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Reveration Blog

4/1/2025 0 Comments

Deprived

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Alice worked in the nursery for her church in California. A toddler needed his diaper changed and in the presence of the other workers, Alice changed it. When the child returned home the parents asked him if anyone had touched him and the child said yes and let them know it was Alice. The parents called Child Protective Services and they filed a report against Alice.  The church by policy terminated her services despite the fact there were witnesses who stated she did nothing inappropriate. Alice was never told who made the accusation and was labeled as guilty of a sexual offense against a child with no means to clear her name. So, she lost her job.  How could someone with a good heart serving the Lord get treated so poorly?


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3/11/2025 3 Comments

Mindlock

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They were college roommates with a friendship that brought laughter and fun to almost everyone who entered their orbit. Now, 44 years later, on opposite sides of the political spectrum, they bash each other on social media with barely concealed contempt. Whoever said, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” was internally dishonest. Negative words do more than upset, they create resentment, rifts, and land littered with destroyed relationships.


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1/28/2025 0 Comments

Shooting from the Shadows

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​When I asked West Point classmate Greg, if he had ever been shot from the shadows, he wrote:
I was thinking back to a time in a position of supervisory responsibility for 50 federal employees in eight different locations, enabling almost 5,000 other federal employees. We were working hard to meet tasks and missions professionally. We even received an award for excellence at the Executive Building next to the White House.

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9/11/2024 1 Comment

Debating

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​Meditation
Jude 9--Yet Michael the archangel, when he was disputing with the Devil in a debate about Moses’ body, did not dare bring an abusive condemnation against him but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

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9/5/2024 1 Comment

Too Much Pain

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What is spiritual dishonesty?  Could it be when I refuse to tell the Lord what I honestly think or feel?  Might it involve minimizing pain before others to project hollow strength?  If the fear of what people can think of me, if the truth is told, exceeds the actuality of my condition, I’ve robbed them and myself of what it means to be genuine. In perpetuating falsehood, no one is bettered, nor can healing occur. I wonder if the means to honesty is too much pain—something Job can help us grasp.

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4/18/2024 1 Comment

Diatribe

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​Joshua 22:15-16--They went to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, and told them, “This is what the Lord’s entire community says: ‘What is this treachery you have committed today against the God of Israel by turning away from the Lord and building an altar for yourselves, so that you are in rebellion against the Lord today?’”

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10/11/2021 0 Comments

Triangulation

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Meditation
Proverbs 26:20--Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down

Dr. Henry Cloud shares a concept called triangulation in his book The Power Of The Other. Triangulation sets up what he calls the victim-persecutor-rescuer (VPR) triad.  I’m A and you are B and someone else is C. If I’m bothered by something you, B, have done, disagree with you or somehow feel victimized by you, this makes you the persecutor.  Rather than go to you and share my concerns I go to C and share making C the rescuer. I want C’s support. This then becomes triangulation and it is always wrong despite the many reasons Christians contrive to justify this behavior.

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1/29/2021 0 Comments

Standing on the Rock

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​Meditation
Exodus 17:6—“I am going to stand there in front of you on the rock at Horeb; when you hit the rock, water will come out of it and the people will drink.” Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.


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12/19/2020 0 Comments

Unity

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​Imagine with me a ship called Argy-Bargy.  Captain Accord is given a mission to sail the ship to an island called Habitué.  He tells Lieutenant Divagate to set a course of 340 degrees but the officer is distracted and misunderstands the course as 314 degrees. When he repeats the course back to the Captain, his southern accent does not help and he is given confirmation that is 26 degrees off course. ​Petty Officer 3rd Class Makebate got in a fight with Petty Officer 2nd Class Invidious and, though he was the instigator, he was furious when Ensign Feckless threw him in the brig for three days. When he got out he managed to convince Petty Officer Mugwump and Seaman Apprentice Fulminate that the officers on board Argy-Bargy were corrupt and out to get them. They hatched a plan to sabotage as many officers as they could on social media by spreading malicious lies. What they didn’t realize is that Lieutenant Commander Popinjay overheard them talking and reported them to Master Chief Petty Officer Sot who just happened to be from Makebate’s home town and was a friend of the family. Sot, after a few beers to think about the whole thing, chose not to say anything to the Skipper. Instead he casually shared with the XO, Commander Garboil, that a misunderstanding had occurred among some of the junior enlisted men but that he had handled it.  What do you think of the state of unity on this ship? Will it reach Habitué? ​


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3/4/2019 1 Comment

An Email to Jesus

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​Meditation
Luke 15:2—And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!”
 
