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Reveration Blog

6/12/2025 0 Comments

He Couldn't Handle Success

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Have you ever known someone who had the traits of likeability, kindness, and concern for others until they were promoted or achieved some recognized measure of success? The person you thought you knew is now impatient, less approachable, defensive, self-absorbed, and uninterested in your life and the lives of others.  You try to imagine what happened to make this person so different. ​

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12/3/2024 0 Comments

The Seeking Trifecta

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Marine Captain Ray Smith, while serving as a military advisor to 250 Vietnamese Marines, was attacked by an overwhelming Viet Cong force while defending a hilltop outpost. The assault was so savage, and the weather was so bad (preventing close air support) that Smith had to lead the remaining 28 Vietnamese Marines to the safety of friendly lines. Because he was carrying a radio, Smith courageously threw himself backward on top of their own booby-trap-infested wire barrier so 28 Marines could move over the crushed wire, stepping on his prostrate body to safety. Despite severe cuts and bruises, Smith successfully fought and led those under his care to safety, winning him a Navy Cross.[1]

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1/14/2023 8 Comments

Navigating the Christian Life

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Author Geoff Davis
​Over forty years ago, on April 1, 1982, I pinned on a US Army Ranger Tab. When I began that program on February 2, 1982, I started with some of the Army’s best soldiers. God used it as one of the most formative lessons in my walk with Him, so that I might know Him better. ​

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7/15/2021 0 Comments

More Capacity

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Bill Bowman ministering in Uganda
​Meditation
Acts 9:22--But Saul grew more capable and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this One is the Messiah.

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2/14/2021 0 Comments

Competition

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Competition is one of my signature strengths. I don’t like losing or being wrong. By God’s grace I am mellowing with age. So, I can somewhat identify with John when he and his buddies were bothered that someone they didn’t know was taking on demons in the power of Jesus’ name yet wasn’t part of their signature team. I’m sure he felt that that it was completely inappropriate for one who was not spending time at the feet of the Master to minister as a supposed follower.  But John and his fellow disciples were misguided in their thinking.


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4/16/2020 1 Comment

How Will You Finish?

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​“The older man continued. ‘It has been my observation that just one out of ten who start out in full-time service for the Lord at twenty-one are still on track by the age of sixty-five’ . . . What makes you think that you will be the one man out of ten who finishes strong?”[1]

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10/24/2019 0 Comments

Essentialism

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Greg McKeown is the author of an excellent book entitled essentialism.   Greg contends that the disciplined pursuit of less is a major key to success.   Lin Yutang says, “The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.”  From this premise, McKeown lays out a compelling case which helps us understand why it is important to: say “no” and not overextend; prioritize our lives; exercise the power of choice; discern what is important; know when to make tradeoffs; know when to play and to sleep; know what to select and what to eliminate; set boundaries and focus; etc. ​


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9/30/2019 1 Comment

A Charge to PRESS

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​Recently I spoke at the retirement ceremony of my good friend Chaplain Bruce Sidebotham.  Rather than focus on what he did in the military the Lord led me to address his future with a charge.  A charge is an exhortation to action to fulfill an intended outcome.  As an example, Paul exhorted Timothy, “I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing out of favoritism” (1 Timothy 5:21).  My charge to Bruce was a message to all of us attending his celebratory event based on the acrostic PRESS.  ​

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7/6/2019 1 Comment

Point Man

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The best book I have read for men to be godly husbands and fathers is Point Man by Steve Farrar.  I gave this book my highest rating of 5 stars because of the frankness, realness and quality content Steve delivers.  Dr. Farrar describes the challenge of leading a patrol in Vietnam and likens it to leading a family through the chaos of American culture.

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12/13/2018 0 Comments

The Right Ambition

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​Watchman Nee shares the story of two brothers who both cultivated paddy-fields located half way up a hill.  They watered their fields during the heat of the day but at night, farmers whose fields were lower down the hill, dug a hole in the irrigation channel surrounding the brother’s fields so that the water flowed down to their land.  The brothers noticed but said nothing.  They patched the hole and continued to water their own land.  For seven successive nights their neighbors stole their water.  Still the brothers endured this thieveryin silence but increasingly became unhappy so at last they went to another brother in the Lord’s service to seek his advice.


