Christmas is Not Your Birthday

By Allen White 

When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Matthew 2:10-12

Black Friday starts at 10 pm on Thanksgiving Day at Wal-mart. What better reason to get away from the family than by buying their Christmas gifts. But, let me ask you a question: what did you give and get for Christmas last year? Are your kids still playing with those toys? Are the clothes still worn? How much is in your garage or attic?

We live in a world of excess. I know, you need to do your part to stimulate the economy. And, don’t get me wrong. You and I can express the gift of Christmas through gifts. I’m not anti-gift. I am pro-gift. I will send a list upon request. But, so much of Christmas really has nothing to do with Christ.

One of the biggest problems of this Christmas 2011 is that it falls on Sunday. Many people don’t want to go to church on Christmas even though Christ is the reason for the “Christ Mass” and the reason we even go to church in the first place. Family traditions have overtaken a significant Christian holiday. (I get a double whammy – Easter falls on our wedding anniversary in 2012).

Will we go to Hell if we splurge on Black Friday or stay home and eat brunch on Christmas Sunday? Absolutely not. In fact, if we shopped every day and never went to church, we could still escape Hell. Salvation doesn’t rely on our works (Ephesians 2:8-9).

But, would you agree that Christmas has become excessive? And, for most of us, would you acknowledge that Christmas is not your birthday? What are you giving to Jesus on His birthday?

The Magi gave Jesus gold, frankincense and myrrh. No rattles. No Baby Einstein DVDs (for the record: Einstein didn’t have any DVDs. Jus’ sayin’).

Gold was a gift for royalty. Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Frankincense was burned as an offering to God. It expressed His divinity even as a newborn baby. Myrrh was a burial spice. This represented the fulfillment of His mission on this earth.

The heart of Christmas centers on God’s love for us. “God so loved the world that He gave…” (John 3:16). Jesus came to serve and to offer His life as a ransom for ours (Matthew 20:28). Mary and Joseph didn’t exchange gifts with the shepherds. Jesus was their gift.

Jesus’ gifts from the Magi represent His identity, His offering, and His sacrifice. Jesus gave His all to have a birthday. What are we giving Jesus for His birthday? You don’t need to scrap everyone’s Christmas gifts and give only to Jesus. But, if Jesus wrote a letter to Santa (that’s weird), what would He wish for?

Here are some things to think about this Christmas:

1.       Set a budget for your Christmas spending. Don’t presumptuously spend beyond your means because of the irresistibly deep discounts.

2.       Buy presents for your loved ones.

3.       Buy a present for Jesus. Join me in giving to Jesus through the ministry of Water of Life. Water of Life provides fresh water in West Africa and India alongside church planting. People without fresh water and without Christ are receiving both. Let’s give Jesus a water well this Christmas. Water of Life will inscribe “A gift from Jesus Christ” on the well. To donate, click here: http://my.givefreshwater.org/fundraisers/touch-the-untouchables/

4.       Take time to reflect on the meaning of Christmas on December 25. Whether you venture out to a Christmas service or read the Christmas story with your family, take a few minutes on Christmas to reflect on God’s love for you in sending His Son.

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Almost Giving Up on Prayer

By Allen White 

When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him. Matthew 14:34-35

November 21 is my son Sam’s 14th birthday. Fourteen years ago, I got to hold him for an hour in intensive care before any IV’s or tubes or surgical scars.

He was brand new in the world. All he knew was the uncertainty of new surroundings and the arms of his parents who loved him.

Sam was born a month premature with an esophagus that wasn’t fully formed. But, in those first 60 minutes, he was perfect.

There was a time during his hospitalization when we didn’t know if he’d ever make it to Kindergarten. Today, he’s in fourth grade.

Sam suffered many complications from surgery. The more we prayed, the sicker he became. It’s not supposed to work that way. We have a good God who is compassionate and bears the power to heal. But, it wasn’t happening for Sam.

On the eve of Sam’s fourth major surgery in the first four weeks of his life, God woke a member of our church, Carol, in the middle of the night. She began to pray for Sam.

