Gate and Door Cafe

02/08/2025

BE SURE
Jesus may take you to a rose garden or a desert?
Matthew 8:18,19

Jesus alters our landscape of how to do life and where. When we begin to follow him, it may seem like the trip of a lifetime. We have great expectations and love the scenery. But the clouds we see in the distance begin to concern us.

Jesus didn't know where he would be sleeping, but he always slept. We want to know if the room had a fridge, color tv, and an amazing shower. Those details weren't in his life dictionary. Jesus intends to lead us into a life where uncertainty will be a main teacher, where confusion will only enlarge our trust and where disappointment opens an unseen wow!

What often looks like a jail to us, is an open door of discovery into a world that's perfect from God's perspective. It's the place where teaching not only informs, but enlarges our perspective on who God is and what his intentions are for us.

What excites you the most in following Jesus? What alarms or scares you?
If you don't believe God has the best intentions for you, where does that leave you?"
What causes you to doubt that God is for and not against you?

10/20/2024

MORE NOT LESS
It's one thing to think it, another to know
1 Samuel 2:35

Someone is going to be fired, and a new hire will be committed to doing it God's way. God was tired of the war of self-centeredness, and was about to make a change in leadership. He was going to look for someone who had God's best interest in mind, rather than focusing on their own personal preferences.

It's challenging to find a person whose focus is totally on what's on God's heart. The lure of publicity, large gatherings at your meetings, etc., lure many away from God's best. The enemies math contradicts God's by more than a mile. It can cost a lifetime of working with Jesus.

We must be careful when God gives us opportunities to help another begin to walk with Jesus and grow as a follower. Our enemies attention is immediately alerted to one who begins to help someone grow as a follower of Jesus. His strategies vary, but are consistent in seeking to diminish influence and impact.

Why does it often cost more to do it the wrong way than the right way?
How could recognition enter in and turn a win into a loss?
Everyone ends up somewhere in life. How will you end up where God wants you to be on purpose?

10/16/2024

DO YOU REALLY WANT TO WIN?
I've worked out all day yesterday. I'm tired.
Ephesians 6:10-12

It's raining and is supposed to all day. "I'm going to watch the game, have a beer, and enjoy the afternoon inside," you confidently say. Eagerly, you turn on your TV, and screen is black. Your relentless attempts to correct the problem, leaves you frustrated and ready to scream.

"Sleepless in Seattle" can't hold a candle to our enemies ability to never require sleep. We have a decision to make throughout every day of the year. This is a forever war with our well equipped enemy. We can win, but we must do it God's way. We can't win on our own, but must trust Jesus, who has defeated the enemy, and as we trust Him He is ready to deal with the enemy throughout the day.

How badly do you want to win the war with the enemy?
Are you ready to do whatever Jesus speaks to you about to win this war?

10/07/2024

GOD'S STOKED
When God can't wait for you to get out of bed!
Mark 1:11

How do you wake up? Crawl out of bed, turn over two or three times first, or jump up with expectation of an exciting, creative, and maybe a dangerous day? I

I can only imagine what the disciples thought as they woke up. Peter probably wondered what kind of rabbit Jesus would pull out of a hat today!

It may not be early in the morning, but just think a minute. We are about to have an opportunity to meet with the creator of the universe! This should change everything for us. But, the norm seems to be one of dread, hurt, or anger about something that happened yesterday.

The enemy has absurd, as well as delicate strategies to ruin, delay or destroy our joy. It often doesn't take much. God waits to take us on a once in a lifetime trip every day, if we connect with Him. Jesus leans over to Peter and says "He's or She's getting up-saddle up! This will be a great ride today.

Why would we get up wanting to reach what's out of reach?
What does the enemy use to ruin your passion of a typical day?

09/29/2024

"I'M TIRED OF THIS."
The gift that keeps on grieving God.
Numbers 11:1

I can't stand this. I'm never coming back. This should have never happened...etc. This is normal in most of our daily conversations with one another. It's easier to find a fault, than complimenting the small act of a smile.

Complaining, only increases the headwind of making progress in life. This is always the easy road. It suffocates the enthusiasm to climb a little higher or keep going a little longer. The reward is in reach, but is scared off with complaining. Complaint is nowhere in His dictionary of life.

It's scary to understand that our complaint angers Him. Actually, it should terrify us. His nature is one that He is a God of intentionality, and His purposes are always for our benefit.

How does complaining unravel the fabric of life God intends for you to experience?
How does wanting to know "Why" diminish the thrill of the adventure?

09/25/2024

ALWAYS TALKING
An ongoing conversation with God
Acts 1:14

These early followers were "Sleepless in Jerusalem." They were constantly talking with God about everything. Think of what they had just experienced. Nothing had ever been seen like this on the planet. Any encounter with Jesus, changes everything, and you want to talk with Him throughout every day

Now, think about the intrusion into the life of everyone now. Technology has not only radically changed the Western lifestyle, but has altered the time to focus on the one who designed our planet. Think about what was not in your life before I Phones, Computers, Head Phones, Email, App's...etc.