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5/21/2015 0 Comments

He Built a Road in 22 Years

Dashrath 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.

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12/23/2012 0 Comments

First to Kill

​Meditation
1 Chronicles 11:6—David said, “Whoever is the first to kill a Jebusite will become chief commander.”  Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became the chief.
 
Words definitely matter.   So do our actions.  On the surface, it appears that King David made a pretty smart decision.  He needed to defeat the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem who had a successful history of repelling would-be conquerors. In fact, they told David, “You will never get in here” (vs. 5).  David needed a general to lead Israel’s army so he issued the challenge in our verse for meditation.  The king got what he wanted.  Zeruiah’s three sons, Joab, Abishai and Asahel were all warriors and Joab seized the opportunity afforded by David’s challenge, and killed the first Jebusite.

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10/29/2008 0 Comments

Fifty

This evening, I’m sitting at a desk at a Residence Inn in northern Virginia.   At some hour today I reached a new milestone—I turned fifty.   This is a splacious moment (my word for great!) With each passing year, I get to learn new things in older ways and I’m grateful to God for the privilege.  

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4/19/2007 0 Comments

Maasai

​David Ole Kereto was born in Narok, Kenya, the Maasai son of a witch doctor. By tradition he was expected to follow in his father’s footsteps.  One of the highest honors for a Maasai male is to become a warrior.  To achieve warrior status, one must kill a lion or a man.  To kill a lion, tribesmen will surround the big cat and agitate it by shouting.  One of the men then steps forward making himself a target.  He holds a spear in his right hand and a stick sharpened to a point on both ends in the other hand.  When the lion attacks it usually lunges for the spear hand.  Just as it leaps, the Maasai shifts the stick to his right hand and as the lion opens its mouth he thrusts it between its jaws.  David accomplished this at age 15 thereby becoming a Maasai warrior!

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10/3/2004 0 Comments

Recognition

​I often notice when I meet people for the first time they look at my chest.  Now that sounds weird doesn’t it!  What I mean is that when I am wearing a uniform I often feel like I am being sized up or evaluated for the cloth patches sewn on my shirt.  Whether it is the military, Girl Scouts, AWANA, varsity jackets, etc., patches, medals ribbons and pins tell a story of what kind of training or accomplishments a person achieved.  

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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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7/8/2004 0 Comments

Selfishness

​Each year senior military officers attending the Army War College choose a gift to present to the school.  Because of differing tastes, this exercise of selecting a gift proves to be the most contentious challenge each class will face.  Typically, students pick a reputable artist and commission that artist to paint a historical event the class chooses.  Civil war themes are by far the most popular and sell the most prints. One year when the artist revealed his sketch, one southern student on the selection committee complained that there were no confederate soldiers present.  Another member objected that no black Americans were depicted.  So they sent the artist back to his canvas. Imagine their surprise when the clever painter produced a beautiful portrait of black Union soldiers guarding sullen Confederate prisoners!  

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4/19/2002 0 Comments

Self-Control

​Before I write about self-control I must share a disclaimer.  I struggle with this area personally.  I wrestle against impure thoughts.  I don’t always use my time wisely.  I say or do things I shouldn’t.  In short, I have a long way to go to be like my hero—Jesus.  It is recklessly foolish to think I can control myself by my own doing. My sin nature guarantees the impossibility of self-earned perfection.  What is a fallible man to do? 
 

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1/6/2000 0 Comments

Retirement

​I rise up from my bed today with thoughts beyond attire,
            To serve with every breath I take to please my Lord and Sire,
I know that obstacles may come, temptations from the liar,
            But they cannot put out the Flame, my everlasting fire!

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9/2/1998 0 Comments

Mercy

​Have you ever had a day when you wished to be alone; when your heart felt crushed beyond repair and your dreams were smashed like a wooden boat against the jagged reefs of reality?  Like the eye of a hurricane, misery has its own island of calm.  Often it is in the center of pain where God reveals His warm will and tender truth.  

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