Warford Ministries
Evangelists Dea and Kathy Warford

“Dea Warford has been my choice for evangelism ministry in our church and has become a close brother to me. His son, Nathan, is now my choice for missionary work in Japan, which is the 2nd most non-Christian country in the world. This alone should give us the impetus to partner with Nathan, who has been preparing for this significant work for years. I can’t think of a more important work for the kingdom in these last days prior to the return of our LORD, Savior, and King.” Rev. Bob Gaston

News from Nathan in Japan is at the bottom of this monthly digital newsletter…

But first I must share what I believe is one of the most important revelations God has ever given me. I call this truth…

RIDICULOUS FAVOR  by Dea Warford
1/ A Surprising time of great favor is in your near future!
“You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come” (Psalm 102:13).

When the Scriptures use the word “Zion,” as in above, it can be referring to one of 4 things: Jerusalem, Israelites, the Church, or the heavenly city. If you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ and a future citizen of the heavenly city, you have a legal right to claim promises for “Zion.”

Ps. 102 says there is a “time to favor” you.  It is, “the set time.” 

Here’s the scoop! You have a glorious promise to contend for: a “set time” of “favor.” It’s planned for your future. The angels are even now working on it. You need only stand patiently in faith. In fact, you are likely to very soon experience: “Ridiculous favor!” 

 Let me tell you a true story:  A woman lived in Missouri and had lost her husband to a tragic accident. He was climbing a ladder to cut off some branches and fell to the concrete to his death. She was one of my intercessors. I was consoling her over the phone when she related to me a dream that a friend of hers had shared with her. In the dream, her friend was in a lunchroom at a steel factory (I can relate to this because many years ago, I was out of the ministry for a while, working for a steel factory!). The room was immaculate and ornate.

A well-dressed maitre d’ was standing ready to serve and asked,   “Is anybody here small?” She alone lifted her hand. The maitre d’ then gave her a gallon of potato salad (This meant something to her because when she would attend some social function, she would often bring her potato salad for other’s enjoyment).  Later in the dream, God began speaking to her in a strong voice, but it was the intercessor to which she was relating the dream that was doing the speaking, like a prophetic word. This is what she said:

“God is giving you ridiculous favor!”

Then the dream ended. Since that dream, my intercessor explained to me over the phone, she had been praying for “ridiculous favor” over me and others on her prayer list. I had never heard the phrase “ridiculous favor” before. I truly believe it was a phrase coined by God Himself. Through this obviously prophetic dream, the phrase had become her “word.” And, as she told me about the dream, I claimed “ridiculous favor” as my word as well! Can you claim it for yourself too?

What is “ridiculous favor”? To better understand what it means, let’s define the two terms. According to Webster . . .

“Ridiculous” = “arousing or deserving ridicule, absurd, preposterous, laughable”.

“Favor” = “friendly regard shown toward another especially by a superior: approving consideration or attention; partiality; leniency; gracious kindness; aid; assistance; effort in one’s behalf or interest; a token of love; a badge; to the benefit of; in support of; to the order of; to one’s advantage; a small gift or decorative item given out at a party.”

Wow! What a list of goodies! I want em’ all! Don’t you?  Here is a perfect illustration of how “ridiculous favor” works . . .

My daughter, Carissa, was graduating from Regents University with her Master’s degree in Theater Arts (She won the “Outstanding Student of the Year” award in her field of study!). As the semester was finishing, she felt the Lord asked her,

“What would you like for your graduation present?”
Carissa didn’t have to think very hard and said,
“I would like to go to Paris. If not soon, at least at some time in the next 20 years.”

And that was the exchange, with little more thought given to it. Several months later, she received a phone call from a friend of hers from her Bible College days. Her friend told her that she and her husband had purchased a trip to Europe but subsequently weren’t able to make it. They felt led to give Carissa and her husband, Andrew, the tickets!!!!

Within weeks, my daughter was flying to London and then on to Paris for the vacation of a lifetime! The airfare was paid and there was enough money in the package to pay for their motels, buses, Chunnel ride and entrance to magical places like the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. And Oh, what a blessed time they had too!

99% of people who had a virtually “all expense paid” trip to Europe (and couldn’t go) would have given it to a close family member or at least got any refund that would still be available. But, instead, God gave my daughter “Ridiculous Favor” and a mere friend from College was an instrument through whom she received such favor.

These kinds of things are going to happen more and more in these last days, since Ecclesiastes 2:26 says,

“To the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting that he may have to give to him that is good before God.” Paraphrased, that means:

“Ridiculous favor from unexpected sources!” 

