Reveration Blog
4/25/2007 EarnestnessI received an email last week along with scores of other pastors, from a man by the name of Rick. Because of the poor representation in Salem, Oregon’s capital, by spiritual leaders against the impending legislation that grants civil liberties and benefits to homosexuals he was spurred to send out an exhortation. He feels we are failing in our duties as shepherds to speak out against sin. His appeal caused me to think much about what it means to be earnest.
3/16/2007 Call of GodProvidentially, Jerry discovered Reverationyears ago and signed himself and many African pastors to receive this weekly devotional. Over time he began to correspond with me and to invite me to come to Nigeria to minister. Because I had never met him, I resisted his requests. But in January 2007, I invited him to join us in Kenya so I could get to know him, he could see our work firsthand and then together we could seek God’s will regarding future ministry. I am so glad that God brought Jerry into my life . . .
2/19/2006 0 Comments TributeRecently I had the opportunity to go back for my 25th college reunion. On a beautiful Friday morning we met in the cadet chapel to honor in a memorial service our classmates who have passed away. Dave Mead, my old roommate, planned within the service the opportunity for people to come up to the microphone and share memories of those who had died. Mike Meese was one of many who walked up and paid tribute to our departed comrades. Mike shared a brief story about John Hennessey, a fellow Company D2 member.
11/11/2005 PredestinationPredestination according to The American Heritage Dictionary means“The doctrine that God has foreordained all things, especially that God has elected certain souls to eternal salvation.” It is only mentioned six times in the New Testament and comes from the Greek word, (proorizo). The Apostle Paul in Ephesians reveals that love is the motivation behind predestination and that it is an accolade to God’s grace freely distributed through Christ. To the church in Rome, he wrote that God’s foreknowledge (proginosko—from which we get the word prognosis), is included in predestination. Furthermore, those He predestined were also called, justified and glorified (Romans 4:29,30)!
2/18/2005 0 Comments JosephJoseph is one of my favorite Biblical characters. He is such a great example of what it means to trust God though times and circumstances may be trying. I believe there are three key lessons we can about God from Joseph that will help us in our daily living.
5/6/2004 0 Comments ReconciliationDick played in my soccer league years ago. I hadn’t seen him in at least five years. So I was surprised twice on Sunday morning when I received a call from Young’s Funeral Home informing me that he died and that he had listed me as his minister.
5/24/2002 0 Comments Peruvian PatriarchIn 1937, Pastor Rubio Beltazar challenged young men in his church to take missions seriously. The Holy Spirit used his words particularly to inspire Juan Cueva with the task of taking the gospel to the world.
8/22/2001 0 Comments DifficultiesMeditation
Philippians 1:29-2:4—For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for Him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (NIV) 4/19/2001 0 Comments CommissionedJenny and Joe are back. Don’t talk to them about ministry or what happened after six months in Kuala Lumpur. They’re hurting right now and it will take some time for them to settle. They left with a banquet and profound expectations they returned bankrupt their confidence dashed.
12/21/1999 0 Comments OtherworldlyMeditation
Luke 2:13,14--Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors! 7/30/1999 0 Comments JonahMeditation
Jonah 3:1,2--Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach the message that I tell you.” 6/9/1999 0 Comments Training--Christ's ExampleMany people have studied the life and ministry of Jesus. There is much written about His three-fold ministry of teaching, preaching and healing revealed in the gospels. But it seems to me that Jesus’ most important work was His fourth ministry of training! Where would the world be today had He not invested His life in the lives of His followers? John Maxwell, a superb trainer of leaders says, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.”
3/22/1999 0 Comments MissionariesHow radical are you willing to be when it comes to supporting missionaries? It’s nice to have an annual missions week in the church. It feels good to send a check periodically to those laboring overseas. But do you honestly understand what those you know as missionaries experience on a daily basis? Do you know what it means to leave your home country and live in a strange culture among people who speak a foreign language, eat different foods, and relate to one another with a different set of mores? Do you know what it is like to be deeply homesick, constantly vulnerable and very inadequate?
6/16/1998 0 Comments NeedThe trail to heaven is littered with casualties—victims of misguided priorities or the worship of need-driven agendas. These wounded souls once burned bright in their zeal to serve God. They played clarion songs for the poor and engaged in rescuing the oppressed with fervor capable of melting granite skeptics into milky wax. They gave sacrificially with glad hearts. So what happened that they should be reduced to bitter herbs and poured out ashes?
12/28/1997 0 Comments MemoriesThere is a phrase that I am becoming weary of hearing among Christians. Three short words that convey a very sad truth—“I used to . . .”
10/14/1997 0 Comments CommunionMeditation
2 Timothy 1:9,10--He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. This has now been made evident through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has abolished death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. |
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Photo from Rachel Maxey Miles