Our pastor recently received an anonymous email that was highly critical of himself and his executive pastor.  As an elder, I can honestly share that this kind of message serves only to discourage leaders.  The person criticizing picks apart whatever he or she disagrees with, is not part of a solution and hides behind a cloak of anonymity rather than come and personally share what is misunderstood.  It is too easy to be critical.  It is also immature to lob rocks from the other side of the hill.  


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3/30/2016

Accusations

The Army requires every company to conduct what is called a Command Climate Survey.  The purpose of this survey is to let leaders know the health of their organization by giving soldiers the opportunity to anonymously write positive or negative observations about a wide range of issues within their unit. In the headquarters company for the division I commanded, several people wrote that I had favorites. The inference was that I spent a disproportionate amount of time with certain people—some of whom were directly named.  The criticism was petty and, probably fueled to some extent by jealousy, but I could not ignore it or it would just continue to fester and cause deeper problems.  

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6/30/2015

Twitter Lies

​Operation Guardian is an exercise designed for selected Army units to practice search and rescue, decontamination, life-saving skills, convoy movement and set up and tear down of portable equipment.  I had the opportunity to watch my soldiers train in Florida and Georgia.  When I arrived in Ocala my staff briefed me that there were civilians seeking admittance to our training who were spreading reports that the exercise was a staging operation to bring in foreign occupation troops and remove American freedoms.  

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8/1/2009 0 Comments

Scandal

​He jumped in too early. A white policeman arrested a prominent black professor, and eager journalists needled President Obama to answer before he knew all the facts.  He misspoke.  Perhaps a lingering frustration gave birth to an unfortunate vetting.  That silence can be golden is an understatement for a man besieged by microphones.  Our society is sensitive to racial harmony—and should we be surprised, given that our melting pot is a degree away from a boiling kettle!  

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9/30/2005 0 Comments

Blind

​One man was a Pharisee, a religious leader zealous to maintain a sinless posture. The other woman was in all likelihood a prostitute.  The Pharisee invited Jesus into his home and whether by oversight or by intent failed to offer the common amenity of providing water for his guest to wash his feet. The woman, taking advantage of a custom that allowed the poor into a home for scraps, bathed Jesus’ feet with grief-stricken tears, wiped them with her hair, kissed them in profound reverence and perfumed them—perhaps with the very oil she once used to lure men.  

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7/16/2004 0 Comments

Nation

​Once upon a time a young man, Foye, crossed the ocean to explore Vacuities the world’s most powerful nation.  Everywhere he went he met a myriad of people moving from city to city, looking for meaning.  Inside a harbor graced by a noble statue, he first encountered the City of Results. But for all the accomplishments the city boasted he constantly met people disappointed that their goals brought no lasting satisfaction.  It was like they worked and worked, but for what?  Traveling inland, he spent time in the City of Retirement—a most sought after destination. Yet, here he discovered that there was little to live for among those entranced with ease, so most just died.  

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1/9/2003

Controllers

Sam walked from the studio into the sanctuary.  The amplifier levels were set incorrectly and the sound in the room from the instruments was unbalanced.  So he adjusted the levels on the soundboard and moved the amp volumes up to full power.  He removed the old paper arrows taped to the board assigning each channel a specific level. Now the system sounded great.  Sam was pleased he had helped the church. 
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10/10/2002

Defensive

​Morning comes and Chris is tired.  He spent a restless night battling the accusations of people who disagree with him.  His character has been questioned.  His actions are constantly scrutinized.  His leadership is eroding and he feels angry.  So, he contemplates how he should defend himself.  Rather than talk to God about His pain, Chris reviews the weaknesses of his detractors and how he can prove them wrong.  No longer can he minister effectively for his motives are based on a personal agenda.

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7/2/1999 0 Comments

Redemption

​Caleb’s head sunk in agony.  On the splintered beams of a weathered deck stood the only life left that really mattered—his daughter.  And now she was to be sold into slavery—auctioned off like some four-legged beast of burden.  

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2/15/1999 0 Comments

Vindication

​Jesus was the apotheosis of courage.  Imagine being perfect yet choosing to ignore the false charges of corrupt accusers! Jesus let His character be assassinated without defending Himself.  He accepted His own murder without the need to exact revenge. Instead, He entrusted Himself to His Father's hands--to be publicly humiliated by the very people He came to save.  If anyone had the right to call down forces from heaven it was Christ.  By thought alone He could have called out legions of angels.  They didn't have to pack duffel bags or get Anthrax shots before deploying!  No force on earth could have stopped them.  Yet, the Son of Man submitted to God's will. The Holy Spirit would come after to vindicate Him.  The pierced One rose to eternal glory. 

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Photo from Rachel Maxey Miles