The next morning, the hospital sent their oldest and most experienced anesthesiologist to transport Sam to surgery. They weren’t sure he would survive the 12 floor elevator ride let alone the surgery. The parting words from this sage doctor were “And, you know, he might not make it.” Our hopes were dashed.

A few hours later, Sam arrived back from the OR. The staff was animated. Something happened to Sam that they couldn’t explain. They kept saying over and over, “He came back a different baby.”

If God had answered our first prayer to heal Sam’s infection, people would have written it off to good antibiotics. If God had answered our 46^th prayer, people might have chalked it up to stellar medical care. But, when we had reached the point of almost giving up on prayer, God came through – and everybody knew it.

God’s ways are not our ways. God’s timing is not our timing. But, we can trust God. He is worthy of our trust.

Sam’s complete condition wasn’t resolved that day. In fact, the last 10 years have been like shedding the layers of an onion. He had a feeding tube until he was three. At four, we discovered a profound hearing loss. Okay, that was it. No, there’s something else. Then another something, and then another. Today, we’re on a list for testing for yet something else.

Sam is exceptional. He’s intelligent. He’s curious. One day Sam will invent something or discover something. God has a purpose for Sam on this earth. Often I think, “Only God knows…” – usually when he’s driving me crazy.

My prayers over the years have gone from wanting a perfect baby to wanting a repaired baby to wanting him to have some relief from multiple layers of issues. Despite all of this, Sam delights in a recurring phrase, “Life is good.” Wow, really? Sometimes I think life rhymes with “bucks.”

When I look at Sam’s life, I don’t have much to complain about personally. Sam’s life is good. He challenges me to trust God more deeply.

How about you? Can you say, “Life is good?” What is difficult for you to trust God for? Do you feel God’s answer is on the way or do you feel forgotten? If you’re not sure how to trust God more deeply, ask Him. He’ll show you.

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The Most Repeated Command in Scripture

By Allen White 

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Matthew 14:22-33

Often the line that stands out in this passage is “You of little faith,” yet the most used command in all of Scripture is “fear not.” Starting with the Lord telling Abraham not to fear (Genesis 15:1, KJV) to Jesus’ words to John in the Revelation, “Fear not; I am the first and the last” (Revelation 1:17, KJV), God tells us to “fear not” more than any other command in the Bible. We are only commanded to “not kill” three times.

Jesus is the only person alive who doesn’t live in fear. Fear comes from a lack of knowledge or a lack of experience. Anyone giving a speech for the first time understands fear. Anyone facing uncertainty experiences fear. Jesus is all-knowing. He is God. There is no knowledge that He lacks. Yet, as a person on earth, Jesus sought out solitude to spend with His Father.

You and I don’t know everything. (Go ahead, forward this to your mother-in-law). But, we know God, and God knows everything. And, His command to us is “Fear not.”

If the Son of God felt the need for solitude with His Heavenly Father, how much more do we, His little brothers and sisters, need time alone with the Father. He might not tell us everything we want to know, but He will give us all that we need to know.

Jesus has all knowledge. Jesus has a close connection to the Father. Jesus also knew His power over creation. He could walk on water.

I’m not sure which is the greater miracle: walking on water or catching up to the boat. Our impression is the boat is not anchored in the storm. They were progressing to the other side. Jesus with supernatural buoyancy, balance and speed crossed the sea and caught up with His disciples in the boat.

We like to look down on Peter. He was so flakey. He was so impetuous. Yet, Peter is the only one who asked to walk on the water. Peter was the only one who got out of the boat. He lacked the faith to sustain, but he certainly had the faith to start. The other disciples were huddled in the boat.

Calm in the storm comes from solitude with God. If our attention is drawn to the wind and the waves and away from Jesus, this is evidence that our time with the Father is lacking.

“But, I’m busy. But, I’ve got little kids who need my attention. But, but, but…” As John Maxwell says, “If if’s and but’s were candies and nuts, we’d all have a Merry Christmas.”

Lock yourself in your car, your closet, your bathroom – you pick the chair. You don’t need half a day. Try half an hour. When do you come out? When you hear “Fear not.”

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Jesus Cares About What You Need

By Allen White

When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.

 “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 14:13-21

Often we race past the first two paragraphs of this account and head straight into the miracle. There is something very human and very divine about Jesus in this situation.

