Reveration Blog
3/13/2016 Carried through the WildernessMeditation
Deuteronomy 1:30,31—The Lord your God who goes before you will fight for you, just as you saw Him do for you in Egypt. And you saw in the wilderness how the Lord your God carried you as a man carries his son all along the way you traveled until you reached this place. 2/29/2016 0 Comments Leaving HostilityMeditation
Genesis 26:21,22—Then they dug another well and quarreled over that one also, so he named it Hostility. He moved from there and dug another, and they did not quarrel over it. He named it Open Spaces and said, “For now the LORD has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.” The Philistines inhabited the land of Canaan and because water was precious in that arid region there was competition over who controlled it. In the passage above, Isaac, the son of Abraham could not escape quarreling with Philistine herdsmen who, envious of his wealth, claimed any wells Isaac’s servants dug up as their own. They should have been thankful for more sources of water. Instead, by their hostile actions, they were sending a message to Isaac—“Get out of our land.” 11/11/2015 Why is it so Hard?Meditation
1 Peter 1:14,15—As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. But as the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy. Do you ever wonder why is it so hard to be holy? Why is it so difficult to abstain from sin? The Holy Spirit brought to mind something that was instantly convicting. I sin because I am not focused on honoring God’s will and reputation. 10/11/2015 Battling DroughtMeditation
Jude 20,21—But you, dear friends, as you build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, expecting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life. 9/16/2015 Rise of ISISMeditation
Lamentations 3:37—Who is there who speaks and it happens, unless the Lord has ordained it? Dr. Sebastian Gorka gave a fascinating presentation to a gathering of Army Reserve command teams in Alexandria, Virginia. His speech was entitled, “Understanding the Rise of ISIS and the Role of Religion in the Commander’s Area of Responsibility (AOR).” In the last 200 years, 460 wars were fought with 80% of them classified as unconventional. Dr. Gorka shared this fact to establish that we are badly mistaken if we think that conventional armies arrayed to do battle are the norm. Then he went on to explain why ISIS is so dangerous. 8/14/2015 After These Faithful DeedsMeditation
2 Chronicles 32:1—After these faithful deeds, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities and intended to break into them. 5/21/2015 0 Comments He Built a Road in 22 YearsDashrath Manjhi by his own hands carved a road through a 300-foot mountain to provide his town access to doctors, education and opportunities. After his wife fell down and got hurt while trying to cross the mountain that separated two villages, Manjhi sold three goats to buy a hammer and chisel. He decided to do something to make it safer for his family and those in their village. So from 4:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and from 1:00 p.m. to evening each day he attacked the mountain—pounding his way through massive rock. From 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. he plowed the fields of his neighbors to earn enough money to sustain his family.
2/17/2015 0 Comments One of Those DaysOn my way to Kuwait, Kathleen dropped me off at the Colorado Springs airport. As I prepared to go through security I realized I forgot to pack my laptop. Quickly I calculated how long it would take Kathleen to get home and retrieve it. I then checked with security and the United ticket counter to see how much time I actually had before the plane departed. Fortunately, despite heavy traffic, my wife was able to get my computer to me and I arrived at the gate seven minutes before it was supposed to close. Ironically, the flight was delayed.
7/5/2014 He Sees Your TearsMike’s wife left him. She was having an affair and had no further desire to remain married. Her bizarre behavior shook the very foundation of Mike’s life and the lives of their three children. Yet, despite the intense pain of betrayal, the long hours of soul-searching and the challenge of holding his family together, now years later, I watch Mike thrive. He leads his company with deeper passion and a higher compassion. His walk with God is on fire—the holy, can’t-get- enough-of-Jesus flame that melts the hardest skeptic.
9/30/2013 Accomplices by SilenceMeditation
Mark 8:38—For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. 5/27/2013 Paulownia KawakamiiPaulownia kawakamiis are the fastest growing hardwood trees in the world. Mine grew over 15 feet in one year. Their roots extend deep into the soil. Their green leaves are like elephant ears and aside from providing excellent shade, make superb fertilizer. Kawakamiis produce flowers that are sapphire blue with yellow centers and for this reason are sometimes called sapphire dragons. When our tree bloomed people would park their cars just to get pictures. The tree also produced pods with sticky seeds but this became a problem. In a heavy wind, the overburdened limbs snapped causing all kinds of havoc. After years of enduring falling branches I had to have our tree cut down for fear that someone might be injured.