So let me define then from the dictionary combination of ridiculous and favor what this means for you and me…

“Ridiculous Favor”:

1/ “friendly regard shown toward another especially by a superior (Hallelujah! God is our Superior!) which arouses ridicule from those who don’t have it;”

2/ “absurd partiality, leniency or gracious kindness;”

3/ “preposterous aid, assistance or effort in one’s behalf or interest;”

4/ “a laughable token of love to the benefit of, in support of, to the order of, or to one’s advantage;”

5/ “a badge which shows approving consideration or attention;”

6/ “a laughable gift that you wear on your chest proudly giving you cause to celebrate like you’re at a party.”

Now, do you see why I’m so excited about this? I believe that “ridiculous favor” is a Rhema (that is, a “Word of the Lord”) for me, for you, and for the church of Jesus Christ in these last days. We should be looking for it, expecting it, and believing for it.

And, it’s not like this is just some far-fetched wish-upon-a-star word for which one would glibly hope and pray. It has great scriptural precedent and is even prophesied in the Word. Let me give you just one example: the last day promise of Isa. 60:16 (KJV):

“Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.”

Now, that’s a ridiculous picture! But, that’s just one example of what awaits Zion in days ahead,  the “ridiculous favor” which God wants to bestow upon His children.

“You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come.” (Psalm 102:13)

Don’t give up hope! Don’t stop declaring His promise and His power over your situation!   The best time of your life, a time of ridiculous favor; a time “set” by God Himself, is just ahead of you!

Maybe even a free trip to Paris!

2/ Learn to laugh in the expectation of your future…

It is in the heart of God who wants to bless us…         

Adam and Eve were the first to receive ridiculous favor…   

Gen. 1:31:  “God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.”  

Man did nothing to merit being placed in a world filled with so much good:  good food to eat, good beautiful things to see, love, marriage, children, and good health.  They simply enjoyed their “ridiculous favor.”  How much more then, does God delight in showering such favor on those of us who have served Him faithfully so long!                  

Israel received ridiculous favor. . .

Ex. 3:21:  “And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and…when you go, ye shall not go empty:  But every woman shall borrow of her neighbor…jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment; and you shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.”

If carnal, disobedient, rebellious Israelites received such ridiculous favor (even “spoiling” others), how much more is the Lord about to “spoil” unbelievers in America by having them give his children of their “homes, jewels and raiment”?

Joseph received ridiculous favor . . .

God gave him a dream wherein his brothers were bowing down to him.  They ridiculed him, but he was elevated to 2nd in command to Pharaoh, and his brothers all bowed down before him as promised.  “Ridiculous favor” lifts us to honor, riches, and authority, though others might ridicule us!

Daniel received “ridiculous favor.”

They were going to kill all the wise men of the land because none could interpret the king’s dream.  But Daniel could and was elevated to 2nd to the King. He went…

From Ridicule to Ridiculous Favor!

Perhaps as you read this you too are experiencing embarrassment or even ridicule. Perhaps you lost your great job.  Or maybe you are in the middle of a divorce and embarrassed about it. Your business or ministry idea that you shared with so many people failed. Whatever; be sure the devil is trying to make the most of your trial.

Well, God is a specialist at turning things around for people. Look at the way He turned things around for Mordecai whom evil Haman sought to hang, but instead was hanged himself! Then Mordecai was paraded in honor before the city! Esther 6:11:

‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.’ 

“This too shall pass” for a believer not only means the hard times will one day be behind you but that the best is yet to come.  Watch for your ridiculous favor in the mail or in that next phone call! This is what Prov. 13:22 promises:

“The wealth of the sinner is laid up for the righteous.”  

Cars, planes, T-V and the internet are just a few of the things sinners have made available to the church which we are going to exploit!  This “wealth” of inventions in these last days are not only blessing us but will become our tools to reap the final harvest!  We won’t go out of Egypt in the rapture empty!

Some of you may feel that the devil or others have robbed you of any favor.  But, Prov. 6:31 says if a thief is found,

“He shall restore what he took seven-fold.” 

Notice the thief has to be found first!  Some of you are blaming God, your mate, your parents or even yourself for your losses.  You need Holy Spirit revelation to discern that the devil is the thief behind your horrible losses. The Lord showed biblical people “ridiculous favor.” He is about to do it again soon!

Pray about it, shout about it, laugh about it!

Prov. 31:25 says a diligent woman,

“laughs at the future.”  or as the ESV version translates it,

“She laughs at the time to come.“

Laugh at your future (by faith)!  Laugh at “the time to come”.  In spite of it all, for God’s children, our future is full of ridiculous favor . . .

