First Cause
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Global >
      • United States
      • Africa
      • Democratic Republic of Congo
      • Guatemala
      • India
      • Kenya
      • Mexico
      • Nicaragua
      • Nigeria
      • Peru
      • Rwanda
      • Sweden
      • Tanzania
      • Uganda
    • Leadership
    • Our Team
    • Our Statement of Faith
  • Training
  • Leader Resources
    • Outreach
    • Quotes A-C
    • Quotes D-F
    • Quotes G-K
    • Quotes L-O
    • Quotes P-R
    • Quotes S-U
    • Quotes V-Z
    • Worship
    • Testimonials
    • Annual Newsletter
  • Leader Podcasts
  • Blog
  • Prayer
    • A Link In The Chain
    • Prayer Request
    • Long Eternal Line
  • STORE
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Inicio
  • Nosotros
    • Liderazgo
    • Equipo
  • Capacitacion
  • Eventos
  • Blog Devocionales
  • Galeria
  • Contacto
  • Link Page
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Global >
      • United States
      • Africa
      • Democratic Republic of Congo
      • Guatemala
      • India
      • Kenya
      • Mexico
      • Nicaragua
      • Nigeria
      • Peru
      • Rwanda
      • Sweden
      • Tanzania
      • Uganda
    • Leadership
    • Our Team
    • Our Statement of Faith
  • Training
  • Leader Resources
    • Outreach
    • Quotes A-C
    • Quotes D-F
    • Quotes G-K
    • Quotes L-O
    • Quotes P-R
    • Quotes S-U
    • Quotes V-Z
    • Worship
    • Testimonials
    • Annual Newsletter
  • Leader Podcasts
  • Blog
  • Prayer
    • A Link In The Chain
    • Prayer Request
    • Long Eternal Line
  • STORE
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Inicio
  • Nosotros
    • Liderazgo
    • Equipo
  • Capacitacion
  • Eventos
  • Blog Devocionales
  • Galeria
  • Contacto
  • Link Page
Search by typing & pressing enter

YOUR CART

Reveration Blog

12/6/2022 2 Comments

The Best Message Never Preached

Picture
Dan with Ralph Holland
Ralph was invited to preach by pastors who had seen his television program broadcast throughout Latin America. Two pastors met him at the airport and took him to the venue—an auditorium full of worshipers. As the service progressed, the host pastor asked Ralph to be finished preaching by 9:00 p.m. so people who required public transportation could make the last bus. Two groups provided music and even played some of the same songs.  An offering was taken, and the person facilitating it decided to preach a short message and then had one of the bands come up and play yet another song.  By the time Ralph was introduced to speak it was 8:55!  ​

Read More...
2 Comments

9/20/2021 0 Comments

Woe

Picture
We know from Genesis 5 that Enoch was the seventh generation from Adam, and he is the supposed writer of The Book of Enoch considered an apocryphal book and part of the Pseudepigrapha.  Enoch 100:8 states: 
“Woe to you, ye obstinate of heart, 
Who watch in order to devise wickedness;
Therefore shall fear come upon you  
And there shall be none to help you.” 


Read More...
0 Comments

5/11/2021 0 Comments

Jerusalem

Picture
Today as I’m writing this Hamas is firing rockets into Tel Aviv and Israel is conducting counter air strikes. Seeing conflict flare up in Israel made me curious so I consulted the internet: “What city has been conquered the most?” The answers were quite interesting. Don Tano, a full-blooded Sicilian, claims that Palermo is the most conquered city in the world.[1]  The Telegraph lists the top seven most conquered cities in the world as: the Northumberland town, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Palermo, Szczecin (Shcheh-cheen) and Gdansk (formerly Danzig) in Poland, Edirne (Adrianople) in Turkey, Jerusalem, and France’s Nice.[2]

Read More...
0 Comments

3/7/2021 0 Comments

Mama, You're Singing in the Cracks!

