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Reveration Blog

3/8/2023 1 Comment

Land of Cabul

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Hiram, the king of Tyre, provided King Solomon with all the cedar and cypress logs, and gold, he desired for his construction projects. His servants cut the timber and then assembled the logs into rafts to transport down the Mediterranean Sea to Israel. His fleets brought goods like almug wood and precious stones from distant lands. In return, Solomon yearly provided Hiram with 100,000 bushels of wheat and 110,000 gallons of olive oil (5:8-11). After 20 years of this cooperative effort, Solomon gave Hiram twenty towns in Galilee.

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8/31/2022 1 Comment

Wrong

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Janice* called me.  Her voice conveyed discouragement, confusion, and a hint of controlled resentment.  After listening to her, I felt saddened and angry.
            
​Several leaders—male and female from various churches in other states and a school, all tied to a nationally-known pastor and speaker told Karen she was not a Christian.  One of those pastors refused to baptize her. Janice shared the statements they leveled against her. They judged a woman suffering from post-traumatic stress (PTS) from their presumptuous and self-righteous position, causing grave damage to a young Christian struggling to grow in her faith.  Now she was uncertain of her salvation.  She felt unsafe and criticized in churches—where she should be most safe and find compassion—not condemnation. 

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5/14/2022 0 Comments

Your Faith has Healed You!

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Life is full of challenges. As you read that what challenge comes to mind that you are facing?  For some of us, it is financial, for others relationships, and still others health, the need for work, etc. What is unhealthy is when we let the problem(s) we face dominate our thinking because we flounder in fear and uncertainty.  In his book Brave, Strong & Tender, Phil Downer asked, “Do you ever find yourself spending more time thinking about the size of your problems than thinking about the size of your God? Do you feel locked up because of fear?”

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4/25/2022 1 Comment

The Problem with Religion

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​Did you know that God is offended by meaningless, false-hearted chanting? 


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9/30/2020 0 Comments

The Return

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​Abraham Lincoln proclaimed, “It behooves us then to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.” On April 30, 1863, Lincoln's National Day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer was observed.  Two days later, Lt. General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson was mortally wounded in a freak accident where he was shot by his own troops.  The loss of this powerful Confederate leader changed the course of the war.[1]

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7/31/2020 0 Comments

I & II Samuel

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If you want to read great books on leadership, read 1st and 2nd Samuel. Early tradition suggests that 1 and 2 Samuel were originally one book in scripture so I will do my best to examine the combined 55 chapters and share key leadership lessons.  No author is named for these books but scholars largely credit the prophets Samuel, Nathan and Gad. Based on 1 Sa. 27:6, the writing may not have been completed until about 930 B.C.[1]

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7/9/2020 1 Comment

Crushed!

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While working on getting a book published I still lacked the artwork and so I called Bruce,* my project manager, to find out the status.  When he answered the phone, it was obvious by the tone in his voice that he was stressed.  Instead of diving into my request, I asked him how he was doing.  Bruce sighed and then shared.  “I’m going through a divorce . . . my house flooded and I’m having to replace the flooring in several rooms and it is not covered by insurance.  I’m not sure if I can get a loan.  I have an ulcer . . . my mother died and left me her house in a trust but one of the trustees was dishonest and it turned out that there is a lien on the home for unpaid debt . . .  ​

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10/29/2019 0 Comments

Bright Eyes

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​On Sunday mornings when I’m in town and able to attend church, after the service ends I stand at the front of the sanctuary to pray for anyone needing prayer.   This past Sunday, a woman walked slowly forward with a slight stoop in posture.  Her teeth were black and badly rotted and it was obvious she had suffered a great deal—probably from drugs.  But what caught my attention was her bright eyes—they radiated warmth.  I asked what I could pray for her and she said she was suffering from liver disease.  After I finished praying she gave me a hug and shared how much she loved our church and how being there filled her with peace.  


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10/9/2018 0 Comments

Heartfelt

​Candy and I spent most of the morning writing back and forth about questions regarding the definition of Christians and evangelicals and current events that troubled her. While we may not have the same political leanings that does not prevent us from having honest and prolonged discussion. She ended our time with kind words and greetings to my family.  Candy is one of the most warm-hearted persons I know and it is always a privilege to be around her.  
   


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1/25/2015 0 Comments

Clean the Inside

​We sang in worship this morning a song that included a desire to present to God an inside that was both clean and committed.  It reminded me of the words of another song, “Cleanse my heart O God.”  I’ve probably sung that song a hundred times without dwelling on the fact that unless my focus is heart-centric cleansing is superficial at best.  In any area that I have not surrendered to God from the core of my being, I continue to struggle.  For example, I know that when my wife is talking to me I should listen.  Yet, because I am intent on getting my work done or enjoying my activity, I do not give her my full attention. Mentally I ought to be able to fix inattentiveness and focus on what Kathleen is saying but without a surrendered heart it is just not so.  The problem at the core is I am more concerned with my things than with her things. 