NO MATTER WHAT THE DEVIL SEEMS TO HAVE STOLEN FROM YOU!

3/ You will get the last laugh against the devil…

It was 1995.  We had resigned our church and were launching into the full-time evangelistic field.  We had already ordered our custom-made 35 ft. travel trailer to pull all over America.  Kathy would home-school the kids from the trailer.   I would hold evangelistic crusades.  The trailer would be completed and ready for us to pick up in 6 weeks.  I ordered the biggest, heaviest trailer without thinking through what I would pull it with.

The RV lot informed me that only a suburban or a 1 Ton Van with the biggest engine could adequately pull it.  So, I started searching far and wide for a vehicle.  Oh, was I shocked to discover how expensive they were!  I figured I would look for a cheaper but good used truck. I looked a little bit for an adequate van, but couldn’t find one.  So, I just told the Lord,

“Lord, if you want me to buy a van, you’ll just have to lead me to one.”

Apparently I had announced to the church that I was looking for a GMC Suburban, because on a Monday, a gentleman who had visited our church the day before called me at my office to announce:

“You are doing a good Job for the Lord.  So, I’m going to buy you a new Suburban!”  

This was like something you hear on Christian television!  I leaped into the parsonage to announce to Kathy our “miracle.” We trotted up that same day to the GMC dealership, where we began to list with the salesman all the add-ons that we needed.  Finally, the salesman asked how I was going to pay for it, and I told him of my new friend’s promise.    I used their phone and called him to ask how he would arrange to pay for the truck.

His wife answered the phone, so I explained who I was, that I was at the GMC dealership, and that her husband had said he was going to buy me a new Suburban. I told her that I just wanted to know how he intended to pay for it.

There was a dead silence on the other end of the line!

My heart sank.  She said, “He isn’t here now!” and hung up.

Embarrassed and confused, I left the sales office explaining that I would have to get back to them when I heard from my friend.  A day or two went by without us hearing a thing.  Finally, my wife received a call from him, and he reported:

“They have me here at the mental hospital.  Tell pastor Dea to come get me out!” 

She replied,

“He’ll be right there!”

…and hung up the phone (Ha, ha!  My wife was just a little disgusted with him!).   It was so embarrassing and depressing.  Obviously, the devil, the “thief,” who was so mad at the blessing that I and the people I would minister to were about to receive.  So, the enemy had sent me an Ishmael-a man walking after the flesh-to ridicule me.  But, actually, all it did was increase my resolve.  I told Kathy,

“Just for that, I’ll show the devil.  We’re going to go buy a well-equipped really good suburban!”  

 I expected a special blessing from the Lord! So, 6 weeks finally had passed, and the trailer was ready.  The RV dealership announced that we now had to pick it up.  It was virtually our last day to find a vehicle and I told Kathy that we had to buy something that very day.  We were literally moments away from leaving the house to go look at a used Suburban I had seen advertised in the paper, when the phone rang.

It was a salesman from the closest GMC dealership!  I had talked to him weeks previously.   He said, “Are you still looking for a Suburban?”  I explained we were.  He said, “I think I have one you’ll like.”  So, we drove a few miles to the closest GMC dealership (God has a sense of humor:  I had driven many, many miles all over the Los Angeles Basin trying to find one).

The truck he had called us about wasn’t the one for us, but there on the lot was a 1 Ton GMC van with the big, 454 engine.  It had the tow package, all the goodies, and even a T-V/VCR (The Abeka home-schooling curriculum my wife used included videos of actual teaching sessions so this was a necessity for traveling on school days!). It was all that we needed, and even more comfortable and suitable than a Suburban, and we bought it for thousands less!  It took us all over America for crusades, pulling our trailer for a couple of years and then bringing me to airports to fly out to take the gospel around our nation.  Not to mention hauling our family around (It seats 9), taking kids to camp, moving things when we move to a new home, etc. We retired it 27 years later!!

This is but one story of three cars that God truly led us with “ridiculous favor” in providing them. The Lord promised to meet “all your needs” according to “His riches” (Phi. 4:19).   Do you think He can afford a new vehicle for you?  And a thing like a good car is no longer a “want” but a real need in today’s society.  So, start claiming your ridiculous favor for your needs to be met!

4/ Take steps of faith if you expect ridiculous favor…

My wife once had a dream. In the dream, an angel on a horse appeared to us while we were in our car in the parking lot of a church and gave me three gold coins and three gold balls, which I then gave to Kathy. I believe one interpretation of that dream could be that as we “travel with the gospel” an angel will lead people to give “gold” to us to enable us to fulfill our calling as evangelists. (And when I get home from my national meetings, I give Kathy the offering to record and take to the bank . . . just as in the dream! Ha, ha!)