Picture
Randy told us the following story at our elders’ meeting. A young boy was sitting at the piano playing a well-known song when his mother came up behind him and started singing. The boy stopped playing and looked up at his mother and said, “Mama, you’re singing in the cracks!” The poor woman was off-key and the boy wanted her to know it.

Read More...
0 Comments

9/11/2020 2 Comments

Heroism

Picture
On November 18, 1952, LT E. Royce Williams from his ship the USS Oriskany, off the coast of Korea, was given a bombing mission against North Korean targets as part of a strike group.  The pilots flew near a river that bordered the Soviet Union. Upon completing their mission, they received information that 7 MIGs were scrambled to intercept them. Williams was ordered to return and provide protection for his ship.  


Read More...
2 Comments

6/6/2020 2 Comments

Why (and How) Everything Matters

Picture
The word everything has two meanings: every single thing or total; all; and, something enormously important.  For this writing, both definitions apply.  I was quite taken by how powerfully this word weaves throughout Scripture.  From a number of passages beginning in Psalms, and camping primarily in the New Testament, I have constructed seven key premises that in turn give us a strong foundation as Christians with which to tackle any and all issues.  My desire is to specifically address the two major issues that dominate our society at this time:  politics and racism/prejudice.  By the sheer complexity and magnitude of this undertaking this devotional will require your patience and time to digest.  ​

Read More...
2 Comments

4/7/2020 0 Comments

By What Authority?

Picture
In the week leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, He first made His authority clear to a young, unbroken donkey which He triumphantly rode into Jerusalem.  His ride stirred a quick-gathering crowd that placed their robes on the road and spread leafy branches in front of the One they hoped would be their King. Matthew wrote, “The whole city was shaken, saying, “Who is this?” (Mathew 21:10).

Read More...
0 Comments

3/25/2020 1 Comment

Scared and Sustained

Picture
Have you ever been so afraid that you dropped everything you were doing and left everyone you knew to run and hide?  Elijah did that and his petrified escape is an amazing story.  ​

Read More...
1 Comment

1/29/2020 0 Comments

Civil Disobedience

Picture
Meditation
Exodus 1:15-17--Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them as they deliver. If the child is a son, kill him, but if it’s a daughter, she may live.”  The Hebrew midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live.

Read More...
0 Comments

4/20/2017 0 Comments

In Private

There is a popular phrase passed along by leaders, “Always praise publically, criticize or correct privately.” Unfortunately, this gets violated all too often in organizations where insecure or unthoughtful people publicly criticize employees, family members, or co-workers.  I once had a fellow team member complain to the program director over his offense at some of my closing remarks.  Rather than just come and tell me, he went “over my head.”  When the director mentioned his complaint to me I was surprised and lost respect for a fellow leader who prides himself in leading yet was unprofessional by not speaking directly to me. 

Read More...
0 Comments

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.  

Read More...

8/14/2015

After These Faithful Deeds

​Meditation
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.
 

Read More...

5/3/2014 0 Comments

A Gentle Answer

​You could hear them screaming at each other five offices away.  Heads poked out to see what was going on—I was afraid words would escalate to blows, but fortunately that did not happen.   Don looked like he was going to have a heart attack, his face was beet red and he was shaking.  Rich’s jaw was clenched and his palms rolled into fists but with three of us coaxing we managed to get them separated and back into their own offices.

​​I asked Rich what happened.  He said he went into Don’s office to ask how Allie was doing on the project she was working with him.  Don told him she was worthless and to get out of his office, he was sick of taking Rich’s broken employees and felt like Rich deliberately was out to make his life miserable.  Rich said the way Don spoke penetrated his brain and hit his anger button.  He knew Allie had her weak areas but he was proud of her hard work and resented Don’s judgmental attitude.  Furthermore he didn’t appreciate the way the older manager always blamed people instead of trying to get along.  So instead of finding a response to deescalate the tension, he spoke the first thought that raced across his brain, “Don you are a loser and I’m sick of trying to help you.”  Those words brought Don out of his chair and began a two-minute shouting match.