5/15/2013 0 Comments Behind Your BackRobert Lawless was born February 10, 1949 in Wheatland, Wyoming. His parents abandoned him when he was six months old along with his 18 month-old sister and 3 year-old brother. They were left in an apartment alone for two weeks and near death when Child Services found them. After spending several weeks in a hospital a Nebraska family named Lawless adopted Bob and his brother. He would never see his sister again. His new parents moved them to Salem, Oregon and then they divorced. At the age of fourteen, Bob went to live with an aunt and uncle. As a teenager his life was full of wildness, jail time and repeated failures.
4/20/2013 BlockagesIn Judah, around 622 B.C. during the reign of King Josiah, the book of the law was discovered in the temple. When the king’s court secretary, Shaphan read the law to Josiah, he tore his clothes. He knew God’s anger was stirred against them because their ancestors had disobeyed God’s instructions. So he sent Hilkiah the high priest (who found the scripture) with some of his court officials to “Go and inquire of the LORD for me, the people, and all Judah about the instruction in this book”(2 Kings 22:13a). So five men went to the prophetess Huldah in order to hear from the Lord. She told them of God’s plans for them. But why couldn’t Hilkiah the high priest explain the message it contained to King Josiah? Why did he have to go to Huldah? If my answer is correct it is pretty disturbing.
1/21/2013 TurmoilMeditation
2 Corinthians 7:5—In fact, when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest. Instead, we were troubled in every way: conflicts on the outside, fears inside. There is an old proverb, “Misery loves company.” No one wants to suffer alone unless it is with a heightened knowledge that others are spared. Understanding that we are not alone when we traverse tough times can in many ways bolster our morale. This is yet another reason why Scripture is so powerful. It gives us hope when we are discouraged. 11/26/2012 DividersMeditation
Titus 3:9-11—But avoid foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a divisive person after a first and second warning, knowing that such a person is perverted and sins, being self-condemned. 11/22/2012 0 Comments CustomsWarm Indian air enveloped me as I walked towards the last gate that separated me from the Cochin airport and Silas and Sam who stood ready to greet me. Just as I thought the long journey was about to end, a customs official motioned me to his table.
“Please open your suitcase,” he said. So I complied. Immediately the inspector’s eyes locked on the contents of a large cardboard box. “What are these”, he asked. “These are my CD’s,” I replied. He looked at me skeptically and was quickly joined by more curious officials. “These are commercial products, and you will have to pay a duty tax.” “Oh Lord,” I uttered a silent prayer. “You know these CDs are to further Your kingdom. Please help me.” 5/20/2012 TestedHe saw me sitting in the car and it seemed by the way he kept looking over at me like something was on his mind. Sure enough, when I exited the vehicle he walked up and introduced himself to me. He said he was one of the new instructors in the Supervisor Course I was attending. Then he said he hoped he wouldn’t offend me, but that he felt it was a breach of protocol to require general officers to take the test at the end of the course. He said he had talked to the course managers about his concerns but that he was acting alone. Then he handed me two manila folders—one for myself and one for Dave, the other general attending the course. He told me to sign the document and turn it in on Friday.
2/17/2012 JennyJenny wears a smile as pure as mountain spring water. She does not understand the girls sarcastically mocking her bowl-cut hairstyle because for her there is no sarcasm. But she does know pain. When the teams are picked for kick ball, she wonders why they don’t want her to play. When she drops her tray of food at lunch and they laugh and point their fingers her spirit droops. When the 4th grade bully rubs mud on her new jacket and calls her “stupid” it takes a small box of tissues to dry her tears. Yet, when he breaks his hand playing football, she will be the one who brings him flowers from her mother’s garden.
12/9/2011 0 Comments It Was God's BattleBrian dreamed for a long time of building a house for his family on a wooded, five-acre plot of land nestled within the city. Notice I used the word dreamed. Brian did not just want to put up a simple home for his family of five. He wanted to build a ten-thousand square foot ministry center. I remember many of us thought he was overreaching. Why not just build a modest home and then as God provided continue to expand?
12/6/2011 0 Comments EscapeI met Lam in a dining facility at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin. As we were chatting I asked him when he came to the United States. Lam escaped from Viet Nam at the age of eleven with an uncle and his older brother. His parents were afraid that when he turned thirteen he would be forced to serve in the military and potentially die or come back maimed as so many of their countrymen who were forced as children to fight the Cambodians.
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Photo from Rachel Maxey Miles