First, He retreated to a solitary place. Jesus was grieving the death of His friend and co-worker John the Baptist. The Son of God and Savior of the world needed some space to deal with His feelings over John’s cruel death. Even Jesus couldn’t just move on.

But, the crowd interrupted Jesus’ solitude. They weren’t met with an attitude. He had compassion on them. Jesus clearly was in a situation where by every right He could expect others to have compassion on Him. He lost a dear friend. But, Jesus looked past His own grief to show compassion to others.

Jesus doesn’t treat people harshly. The Creator of the Universe gives us priority over His own needs. When we are troubled, Jesus has compassion on people. He doesn’t lecture or scold. Jesus loves us.

Then, we get to the miracle. Five thousand men plus woman and children had gathered in the solitary place. With no port-a-potties or hot dog carts, they were left to fend for themselves. The problem was there just wasn’t anything to fend for.

Overwhelmed by the sheer logistics, the disciples offered to send the people away. They could barely split the food they collected 12 ways let alone 5,000 plus ways.

Grieving and compassionate Jesus asked for the meager portion of food. What was insufficient to meet the needs of 12 was multiplied into satisfaction for thousands of people that day, because Jesus blessed it. Fortunately for us, Jesus is not limited to human thinking.

A bereaved person wouldn’t be expected to provide the funeral dinner too. In fact, we could understand why someone who’s experienced a great loss might not be overly interested in the needs around him. But, Jesus is not like us.

Jesus was genuinely grieved over John’s death. Jesus was truly compassionate for the plight of broken people. Jesus was fully devoted to the practical  needs of His followers.

When we grieve, Jesus shares in our sufferings. When we are in need, Jesus has compassion for our brokenness. When we have exhausted our energy, ideas and innovation to solve our problems, Jesus has answers beyond our Imagination.

How do you need to connect with Jesus today? What is overwhelming you? How can you surrender your problems and solutions to God today? How can you allow His compassion and power to take the front seat of your issue today?

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Can You Handle the Truth?

By Allen White

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.

On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. Matthew 14:1-12

In my early days of ministry, I had many doubts about my effectiveness as a pastor and especially as a preacher or Bible study leader. A number of those doubts remain.

Most Wednesday nights after presenting a Bible study, I would go home and contemplate my short future in the ministry. People wouldn’t keep coming back, would they? I soon learned the best remedy for my Wednesday night blues was eating dinner and watching L.A. Law. The evaluation could wait.

Once in a while, after I spoke, someone would feel the need to give me some feedback on what they just heard. Today, I believe feedback is the breakfast of champions. Back then, it felt like someone was pounding another nail in my ministry coffin.

But, one person always lifted me out of the pit, my friend, Doris Hayes. No matter how well I did, this dear woman would always tell me, “That was just great.” And, believe me there were a number of times when I sought her out just to hear her lie to me.

Doris wasn’t trying to deceive me. She was a great encourager. And, in those early days, I certainly needed the encouragement.

Reality is a little hard for all of us to face at times. More likely than not, our fear of reality is greater than the impact of the truth. If we’ve failed or are doing things that take away from who God created us to be, it’s hard to hear that out of line. When we know it’s time to do the hard work of character building, it’s hard to hear someone point out our flaws. No one really likes to be called out.

John the Baptist had called Herod and his sister-in-law out on the inappropriateness of their relationship. In appreciation to John for his candor, Herod sent him to prison. He couldn’t kill John – the fallout was too great. But, Herod didn’t want to confront the wrong in his own life. He just needed to silence John the Baptist. Prison served the purpose initially.

At Herod’s birthday party, his sister-in-law-turned-wife’s daughter (I’m assuming his niece) presented Herod with a dance. This family put the “fun” in dysfunction. Herod was so pleased he offered her anything. She asked for John the Baptist’s head. I’m thinking that for most young girls in that day, a prophet’s decapitated head wasn’t at the top of their lists. But, she wanted to please her mother. The prophet would be silenced for good.

Herodias’ daughter had no concern for John the Baptist or apparently the life of another, but she had great concern for pleasing her mother and step-father/uncle.

