Reveration Blog
6/28/2007 0 Comments RestoringI am continuously amazed at how effectively Satan derails relationships among Christians through bad reports and conflict. Teams of people who functioned well in ministry become divided. Churches split. Friendships end often without either party working hard to find the source of the problem. How quickly we believe bad information about fellow believers without bothering to investigate the facts or appreciate the potential for misunderstanding. I realize why bad news sells newspapers—trouble is as attractive as a bug-zapper. But how sad it is that Christians so easily judge and condemn each other at the expense of God’s kingdom when we should be champions of forbearance.
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3/6/2007 Joy IIThroughout history people have always sought joy. But it is not something man is capable of manufacturing on his own. In fact, its very existence is proof of its source.
Joy is not birthed in the brilliance of philosophers. François-Marie Aroue, known asVoltaire, was considered one of the most influential thinkers of his time. Yet he wrote, "I wish I had never been born." 11/22/2006 ThankslivingMeditation
1 Chronicles 16:8--Give thanks to Yahweh; call on His name; proclaim His deeds among the peoples. Psalm 28:7--The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices, and I praise Him with my song. Psa.30:12b--Lord my God, I will praise You forever. 8/9/2006 0 Comments HeartlessI’ve never had a ministry to the poor. Few of my friends are financially needy and those I work and live around are middle or upper-class families. While my finances have often been sparse, compared to most in the world I am incredibly well off. So, I wondered what it would be like to spend so many hours each week helping those at the center of ever-converging problems from which escape seems bleak and overwhelming.
7/15/2005 AttributesGod’s qualities are indescribable, incomprehensible and thereby awe-inspiring. If you are beset with problems stop for a period and begin to reflect on God. We are a curious people so wrapped in ourselves and easily prone to discouragement. What we desperately need is to get our eyes off our humanity and gaze where it is impossible to see—God’s “Godness.” Robert Russell shares in his book Releasing Resentment that Martin Luther once was depressed over a prolonged period. One day his wife came downstairs wearing all black. Martin Luther asked her, “Who died?”
She said, “God has.” He answered, “God hasn't died.” She replied, “Well, live like it and act like it.” 6/2/2005 CompetenceSarah is preparing to go on a missions trip to Cameroon, Africa for two months. Through the generosity of a company that sells footwear, she was given a pair of Danner boots made of leather and Gore-Tex. Gore-Tex is a durable substance that allows the skin to breathe yet is waterproof. Unfortunately, the directions from the mission organization were explicit that only all-leather boots were acceptable.
2/25/2005 0 Comments AttitudeDuring a two-year period, I moved into four different offices within the same organization. It’s getting so I’m leery of putting anything up on the wall knowing I’ll just have to move again. Change is the norm in the Army Reserves these days. Now as I get ready to move for the fifth time I am eyeing an office that best serve the needs of my team and me. But to move into this office I have to displace a man highly resistant to change. I did not look forward to the conversation with him knowing that he would resist my directive. At first, this is exactly what he did. He cited injustices he experienced in the past. He said he would raise a ruckus. Then he said according to regulation he was entitled to a space of at least 120 square feet. All of his objections were raised before I even mentioned the office in which I planned to relocate him. Other members of the team measured the dimensions of that space and “gleefully” informed him that it was sufficiently large. They too had anticipated a defensive posture. Fortunately, the situation was resolved favorably and we can move on to more important issues!
9/4/2004 0 Comments Labor DayLabor Day is a holiday celebrated in America the first Monday in September. It is unclear who first conceived of this day but for over 100 years it has served as a tribute and dedication to the social and economic achievements of American workers. Regardless of what country we live in, work is an important facet of our everyday lives.
4/16/2004 0 Comments GloryIn March of 1992, Captain David Knecht learned he was passed over for promotion to Major. Despite the setback, he determined to press on with his career. Weeks later, on April 8th, he was out on a field exercise conducting a routine night live fire defense. When it ended he looked forward to traveling to Russia for a short gospel mission trip. That night an M2 Bradley platoon was positioned about one kilometer to the right of the spot Dave selected for his Command M113 vehicle. Apparently the platoon leader or his gunner was scanning for targets out of sector to their left because when Dave’s M113 showed up in their thermals sights, “they lit me up with eight 25mm rounds.” One training round glanced off the hatch next to his head and penetrated the soft CVC helmet he was wearing, exploding fragments into his brain and right eye. Dave was flown by two helicopters, a UH-60 Blackhawk and later a CH-47 Chinook to a civilian medical center for emergency brain surgery.
