75 Years ago... December 7th, 1941

Special 75th Anniversary reflection

Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz…

his profound perspective and insight into the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

“Thanks to Admiral Nimitz’ ability to see, we have, on record, a much better account of what actually happened at Pearl Harbor than the accounts told by the script writers of the movies TORA! TORA! TORA! (1970) and PEARL HARBOR (2001)." - Keith

Our part is to recognize that, when it seems we are

surrounded by troubles and woe, in the words of the prophet Elisha, “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." (2 Kings 6:16-17)

Find this, and more, in our 30-year review of TTM in TTM MAGAZINE.

The rare ability to see, instead of merely looking, is illustrated in the true account of U.S. Navy Admiral Chester Nimitz’s profound insights as he surveyed the aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Admiral Nimitz had eyes that could see with respect to tactical naval warfare. He was so well studied and experienced in the art of war that it did not take him long to recognize where the Japanese had made three fatal mistakes in their planning for and execution of their attacks on our ships at Pearl Harbor. These three errors rendered them unsuccessful in their attempt to utterly destroy the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet.

If you visit Pearl Harbor, you will find boats ferrying people out to the USS Arizona Memorial every 30 minutes. In the gift shop there you will find a book entitled, “Reflections on Pearl Harbor” by Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz. In that book, you will read that on Sunday, December 7, 1941, Admiral Nimitz was attending a concert in Washington, D.C. when he was paged and told there was a phone call for him. When he answered the phone, he found that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was on the line.

The President told Admiral Nimitz that in light of the attack on Pearl Harbor Admiral Nimitz would now be the Commander of the Pacific Fleet. Admiral Nimitz flew to Hawaii to assume command of the Pacific Fleet, landing at Pearl Harbor on Christmas Eve, 1941. He found such a spirit of despair, dejection, and defeat that it would seem the Japanese had already won the war.

On Christmas Day, 1941, Admiral Nimitz was given a boat tour of the destruction wrought on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. Big sunken battleships and navy vessels cluttered the waters everywhere you looked. As the tour boat returned to dock, the young helmsman of the boat asked, “Well, Admiral, what do you think after seeing all this destruction?”

Admiral Nimitz’s reply shocked everyone within the sound of his voice. Admiral Nimitz said, “The Japanese made three of the biggest mistakes an attack force could ever make or God was taking care of America. Which do you think it was?”

Shocked and surprised, the young helmsman asked, “What do you mean by saying the Japanese made the three biggest mistakes an attack force ever made?” Nimitz’s explanation is summarized below.

Mistake number one: The Japanese attacked on Sunday morning. Nine out of every ten crewmen of those ships were ashore on leave. If those same ships had been lured to sea and then sunk, we would have lost 38,000 men instead of 3,800.

Mistake number two: When the Japanese saw all those battleships lined in a row, they got so carried away sinking those battleships, they never once bombed our dry docks that were sitting across from those ships. If they had destroyed the dry docks, we would have had to tow every one of the damaged ships to America to be repaired. As it is now, the ships are in shallow water and can be raised. One tug can pull them over to the dry docks, and we can have them repaired and at sea by the time it would have taken to tow them to America; and I already have crews ashore anxious to man those ships.

Mistake number three: Every drop of fuel in the Pacific theater of war is in storage tanks on top of the ground only five miles away. One attack plane could have strafed those tanks and destroyed our entire fuel supply.

That’s why I say the Japanese made three of the biggest mistakes an attack force could make or God was taking care of America. It was Admiral Nimitz’ many years of first-hand tactical experience that gave him the ability to recognize that “The Japanese made three of the biggest mistakes an attack force could ever make.” In turn, it was that same experience that equipped him to be able to see God’s divine intervention where most saw only despair and defeat.

The young helmsman and so many others looked at the devastation and were in many ways crippled by the destruction and despair. On the other hand, Admiral Nimitz looked at the same devastation and saw something completely different. He knew how unlikely it was that the very capable Japanese war planners would miss three such obvious tactical points while preparing their assault, and this made it evident to him that God had intervened on America’s behalf on December 7, 1941. As devastating as the loss of our brave men and women were that day, as Admiral Nimitz states, the results would have been much worse if God had not intervened on our behalf.

Even as Admiral Nimitz looked at utter devastation and could see the grace of God at work on the behalf of our great Nation, we have the same opportunity to look beyond whatever it is that we may be going through and see the redeeming power of God working on our behalf as well. As the Scripture says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” These are not empty words: God means every one of them, and He wants us to trust Him to do His part.