Read More...
0 Comments

2/22/2014

Confrontation

​In the military, leaders are taught to make “on the spot corrections” when people engage in improper behavior.  If mistakes continue supervisors are to document in writing what is wrong and prescribe the right action or attitude that is expected.  But after serving in leadership positions at six different levels I find that most supervisors, (me included), struggle when it comes to confrontation.   Speaking the truth for some is like chaining a tiger.  They would rather not offend the one capable of lashing back.  It takes time and a strong disposition to properly deal with those who need correcting.  Rather than face someone it is easier to overlook problems and just hope they will go away.  If there is no avoiding having to counsel, most leaders prefer making oral corrections. This is less time consuming and stressful. The problem with this technique is there is no record established to show a pattern of misbehavior with a stubborn malcontent and therefore punishment or removal is difficult to impose.   

Read More...

4/17/2011 0 Comments

Grab His Feet!

​She was a wealthy woman of the best kind— thoughtful and generous.  She noticed a man of God in need and she fed him.  As he often frequented her town, she talked her husband into building a home addition so the man would have his own room furnished to meet his needs. Grateful for her kindness, the godly man asked her what he could do for her.  She declined his offer.  So he asked his helper what could be done for her.  He noticed that her husband was old and she had no children.  So he called her to his room and as she stood in the doorway told her she would have a son the following spring.   She asked him not to lie to her, but sure enough she gave birth to a boy.  Years later the woman’s son became ill and died.  His mother immediately traveled to Mount Carmel where she found Elisha, fell on the ground and grabbed his feet.

Read More...
0 Comments

3/20/2011

Purging

Sometimes we can do what God asks of us and suffer disastrous consequences. When this happens we can do one of two things, we can turn away from God and blame Him for our misfortunes, or we can humble ourselves and continue to do exactly what He asks.  To see a clear example of this we need only turn back in history to a dark time in the land of Israel.  

Read More...

1/7/2010 0 Comments

Outsiders

​Have you ever wanted to be part of a group but found yourself excluded?  Whether it be a school, church, club, team, a political party or affiliation most of us recognize the existence within any organization of an inner ring.   Many people spend their whole lives seeking acceptance and entrance into these cliques or groups.  No one wants to be left out.  

Read More...
0 Comments

9/23/2008 0 Comments

Strategic

Nigeria is a nation of over 146 million people—the largest populated country in Africa.   It comprises more than 250 ethnic groups of which the following are the most populous and politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, and Tiv 2.5%.*  In mass Nigeria is over twice the size of California.  The nation is located on the Gulf of Guinea and shares borders with the countries of Benin, Cameroun, Chad and Niger.  Our team ministered in the city of Jos which literally means Jesus Our Savior!  Jos is part of the Plateau State (Nigeria has 36 states) which sits in the middle of the country.  

Read More...
0 Comments

1/3/2008 0 Comments

Mutiny

​On December 30, 2007, President Kibaki, of the Kikuyu tribe, was again sworn in as the winner of the Kenyan Presidential election.  According to most reports and the opposition candidate Raila Odinga, of the Luos tribe, the election was rigged and the incumbent should have lost.  Immediate fighting broke out across the country.  In Eldoret, gangs of youth set fire to an Assembly of God church killing fifty Kikuyus seeking refuge there.  This was the first reported attack of a church in Kenyan history.

Read More...
0 Comments

6/2/2005

Competence

​Sarah 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.  

Read More...