3/18/2004 ComfortableI believe God calls us to be comfortable but not in the way the world interprets the word. The world gets comfortable in a plush recliner. Jesus never said, “Take up your couch and follow Me.” The world defines comfortable as the absence of stress or anxiety and by the possession of adequate resources so as not to be deprived. Paul said, “ I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need” (Philippians 4:11b, 12). For the Christian, to be comfortable means to believe that the grace God apportions me is all I need for life on this world with the expectation that I will live forever in heaven with a new body free of pain and sorrow and in the presence of the One who loves me with an eternal love
10/27/2003 HardnessVanadium stared at the brawny sweat-laden arms of Dowson as he slammed the pick repeatedly into the soil. All she wanted was a nice hole. But he was getting nowhere. Finally, frustrated and tired he motioned for her to come outside. “It’s no use! This hill is made of granite. Are you sure we can’t put this feeder somewhere else?”
7/11/2003 FundamentalsMajor General T.K. Moffett walked back and forth in front of the assembled soldiers. The new boss from Mississippi had just finished his first day commanding the 104th Division and he elected to share with his soldiers his leadership philosophy:
#1. Do the right thing #2. Treat others the way you would like to be treated #3. Do your best. 6/20/2003 0 Comments FlexibleImagine being told you are headed to Iraq and you may not see your family for a year. You are trained with specific skills and given an important mission. Once you get past the emotional struggle of leaving your family you focus in on the task ahead of you. But everything changes. Instead of deploying overseas your unit ends up at Fort Lewis and you and your fellow combat engineers are assigned to work as gate guards for the installation. Meet SSG Osborne! Such was the fate he and his fellow National Guardsmen from Oregon encountered.
4/18/2003 0 Comments GentlenessWe must have looked funny to the children and women watching us. Here we were, six men—each of us incapable of separating two plastic buckets. We tried twisting and pulling to no avail. One man used his pocket knife. I tried dropping the buckets on the floor. We could bend the plastic but we could not get one orange pail free from the other. It was like someone had super glued each set of buckets together. It felt like our manhood was on the line—this was getting embarrassing!
2/20/2003 0 Comments Grudge{Scene: Outside the tent on a hot day in the desert Miriam and Aaron are engaged in an intense discussion. I wonder if Numbers 12:1,2 sounded something like this.
Miriam: “I’ve never liked his wife.” Aaron: “I know. She’s not one of us. She’s a Cushite. And God said we weren’t to take foreign wives.” Miriam: “And how come Moses is always in charge? God speaks through us. Moses has too much authority . . .” 1/3/2003 0 Comments DisfavorHow it started I don’t know. Perhaps in the course of conversation God gave the idea to Adam’s family. Nothing is stated in Genesis 1-3 about God asking anyone to bring Him offerings. Yet, for some reason, Cain brought to the Lord some of the fruits of his land. His brother Able presented fat portions from the firstborn of his flock. “And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent” (Gen. 4:4,5).
8/8/2002 0 Comments CynicsIt’s a dazzling day in Dallas. As you walk to your car you spot another woman who attends the same aquatics class. “Hi! That’s a nice outfit Shrena.” She looks at you surprised but then mutters, “Yeah, sure” (like you really care)! Surprised, at her response you innocently ask, “Shrena, are you alright?” But it’s too late. She walks away, ducks in her Audi and drives out of the parking lot.
2/1/2001 0 Comments ConscientiousWhile Kathleen was talking to me in my office, Stephen came running in and said a man at the door wanted to see one of us. We hadn’t heard the doorbell and to keep him from waiting long I hurried. It was a deliveryman from UPS. He asked me to sign for a large box and then went back to his truck to pick up an even larger one. As he returned to his vehicle, I said to my wife, “I think I will put these in the garage.” Almost to his truck, the deliveryman turned around and asked if he could carry them for me.
1/17/2000 0 Comments AttentionHave you ever assembled a piece of furniture? I recently purchased a home entertainment center knowing my limited construction skills would be challenged. I’m not very skilled when it comes to building things. I’d be a natural guest for Home Improvement in what not to do! But I figured as long as I followed the excellent by-the-numbers directions and had help from my good friend Dan, I’d be fine. I worked late into the night and was quite pleased with the emerging work of art.
12/28/1999 0 Comments JoyStephen blows fiercely against the candles on his cake. But try as he may, those flames will not die. He is the victim of trickery and everyone howls with merriment. There is a wonderful lesson on top all that delicious frosting.
So often as Christians we wear our joy like normal candles. At the slightest breeze of adversity we find our light snuffed. It is much easier to be critical and whine than it is to rest in the certainty of Christ. Joy is not defined by the absence of wind or rain or by the presence of paradise. It is not conceived under the banner of pleasure. True joy cannot be formed by what is already in essence tainted. For joy to be complete it must be founded in the only thing that is perfect—God! |
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Photo from Rachel Maxey Miles