God promises that in every trial He will provide the way of escape. He also promises to never leave us or forsake us. We need to believe Him and we need to seek Him early, so that when we do find ourselves in trouble, He will open our eyes that we may truly see: because eyes that look are common; eyes that see are rare!

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Die Empty--Discover What God Wired You To Do

Jesus said, “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”  (Matthew 7:14)

The Path of Life is exceedingly difficult to find and, unless we are on the Path of Life, we cannot fulfill God’s purpose for us." - Keith

Have you ever wondered why you were put on the Earth? If you have, then you are certainly not alone.  Millions of people have asked that very same question. Sadly, the vast majority have never found the answer, and instead have sought purpose and fulfillment in all the wrong ways, finding only confusion and hopelessness.  Why is this so?

The majority of individuals today are not taught that they were designed by God for a unique, important role that they, alone, can fulfill in God's great plan. Indeed, much sadness, frustration, confusion, depression, and all manner of discontentment have been wrought in the lives of individuals who have sought purpose and fulfillment that they can never find in jobs, accomplishments, or any other activity.

When we have not seen the vision of what God has wired us to do, then we will indeed perish.  What do I mean by this?  When we do not function in our God-given calling, we can never truly be fulfilled.  This leads to the reason our prisons are overloaded, prescription drug use for depression and anxiety sky-rocketing, and, as is in our country today, unfulfilled people searching for a false sense of fulfillment that end up indebted to loan companies and agents.  When people are not functioning in the fulfilling things God set in their lives, they search for what they can only receive in God in things that lead to exorbitant debt from bigger houses they can't afford, nicer cars than they need, exotic appliances, and other things that cannot replace the satisfaction and fulfillment of truly being in the will of God.

So, see, it is true that without a vision of God's plan and purpose for your life, you will most certainly be destroyed, and perish.  Because the vast majority of people today have never experienced the fulfillment that comes with walking in God's plan for their lives, they stumble into places where they believe they will fall into the happiness they seek, everywhere but at the feet of God.  What satan does is set out to get us on a course that leads us into bondage... to jobs we don't like, to a need for finances, and to some self-destructive spiral that leads us to destruction.  God created each individual person to do something great, unique, and fulfilling in their lives.

In my 30+ years of ministry I have answered countless questions and, perhaps, the most often asked question is, "How do I know what God has called me to do?" Before I share with you the answer to that question, I need to make a point very clear.  Only God knows what He has wired you to do.  This may come as a surprise to you, but, not even your pastor knows what God has wired you to do.  So, before we get started, you need to know that only the maker of a thing truly knows what he made the thing to do.  The same is true of us as being made, or created, by our Maker.  So, if you want to know truly what you were made to do when you were put here on this earth, you need to ask your Maker.  Having said that, you need to know that, despite how we may feel about ourselves at times, God has never made a mistake.  As I have told countless people who question their existence, "If you're here on this earth, that means that God spent time fashioning you, and wiring you, to fulfill a certain existence."  God is the God of Purpose, and everything and everybody He has created, He specifically designed and created to fulfill a vital part in His very specific, over-all plan of His Creation.

Now, the question is, "How do I discover what God has wired me to do?"  First off, let's look at the word "discover."  The word "discover" is opposite of the word "cover."  The word "cover" means "to conceal" a thing, where the word "discover" means "to UNcover, or to reveal" a thing.  To do this, God has given us a way to begin uncovering, or to begin revealing, what He has wired us to do.  Though satan and his minions love to take the simple things and make them complicated, what I am about to ask you may sound almost too simple, or too easy.  After all, shouldn't discovering what God wired us to do take years of intense prayer and fasting, and, well, ... all that?!  The fact of the matter is, no it doesn't.  And, to let you know just how easy God makes it for us to begin to discover, and walk in, what He wired us to do, I ask you a few questions.

What do you like doing?  Again, contrary to what satan would have you believe, it's all really that simple.  You see, God will never call you to do what you do NOT like doing.  Why?  Because, if you don't like what you do, and enjoy what you do, you will never be passionate about what you do.  Why is being passionate so important?  Because God is passionate.  God is fun.  And, if you are not enjoying and fulfilled in what you are doing, you will not be able to reflect the LIFE of God in your work.  You see, God did not give us work for pay.  He gave us work for fulfillment, and joy.  Ask yourself the question, "When was the last time I wanted to be somebody that hated what they do for work?"  Being a Christian, as the majority of the population claim to be, your being fulfilled is a prerequisite for properly representing the Nature of Christ to those who do not know Him.