<<Previous

    Categories

    All
    Abiding
    Accountability
    Accusations
    Action
    Adaptable
    Adversity
    Advice
    Agreement
    Alert
    Alliance
    Ambition
    Angels
    Anger
    Anointing
    Arguing
    Aspiration
    Assumptions
    Attitude
    Authority
    Available
    Balance
    Baptism
    Belief
    Betrayal
    Bible
    Bitterness
    Blessings
    Blood
    Bold
    Boundaries
    Bribery
    Burn Out
    Busyness
    Calling
    Calm
    Causes
    Challenges
    Change
    Character
    Choices
    Christmas
    Comfort
    Commitment
    Communication
    Communion
    Community
    Comparison
    Compassion
    Complacency
    Complaining
    Compromise
    Concern
    Conduct
    Confession
    Confrontation
    Confusion
    Conscience
    Consent
    Considerate
    Contentment
    Context
    Corruption
    Courage
    Craving
    Creation
    Creativity
    Criticism
    Curiosity
    Dark
    Death
    Deception
    Decision Making
    Dedication
    Delay
    Deliverance
    Demons
    Depression
    Despair
    Discernment
    Discipleship
    Discipline
    Discouragement
    Dishonesty
    Disobedience
    Disrespect
    Divine Appointment
    Divisive
    Dogmatic
    Doubt
    Duty
    Easter
    Edify
    Empathy
    Encouragement
    Endurance
    Envy
    Eternity
    Ethics
    Evangelism
    Evolution
    Example
    Excuses
    Experience
    Failure
    Faith
    Faithful
    Fasting
    Fathers
    Favor
    Fear
    Feedback
    Fellowship
    Flesh
    Focus
    Follow
    Foolishness
    Forgiveness
    Freedom
    Friendly
    Friendship
    Fruit
    Gentle
    Giving
    Glory
    Goals
    God
    God Fearing
    Godly
    Gods Love
    Gods Promises
    Good Friday
    Gossip
    Government
    Grace
    Grumbling
    Guidance
    Habit
    Happiness
    Healing
    Healthy
    Heart
    Heaven
    Hell
    Help
    Heresy
    Heroism
    History
    Holidays
    Holiness
    Holy Spirit
    Honor
    Hope
    Humility
    Hypocrisy
    Idolatry
    Image
    Immorality
    Incompetent
    Inconsistent
    Ingratitude
    Inheritance
    Initiative
    Inspiration
    Integrity
    Interference
    Isolation
    Israel
    Jealousy
    Jesus
    Joy
    Judgment
    Justice
    Justification
    Kindness
    Knowledge
    Language
    Laughter
    Law
    Lazy
    Leadership
    Learning
    Legalism
    Life
    Light
    Listening
    Lonely
    Love
    Loyalty
    Lying
    Marriage
    Meaning
    Meditation
    Memorial
    Mercy
    Mind
    Ministry
    Miracles
    Money
    Music
    Name
    Obedient
    Observation
    Opportunity
    Opposition
    Pain
    Parables
    Parenting
    Passion
    Patience
    Peace
    Perseverance
    Philosophies
    Plan
    Poem
    Possessions
    Power
    Praise
    Prayer
    Prayer For Leaders
    Prejudice
    Preparation
    Pride
    Priorities
    Profiles
    Promises
    Protection
    Providence
    Provision
    Prudence
    Psalms
    Punishment
    Purpose
    Questions
    Rebellious
    Recognition
    Reconcilation
    Redemption
    Relativism
    Relevance
    Religion
    Repentance
    Reputation
    Respect
    Responsible
    Rest
    Restoration
    Revenge
    Revival
    Reward
    Righteous
    Role
    Sacrifice
    Safety
    Salvation
    Satan
    Security
    Selection
    Self
    Sensitive
    Serving
    Sickness
    Silence
    Sin
    Sincerity
    Sorrow
    Soul
    Speech
    Spiritual Disciplines
    Spiritual Gifts
    Spiritual Growth
    Spiritual Warfare
    Status
    Stewardship
    Strategy
    Strengths
    Stress
    Stubborn
    Submission
    Success
    Suffering
    Suicide
    Teaching
    Team
    Temptation
    Testimony
    Testing
    Thankful
    Theology
    Thinking
    Thoughtful
    Time
    Tradition
    Training
    Travel
    Trinity
    Trouble
    Trust
    Truth
    Understanding
    Unequal
    Unity
    Values
    Victory
    Virtue
    Vision
    Warning
    Weakness
    Will
    Wisdom
    Witness
    Work
    Worry
    Worship
    Youth
    Zeal

Picture

Contacts

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Photo used under Creative Commons from Rachel Maxey Miles