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11/17/2014

From a Pure Heart

​The day Arthur was born his father left his mother for another woman.  So, along with his siblings, the young boy was raised by his resilient mom.  And then she became very ill. Calling her son to her side, she began to share final instructions as she was dying.  The devastated young man cried out, “Mama don’t die, you can’tdie.”  And even though he was not a Christian, knowing that there must be a God, he prayed and asked the Lord to save her because they were too young to be without a mother.  Graciously God immediately healed her and extended her life for many more years.  

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8/5/2012 0 Comments

The Three P's

Meditation
Colossians 3:5,8,12,13—Therefore, put to death what belongs to your worldly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry . . . But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth . . . Therefore, God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another.  Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive.
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9/11/2011

Overwhelmed

​I want to know You.  Let Your Spirit overwhelm me.  Let Your presence take over my heart.  Repeatedly the worship leader led us in singing those seventeen words that if analyzed meant far more than we could imagine.

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6/4/2006

Heart II

​Recently for my quiet time I read from 1 Samuel 24.  It records the story of King Saul in pursuit of David whom he viewed as a threat to his throne.  In God’s providence, David was hiding with his men deep in a cave that Saul entered alone.  David had an easy opportunity to kill Saul and was encouraged to do so by his men but he refrained from killing the ruler the Lord anointed.  After Saul left the cave, David followed and shouted, “My lord the king!”  Getting Saul’s attention, he alerted him to the fact that God had put him in his hands and yet he spared his life.  David strongly challenged King Saul even reminding him of an old proverb, “From evildoers come evil deeds.”  Saul was so stricken by David’s words, that he ended up crying.  He confessed that David was the better man and pronounced a blessing upon him as well as recognition that David would indeed be given the throne and would be a successful leader.  Shortly thereafter, the king departed with his army for home but David and his men went back to their stronghold.  

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10/29/2004 0 Comments

Motivation

​Recently, I met with a man whose marriage is tottering towards collapse.  He feels alone and unwanted in his own household.  His wife seems more devoted to his children than to him.  He seemingly cannot do enough to please her and he is ready to give up.  When I asked Him how his relationship with God was doing, he shared that it is anemic. He grew up without a loving father which has effected how he views, relates to and trusts his Heavenly Father. Therein lays the core issue.

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2/6/2004 0 Comments

Scrutiny

​It was 1:00 a.m. and the doorbell rang.  I got out of bed, walked down the stairs, looked through the peephole and opened the door for a young police officer. 
“Sir, we received a 911 call from your home.”  
“Officer, was the call from 620-4081?”
“Yes, the dispatcher said all she could hear was static.  She called back and left a message.”
“I’m so sorry. This is the second time this week (midnight or later) this has happened.  My computer is turned off and I don’t know how you are getting called.”
I took him into my office and showed him the offending phone.
“Okay, you might want to call your phone company and have them check this out.”
“Yes, I will.  I’m sorry you had to come out here.”
“No problem.  Hope you can get back to sleep.” 
 

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9/27/2002

Distractions

​The bride stood beside the groom radiant.  Sitting next to me, Dan wondered what chemical process takes place that allows a woman to practically glow!  There was a spiritual vibrancy as well.  It was obvious that Jason and Shelby were committed as much to glorifying God as they were to consummating their marriage.  But I found it difficult to concentrate as the two lovers recited their vows.

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6/2/2001 0 Comments

Coram Deo

​Friday evening I watered the young trees and shrubbery in my front yard.  I noticed a plastic soft drink container wrapped in gray tape.  It looked suspicious enough, so that not wanting my children to pick it up, I chucked it across our road.*  The next morning while Bryan and Stephen and I shot hoops in our driveway, a police car pulled alongside the curb across the street.  Someone evidently reported the object and a bomb squad was dispatched. Sure enough, it was a poorly-made bomb that failed to explode.  Perhaps you can imagine some of the thoughts that ran through my families’ heads as we pondered the incident.

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9/2/1999 0 Comments

Teaching--Motivational

​“Maximize the god within you!” Welcome to the arena of self-help teaching spun from the mouths of success gurus.  The gist of their message runs something like:
Ø Do your best; overcome your fears for the key to success lies within you!
Ø Go after your dreams.  Listen to your inner voice it will never fail you.  
Ø Be sincere.  Persevere and believe in yourself.  You can be whatever you want to be!

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3/4/1999 0 Comments

Organization

​Meditation
Malachi 2:1-2—“Therefore, this decree is for you priests: If you don’t listen, and if you don’t take it to heart to honor My name,” says Yahweh of Hosts, “I will send a curse among you, and I will curse your blessings. In fact, I have already begun to curse them because you are not taking it to heart.”
 

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Photo used under Creative Commons from Rachel Maxey Miles