least starting out the day “WITH LOVE and IN LOVE” I would be one, evil, selfish person!   So, I decided to speak to this “stranger!” Remember what Father’s Word said about being loving toward “strangers?”

Heb 13:1- “Bobby, Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”

There’s another divine reason I spoke to him rather than just selfishly letting him be about his fertilizing business. I HAD JUST TOLD GOD I WANTED TO BE ABOUT HIS BUSINESS—not mine! And just what is GOD’S BUSINESS? Fertilizing the world with HIS LOVE! And that’s really such an easy, rewarding job—casting out UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. It has really begun to be fun for me!  Personal lesson learned over many years: “ If I go more than a couple of days without doing this, it gets more difficult to do because I am so easily swayed back into thinking too much about what others may think—particularly if I say the J WORD! So, I try not to go a day without PRACTICING UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.  We all get better at the things we practice!

My first words came out and they startled him—

“Merry CHRISTmas!”
“Wow, you scared me! I had no idea you were there!”
“Yeah, I figured. But, I just wanted to tell you that God loves you, and so do I. Merry CHRISTmas son.”

He paused, turned toward me and with the most amazed look on his face humbly muttered—
“Man, I sure did need that! You don’t know what all is going on in my life right now. I am not able to give my family any CHRISTmas this year and it hurts.”  “I know I don’t know! But, I do know the ONE who does know and He just wants you to talk to Him and trust Him! Jesus Christ is the real CHRISTmas present!”   After about 5 neat minutes of “down to the basics of life conversation with him” I saw that he was just like one of the thousands I have come to know in the last 30 years of my life. He was just like I was at his age—a person who “thought he had it all together but it was slowly coming unglued!”

He was just another young person looking for love in all the wrong places and faces! By this time he was looking at me now like a little puppy! I remembered (it was a God-moment) that I needed to GIVE him LOVE, not just tell him about HIM. So, I quickly stood up and said— “Son, stay right there! I have something for you!”
I didn’t wait for his reply. I hurried into the house. When I came back out he hadn’t moved a muscle. I walked down the steps and introduced myself and shook his hand. I discovered his name was David and I told him about the Biblical connection to his name, “David, the man after God’s own heart!

He just smiled!    I said, “Here David, I think God wants me to give you a little something!”
I handed him a beautiful gold coin with JESUS’ picture on it. He took it and stared at it for about 10 seconds without saying anything. He turned it over and over again in his trembling hand and finally just said, “WOW! It’s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!  I then handed him a 20 dollar bill wrapped in a little card. He had taken the gold coin but when I handed him the money he said something like—

“Sir, I can’t take your money but I will keep this awesome coin with me every day for the rest of my life! You are right! Jesus is really all that counts!”  “David, the money is just a little love gift from us to get your little lady a Christmas present. God has blessed me so I want to bless you. And, the coin—well David—it’s NOT a good luck coin—it is simply to daily remind you of the only ONE in life that is of any lasting value. The coin simply radiates JESUS. It’s His birthday we are celebrating tomorrow, but it’s His death and resurrection that can bring to you the greatest gift ever—eternal life with God, if you simply receive Him by faith!”   “Yes sir!” David, please take both. I love giving them! Please let me!”  “Well, thank you sir! Thank you sir very much! Man-n-n!” (tears)   We hugged. Both of us had a few small tears hiding over in the corner—just waiting on permission to fall!
I turned and walked back up on the porch and as he disappeared into the morning mist, he humbly said—
“Sir—I will never forget this!”  “I won’t either David! If I don’t see you again, hope to see you in heaven!”
“Yes sir!   “And tell your lady JESUS loves her, too!”

JESUS CAFÉ! Listen! Guess who really got the biggest blessing? It wasn’t David!!

But, had I not gotten in the heavenly habit years ago of meeting with my Father first thing every morning, you better believe I would have never even spoken to my new friend, David. It wasn’t me that actually did this! It had to be JESUS working through me because I am too selfish and prideful to bother myself or David with such a foolish interruption.

“HAPPY NEW YEAR” is a nice verbal gesture, but it holds no power or meaning.

“HAVING A CHRIST-CENTERED NEW DAY” one day at the time—now there’s a lot of truth in that statement!

2 Cor 4:16- Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Heb 4:15-16 “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted IN ALL THINGS as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
A fictional account of a great truth!

Father, its time for me to go to earth. I’ll take on a body as theirs and become exactly and fully human as they are.
Son, I can create a body for you exactly as I did for Adam. I can place you on the earth fully grown, you can teach lessons of truth, perform miracles, set examples, and then die on the cross for their sins.
No, Father. I want to fully experience what it is to be born and grow up – from baby to man – and learn by experience what it is to be truly human.
Son, as the all powerful and all knowing God, I can implant into your mind and soul every thing that human beings go through so that you will know all things that they endure.
No again, my Father. I want to not just know what it is like. I want to actually experience what it is like to be one of them. Only this way can I be a true human.
I want to be born in obscurity in a home of poor parents. I want to grow up in a home and experience the issues of family relationships. I want to go to school and learn. I want to have to study hard to learn as they do. I want to get dirt on my face and I want to know how it feels when someone in school calls me a ‘goody goody.’ I want to suffer the hurt of unwarranted slander.
I want to suffer through the death of a friend. I want to endure the betrayal of a hand-picked follower. I want to know what is like to have my followers desert me in my final hour. I want to suffer hunger and thirst. I want to have sufferings as they have had them.
But Son, you must remember that I allow trials in the life of a human based on his physical and spiritual capacity to handle trials. And in your case, you have no weaknesses, so your temptations and trials and suffering will be more severe than anyone would ever experience.
I know my Father. That is what I want. That is what I want to do. I will do no less for them.
Father, I want you to allow me to suffer gruesome treatment and execution at the hands of my enemies. It will be undeserved suffering, but I want to endure this so I can know by experience what ultimate human suffering is.
And finally Father, I want to suffer at your hand. I want to take their sins as my own and I want you to punish me for their every sin. Then we can offer a free and glorious salvation for all who believe in me as their Savior.

When my born again one comes to me at the throne of Grace, I want him to know that the one that they come to is truly one that knows and understands…and most importantly, that this high priest has walked through this life with joy and suffering just as he has walked. It isn’t just something I know about him. I want to have experienced it as one of them. I AM ONE OF THEM. I AM MAN in the truest sense of the word. I will be known as the God-Man.
Agreed my son. Let us begin in Bethlehem!

Heb 2:17-18 “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren IN ALL THINGS, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.”