The Lord moved on the hearts of unsaved Egyptians to give the Israelites their gold. God wants to laden you with gold too, through “ridiculous favor” just as He did to the Israelites and to my wife and me in her dream! But…

Sometimes seeds must be sown in order to reap “ridiculous favor.”

Should a complaining Christian; stubbornly refusing to believe; rarely praising or rejoicing; and never learning to find his joy in Him rightfully expect undeserved favor? It happens at times, because it is the heart of God to give unmerited favor (grace) to all of us:

“When we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).

But, don’t be a fool and try to take full advantage of God’s’ grace without exercising any faith or obedience,  Search your heart today by asking yourself and God,

“Is there anything in my life I need to change or any act of obedience or faith I need to perform to help pave the way to receive Your ridiculous favor?

My daughter Carissa once got very upset because her fellow Bible College students in one of her classes received undeserved favor when the teacher announced that everyone in the class would receive a passing grade (though most of them had not completed their required assignments).

Carissa had worked hard, very hard for her grades, and felt they too should have had to work hard like she had!  But, later, remembering that she herself had also been given favor by teachers in the past, she repented before the Lord. The very next day, she was given a designer dress by an actress (a daughter of her employer). The actress had worn the dress only once to the Hollywood Academy Awards. It fit Carissa beautifully! (And had cost $5,000!).

What could we say about this but, “Ridiculous favor!” 

(But take note: my daughter repented of her wrong attitude first and “gave” grace to other students).

A district supervisor came to speak at a church that I was visiting. He came to the meeting driving a Mercedes Benz. While in the men’s room, one of the church members asked me, “What do you think about the car the Supervisor is driving?”  (It was obvious he didn’t like the idea of “a man of God” driving a nice car).

I noticed that the man who said this was driving an old clunker. I thought afterward that I should have said,

“If you would stop judging others for driving nice cars, maybe the Lord would give you a better one.”
(I always think of great comebacks later on!)
What’s that? You say you Don’t have your ridiculous favor yet?
Well, stop complaining! Repent of your jealousy! Stop comparing yourself with others. Stop feeling sorry for yourself!
You are headed towards ridiculous favor if…
You are forgiving toward others.
You are praying blessings on others.
You are tithing.
You you are giving to other deserving ministries.

You keep serving and praising Him!

And you keep believing and confessing His promises!

You have a right to believe for grace and favor from the Father. You are His child!  Angels are about to bring “gold coins” and put them in your hands! Get ready to receive, Ridiculous Favor!

Want to know how to get your “free gold”?  Give someone else ridiculous favor even today!  Write a check, forgive, call, and encourage, add them to your prayer list.

Get out of the bondage to self. And know when you do, expect to experience the same ridiculous favor as Israel did when they got deliverance over the bondage of Egypt …

“He led his people out, laden with silver and gold.” (Ps. 105:37 CJB)

(Now read the report from Nathan Warford…)

”Greetings from Your Missionary/Evangelist Nathan Warford in Tokyo Japan!

I celebrated my 37^th birthday in Japan and am so thankful to God for bringing me here and with such an incredible team of other missionaries.  I also could not be more grateful for the prayer and support from friends in Christ like you!

Japan is considered one of the most difficult nations to evangelize, so we must be patient with the pace of things here. I am enrolled in a language school here to learn how to share the gospel in Japanese. Our church continues to meet weekly, with 15-20 people attending each week, which is terrific in a nation where most churches are so small. We have been talking about sharing our testimony. I shared my testimony with the church regarding a time when I had to rely on God. We are slowly moving to begin asking Japanese church members to share their testimonies as well so they will become more involved.

In addition, we have begun community nights on Wednesday nights, where we invite church members and friends over to pray together and fellowship. We have also hosted events, one recently being a “Galentines” for the ladies on our team, and over 30 women came, many of whom were not believers!

On my end, I am prayerfully researching and taking steps forward to start two new forms of ministry.  Firstly, I am preparing my apartment to begin Bible studies with men in our church.  I hope to, on a weekly basis, invite 5-7 men over to learn more about Jesus and pray together.  In addition, I am looking into evangelizing through hobbies and English teaching (I taught English as a second language at a university in California).  There are several universities and students living nearby, so I am praying and looking for an open door to meeting them and making further connections.  Please pray for open doors and opportunities for the Gospel to be shared!

It’s a new season both physically and spiritually with many new open doors.  Please pray for God’s leading and for favor! Thank you again for your support and prayers for me, my Youth with a Missions team, and for the many lost people of Japan! Below Left, witnessing on the street in Tokyo.