Thieves convince, or many times, steal our consideration of talking with the Creator of the world. Prayer is a conversation between two who love each other. No wonder the enemy has been working so hard.

What are three words that would describe your prayer life? Are you content with that?
What is the enemy using to steal away your intimacy with Jesus?

09/19/2024

SNAKE IN THE GRASS
Stop, Look, and Listen...Now!
Proverbs 1:10, 15-19

Someone suggests that there's more action over here than over there. It looks a little interesting, until you turn the corner. Evil is now in plain sight! What do you do now?

Friends who become enemies of God's design for us, must be loved, but often avoided if they distract us from God's best.

Jesus embedded himself in the midst of those who didn't agree with anything He said. However, He did it without compromising truth. We have to be careful, but when we love someone, we can be with them without compromise. Remember, everyone's trying to figure out life, but most don't have the right map.

We can be with them in person some of the time, without being with them in their direction or heart's intention. But, we must be careful. Remember 1 Peter 5:8-our enemy never sleeps!

What has the enemy used to steal your moral fiber?
How does resolve travel from your mind to your heart?

09/05/2024

BLOWOUT WIN We nailed them to the ground in the fourth quarter.
Psalms 9:2-6

The first half score of the game was only a little in their favor. We held our own in the beginning of the second half, but then...We don't want to discuss the finish of the rest of the game!

This will be the script of our life unless we make some hard decisions that will cost us much, but reward us with invaluable memories. We have to listen to the coach and even more, do exactly what He tells us to do.

Our opponent hates our coach, because He knows all the right plays of life. The enemy knows that if we make the choices He gives us, well, it's over for him. But he's clever, and we have an injury which he tries to take an advantage with.

In the end, as I listen to the Coach, it's a blowout win, and the enemy retreats to the sidelines for another day.

How could a lesser score mean that you won?
What are some critical criteria in winning in life?
What has the enemy used to defeat you in the past?

09/02/2024

UNMASKING THE MASKED MAN
Wow, look at that!
Romans 1:16,17

So, you don't want to be identified with the religious bunch at lunch, or the kids that hang with the "goody goodies!" Neither did Jesus. He spent much of His life with those who used God's names to discredit whatever suited them. He hung with the bad guys much of his life.

Why would he do that? He knew the religious types lifestyle usually discredited the beauty of God's intentions for people. And, he knew that the rest of the bunch were just trying to get their life together...if that was even possible. Jesus' built in intelligence would put AI to shame in our world.

The kicker is that the only way to experience life is to take off the cultural masks that are put on every day. Jesus' way of life steals the thunder from every benchmark, cache, or firewall that invades daily life now. His data base exceeded our efforts. His is the only one that exclusively contains all truth.

What are some disturbing questions you have? Where are you looking for answers?
How serious is your search for answers that might change your lifestyle?

08/28/2024

DOUBT You go first. No, I'm not going down there!
James 1:5-7

It looks exciting and would be amazing if... We're often stopped dead in our tracks when given the opportunity to go into that country, or drive off that cliff, or to talk with that person about Jesus.
when Jesus speaks, our doubtt should run and hide. One of our best teachers is "doubt", if we're willing to learn. Doubt instructs us in how to deal with our sense of inadequacy. John 3:30 adds spice to the mix. Out trust in what Jesus asks of us, is not real in our life until tested.

When our enemy said "Did God really say?" in Genesis, he introduced doubt into our vocabulary. God has continually sought to answer questions you and I have, to dismantle that lie. But, we must trust and not doubt Him. Doubt makes friends with uncertainty.

What are some of the most disturbing questions you have had that Jesus asked?
What could you learn from these questions He asked?

08/24/2024

INVISIBLE
Learning to be the ghost!
Matthew 6:1-4

A good place to begin is to ask yourself "Why did I do this?" "Did I want someone to notice?" We often don't mind helping or encouraging someone, but we would sure like to be appreciated for it somehow. We want the Matthew 25:23 recognition, which only reveals the wrong motive.

Jesus' recognition only comes as we do it without noticing. Rewards from people quickly fade, because they don't touch our heart nor His. Value only comes from the right source. Jesus sees and knows our act and our heart. We need to become the invisible man or woman.

Anytime we do what pleases Jesus only, the joy is invaluable. Let Him speak into your heart, then act on it.
He really must increase and I must decrease.

Try asking someone this week "What can I help you with?"
Answer this question Jesus asked John in John 1:38-What do you want?

08/21/2024

THE ESSENCE OF REAL
Evidence speaks louder than words
Leviticus 9:23,24

It's easy to read about experiences and thrilling adventures others have, and then wonder why or when will we experience that kind of adventure they've had.

The daily grind can, and often does, wear out our expectations of what God longs to do in our daily life.

At some point our "hope" must become our "expectation" of what God wants to do in and through us. What God promises will become visible, and time is not an issue.

Walking out on a limb is not an issue when God is holding the branch.

Why or how does fear interrupt your trust in taking your faith to a deeper level?
What's one thing you could believe Him for this week that would stretch you?

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