Herod couldn’t argue with the request on several levels. After all, a promise is a promise. John was finally silence for good. Herod and Herodias lived happily ever after – sort of. At least no one else would challenge their relationship.

Now, we could go one way in this devotional and ask who you’ve spoken the truth to only to have them resent or avoid you. But, rather than taking the high road and assume we’re more like John the Baptist, let’s go the other way: when have we sat in Herod’s seat and heard a truth we didn’t want to hear?

How did we feel toward that person? Did we isolate ourselves from them? Did we write off what they had to say? Did we plot a way to get them back?

Who has irritated you with the truth? How have their words shown true over the years? Maybe it’s time to reconcile the relationship. It’s time to admit they were right and give them credit. After all, they loved you enough to say something about it.

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Thank You and a Quick Update

I want to thank all of you who continue to generously support this ministry. Through your gifts, online courses are being given to pastors and churches with either spending freezes or no training budget. As these pastors apply the principles from these courses to their small groups in the next year, hundreds of people will get connected into great groups that will encourage them and help them grow spiritually. Thank you for your help in this.

On another note, two publishers are considering my Exponential Groups book. I should have a publishing contract in the next 30 days! Honestly, I thought I would be self-publishing this book, but a couple of friends challenged me to go the traditional publishing route. I'm glad I did. I'll keep you posted. If you haven't had a chance to see my first chapter, go here: http://allenwhite.org/ebook.

If you would like to support Galatians419 Ministries financially: http://joytotheworldfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_crowdfunding&view=details&id=1149-galations-419-ministries&catid=8-operating-projects&Itemid=105

Thanks for all of your support and encouragement.

God bless,

Allen

How is Jesus Living Up to Your Expectations?

By Allen White

When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.” And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. Matthew 13:53-58

My parents are still part of a church they joined in 1969. The folks in this church have known me since I was four-years-old. Dear saints like Alvin Andres, Lillian Reese, Ona Mae Price and so many others poured themselves into my life over the years.

They’ve seen me at my best and at my worst. They know I have a long way to go in reflecting Christ more clearly.

In my teenage years, I sang in the church choir and performed quite a few solos. When the old timers ask my parents about me, they always ask, “Does he still sing?” Well, my singing is mostly limited to the shower at this point in my life. But, in their minds I’m 15 years old and still possess an awesome tenor range. How things have changed?

Over the years, God has given me the opportunity to work with some of the largest and most influential churches in the country. God has given me the ability and experience to size up a church’s small groups, create an action plan, and set them in the right course within as little as 30 days. My parents’ church asks if I still sing solos.

But, it’s not just them. On my parents’ last visit, they mentioned a little guy who was a few years behind me in Sunday School. They told me he had just got married. I honestly thought, “They let 12-year-olds marry now?” Well, he’s 40, but the last time I saw him, he was 12.

A certain image of Jesus was stuck in the minds of his friends and family back home. He was the carpenter’s son. They knew his whole family. They knew where he had come from. The neighbors had a hard time accepting Jesus for who He was. Their concept of Jesus was stuck in their previous experience. The same thing can happen to us.

Jesus didn’t perform many miracles at home, because of their lack of faith. They didn’t see Him as the Son of God. He was Joseph and Mary’s son. They didn’t see Him as the Messiah. After all, He was a carpenter. They didn’t see Him as the Firstborn of all Creation (Colossians 1:15-20). He was Joseph’s firstborn.

How do you see Jesus? Is He a grace-giver or a law-enforcer in your life? Is He the baby in the manger? Is He the sacrifice for your sins? Is He closer than a brother or off in Heaven somewhere? Does He care about your days? Do you see Him as a Source of help in trouble? Does He give you freedom or does He limit you?

How you see Jesus limits what He can do in your life. If something bad happens and you believe Jesus has let you down, how is He supposed to work in your life? If something takes a turn and you see it as an opportunity to trust Jesus more deeply and even see a miracle, then something will definitely happen.

Do you believe when you’re happy Jesus loves you? But, when you’re unhappy Jesus has left you? When things are going well, do you think of Jesus at all?

Jesus can meet and even exceed your expectations of Him. If you expect little, you will get little. If you expect great things, you will see great things. How is Jesus living up to your expectations?

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