What did you dream about becoming when you were just a child?  For some, this may take a bit more concentration than it does for others.  Our advice is to get alone with God, wherever it is you might call your "prayer closet."  Make sure that place has no distractions.  It needs to be well-lit, because this phase of your discovering what God has wired you to do requires that you read the Scriptures.  The Scriptures, God's written Word, is where we go to meet with the Person of the Holy Spirit Who tutors us in the things of God, including things like uncovering the part that God has wired us to fulfill with Him.  So, concerning this, n-o-w answer the question, "What did you dream about, and s-e-e yourself doing when you were a child?"  You see, when God gives you a "vision", especially as a young child, what He is in effect doing is showing you what He intends you to pursue.  So, if we have s-e-e-n what we like to do, then all we have to do is go toward that thing we s-e-e. Doing something is what gives you the "vision" to go toward that thing.  In essence, what God does is show us the end, or the fulfillment of what He has wired us to do, then He backs us up and starts us toward the fulfillment of what he showed us.  Are you familiar with the Scripture about how, without a vision, people perish?  This verse holds no truer than where God's calling, His vision for our life, is concerned.  By showing us, early on, what He has wired us to do, He is helping to ensure that we stay on course toward the fulfillment of His vision.  How does this make that sure?  If we get discourage along the way, all we have to do is look again at, and refocus on, what He showed us in the beginning, which will take us back to the vision of the end of what He showed us.

When I was a child, I was passionate about football, music, and boats.  Though these may not sound like what you might consider as legitimate opportunities for "ministry",  that's exactly what they were, and are to this day.  Because God had wired me to pursue them, I was passionate about these 3 things that started as my childhood dreams, and they became a part of my every-day pursuits and, naturally led me to excel in my life in these different fields.  Then, as I grew more skillful in each of these areas of my life, they also naturally brought me joy.  It was the joy that was obvious to others who saw me while I participated in these things that then, naturally, afforded me favor with countless people over the years who I was able to lead to Christ, many of whom I can guarantee would never grace the doors of a church.  Having said that, it's crucial to note that you do not allow yourself to fall in to satan's trap of trying to convince Christians that "real ministry only takes place inside the 4 walls of the church building."  The church and its leadership, biblically speaking, is to be a gift to us from God to teach us how to go outside the 4 walls of the church and effectively affect the lost, the hurting, the poor, the hungry, the naked, the homeless, and the like with the love and compassion of Jesus Christ.  This leads us to the next question.

What is that “something” deep in your heart that you have always wanted to do but have yet to accomplish? Perhaps you have actually started working on it, but for whatever reason, it has fallen to the bottom of your priority list.

What is your passion? You know what I am talking about. What is that God-given vision that burns in your heart so hot that, it is what you think about when you go to bed at night and it is what is on your mind when you wake up in the morning? It is that thing that is even more real to you than the life you are living. So much so, that when you are at school or on your job, it is all you seem to think about and work towards, often making your studies or work-related assignments a bit of a mental tug of war. That, my friend, is how God lets us know what He has put us on this Earth to do.

How do you get started doing what you believe is God’s call for your life? The way I did it was this: I prayed and asked God to lead me to someone that was truly anointed at doing what I felt God was calling me to do. I then went to that person and asked them if they would show me the ropes, so to speak. In my case, I wanted to start my own outreach ministry. So, I committed to serving a pastor who was truly called by God to pastor His people. I then sat under his teaching and did whatever he needed me to do for a number of years.

Perhaps God has called you to start a Christian bookstore. The same principle applies: the best way to learn the business would be to work in an established bookstore until you have gathered enough information from your employer or managers to start your own store.

I know several guys who believed that God had called them to open an automotive repair shop. That was their ministry. They worked for several years at an established garage until such time as they felt ready to start their own. That is how it is done.

We encourage you, whatever that “something” is that has been burning in your heart, ignore it no longer! Get with God and do whatever it takes to get it “out there” so that it can be doing what God intended for it to do: Glorify His name and fulfill your deepest longings!

I once had a very sobering revelation of what it would be like to stand before the loving Almighty God without having completed the things that He had put me here on Earth to do. All I can say is, it crushed my heart! There I was, standing before God, Love Himself, with nothing to lay at His feet. I can remember being overwhelmed with grief, not a fear of being yelled at by Him, but a deep sorrow the likes of which I had never known: wishing that I could have one more chance to go back and bring forth the things that He had placed in me. I can tell you right now, that is not going to happen to me, and I encourage you with all of my strength to not let it happen to you either! It is time you stop procrastinating and get it done!

Get the things that God has placed in your heart out of you and into the hands and hearts of others who need what He has so richly deposited in your life.

“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (James 2:26)

“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:10-11)

From this time forth we encourage you to make it your life’s passion to pursue ALL of what you were wired by God to be and to do so, when your life is finished, you DIE EMPTY.

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